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Commissioners' Office

What to expect at a public hearing meeting

Public hearing meetings are held in hybrid fashion on most Thursdays at 2 p.m. You can attend in person in the Sophie Moiese Room of the Missoula County Courthouse Annex at 200 W. Broadway, or virtually via Microsoft Teams. Commissioners consider items like land use decisions, policy changes, community plans or the budget at these Thursday meetings. Find more information on the agendas online.

When you show up:

  • Members of the public are asked to sign in when attending in-person so staff or commissioners can follow up with you if necessary.
  • Public comment on items not on the agenda occurs at the beginning of the meeting. If you want to speak on something that is not on the agenda, this is your moment! Otherwise, projects coming before the commission have time for dedicated public comment later in the meeting.
  • Projects under consideration are introduced and then staff present their findings. For larger projects, sometimes multiple staff members and a private developer may present before public comment.
  • Can’t make it to a meeting but still have something to say? You have a few options, all of which are treated equally as public comment. Every public comment received is presented to the commission and staff and included in the meeting packet.
    1. Comment on a specific project on missoulacountyvoice.com. Please note you will have to create a free account to submit a comment or question.
    2. Send a letter addressed to the Missoula County Commissioners, 200 W. Broadway, Missoula, MT 59802. Letters may be dropped off in person at the County Administrative Building at 199 W. Pine St. in Missoula (next to the Courthouse).
    3. Send an email to the commissioners by clicking here.

When you'd like to speak:

  • Please state your name for the formal minutes and record of the meeting.
  • Public comment is limited to three minutes per person, per item.
  • You are welcome to read from a prepared statement. If your statement is longer than three minutes, you may send it to the commission or leave a physical copy in person.
  • Participants may not cede their time to others.
  • Public comment is not an active conversation between the speaker and county staff or the commission. Questions posed during your public comment may be answered following the meeting.
  • Repetitive or off-topic comments are not allowed, and the chair reserves the right to stop them.
  • Keep comments orderly and polite. Refrain from name-calling or shouting. Anyone who becomes disruptive or uses offensive language may be barred from speaking by the chair.
 

Types of meetings

Click on the down arrow to learn about the types of public meetings hosted by the commissioners.

  • Typically held the first, second and fourth Thursday of each month and are held in hybrid fashion, with the ability to join in the Sophie Moiese Room of the Missoula County Courthouse Annex (200 W. Broadway) or virtually via Microsoft Teams.
  • Includes items of broader public interest, like land use decisions, policy changes, proclamations, community plans or the budget.
  • Staff take recorded and verbatim minutes at these meetings. Video is captured by Missoula Community Access Television (MCAT), which is streamed live to their television channel, and video is made available as soon as possible on YouTube.
  • Agendas, agenda packets, video and recorded minutes are available online. Agendas are published the Friday before the meeting.

  • Typically held Tuesday and Thursday of each week at 10 a.m. in hybrid fashion, with the ability to join in Conference Room 206 of the Missoula County Administrative Building (199 W. Pine St.) or virtually via Microsoft Teams.
  • During this hour, departments bring contracts, agreements, resolutions, grant applications and more to the commissioners for approval or denial. Because the commissioners oversee all County department budgets, either the chair of the commission or the board is required to sign documentation. With limited exceptions, only the commissioners are authorized to bind the County through a contract or agreement.
  • Staff take summary minutes and record how each commissioner votes, which are available online after the meeting. These meetings are also recorded and provided on YouTube afterward.
  • Agendas, agenda packets, video and recorded minutes are available online. Agendas are published generally two days before the meeting.

The commissioners also meet with each of the County departments on a regular basis to be updated on activities and upcoming projects of note. Some departments, such as Lands and Communities, Public Works, and the Chief Administrative Officer, update the commissioners every week. Others, such as Missoula Public Health, County Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office, the Clerk and Treasurer’s Office, District and Justice Court Staff, Human Resources, Risk and Benefits, Community and Economic Development and others meet monthly. 

Agendas are published online. Minutes and recordings are not taken at these meetings, as no decisions are being made.