The Agenda with the Missoula County Commissioners

The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula is home to the largest intact World War II internment site in the United States. From 1941 to 1944, the U.S. Department of Justice managed two Alien Detention Center barracks at the Fort and imprisoned 1,200 Italian nationals and more than 1,100 Japanese Issei men. The museum recently opened “Far from Home: An Internee Experience at Fort Missoula,” an immersi...

Andrew Hagemeier, director of Community and Economic Development, is back on the podcast this week to help bust myths about subdivisions, zoning and land use. Other topics include tax increment financing, the Wye Water System project and affordable housing.  Be sure to check out the TIF and TEDD 101 episode for a primer on how tax increment financing works. Text us your thoughts and comments on th...

The Montana Legislature, which meets every two years, recently wrapped up the 2025 session in Helena. So, what happened at the Capitol this year? How do these new laws impact residents and county operations?  From property taxes to jury duty summons to economic development, there is a lot to cover! This week, the commissioners spoke with Chris Lounsbury, Chief Administrative Officer for Missoula C...

This week, the Agenda takes on true crime in Missoula County. Since its inception in 2019, the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case unit has solved seven cases of homicides or unidentified remains . The commissioners spoke with Ryan Prather, captain of the Detective Division at the Missoula County Sheriff's Office. Captain Prather also coordinates the volunteer Search and Rescue and Col...

Do you know who to call if there’s a bat in your house? What if you’re concerned about the welfare of a pet in your neighborhood? From sheltering strays and adopting out cats and dogs, Missoula Animal Services staff work to ensure the health and safety of animals in Missoula County. This week, the Missoula County Commissioners spoke with Holli Hargrove, manager of MAS, to talk about the exciting n...

From its roots as a county agency to leading cutting-edge educational programs, the Missoula Art Museum has grown a lot since its inception in 1975. This week, the commissioners sat down with Laura Millin who has been at the helm of the free contemporary art museum since 1990. As she prepares to retire this year, they look back on the history and unique character of this beloved nonprofit.  Text u...

Montana currently has only one passenger train line: The Empire Builder, which runs along the Hi-Line in the northern part of the state. That wasn’t always the case – and the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is looking to reinstate a former southern route that would connect towns and cities to each other and neighboring states. This week the commissioners were joined by Dan Bucks to discuss the st...

Public Works Officer Shane Stack started working for the Montana Department of Transportation as a teenager and came to Missoula County in 2019. As Shane prepares to retire this summer, he reflected on the challenges facing public infrastructure, the ill-fated 2020 gas tax and how his department has gotten creative with funding solutions.  Related links: Snow plow routes map (works best on desktop...

Transportation planner Aaron Wilson is back on The Agenda this week to talk about how the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization leverages federal funding for critical upgrades to roads and bridges. Aaron and the commissioners discuss traffic congestion, bypasses and how detailed planning gives Missoula an advantage during the federal grant process. Links mentioned in this episode: Reserve St...

We probably know what comes to mind when you hear "health department." But there is much more to Missoula Public Health than infectious disease monitoring. From air quality to restaurant inspections to the WIC program, the work of MPH undoubtedly affects your life and your health. This week the commissioners spoke with Jeanna Miller, Chief Health Officer at MPH, about how your city-count...

The Clark Fork and its headwaters represent a duality of incredible fish habitat and miles of former mines and industrial sites. More than 20 years after it began, the restoration of Ninemile Creek west of Missoula has delivered promising results, and not just for the trout.   This week, the commissioners met with Paul Parson, Montana restoration director at Trout Unlimited, to talk mining history...

This week the commissioners welcome Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis back to the podcast to talk about a topic that affects all city and county residents: housing. What role does local government play in addressing this complex and difficult issue? What is the City of Missoula doing right now to help more residents continue to call Missoula their home?  Tune in for a thoughtful discussion about current...

