Politics & Government

Missoula County Government: Missoula County Weekly: Jan. 10-14

See the latest announcement from the Missoula County Government .

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Press Release Desk, News Partner
(Missoula County Government)

Press release from the Missoula County Government:

01/10/2022 3:50 PM

Find out what's happening in Missoulafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

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    COVID-19 testing and vaccine appointments with the Health Department are now located at 3665 W. Broadway. Vaccines are available for anyone age 5+. Visit missoulainfo.com to schedule an appointment.

    Read more

    Find out what's happening in Missoulafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

    The Missoula County Elections Office is encouraging civically engaged community members to serve as election judges for the 2022 primary and general elections.

    The office hopes to recruit more than 600 election judges, poll book judges and polling place managers for the upcoming election year. Election judges greet voters, issue ballots, operate equipment, answer questions and hand out “I voted” stickers. They are paid for their service and their training.

    Read more.

    The Missoula County Attorney’s Office recently received a $600,000 grant award from the federal Department of Justice to help grow Calibrate, the first prosecution-led pretrial diversion program in Montana.

    Calibrate will use the award to obtain chemical dependency assessments and evaluations, provide administrative support to the evolving program and hire and additional diversion specialist. With additional funding and capacity, service will expand to drug-addicted offenders and a more high-needs population who are currently not being assisted.

    Read more

    The board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing to consider a resolution of intent to adopt the Missoula County Housing Action Plan as an issue plan of the Missoula County Growth Policy at 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 13.

    Missoula County has faced housing affordability challenges for over a decade, but in recent years a housing shortage and growing population have exacerbated the problem. Home prices and rents have increased dramatically more than incomes, and rental vacancy rates have decreased to record lows.  An undersupply of around 2,400 housing units in Missoula County also contributes to the issue.

    The recommended actions in Missoula County’s Housing Action Plan: Breaking Ground fall under three broad goals: 

    • Use the County’s existing toolkit — including zoning, infrastructure and use of county lands — to increase the housing supply 
    • Provide more funding for programs to help people access and stay in stable housing 
    • Partner with the City, housing nonprofits and developers to improve policy

    Find out more

    Missoula County residents interested in improving air quality are invited to apply for membership on the Missoula City-Cunty Air Quality Advisory Council. In keeping with the council’s Charge, individuals are sought who have expertise in areas related to air quality, including chemical engineering, environmental engineering, environmental law, environmental studies, forestry, health care, industrial sources, meteorology, outdoor burning, public relations and transportation. Other members may be appointed as citizens-at-large.

    Applications are due 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022. The all-volunteer council meets the first Tuesday evening of each month and advises the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Board on a broad range of air quality topics including transportation, industrial sources, outdoor burning, road dust, wildfire smoke and wood stoves.

    Apply here.

    Here’s a by-the-numbers look at what it takes to plow and maintain county roads each winter:

    • 452: Miles of road the County is responsible for (252 paved and 200 gravel)
    • 16,000: Tons of sand
    • 42,000: Gallons of liquid magnesium chloride deicer
    • $75,000: Average cost for sand (Public Works produces)
    • $55,000: Average cost for liquid deicer (from commercial vendors)

    Liquid deicer is used sparingly, but effectively. To manage the limited budget, Public Works uses it only on the main collector routes and in limited areas where steep roads are more easily traveled when they can achieve bare, wet pavement. It’s most often applied on Grant Creek Road, Goodan Lane, Keil Loop, South Third Street, Clements Road, South Avenue, Pattee Canyon Road, Miller Creek Road, Trails End Road, Big Flat Road and Ridgeway Drive.

    The crew targets application of sand and deicer at intersections, hills and curves, where effective traction is critical for drivers. While blanket application on every road seems desirable, budget constraints prohibit this on every portion of every county-maintained road.

    So does all that sand and deicer impact the environment?

    Using liquid deicer helps reduce air pollution sand can cause and more effectively melts snow during lower temperatures. Public Works coordinates with the Missoula Valley Water Quality District to make sure the liquid deicer does not negatively impact our ground and surface water. Per the water quality district standards, crews apply deicer, so it remains on the road and at a rate not to exceed 30 gallons per mile. The district evaluates water trends to make sure deicers are not significantly degrading water quality.

    All deicers used within the water quality district boundary must be approved to be applied on public roads, which includes testing to ensure it does not exceed contaminant standards (heavy metals, nitrogen, etc.).

    Because of our permeable soils, a large spill or release of deicer could quickly saturate our roads and contaminate our ground and surface water. For that reason, the district also requires quantities over 1,000 gallons to be secondarily contained. This is essentially a container within a container. That way, if a tank springs a leak or a hose valve breaks, the fluid will still be contained instead of running into the soil or downstream into a storm drain or river. Public Works has two 10,000-gallon tanks of liquid magnesium chloride secondarily contained.

