The Agenda with the Missoula County Commissioners

Last week the Missoula Board of County Commissioners traveled to Washington D.C. to join nearly 2,000 elected and appointed county government officials from across the country at the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference.  The conference focused on federal policy issues that impact counties and was an opportunity for the commissioners to engage in policy and educational sessions....

The role of county auditor goes beyond numbers and spreadsheets. Missoula County Auditor Dave Wall shares how his office keeps the County’s spending in check not just by tracking  dollars and cents but through incorporating value into every transaction.  Wall shares his journey of working up from the County mail room to elected official and the progression of learning how his personality and stren...

As they’ve been highlighted in the local news and across the nation, we’ve learned elections are no small task, and conducting fair and balanced elections requires the willingness of paid public servants and a community working together.    To help explain what the election process looks like for Missoula County, Elections Administrator Bradley Seaman joins Commissioners Josh Slotnick and Dave Str...

The Missoula County Commissioners are the regulatory authority who often make the final decision on public and private land-use proposals, and many factors weigh in on their final action. Addressing the housing crisis seen nationally and locally is not a one-size-fits-all solution but a recipe with multiple ingredients, which include careful thought, public input, considering both a community and...

*This podcast discusses topics around sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking and physical violence. Missoula County acknowledges this content may be difficult for some and if so, encourages listeners to seek support from one of the local resources listed below.   Missoula Project Beacon Director Shayla Beaumont shares powerful stories of her work with human trafficking victims. She explains t...

*This podcast discusses topics around sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking and physical violence. Missoula County acknowledges this content may be difficult for some and if so, encourages listeners to seek support from one of the local resources listed below.   January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and Tuesday, Jan. 11, is National Human Trafficking Awareness D...

Why would a county government need to engage in strategic planning? In this episode, Chief Operating Officer Anne Hughes and MSU Local Government Center Director Dan Clark join the commissioners to discuss Missoula County's strategic planning process and how it helps the organization advance beyond "the way we've always done it." This includes planning through the lens of justi...

Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, recreational marijuana can be legally cultivated and sold in Montana. This industry is expected to provide additional income for the community, both through product taxation and job creation. Planner Jennie Dixon and Sustainability Program Manager Diana Maneta review how Missoula County is preparing to address the specific impacts associated with this new industry. They sha...

Missoula County Justice Court Judges Landee Holloway and Alex Beal share their journeys to the bench and how they’ve aligned their offices as a unified resource to guide people on what can be one of the worst days of their lives.  They share what it is like to be judges and describe the programs they’ve implemented to reduce recidivism and seek restorative justice,  as well as how they balance the...

Missoula County Attorney Kirsten Pabst shares her personal journey of becoming an elected official. The constituency elected her to represent the County both in civil and criminal cases, and she explains how her office works to increase transparency and use resources efficiently, and how the office works with community partners to ensure all participants in the system are treated with respect and...

Matt Lautzenheiser, executive director of the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, explains the importance of history and how it has shaped the culture in Missoula and the country. Making history relatable from one human’s perspective to another, the museum works hard to help educate about Missoula County and preserve the historical gems that give meaning to this place we call home.  Matt explains...

Housing Specialist Jordan Lyons explains the three main goals in the first draft of the County's Housing Action Plan: Breaking Ground. He talks through the difficult elements impacting housing in Missoula County, like why Missoula County has a shortage of about 2,400 housing units, with home prices rising much faster than incomes. Jordan explains how the market will not fill in the gap in the...

Did you know that not everything on your tax bill goes to fund Missoula County government? That's right, taxes go to fund special districts, school districts, voted levies and more! If you'd like to learn more about the details on your tax bills and how the money is allocated, in this episode Missoula County Clerk and Treasurer Tyler Gernant explains the details and helps clear up common...

Commissioners visit with Shantelle Gaynor, Community Justice Department director, as she shares how her team is the support system for clients navigating the justice system. Much like social workers assisting patients through the medical system, her team helps people, often dealing with deep emotional or physical impact, find resources and support while seeking personal justice. Learn more about t...

Commissioners are joined by Office of Emergency Management Director, Adriane Beck. Adriane highlights how OEM responds to 9-1-1 calls, wildfires, floods and new to her realm, the pandemic, and the varying incidents it has created. OEM's work captures the community resiliency of Missoula County and the relationships throughout. There's humor, intrigue and heartfelt appreciation in these 2...

Commissioners Josh Slotnick and Dave Strohmaier are joined by Chief Information Officer Jason Emery. They discuss the lift of technology during the pandemic and security during an ever-evolving world of remote work and public meetings. Text us your thoughts and comments on this episode!   Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recording support!

City-County Health Director D'Shane Barnett shares lessons learned from the pandemic, what he fears most and how our community can be resilient during the Delta variant spike. These reminders take on a renewed sense of urgency in light of the Sept. 10 news that a young person in our community lost their life to COVID. For questions about COVID-19, vaccines and Delta variant call 406-258-4636...

This week, Chief Financial Officer Andrew Czorny joins the commissioners as they dive into the different types of federal funding and how Missoula County has distributed the funds to address the pandemic and plan for future projects. They tease apart CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act), ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) and the American Jobs Act. Because of federal funding,...

Chief Administrative Officer Chris Lounsbury joins Commissioners Juanita Vero and Josh Slotnick to help explain the process of creating the Missoula County budget. They discuss the Montana Department of Revenue property assessments and how those impact county funding, key elements of FY22, the reasons for increases and the issues leadership are grappling with while they create a balanced budget du...

Commissioners visit with Equity Coordinator Jamar Galbreath about the proposed JEDI resolution. We learn what JEDI means, how it impacts Missoula County as an organization and how we can implement JEDI in our communities. The commissioners welcome comments. Send them an email at bcc@missoulacounty.us or leave a voicemail at 406-258-4877. Final action for the JEDI resolution is scheduled for 2 p.m....

Commissioners Slotnick and Vero discuss zoning code updates with Community and Planning Services Senior Planner Andrew Hagemeier. Missoula County is embarking on a comprehensive zoning code audit and regulation update aimed at better reflecting the County’s 2016 growth policy and revised land use map. To learn about how to engage in the process, attend workshops and share your ideas visit www.mczo...

Please note the preliminary budget hearing has been moved to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 11. Missoula County commissioners Dave, Josh and Juanita, discuss the Montana Department of Revenue property assessments and how those assessments impact the Missoula County budget process. They explain the commissioners' role in reviewing department budget requests and how they balance the requests to meet th...

Text us your thoughts and comments on this episode!   Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recording support!

Text us your thoughts and comments on this episode!   Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recording support!

Text us your thoughts and comments on this episode!   Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recording support!