Every two years, the Montana Legislature meets for 90 days to pass bills and the statewide budget. Bills become laws and dictate policy on everything from taxes to healthcare access and more. Starting in January, 100 representatives and 50 senators will meet in Helena to work together in committees and hearings to address issues that matter to all Montanans. This week, the commissioners spoke with...

The commissioners recently approved the creation of a new targeted economic development district, at the site of an old gravel pit between Reserve St. and I-90. These districts, often referred to as TEDDs, use tax increment financing to invest in necessary improvements to infrastructure. Have we lost you already? There’s a lot of confusion around what increment financing does or does not do. This...

Missoula County residents are lucky to live in proximity to multiple rivers and creeks, but this also means increase risks of flooding. Missoula County is currently working with both state and federal agencies to update floodplain maps for the Clark Fork River, the Bitterroot River and Rock Creek. But what exactly is the floodplain, and why are updated maps needed?  Recently, the Missoula County c...

"Selling Marshall Mountain could reduce property taxes." "Any town in the county can incorporate if they want to." "County residents subsidize the City of Missoula." Have you heard these statements before? Are they true or false?  This week the commissioners spoke with Chris Lounsbury, chief administrative officer for Missoula County, to get to the bottom of these myt...

You’ve heard (and maybe even experienced) how difficult it is to find accessible and affordable childcare. While this is certainly a problem across the nation, what can be done right here in Montana, or even in Missoula County, to address this vital need? This week, the commissioners sat down with Grace Decker, educator and coordinator for the Montana Advocates for Children, to discuss the importa...

From programming to paint to pesticide disposal, Home ReSource has just about everything you may need to start or finish a project around your home. Last month, staff from Missoula Public Health and Home ReSource celebrated the opening of the much-anticipated household chemical disposal facility.   This week, the commissioners spoke with director Kelli Hess about what constitutes household chemica...

You’ve heard the saying: plan for the worst and hope for the best. But when it comes to emergency planning, what does that actually mean? If a wildfire starts near your property, do you know where to look for information? What’s the difference between an evacuation warning and an evacuation order? This week, the commissioners had a very timely conversation with Adriane Beck, director of the Office...

In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control awarded a $1.8 million grant to Partnership Health Center to set up a community health worker program in partnership with Missoula Public Health and All Nations Health Center. Since then, this team of seven has helped more than 500 clients. But what exactly does a community health worker do? This week, the Missoula County Commissioners spoke with Eileen Lam...

2024 marks the 50th anniversary of The Poverello Center , Missoula’s nonprofit homelessness shelter and advocacy organization. This week the Missoula County Commissioners spoke with Jill Bonny, director of the Pov, about the history, changing demographics and current challenges of serving individuals in need of housing, food and human connection. Related episodes: " The Economic Impact of Hom...

Homelessness has been at the center of local, regional and national debate in recent years, with tensions rising between residents, advocates, business owners and politicians.  This week, local economist Bryce Ward joined the Missoula County commissioners to discuss the findings of his most recent report, “ Economic Impact of Homelessness in Missoula. ” In this episode, they answer questions like...

Rivers are thawing, the call of the western meadowlark is floating through air, and other signs of spring are emerging in Missoula County. Maybe you’re inspired to pick up some plants for your patio, start an herb garden or even raise some livestock on your property. But where do you begin? The Missoula County Department of Ecology and Extension can help you with all of this and more. From their n...

The Rattlesnake National Recreation Area, located minutes from downtown Missoula, is part of the Lolo National Forest. Many know the Rattlesnake as Missoula’s backyard, offering ample outdoor recreation opportunities and access to the adjoining wilderness area. But did you know that in the 1930s there were homes, mines, a school and telephone lines scattered through the forest? This week, the comm...

Andrea Davis was elected as the 52nd Mayor of the City of Missoula in Nov. 2023 and in her first few months of office she has been addressing the hot topics of housing, homelessness, public meetings and other issues.  This week the Missoula County Commissioners caught up with Mayor Davis to discuss what has surprised her since taking office, how the city and county governments collaborate for thei...