The federal process for approving and recommending seasonal respiratory vaccines deviated from the typical schedule this year. That led to confusion about who is eligible for Covid vaccines and delayed shipping and distribution of the shots.

This week, Jeanna Miller and Sara Heineman from Missoula Public Health joined the commissioners to unpack how all of this happened and how the Immunization Clinic at MPH is here to help. They also discuss what they learned from the health department’s recent countywide vaccine access and barrier report. 

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Mountain Line is the Missoula Valley's zero-fare bus system that helps residents and visitors work, play and connect to their community. From electric buses to a new facility by the airport, Mountain Line is anything but stationary. This week the commissioners spoke with Jordan Hess, CEO & General Manager at Mountain Line, about how the bus system keeps Missoula rolling.

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Recently, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and the Federal Emergency Management Agency published updated floodplain maps for Rock Creek and the Clark Fork and Bitterroot Rivers.

Missoula County Floodplain Administrator Matt Heimel joined the commissioners this week to discuss what homeowners need to know and the next steps in the adoption and regulation process. 

The preliminary maps will be presented to the Missoula County commissioners during their public meeting on Thursday, Nov. 6. See the agenda at missoula.co/bccmeetings.

Learn more at https://missoulacountyvoice.com/clark-fork-river-bitterroot-river-and-rock-creek-floodplain-mapping-update

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Big things are happening at the Missoula Montana Airport: the recent terminal expansion has given the airport an entirely new look, the runway was re-paved and airlines are offering more routes and destinations.

In the last year and a half, passenger traffic has broken records month after month. This week the commissioners sat down with Brian Ellestad, director of the airport, to discuss the details of running a busy regional airport.

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From artisans to restaurants to manufacturing, Missoula County is home to businesses of all shapes and sizes. The Missoula Economic Partnership exists to facilitate growth, collaboration and mutual understanding between the private and public sectors.

Christine Littig, business development director at MEP, joined the commissioners this week to discuss local business trends and how entrepreneurs are responding creatively to the economic landscape.

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Marshall Mountain Park sits between East Missoula and Bonner and is publicly owned by Missoula County. Many lifelong residents learned to ski there as kids, and the legacy of learning continues today. 

This week, the commissioners spoke with Jackson Lee, park manager, to review what’s new at Marshall Mountain Park since it was acquired by the county in spring 2024. They discuss new trails, planned improvements, forest health and Commissioner Slotnick’s nascent mountain biking career.

Learn about how Marshall came into public ownership in this episode from 2023.

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Youth and young adults transitioning from foster care or incarceration in Missoula County are at elevated risk of homelessness and continued involvement in the criminal justice system, according to the 2025 Just Home report.

The report is part of a larger initiative between the Missoula County Community Justice Department and Homeword to address the connection between housing instability and incarceration.

This week, the commissioners spoke with Karissa Trujillo, executive director of Homeword, and McKenzie Javorka, program evaluator at the University of Montana Rural Institute, about what the report revealed about marginalized populations in Missoula County and actionable next steps.

Related links:

• Coordinated Entry System 

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Front Step Community Land Trust (formerly the North Missoula Community Development Corporation) is tackling one of the largest issues facing residents: affordable housing.

This week, the commissioners spoke with Brittany Palmer, director of Front Step, to discuss what community land trusts do and how their work can help push back against the rapid economic changes facing small towns and cities.

Related links:

• Thursday, July 17: Housing Night with the Missoula Paddleheads

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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 immersive exhibit in a restored barracks building on the grounds of the Fort. This week, Commissioner Slotnick sat down with Matt Lautzenheiser, museum director, and Ron Wakimoto, board member of the Friends of the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, to dive into the history of this site and why the stories of internment are still so prescient today.  

This episode opens with Commissioner Slotnick's remarks from the exhibition opening. Thank you to Dennis Bragg for supplying this audio clip!

• Alien Detention Center Barracks 
• Recording of the grand opening of Far From Home: An Internee Experience at Fort Missoula
• Learn more about Assembly Centers, War Relocation Sites and Alien Detention Centers

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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.

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