The Agenda with the Missoula County Commissioners

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Spooky Historical Stories with Unseen Missoula Oct 30, 2026

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This week we take a break from our regularly scheduled civic programming to dive into the spooky history of Missoula. Dani Brown and Liv Carmichael, local historians and guides from Unseen Missoula, joined the commissioners to talk about murders, missing bodies, secret rituals and ghostly apparitions. Happy Halloween!

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Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recording support!

What Can Missoula County Do About Data Centers? Oct 21, 2026

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On July 9, the Missoula County commissioners adopted a countywide one-year moratorium on new or expanded data centers outside Missoula city limits. The moratorium was adopted through interim zoning, which is used to temporarily halt development when an emergency situation exists.

As required by law, County staff immediately began a study to verify the circumstances of the emergency data centers present and identify potential options to address it. That draft study is available now for public comment and review on missoulacountyvoice.com.

This week, the commissioners spoke with Svein Newman, climate action program manager, and Patrick Swart, planner, about what they learned from the study and what the next steps are.

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Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recording support!

Watershed Navigation Center Sep 30, 2026

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The Watershed Navigation Center in Missoula is a day center that provides access to basic needs, court services, medical and behavioral health services to people who have recently left correctional facilities, or who are experiencing homelessness. Partnership Health Center, the Missoula County Community Justice Department and other service providers work together to provide a supportive and helpful environment for these clients.

This week, the commissioners spoke with Ty Robinson, the reentry coordinator at Watershed, about individual success stories and how this model works.

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Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recording support!

Safety and Advocacy for Survivors Sep 17, 2026

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Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking living in rural areas often face barriers to support, including limited access to services, transportation and safe places to stay.

This week, the commissioners spoke with Jessica Koch and Lisa Tipps from the Missoula County Community Justice Department about how Missoula County is working to combat domestic and sexual violence in our communities. Initiatives include collaborating with law enforcement, teaching healthy relationship programs in schools and supporting survivors through the court process.

This episode deals with difficult topics like relationship and domestic violence. The Crime Victim Advocate Division of Missoula County is here to help you. Please call 406-258-3830 or visit their office at 317 Woody Street. YWCA Missoula is another resource and their 24-hour crisis line is 1-800-483-7858.

Links mentioned in this episode

The Rural Program is supported by Grant No. 15JOVW-24-GG-01024-RURA awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice.

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Testing the Waters Sep 02, 2026

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Did you know that Missoula County is home to the first water quality district in Montana? Efforts to give local governments a tool to address water quality arose out of chemical contamination of local wells in the early 1990s.

This week the commissioners spoke with Travis Ross of the Missoula Valley Water Quality District to discuss water rights, how the district monitors our aquifer, and more.

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Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recording support!

Open Space Ethos and Land Conservation Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the 2006 city-county open space bonds, which have supported public projects like Marshall Mountain Park and the Rock Creek Confluence. But did you know that the first open space bond was approved by Missoula voters back in 1980?

This week the commissioners spoke with Jenny Zaso, open lands manager for Missoula County, about how conserving open space is both a shared value for our community and valuable tool for private landowners.

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Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recording support!

Agenda Archive: Emergency Planning and Evacuations Aug 05, 2026

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This episode was originally released on July 16, 2024.
Did you know Missoula County has a whole department dedicated to emergency planning? The Office of Emergency Management, or OEM, is tasked with planning for and responding to natural and man-made disasters in our communities.

This week we’re re-airing an episode of The Agenda from summer 2024 featuring an interview with OEM Director Adriane Beck. She touches on emergency alert systems, evacuation planning and shelters, fire restrictions and more.

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Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recording support!

Western Montana Fair Jul 22, 2026

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The Western Montana Fair returns to the Missoula County Fairgrounds July 31-Aug. 8! Fair activities and events will stretch over two weekends to give visitors ample time to enjoy everything from fair food and arena events to carnival games and live music.

This week, the commissioners spoke with Billie Brown, fairgrounds events and operations manager, to discuss what’s new this year and how to plan your best visit to the Western Montana Fair.

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Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recording support!

National Legacy Conservation Center Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

Sitting on 31 acres just west of the Missoula Airport is the only museum in the country dedicated to the history of the U.S. Forest Service. On July 17, the museum will open the National Conservation Legacy Center, which celebrates our public lands and the many groups and individuals who made them possible. The Legacy Center building is an ode to America’s forests and incorporates more than a dozen species of trees into the design.

This week, the commissioners spoke with Lisa Tate, executive director of the National Museum of Forest Service History, about the project and the grand opening.

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Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recording support!

Land Use and Zoning 101 Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

If a new business wants to open in Missoula County, there’s a good chance the property owner has spoken to someone in local government about it. Then it goes through the development review process, which is dependent on the location, type of business and many other variables. Does it have to be this complicated? What kind of discretion does county government have when it comes to growth and development?

Enter: land use planning and zoning. This week, the commissioners spoke with Karen Hughes, director of the Missoula County Planning, Development and Sustainability department, about these questions and more.

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Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recording support!

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