The Agenda with the Missoula County Commissioners

The Missoula Human Trafficking Task Force is a vast network that spans law enforcement at all levels, nonprofit organizations, schools, hospitals and others. Together these groups work to educate the public, expose traffickers and support victims in healing. This week, the commissioners sat down with Ryan Prather of the Missoula County Sheriff's Office to learn about this complex issue. Prath...

As 2022 comes to an end, the Missoula County commissioners sat down with Missoula City Mayor Jordan Hess to discuss lessons learned and what they’re looking forward to in 2023. They reflect on notable collaborations from this year and how a strong partnership between municipal governments enables solutions for our community. Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recordi...

This summer, Missoula County overhauled and updated its zoning code for the first time in nearly 50 years. But why does zoning matter and what kind of development does the new code enable? This week, the commissioners spoke with Andrew Hagemeier, senior planner in the Department of Planning, Development and Sustainability, to answer some of these questions. Andrew also gives some history about the...

On Jan. 2, 2023, the 68th regular session of the Montana state Legislature will convene in Helena. All 50 state senators and 100 representatives will meet for 90 days to draft, propose and review bills, which could become new state laws.  Missoula County is a general powers government, which means that county government only has authority that is explicitly granted by state laws.  Because of this,...

This week, Commissioners Vero, Slotnick and Strohmaier immersed themselves in the spirit of the holiday season by talking about gratitude. They share some of their favorite adages and how they stay grounded through the pressure of productivity. Text us your thoughts and comments on this episode!   Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recording support!

Autumn is property tax season in Missoula County. Property owners typically receive their tax bills in the mail in early November, which can generate a lot of questions like “what are these specials funds and districts paying for?” and “who can I call with questions about my bill?”   Missoula County Clerk & Recorder Tyler Gernant joined the commissioners this week to answer these questions and...

In 2019, the Missoula County Attorney’s Office debuted a program called Calibrate, with the goal of moving people out of the criminal legal system and addressing the root cause of why they found themselves involved with it in the first place. Calibrate is a prosecution-led pretrial diversion program, meaning eligible candidates meet individualized milestones, like community service or counseling,...

In late 2020, Missoula’s Temporary Safe Outdoor Space (TSOS) began offering people experiencing homelessness a safe space during the pandemic. While United Way of Missoula County, Hope Rescue Mission and Missoula County government set up the space in response to COVID-19, it quickly became a model of how a service-rich environment with a collaborative community built on relationships can help redu...

In 2015, Missoula County began taking critical steps to address issues like overcrowding at the Missoula Detention Facility and over-incarceration. Chelsea Wittmann, the Safety & Justice Challenge coordinator at the Community Justice Department , is uniquely equipped to discuss these issues. Chelsea started as a detention officer at the jail, then worked for the County Attorney’s Office before...

For decades, communities have relied on emergency services like law enforcement and first responders to handle people experiencing a crisis. Often these interactions led to a revolving door between a jail and emergency rooms, which left service providers, taxpayers and individuals without effective resolutions. The Mobile Support Team in Missoula was created in 2020 as a new approach to both diver...

In this week's episode, Juanita and Josh bust some myths around what the County is (or is not) doing.  Topics include: Legal enforcement of covenants and HOAs Property taxes and the re-appraisal process Services for people experiencing homelessness Regulations, permits and affordable housing Larchmont Golf Course  Have you heard something through the grapevine about the County? Submit your my...

Budget season is underway at Missoula County, and the commissioners have spent countless hours delving into what funding will be needed to keep up with current services and programs. They’ve also reviewed dozens of budget requests from departments that would enhance these services or pay for new initiatives. They’ve already declined to fund $2.4 million of those requests, and now they’re hoping th...

Jerry Marks has worked in the Missoula County Extension Office for more than 50 years, and he knows a thing or two about collaboration. Years ago, he extended an offer to the Missoula Butterfly House & Insectarium when he heard they were outgrowing their downtown location, and the offer was generous: a coveted spot in the middle of Missoula to create a unique science and discovery center. In t...

