Missoula Parking Commission approves $15,000 match for Missoula in Motion

The Missoula Parking Commission approved a $15,000 local match for Missoula in Motion (MIM), supporting the organization’s federally funded transportation demand management programs. The commission approved the match by roll call vote.

Catherine O'Jae, who identified herself as representing Missoula in Motion, gave an overview of MIM’s programs and highlighted the group’s recent accreditation by the Association of Commuter Transportation. O'Jae said the agency “is an agency within the city of Missoula, and our goal is to increase the use of sustainable transportation in Missoula” through education, encouragement and programs such as the commuter challenge, Clear the Air Challenge and neighborhood ride‑alongs.

Jody Pilgrim, director of the Missoula Parking Commission, moved the action item up on the agenda so the commission could act on the match request during the meeting. A motion to approve $15,000 in match funding was made and seconded; Peter Walker Kelleher, JR Casillas, Tiffany Brander and Joe Easton voted to approve the match.

O'Jae said MIM is fully funded through the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant program and requires local match dollars to spend those funds. She described MIM’s work with workplace partners, bike‑light distribution with the police department’s lights‑at‑night campaign, helmet sales with Providence St. Patrick Hospital, and monthly business incentives through the Way to Go Missoula platform.

The commission’s approval allows staff to allocate the requested local match and continue supporting MIM’s programs for the coming grant year.