The Agenda with the Missoula County Commissioners

When disasters like wildfires, floods and hazardous waste spills strike, Missoula County is ready to respond, thanks to the work of the Office of Emergency Management and the Western Montana Incident Management Team.  On this week's podcast, the commissioners sit down with Deputy Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinators Nick Holloway and Ken Parks to talk about their recent deployment to...

Domestic violence, also often referred to as intimate partner violence, can be difficult to address and has lasting effects on individuals, families and communities. Missoula County's Just Response program, made up of mental and medical health professionals, law enforcement, advocacy groups, child protection and criminal justice organizations, works to respond to DV cases and increase overall...

The Agenda's foray into transportation issues continues this week with Shane Stack, director of Missoula County Public Works, and Erik Dickson, county engineer. With the recent closure of Maclay Bridge in Target Range, residents have a lot of questions about how we got here. The commissioners, Shane and Erik tackle those questions and much more in this episode. Be sure to follow this project...

This week the Missoula County Commissioners continue their discussion with transportation planner Aaron Wilson. They discuss the concept of 15 minute cities and how creating diverse, accessible transportation choices can reduce traffic congestion. Aaron also gives updates on the safety studies and plans for accommodating growth in areas like Brooks Street in Missoula and Highway 200 in East Missou...

In the latest episode of The Agenda, we answer common questions about everyone's favorite street in Missoula (bonus points if you listen while stuck in traffic on Reserve!)  Aaron Wilson, transportation planning manager from the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization , joined the county commissioners this week to answer questions like: Is Reserve Street really home to the most dangerous...

This week the commissioners reviewed memorable projects from 2023, including those that address homelessness, affordable housing, recreation opportunities and much more. Tune in for a conversation that covers everything from property taxes to new parking lots to wildfire prep. Do you have something you'd like the commissioners to discuss in 2024? Email communications@missoulacounty.us ! Text...

The holiday season means more travel and celebration, but it also means an increased risk of impaired driving. Do you have a plan for a sober ride home? This week the commissioners spoke with Justice of the Peace Landee Holloway and Health Specialist Steve Schmidt about recent impaired driving trends in Missoula County and what resources are available to residents. Substance Abuse Treatment Resour...

Tax bills have landed in mailboxes and many residents are frustrated, confused and concerned. Why are property taxes so high? How did we get here? The commissioners discuss the topic of the tax system in Montana and what potential solutions could look like in this week’s episode of The Agenda. Related links: What Do My Taxes Pay For? View your tax bill online The Re-Appraisal Process Text us your...

Did you know the Missoula County Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer, as well as the coroner, and oversees the office responsible for serving civil paperwork? Did you also know that Sheriff Jeremiah Petersen was on the 1995 Montana Grizzlies national championship football team? This week, the commissioners spoke with Sheriff Petersen about everything from jury summons to predictions for t...

Local government is a large, busy organization. Who makes sure all payments the County makes are to the right vendors and are for legitimate county expenses? This week, the commissioners talked with Missoula County Auditor Dave Wall about safeguarding taxpayer dollars, fraud detection and the importance of internal financial controls.   Related links: County claims list County policies Text us you...

New name, same great local government podcast. We’ve rebranded to The Agenda!  With 67 episodes and more than 7,000 downloads since it launched in 2021, the commissioners' podcast was due for a refresh. If you’re already subscribed, there’s no change to how you listen. This week, Commissioners Slotnick and Strohmaier sat down with Missoula County Housing Specialist Garrick Harmel to talk abou...

“County government is funded mostly by taxpayer money.” “If Missoula County didn’t spend any more money next year, taxes would stop going up.” Have you heard this before? Are these statements true or false?  This week the commissioners spoke with Chris Lounsbury, chief administrative officer for Missoula County, about budgeting, taxing and government spending. Tune in to this week’s episode for so...

