Commissioner Juanita Vero said anyone may speak at a county public meeting but that comment time is limited.

The commissioners used the episode to correct a common misconception: "Anyone can comment at a public meeting," Vero said, but speakers generally are limited to three minutes. They said that rule is enforced so meeting business can proceed and others can be heard.

Why it matters: The county urged residents to match expectations to jurisdiction and process. Commissioners said the board will listen to off-topic concerns (for example, national foreign-policy questions) but has limited ability to act on issues outside county authority.

How to participate: The panel told listeners who cannot attend in person that they may call in by telephone or join via Microsoft Teams to offer public comment. For connection details and meeting links, commissioners pointed to missoulacounty.gov and the Missoula County website's public meetings page and offered the county phone number (406-258-4877) for staff assistance.

Missoula County also maintains an online engagement hub, missoulacountyvoice.com, where residents can find ongoing projects accepting public input, such as floodplain mapping, development proposals in Bonner, and Lolo water and wastewater planning.

The commissioners closed the segment by urging residents to check jurisdictional boundaries before expecting county action and to use the county's online tools for projects that are not on the commissioners' agenda. The episode concluded with contact guidance for future podcast topics and how to reach the communications office.