    Listen to the full episode online or on Spotify, Stitcher or Apple Podcasts.

    *This podcast discusses topics around sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking and physical violence. Missoula County acknowledges this content may be difficult for some and if so, encourages listeners to seek support from one of the local resources listed below.

    January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and Tuesday, Jan. 11, is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. To understand how this issue impacts Missoula County, Commissioners Strohmaier and Vero visit with Missoula County Detective Captain David Conway and YWCA Pathways Program Manager Lyndayle Mattis. 

    Unfortunately, human trafficking is here in the Missoula County community. This episode helps listeners understand what it is and provides resources for victims and tools for parents to help protect their children.

    Human trafficking is the exploitation of another person for labor, domestic servitude or commercial sexual activity by force, fraud or coercion. It is also the act of enslaving or exploiting unwilling people. 

    If you are a victim, or think someone is, please contact one of these local resources for help:

    • 9-1-1 call or text
    • Missoula Human Trafficking Task Force  
      • https://www.missoulahumantrafficking.com/ 
      • Call or text 1-800-406-STOP (7867), the local hotline for victims or for reporting human trafficking 
      • Aims to end human trafficking through the process of education, awareness and  collaboration with local, state and federal resources and community partners.
    • Lifeguard Group
      • https://thelifeguardgroup.org/ 
      • Call or text 1-800-406-STOP (7867), the local hotline for victims or to report human trafficking 
      • Helps protect people and the community against sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
    • YWCA  
      • https://www.ywcamissoula.org/ 
      • 24-hour crisis line: 1-800-483-7858
      • 1800 S. 3rd St. W., Missoula, MT 59801
      • Provides life-saving services — shelter, counseling and more — for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, stalking and human trafficking.
    • Missoula Beacon Project - All Nations Health Center
    • Missoula County Community Justice Department
      • 406-258-3830
      • Toll-free 1-866- 921-6995
      • Email - cva@missoulacounty.us 
      • Promotes the safety of Missoula County citizens, the protection and healing of crime victims, the efficient and just treatment of defendants and offenders, the ongoing improvement and coordination of the justice system’s response to crime, and the prevention of crime and the reduction of recidivism.

    Debb Clark, Finance Manager, Public Works

    My employment with Missoula County began in July 2012, and in October 2015, I transferred to Public Works as the finance manager. I have many years of governmental accounting experience, including working for Lewis and Clark County Public Works, so this is a great fit for me.

    Public Works consists of the Road/Bridge Division, Building Division, Surveyors Office, Lolo Sewer and Water, El Mar Water, Sunset West Water and Seeley Lake Refuse districts. As the finance manager, I have the pleasure of working with each of them.

    I do every aspect of accounting for Public Works, from paying the bills andpreparing deposits to creating and maintaining the budgets, just to name a few. My position keeps me extremely busy, and putting together the budgets is probably one of my favorite things to do. Public Works has many sources of funding, so it’s like a puzzle with many pieces and figuring out what we can do each year is always challenging. Equipment for the Road Division is expensive, so sometimes we must be creative. Sending the final budgets to the budget analyst is so satisfying. I know only an accountant would think it’s fun and satisfying, but what can I say?

    Public Works is currently working with the City of Missoula on the BUILD Grant, which is a $13 million project. We are also working with the Grants and Community Programs Division on the Buena Vista water project. Working well with other departments and agencies is something we pride ourselves on.

    This job provides a wide variety of duties and responsibilities. I can honestly say I never have a dull moment. It’s been a pleasure working for Missoula County and I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for Public Works.

    Find more events this week on the County’s Event Calendar! 

    Post-holiday COVID-19 safety guidance from Missoula City-County Health Department
    Missoula County eyes ARPA funds for Lolo water system improvements ahead of growth
    Closing time: County applies old grant to help qualified buyers make down payment on home
    Federal grant to bolster Missoula program aimed at helping drug offenders

    To join commissioner department, administrative and public meetings via Microsoft Teams and view the agendas, visit the Missoula County Commissioners’ Meeting Minutes and Agenda Portal. Please note that agendas for department and administrative meetings are published two business days before the meeting, and public meeting agendas are published the Friday before the meeting. Administrative and public meeting video recordings are available on the Missoula County YouTube page after the meeting, and MCAT plays the public meetings live on their Spectrum Channel 190. Email bcc@missoulacounty.us or call 406-258-4877 if you have any questions or comments on an upcoming meeting. 

     

    This press release was produced by the Missoula County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.

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