The Agenda with the Missoula County Commissioners

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 state of emergency to enable the County to join community volunteers to remove trash that’s accumulated under the bridge due to people living illegally on the property for years. 

In this episode, the Missoula County commissioners explain the history of this issue and its current complexities: how the encampment at one point had around 140 people and what the County and City of Missoula, in cooperation with many community partners, have done so far to address this problem, such as standing up the Temporary Safe Outdoor Space and Authorized Camp Site. They explain why it’s an environmental and safety problem to continue to have people living under the bridge, and why, because of the Martin v. Boise court ruling, neither the County, City nor the Montana Department of Transportation have been able to simply remove the campers from under the bridge if there is no alternative to send them. 

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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 neighborhoods in flood-prone areas anticipate the season. The weather forecast is unpredictable and sometimes plans change as storms roll in. Adriane talks through learning how to adjust to weather patterns and adapting as emergencies arise.

Over the past two years, Adriane’s team has helped mitigate multiple emergencies, from pandemic to wildfire.She sharesher approach to staying present and how she’s learned to laugh in the midst of it all.  

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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 created the Operation Shelter team to identify and vet potential locations for community members experiencing houselessness to temporarily stay while searching for housing.   

Casey and Emily explain how the City and County have partnered together and are finding creative solutions to a problem that outpaces available resources. While they are focused on the intense immediate need of providing temporary, safe and secure spaces for those camping in the urban area, they are also keeping their eyes on the long-term goal of helping these members of our community find stable housing.  

The conversation explores the key differences between the Temporary Safe Outdoor Space and the Authorized Camping Site, the longevity of these services and next steps as American Rescue Plan Act funding begins to dissipate. It’s a balance of infrastructure, systems, programs and provider support, and a community that is willing to recognize these people, living and working among us, also consider Missoula home, even if they don’t have a house of their own. 

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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 shares exciting news about two new tools recently implemented to help the County better engage with and respond to the public, an online community engagement platform and a public records request tool.  

She explains the importance of making sure the County is proactive and transparent with its communications to help dispel misinformation and to keep the details accurate. And there’s a bit of a grammar lesson to help people know how to accurately communicate their most  their important messages.  

Connect with Missoula County and stay updated on projects at missoulacountyvoice.com.  

 

  

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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 process and the multiple dynamics of road maintenance. 

Chief Public Works Officer Shane Stack explains how his department implements projects, and he talks through various aspects of County roads and bridges,  sewer systems, potholes, infrastructure and community growth. 

Missoula County has leveraged new opportunities over the last few years. Shane talks through the BUILD grant award and the expansion happening in the Mullan area. He shares how American Rescue Plan Act funding helped fill the gap in local funding to assist our rural communities with long overdue improvements to sewer and waste treatment systems. He also shares an exciting update on a new parking lot coming to a popular river access in the County that will help alleviate recreation pressure in East Missoula. 

Keep listening to the end and you’ll learn Shane’s secret on how to build character, something he’s relied on often during his career in both state and local government. 

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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 priorities, recognizing that the patient is the expert about their needs, and the medical team is there to support and help guide them on their wellness journey. 

She also highlights the new mobile Community Care Team and how everyone is welcome at PHC regardless of their ability to pay. Missoula County’s community health center provides services at seven sites offering medical, dental, integrated behavioral health, pharmacy, specialty services, housing support, legal support and social work. 

With over 20 years of experience working in community health, Laurie shares how she stays positive, areas of healthcare she believes America could improve and why her team loves the work they do. 

PHC won the 2021 Best of Missoula: Best Health Care Provider award and serves approximately 16,000 Missoula County residents. Learn more at  https://www.partnershiphealthcenter.com/.

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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. They interacted with federal officials and participated in congressional briefings and meetings, and they even heard from President Biden, who once served as a county leader. 

Not all counties operate the same way, and each are governed by different state statutes. In this episode, Commissioners Slotnick and Strohmaier share the importance of going to the NACo conference and learning interesting insights from other county leaders. They share new perspectives and exciting ideas they heard about housing in mountain communities; including the value in building diverse neighborhoods and the concept of using deed restrictions in Missoula County to help keep the cost of housing from escalating. And, for those who listen to the end, you’ll hear some exciting passenger rail news. 

Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for your podcast recording support. 

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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 strengths can be used in public service. As an elected official, his office serves as the independent internal auditor for the County, so every claim is reviewed with equity and fairness, and taxpayers know their money is being distributed with due care. He also discusses why he’s decided to prioritize making sure the County’s policies reflect its values, which includes viewing them through the lens of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. 

Anyone who wants to learn more or view spending reports is welcome to contact Wall at [email protected] or by calling 406-258-3526.  

Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for your podcast recording support. 

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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 Strohmaier to highlight updates on recent changes to state election laws/procedures, what races will be on the ballot in the May 3 special district and school board election, and how to get involved with the election process as an election judge. He also addresses the misconceptions around the process for mail elections.  

The Elections Office hopes to recruit more than 600 election judges, poll book judges and polling place managers for the upcoming election year. Election judges greet voters, issue ballots, operate equipment, answer questions and hand out “I voted” stickers. They are paid for their service and their training.  

New and returning election judges can sign up at www.missoulaelectionjudge.com, by calling 406-258-4751 or by emailing [email protected]. When registering, applicants will be required to provide their name, address and date of birth to verify they are registered to vote in Missoula County. 

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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 broad perspective and, for Missoula County, a new zoning code update, a new housing plan and smart use of public land.

Recently, the commissioners considered two land proposals related to housing. The public process of the proposals highlighted the importance and growing need for more affordable housing units in Missoula County. In this episode, the commissioners talk through some of the elements that go into their decision-making and factors they consider while talking with the communities their final action impacts. 

Missoula County invites public input on the newly published zoning code draft. Community and Planning Services staff will present the updated draft virtually during the first public hearing at the Missoula Consolidated Planning Board meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 1. 

To view the proposed draft, provide comments and to find additional meeting information, people can visit www.mczoningupdate.com. While staff have already incorporated many changes into the zoning code based on the hundreds of comments received this past year, additional feedback is encouraged prior to the public hearing.

The newly adopted Housing Action Plan: Breaking Ground, is available online at  missoula.co/housing. The County developed the plan in response to the rapidly evolving housing market in the County and the growing population that has created an undersupply of housing at all price points.

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