The Agenda with the Missoula County Commissioners

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? This week, the commissioners sat down with Claire Muller, director of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation, to talk about the unique challenges and misconceptions about this rural community.

Related links:

• Seeley Lake Community Foundation
• Seeley Lake Community Council

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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 Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and the Clark Fork Coalition. Tune in to hear more about this successful program and tips for a great day on the water.

Related links:

• Clark Fork Coalition - River Ambassadors Program
• River Ambassadors on Instagram
• Sha-Ron Parking Access Project
• Clark Fork River Map - Downtown Locations
• Fish, Wildlife and Parks Interactive Map of Fishing Access Points

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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 impact at Empower Montana) for an update on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) efforts.

Related links

• JEDI Advisory Board
• 2021 JEDI Resolution
• Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Missoula County

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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 property taxes at the same time?

In this episode, Commissioner Slotnick breaks down the taxing system, how it relates to the County budget and what to expect when you get your re-appraisal notice from the state this summer. 
 
 Related links:

• Montana Dept. of Revenue - Property Assessment Division
• How to Read Your Appraisal
• How to Appeal Your Appraisal 
• Learn more about the County budget process

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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 assessment will be used to make decisions.

Follow along with the interactive mapping tool and submit feedback online: https://missoulacountyvoice.com/lands-inventory

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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 Adriane Beck, director of the Office of Emergency Management, to talk about what it’s like dispatching 9-1-1 calls, how technology has changed this process and their most memorable calls.  

Missoula County is hiring Public Safety Communications Officers! Click here to see the full job description.

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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 Slotnick sat down with Rita Hagler from the Building Division of Public Works, and Nick Zanetos from the Planning, Development and Sustainability Department this week to talk about all things permitting.

Be sure to check out missoulacounty.build to get started!

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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 treatment ponds, 193 acres of sludge and garbage dumps and 100 acres of industrial buildings. Given the size and scope of the site, it is unknown exactly what contaminants exist and in what quantities. 

Elena Evans of the Missoula Valley Water Quality District sat down with the commissioners this week to discuss what lies ahead for Smurfit-Stone, how the Environmental Protection Agency is involved, the threat of flooding and much more.

Image: Aerial view of Smurfit-Stone retaining ponds and the Clark Fork River in 2018, photo by Chris Boyer of Kestrel Aerial Services.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Smurfit-Stone Story Map
• Frenchtown/Smurfit-Stone Community Advisory Group
• Missoula County Water Quality District history of Smurfit-Stone
• Environmental Protection Agency's Smurfit-Stone profile

Recent news articles about Smurfit-Stone:

• "Missoula County Objects to Change in Smurfit Water Right, Wants Taxes Paid" Missoula Current, March 7, 2023
• "How Toxic Are the Grounds of a Former Pulp Mill Along the Clark Fork River?" MTPR, Jan. 26, 2023

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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 Economic Partnership. Kier spoke to local employment rates, how to balance growth, quality of life, housing access and more.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund
• MEP Strategic Plan, 2022-2026

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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 restored. The North Coast Hiawatha stretched from Chicago to Seattle and passed through Missoula County until 1979, when the line was discontinued. Listen to this episode to learn more about how tribal communities and private businesses are involved and what’s next for the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority.

Learn more at bigskyrail.org.

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