08/16/2021 7:00 AM
Find out what's happening in Missoulafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Make sure to stay safe with the smoke. Find updates on current air quality!
Commissioners visit with Equity Coordinator Jamar Galbreath about the proposed Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion resolution. We learn what JEDI means, how it impacts Missoula County as an organization and how we can implement JEDI in our communities.
Find out what's happening in Missoulafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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. Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021 at the commissioners' public meeting. Meeting information will be uploaded at http://missoula.co/bccmeetings.
The Missoula Board of County Commissioners is committed to a Just, Equitable, Diverse and Inclusive (JEDI) Missoula County, including pursuing initiatives, efforts, strategies and partnerships that: advance and create a more just, equitable, diverse and inclusive Missoula, free of systemic and structural inequalities, where our community is connected and honors our individualities; support a healthy and vibrant community where we are welcomed and valued and our physical, mental, social and spiritual needs are met.
Follow the weekly conversations at http://missoula.co/tipofthespear
Fair kicks off with Montana Tribal Nations Flag installation for First Nations Family Day
The Western Montana Fair kicked off last week with a Montana Tribal Nations flag installation on Wednesday. Fairgoers joined tribal and local leaders as they dedicated Montana’s eight tribal nation flags, completing the fairgrounds’ new historic plaza while honoring the state’s Indigenous heritage and marking the start of First Nations Family Day at the fair. First Nations Family Day was hosted by All Nations Health Center and involved dance, music and education, as well as a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls tribute video at the PRCA Xtreme Bulls performance, where families impacted by MMIWG were honored during the opening ceremonies with a grand entry featuring 10 Native American riders carrying the American flag, Montana flag and the eight Tribal Nations flags. Twenty percent of all Xtreme Bulls ticket sales went to the MMIWG cause.
The Missoula City-County Health Department’s mobile vaccine clinic will make several stops at different events in Missoula during August and September. The clinic will offer Johnson & Johnson and/or the Moderna vaccine to residents 18 or older and the Pfizer vaccine to residents 12 and older. Patients ages 12-15 must be accompanied by a guardian, while those ages 16-17 must bring a guardian-signed consent form, found on http://missoulainfo.com, if a guardian cannot accompany them.
The mobile schedule is as follows:
- 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 18, at the Missoula International Airport. Open to everyone regardless of residency.
- 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, Clark Fork River Market
- 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 22, Summer MADE Fair Market
- 12 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1, at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation Building
- 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Clark Fork River Market
Missoula County seeks a request for proposal from qualified certified public accounting firms for annual audits of its financial statements for the 2022, 2023 and 2024 fiscal years with a renewal option for two subsequent fiscal years. These audits are to be performed in accordance with generally accepted governmental auditing standards.
Did you know? Missoula County has not comprehensively updated the zoning code and map since 1976.
The update? The new zoning code and map will affect the Missoula Valley and will improve resource protections, increase housing options and protect public health and safety by aligning our zoning to our community’s values.
Your involvement? View the proposed zoning map and help shape the code by attending public workshops, open houses or engaging online. Check your zoning online and provide feedback.
Visit www.mczoningupdate.com to read more and find information on upcoming public outreach events. The open house this week will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 18, at East Missoula Lions Park.
First, staff create a “test deck” of examples of each ballot style used in the election and of each ballot print method (ExpressVote, Balotar, etc.). Staff mark these clearly identifiable test ballots with a unique set of results; during internal, public and election day testing, they confirm that the equipment processed those results correctly. To confirm that equipment has not been tampered with between testing and usage, staff maintain seal logs, which track access to every piece of sensitive equipment. For federal elections, staff also conducts a post-election audit. The Secretary of State’s Office randomly selects three precincts and there is a hand-count of multiple races on each ballot to ensure that the equipment functioned correctly.
The Missoula County Elections Office has many processes in place to ensure the integrity of all elections. We’ll walk through those processes in this series, and constituents are always welcome to visit the Elections Center for an in-person tour.
Watch the slideshow below, and visit missoula.co/electionintegrity for more info on how your ballot is handled and processed.
Visit our Missoula County Events Calendar to see what events and classes the County is hosting!
Fairgrounds Grounds and Facilities Manager Monte Harris
Monte gives more than 100% every day, but this week even more than usual! It's fair week, and Monte is working from sunrise to way after sunset to make sure everything goes smoothly and everyone is happy! You might see him driving the water truck, raking the arena with the John Deere tractor or out on the grounds making sure everything stays in order.
He loves to keep the arena in excellent shape for all the riders as they perform in barrel races, rodeos and other events throughout the year! Monte keeps the ground raked and smooth so the animals and riders can perform at their very best. His goal is to provide the very best for participants so they want to keep coming back to Missoula and tell their friends to come here as well.
“I love getting compliments from the best barrel races in the world. Last night, Sherry Cervi raced a 16.75! That’s close to a record setting time. I just keep working the ground more every year to get it the best it can be, so the ladies have a great race. The college rodeo champion’s whole family came over and told me how good the ground was. The ladies and their families are lovin’ it and the ground is awesome!”
His work expands beyond the arena, as he’s responsible for keeping the grounds green, buildings maintained and primed for weddings and private events. He’s worked for Missoula County since 2015, but he started raking the arena a few years prior to getting hired on. We are so very grateful to have such a dedicated, smart and kind person keeping the Fairgrounds in tip top shape! Thank you for all your hard work, Monte!
A result of growth, city and county of Missoula see increase in newly taxable property
Missoula County grants group’s request to light courthouse; will craft future policy
Western Montana Fair kicks off with First Nations Family Day
Make an appointment at covid19.missoula.co, and share your experience on social media with the hashtags #endthepandemic, #vaccinatethe406 and #gotmyshot406.
Stay up to date with Missoula County's COVID-19 vaccine distribution success! Visit covid19.missoula.co/vaccine-information and click on the Vaccination Distribution Map and Dashboard blue button. The data is updated every Monday. If you would like to track data across Montana, visit the Montana Response page.
To join commissioner department, administrative and public meetings via Microsoft Teams and view the agendas, visit the Missoula County Commissioners’ Meeting Minutes and Agenda Portal. Please note that agendas for department and administrative meetings are published two business days before the meeting, and public meeting agendas are published the Friday before the meeting. Administrative and public meeting video recordings are available on the Missoula County YouTube page after the meeting, and MCAT plays the public meetings live on their Spectrum Channel 190. Email bcc@missoulacounty.us or leave a voicemail at 406-258-4877 if you have any questions or comments on an upcoming meeting.
- Monday, Aug. 16
Public Works Update
Zoning Code Update - Tuesday, Aug. 17
District and Justice Courts Update
Commissioners’ Administrative Public Meeting
County Attorney’s Update
Smurfit Site/M2 Green Update - Wednesday, Aug. 18
Human Resources Update
Chief Officers Update - Thursday, Aug. 19
Chief Administrative Officer Update
Sheriff’s Office Update
Commissioners’ Administrative Public Meeting - Friday, Aug. 20
No department, administrative or public meetings are scheduled on this day.
This press release was produced by the Missoula County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.