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County staff seek extension for Cascadia Management Group Big Sky Trust Fund grant to complete hiring
Summary
County staff requested Missoula County ask the Montana Department of Commerce to extend one Big Sky Trust Fund contract for Cascadia Management Group; Cascadia has hired 3 of the 10 planned employees and seeks more time to finish its hiring plan. Staff said the state has allowed similar extensions.
Missoula County staff asked the commissioners to approve requesting an extension from the Montana Department of Commerce for one Big Sky Trust Fund contract that supports Cascadia Management Group’s planned expansion.
Staff said Cascadia has hired three of the 10 employees its grant agreement anticipated and is seeking additional time to meet the full hiring plan. The county presentation noted that the Big Sky Trust Fund was converted by the 2023 legislature into the Montana Growth Fund, a low-interest loan program focused on rural entrepreneurship, but that a small number of prior grant contracts remain in the system and the Department of Commerce has been “very generous in allowing these extensions.”
A commissioner asked what would happen if Cascadia failed to hire the remaining positions during the extended period; staff responded, “We would simply close the contract with, other existing level of hiring.” The presentation did not record a formal vote on the extension request during the public audio segments provided.
No dollar amounts for the Cascadia contract extension were specified in the meeting transcript. Staff said the grant’s original jobs target was 10 employees and that three have been hired so far.
Next steps: staff said they would follow up with the Department of Commerce on whether an extension would be granted and would report back to the board.
