[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6261610,"mediaKeyId","3121059-090d9e4be0850ab6a8d2a82ad652217e","parentId",3121059,"title","Community councils report local issues from fire-district ballot confusion to meeting-schedule and leadership changes","audioSeconds",408,"startMs",2845000,"endMs",3253000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3121059-090d9e4be0850ab6a8d2a82ad652217e&start=2845&end=3253","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3121059-090d9e4be0850ab6a8d2a82ad652217e/thumbnail_2845000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6261610/Missoula-County/Montana/Community-councils-report-local-issues-from-fire-district-ballot-confusion-to-meeting-schedule-and-leadership-changes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261610-875137f3d796c2700499ea3efa0e882a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201152&Signature=IA1siPpnIh7QF3rC2LI5xPPdQqLia9iplJmS0BSOv4YOff4mtDAH73saR77tqs0INsZgmpHmpsmzV3K8WgLwA121YPWsNpqfByVp~m90F-yv797YzDhCFkL0edbUNuoli2i9I8bfFwpbcLHrpnvdbv-Bt8nNVg6f9Lta6jU923tdfgVaqCmefuT~WH5yGK8zedbWlJQ~kdZOwvYgpmq2BTuxVUNHQpdCIbMEDD59Ae8hlIvtFrbvY7Kupco7D4dBV~qFG8rbx~daad~HNaZb1ZPWnHvzm-tQjTtBHWmHFkwxKFNC1SJdZ~Pr7tJrf~UXzciYoVeHWRVi~wlk6NWzbw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Missoula County, WI ","date","2025-04-25T11:53:51.477Z","article","Several community councils provided brief updates during the meeting’s round-robin.

Rick, representing the Bonner-Midtown Community Council, said the council had brief meetings recently and hosted a presentation from the Home Upgrade Hub. Frankie, a Clinton-area council member, reported a presentation from Regan Meacham on a substance-abuse program and said the council voted to change its regular meeting date, beginning next September, from the third Thursday to the third Tuesday of the month. \"We did vote to, starting next year in September, we're gonna change our meetings to the third Tuesday of the month instead of the third Thursday,\" Frankie said.

Stephanie Lundberg reported that East Missoula was holding a special meeting at the same time as the county-wide call to address a misadvertised fire-district levy on the ballot. She said that confusion \"has consumed most of our time for the last couple of weeks\" as the community sought clarification about why the advertised levy amount differed from what appeared on the ballot.

Tom Tucker of West Valley reported that Jerry Dells will retire in May and the council expects two new members to replace the chair. Cindy Kennedy — speaking as a longtime participant — noted it was the first time in her involvement that county responses to the housing survey outnumbered city responses.

No countywide actions were taken on these local issues during the All Community Council meeting; updates were reported for informational purposes and to flag local follow-up items for individual councils.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","All Community Council Town Hall April 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Round-robin updates from Bonner-Midtown, Clinton, East Missoula and West Valley covered a home-upgrade hub presentation, a substance-abuse program presentation, a special meeting over an incorrectly advertised fire-district levy ballot, and an upcoming retirement of a community chair.","taxTitle","Missoula County, Montana","taxId",4049,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6261615,"Missoula County Lands and Communities report highlights new facilities, trails, fairgrounds upgrades and grant projects",1460,1280000,2740000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3121059-090d9e4be0850ab6a8d2a82ad652217e&start=1280&end=2740","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3121059-090d9e4be0850ab6a8d2a82ad652217e/thumbnail_1280000.jpg","/articles/6261615/Missoula-County/Montana/Missoula-County-Lands-and-Communities-report-highlights-new-facilities-trails-fairgrounds-upgrades-and-grant-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261615-0647d116b2df2d8a0cbee787b61ebe06/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201152&Signature=mnqLhH09aijsFl4CVHLG1Nm1efsC77SwximnYCyE1TJ38n1nXmPfTYIlAPQMGAzb9oKasyTVRkfi-lHTt1iB8Bpw-ahRosTJlIgugTYdLMJA2oeJxrAvC8w2bsJJ8yrdwrd3x7c8-u6xD0C7Q4yjZqzG4N3AkZMY3MIUB3XQCePDQdEFW4vZTBi~1wuIBlst3uOnLuD1loblc6ezgUkSHHED67zcLXzv4imLziXFhO42QzyFLoRmGvfE8rXSV8mFw45KHZej2aSKF7fT05~9Ld7cr9y2hmanR5PgH-k2fSwmBz5HPtnq~zKYdGbXUo3yx0zj8bsXNUJQspZmGCpCOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chet Krauser, a Lands and Communities staff member, presented the department’s annual report to the All Community Council, reviewing accomplishments across Ecology and Extension, Grants and Community Resources, Lands, Culture and Recreation, and Planning, Development and Sustainability.

Krauser said the report’s landing page links to department pages and noted highlights including the opening of the Ecology and Extension facility and the Rocky Mountain Gardens, new programming such as the Honeyberry Teaching Kitchen and youth development offerings, and aquatic invasive-species inspection stations. He also described the Home Upgrade Hub and said an initial $1,000,000 grant that backed some programs has been affected by recent grant freezes.

