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Seeley Lake council forms subcommittee to address drug activity, property decay and 911 delays
Summary
Following a well-attended meeting with residents, the Seeley Lake Community Council voted to form a subcommittee to address local concerns about drug dealing near schools, perceived property neglect, animal control and extended 911 hold times.
Tom Browder, a Seeley Lake Community Council member, said the council held an emotional meeting that drew residents who described ongoing drug dealing near Seeley Lake Elementary and other community concerns, including property decay, animal-control gaps and extended 911 wait times.
Tom said the council voted to create a subcommittee to pursue neighborhood-organizing steps such as a coordinated neighborhood-watch program and to engage county departments. He named Jeanette Smith and Gary Swain as the council members who will manage the subcommittee and said about 10 volunteers signed up; the group planned its first meeting the following evening.
County staff encouraged the council to meet early with the sheriff’s office to avoid pursuing steps that may be legally or practically constrained and offered to send the appropriate county personnel to meet with residents. Public Health and community partners also offered training and outreach resources: a Missoula Public Health representative offered opioid-overdose reversal training and “hidden in plain sight” prevention programs for parents.
Ending: The Seeley subcommittee plans neighborhood-watch organizing and follow-up meetings with county staff, the sheriff’s office and environmental health; council members said they will report progress at future community-council meetings.
