The Agenda with the Missoula County Commissioners

A slew of new tax credits, rebates and incentives encouraging investment in energy efficiency are now in effect. What does this mean for renters, homeowners and small business owners in Missoula County?

This week the commissioners sat down with Caroline Bean and Andrew Valainis from the Department of Planning, Development and Sustainability to talk about Missoula County’s sustainable energy goals and how these new incentives help residents and businesses of all types.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• ElectrifyMissoula.org
• RewiringAmerica.org
• Missoula.co/sustainability
• Climate Ready Missoula

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

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. Prather oversees Sheriff's Office detectives who specialize in criminal investigations, including child exploitation and human trafficking.

This episode mentions difficult topics like relationship and sexual violence.  The Crime Victim Advocate Division of Missoula County is here to help you. Please call 406-258-3830 or visit their office at 317 Woody Street. YWCA Missoula is another resource and their crisis line is 1-800-483-7858. Get more information at the Missoula Human Trafficking Task Force website.

Additional resources include:

• All Nations Health Center and Missoula Project Beacon
• YWCA Missoula
• First Step Resource Center
• 406stop.com, Montana State Human Trafficking Hotline

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

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

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 recording support!

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

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 origins of the current housing crisis and how the new zoning code* incentivizes housing options while balancing valuable assets like our rivers and agricultural land.

*The County’s new zoning update applies to the Missoula urban area outside city limits, including Bonner, East Missoula and the Wye.

 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Missoula County Zoning Fact Sheet
• Zoning Districts Map
• Current Zoning Regulations
• 2019 Missoula Area Land Use Element

Thank you to Missoula Community Access Television for podcast recording support! 

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

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, the legislative session is a major event and new laws can greatly affect how local government works. 

So how does Missoula County keep track of the hundreds (if not thousands) of bills that come before the two chambers of the Legislature? This week, the commissioners sat down with Anne Hughes, chief operating officer for Missoula County, to talk about what goes on during a legislative session.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• leg.mt.gov - Legislature homepage
• LAWS - Bill Database 
• Missoula County Voice
• Find Your Legislator

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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.

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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 debunk some myths. They also discussed the difference between countywide and county only taxes, property appraisals and how taxes relate to the county budget. Tyler also gave a brief history of recent changes to the revenue base for local government in Missoula County and across Montana.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• iTax - View and pay tax bills online
• Missoula County Clerk & Treasurer 
• Montana Dept. of Revenue - Property Appraisals
• Missoula County Taxing Jurisdictions - Contact List

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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 place of awaiting trial and court proceedings. To date, diversion coordinator Ray Reiser has enrolled 106 individuals, and close to 90% of them have successfully graduated from Calibrate.

This week, the commissioners talked with Ray about how Calibrate works, who is eligible to participate and the importance of separating low-risk individuals from high-risk individuals. Tune in to learn more about how Calibrate helps the entire criminal legal system, from courts to the jail to probation, function more effectively.

Learn more:

• Calibrate 
• Federal grant to bolster Missoula program aimed at helping drug offenders - Missoulian, January 2022

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

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

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 reduce homelessness.

The success of the TSOS exemplifies the importance and need for a safe and secure space for people trying to obtain housing. The TSOS, currently located on private land south of Missoula, will soon relocate to a new site off Broadway and Mullan and be furnished with hard-sided shelters that will help make the site more sustainable in the long run. 

This week, Commissioners Slotnick and Vero spoke with Jim Hicks, executive director of Hope Rescue Mission, who talks about the importance of building relationships to help people find stability in their lives and the future of the TSOS.  

Learn more:

• Updates on Operation Shelter
• Initial FAQS about the Temporary Safe Outdoor Space 
• Crisis Services Levy 

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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 landing in her current position.

This week, the commissioners talked with Chelsea about how the County and other stakeholders are evaluating the criminal justice system in our community. Tune in to learn how the County is approaching these complex topics with community input and strategic, evidence-based programs.

Links mentioned in this episode:

•  Jail Diversion Master Plan - 2022 Update
•  Safety and Justice Challenge
• Pretrial, Diversion and Reentry Programs

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!