On grants and community resources, Krauser cited the EPA Brownfields grant and the county’s work supporting projects such as the 2 Rivers resident-owned community purchase in Lolo. He described coordination with the Poverello Center on projects to support veterans housing and said the county has established a coordinated grants team to strengthen internal processes.

In Lands, Culture and Recreation updates, Krauser highlighted Marshall Mountain Park — acquired by the county — where staff and community partners have advanced trail construction, adaptive-access routes and programming. He noted the county’s Larchmont Golf Course moved to county management and reopened quickly after storm-related tree damage, and he called out the Western Montana Fair’s record attendance and the new Klaus Power Arena as assets to the fairgrounds. Krauser announced a five-year contract to host the Zoo Town Music Festival, beginning this July.

On planning and sustainability, Krauser described work on long-range planning grants, the Y infrastructure plan, floodplain map updates, and the Wildland-Urban Interface/community wildfire protection plan funded by a Community Wildfire Defense Grant. He also referenced the Grass Valley Gardens subdivision as an example of development using the county’s updated zoning code; a quote included in the report from Commissioner Strohmeyer noted those zoning changes were intended to help address housing challenges.

Krauser concluded by reminding councils the full report and department pages are available via the link posted in the meeting chat and inviting follow-up questions by county staff.","Chet Krauser walked through an annual Lands and Communities report covering Ecology and Extension’s new facility and Rocky Mountain Gardens, Marshall Mountain acquisition and trail work, parks and fairgrounds accomplishments, grant-backed brownfields work and plans for wildfire, Y-area infrastructure and climate programs.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6261620,"Missoula County survey shows wastewater, neighborhood renewal and affordable-housing supports among top priorities",755,82000,837000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3121059-090d9e4be0850ab6a8d2a82ad652217e&start=82&end=837","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3121059-090d9e4be0850ab6a8d2a82ad652217e/thumbnail_82000.jpg","/articles/6261620/Missoula-County/Montana/Missoula-County-survey-shows-wastewater-neighborhood-renewal-and-affordable-housing-supports-among-top-priorities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261620-2bfd774aa04de2ecaefff574493f58fe/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201152&Signature=lL-bppvgSfCKbf98PfQstA6VUoqLAcAOIVRglDd--rOFhdinBFbSzeYpOYDFOd7-ThlmchqtzDTvcJnjQ2wQRd3c2d8HDGtwM3hoBtE3kql4iTzTA9tqhZiukBkLjCKbcUUjO8rNvko2Me7Uop9LTcmKivnnGjohee7bIXI7dyfq0-2kFSlmmsIgciGX3JsmN5SQNoHH0T01UKDOUtvMpUQEDcPtDueiMtHgOgx2RScLbhi7RmdOlU6fRvARKTlTvUV1unSpXefVag-a3ssX3sQTQ7dr43hLBnRzBl1sGeEoZUBfho~SqkcL9h~5vAdLwswetKU-YyZh50ZQQdF3AQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Heidi West, a grants staff member, presented high-level results from a countywide housing and community development survey at the Missoula County All Community Council meeting. The survey collected 702 responses across the county, including 365 from residents outside Missoula city limits, and will inform applications for HOME and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding.

West said the survey’s purpose was to \"conduct a community needs assessment that helps us identify and define needs and gaps, that are related to infrastructure, facilities, economic development, and housing.\" She noted the survey was open for about three weeks and that its methodology \"wasn't scientific,\" so results are not statistically valid but do provide community insights.

The survey results show differences in priorities between city and county respondents. County respondents ranked wastewater and water-system expansion and improvements as a top priority, and neighborhood renewal activities ranked highest countywide. Economic development priorities included expanding opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents through job creation, retention and training; the second-highest economic-development response was \"none of the above,\" which West said often related to access to child care in open-ended comments. Housing development responses from county respondents prioritized funding for infrastructure and creation of resident-owned communities.

West provided demographic context: 51% of county respondents lived in two-person households, about 32% reported annual earnings above $90,000, and a majority were homeowners and employed. She also noted the survey included one respondent who identified as unhoused and reported living in the county, not the city. The survey produced more than 500 comments across community development, economic development and housing topics; West said community-specific profiles (for Seeley Lake, Lolo, East Missoula and the Clark Fork Range) are available in the report.

On next steps, West said the county treats the community survey as \"our first public meeting as a part of the application process\" for federal grants. She described the county’s role as a conduit: Missoula County typically applies for funding in partnership with a subrecipient that would carry out the project, and projects must meet HUD requirements (for example, addressing low- and moderate-income needs). \"We like to support — we are enablers, but we need a project to enable,\" West said, urging communities to identify partners and projects that could qualify for HOME or CDBG funds.

West directed community members with questions or requests for community-specific datasets to contact grants staff by email at grants@missoulacounty.us and said the full results and presentations are posted on Missoula County’s website and on Missoula County Voice.","Missoula County staff presented results of a community housing and development survey showing 702 countywide responses, differences between city and county priorities (wastewater and water systems ranked high among county respondents), and use of results to pursue HOME and CDBG funding.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Community councils report local issues from fire-district ballot confusion to meeting-schedule and leadership changes

Missoula County Lands and Communities report highlights new facilities, trails, fairgrounds upgrades and grant projects

Missoula County survey shows wastewater, neighborhood renewal and affordable-housing supports among top priorities