Marshall Mountain, located between East Missoula and Bonner, has been a haven for locals to enjoy the outdoors since the early 20th century. Now, there’s an opportunity to secure the base area of the former ski hill and surrounding areas for public ownership. But this potential park has a lot of moving parts: three different pieces of land with separate private owners, two governments, two public...

The Western Montana Fair is more than just rides and fried food. The Missoula County Fairgrounds is one of the few public gathering places that unites people from all backgrounds every summer.  This week, the commissioners spoke to Jerry Marks, the county extension agent, and Billie Ayers, events and operations manager at the fairgrounds, about the history of this hallmark event and what’s in stor...

Seeley Lake is an unincorporated town with a population of about 1,600 in the northern part of Missoula County. Located between the Mission and Swan mountain ranges and dotted with narrow, glacial lakes, the Seeley area is synonymous with recreation and beautiful landscapes. Thousands of people visit Seeley Lake each summer, but what’s it like to be a year-round resident, or own a business there?...

Whether you're a seasoned floater or you've never sat in an inner tube, the River Ambassadors are here to help! Each summer, these friendly faces help recreators of all kinds navigate access points along the Clark Fork, Blackfoot and Bitterroot rivers.  Now in its third summer, the river ambassador program is the result of collaboration between Missoula County, City of Missoula, Montana...

One of Missoula County's major initiatives is to address systemic issues of inequity in our community. But what does that really mean, and what does it look like?  This week, the commissioners sat down with Elisha Buchholz (equity coordinator at Missoula County), Rozlyn Haley (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion fellow at Missoula County) and Rajiem Seabrook (director of equity and impac...

Property taxes are defined by multiple sets of rules, calculations and inaccessible words like "mill" and "levy." How much is a mill worth, and what's the limit on how many mills local government can collect? Who determines how much your house is worth? What if there was a way visitors could pay for the services they use when they visit our community that would lower your...

In late 2021, the Missoula County commissioners asked the newly formed Department of Lands and Economic Development to inventory and assess the utility of all 260+ county-owned properties. Emily Brock, director of that department, joined the commissioners this week to debut the inventory mapping tool, explain how the parcels are assessed based on six factors, talk about next steps and how the asse...

What happens when you call 9-1-1? Why does the person on the other line ask so many questions? April 9-15 is Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, an opportunity to recognize and thank the 9-1-1 dispatchers who work around the clock every day as the first point of emergency response.   This week, Commissioner Strohmaier and a special guest host sat down with Sherri Odlin, 9-1-1 manager, and Adrian...

With warmer weather on the way (eventually), some residents may be planning home improvement projects. Did you know that you need a permit to re-roof your home? Or that some projects require a sanitation review from the Missoula City-County Health Department? The permitting process may seem daunting, but county staff are here to help ensure your next project is compliant and safe. Commissioner Slo...

The site of the former Smurfit-Stone pulp mill, located west of Missoula near Frenchtown, spans 3,200 acres. The mill operated from 1957 to 2010, creating paper products from logging industry scraps and used 15 million gallons of water per day to operate. At its height, the mill was processing 1,900 tons of bleached paper products each day. What remains now are 900 acres of unlined wastewater trea...

Every day we’re inundated with economic forecasts related to inflation, layoffs, remote work and unemployment. But what is happening here in Missoula County? Does it reflect national trends? How does a desirable place like ours foster more jobs without sacrificing the values that make it so desirable in the first place?  This week, the commissioners spoke with Grant Kier, director of the Missoula...

This week, commissioner Strohmaier gives an update on the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority. The rail authority is a division of state government that encompasses 19 counties in Montana that are working to bring back passenger train service in the southern part of the state.  2023 is a major year for this effort: the U.S. Department of Transportation is studying which inactive rail lines could be r...

A slew of new tax credits, rebates and incentives encouraging investment in energy efficiency are now in effect. What does this mean for renters, homeowners and small business owners in Missoula County? This week the commissioners sat down with Caroline Bean and Andrew Valainis from the Department of Planning, Development and Sustainability to talk about Missoula County’s sustainable energy goals...