Jamie Jonkel, a bear manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, has nearly 30 years of experience working with black bears, grizzly bears and mountain lions. His phone rings off the hook each day with reports of bears in both Missoula County and the city. In this week's episode, the commissioners sit down with Jamie to discuss what other areas in Montana are doing to address the bear issue...

Charged with overseeing growth and community development in a county with more than 117,000 residents spread across 1.6 million acres, the Office of Lands and Communities is responsible for a lot of moving parts. In this episode, the commissioners sit down with Chet Crowser, head of the Office of Lands and Communities. This newly reorganized office helps our community address environmental issues,...

With wildfire seasons starting earlier and lasting longer over the past few decades, Missoula County residents need to learn how to protect themselves from prolonged smoke exposure.   In this episode, the commissioners speak with Air Quality Specialist Sarah Coefield and Climate Action Program Manager Caroline Bean to learn more about the history of wildfire smoke, populations that are most at ris...

Wildfire has been a natural phenomenon in Missoula County forever; however, with climate change and a growing population leading to more houses in fire-prone areas, our community needs to prepare itself in the event of a fire.   In this episode, the commissioners speak with Max Rebholz, the Office of Emergency Management’s wildfire preparedness coordinator, to learn which areas of Missoula County...

Since 2020, Missoula County – along with the rest of the world – has been living through a major historical event. There has not been another pandemic like COVID-19 since the 1918 flu, but this time around, we have the technology to document this piece of history while it happens.   In this episode, the commissioners talk with Leif Fredrickson, adjunct assistant professor and Director of the Publi...

Counties in Montana are diverse, ranging from urban ones such as Yellowstone (pop. 160,000) to rural ones like Petroleum (pop. 490), and each county has its own unique needs and issues.  In this episode, Missoula County commissioners talk to Dan Clark, director of the MSU Local Government Center, to learn more about the inner workings of local government. They discuss how counties are funded and t...

The encampment under the Reserve Street Bridge has been a topic of concern for both residents and County officials, especially with spring runoff on the horizon having the potential to wash garbage and other waste downstream.    Last week, Missoula County Public Works crews and equipment assisted with trash removal under the Reserve Street Bridge after Commission Chair Juanita Vero declared a stat...

Spring is here in Missoula County, and as the mountain snow begins to melt and rainy days start to drizzle in, people may wonder what’s in the forecast for Missoula County’s flood season and how the Office of Emergency Management prepares for it.  OEM Director Adriane Beck shares lessons learned from past flood events, how her team assesses the river to know what to expect and what they do to help...

Missoula County Shelter Project Coordinator Casey Gannon and City of Missoula Houseless Initiatives Specialist Emily Armstrong join the commissioners to provide an update on County and City efforts to help unhoused people in our community.   Finding housing takes time and resources, which can be difficult when you’re constantly living in survival mode. In response to this need, the City and County...

Emails, phone calls, letters, social media – what’s the best way to connect with Missoula County?  Communications Manager Allison Franz shares how local government works better when we’re hearing from the people we serve, no matter what form of communication works best for them. The important thing is that people know their voice matters and that Missoula County is listening and responsive.  She s...

County roads connect Missoula County residents and visitors. They see an increasing amount of traffic, and their conditions are a common topic of discussion between community members and the commissioners. Roads bring us together, and if you are wondering why some county roads are paved and others are gravel or seem to have fallen low on the priority list, this episode will help clarify the proces...

Partnership Health Center’s Executive Director Laurie Francis joins the commissioners to share how PHC addresses systemic barriers to good health and wellbeing by partnering with people most impacted by health inequalities, connecting with community organizations and incubating new programs grounded in emerging, evidence-based best practices.  She shares how PHC builds teams around patient priorit...