Missoula County to formalize community councils by ordinance; Dec. 4 hearing set, adoption targeted Jan. 8, 2026

Missoula County officials told community council members on Nov. 19 that the county will replace the current resolution-based formation of community councils with a county ordinance to comply with the Montana Code Annotated.

Chris Lonsbury, Missoula County’s chief administrative officer, said the change is required by state law and is intended to standardize how councils are created and governed and to make operational processes more consistent. "We need to establish community councils through the county ordinance process, as opposed to the county resolution process," he said. He told the meeting the county plans to present the ordinance for a public hearing in December and is targeting formal adoption in January 2026 because ordinances require two hearings.

Why it matters: the ordinance would formalize the county’s current practice of appointing members when elections are uncontested, set consistent membership and quorum rules across councils, and give the county clearer authority to address situations such as councils that cannot maintain a quorum. Lonsbury said that over roughly the last 10 years there were about 80 opportunities for council elections but only about eight contested races, so the ordinance would codify an appointment process the county already largely follows.

Operational changes and public records: staff said several practical changes will follow adoption. The county will create a county email address for each community council so messages can be archived in compliance with Montana public‑records law; councils may keep constituent-facing Gmail accounts but should CC or forward those messages to the county address so they are retained. "We would create a county email for each council to capture that public record," Kyla said. County staff also said they will use ArchiveSocial to capture posts from council social accounts and will seek administrative access to those accounts to prevent loss of records if volunteer account holders leave.

Finance and implementation: officials said council bank accounts and claims processing will be discussed with county finance staff; the plan is for councils to forward invoices or claims to county staff for entry and payment, and that county finance typically turns around claims within a day or two. County staff emphasized adoption in January will begin a phased implementation, not an immediate switchover, and they will work one-on-one with councils to adjust bylaws, membership (including alternates), email setup and accounting practices.

Process and next steps: the county signaled it will open a public comment period at the Board of County Commissioners’ first hearing on the ordinance in December. Chris Lonsbury said the first public hearing will be in December and the county is aiming to finalize adoption in January 2026. The county will continue to accept feedback and make edits before adoption. No formal vote on the ordinance occurred at the Nov. 19 community council meeting.

What officials said: Commissioner Dave Strohmeyer reminded attendees that "community councils are part of Missoula County government" and therefore subject to state records and open meeting requirements; Lonsbury said staff will provide templates and individual support during the transition.

The county posted contact information for communications staff and said it will include hearing links and follow-up guidance in an email to councils.