Missoula County Government: Missoula County Weekly: June 21-25

Press release from the Missoula County Government:

06/21/2021 7:00 AM

Health Department promotes COVID-19 vaccination during in National Month of Action 

The Missoula City-County Health Department is participating in the National Month of Action for COVID-19 vaccination along with other organizations in Missoula County. President Biden set a nationwide goal of 70% of Americans having received at least one dose by July 4, 2021. To accomplish this goal, the White House announced a National Month of Action which brings together government, business, nonprofits and volunteers to promote vaccination within their communities. In Missoula, the community is coming together to promote COVID-19 vaccination, including the YMCA, Krispy Kreme and Albertsons by promoting vaccination through barrier reduction and incentives. 

Read more

Ellen Leahy honored for 38 years of dedication to health, wellness of Missoula County  

Health Officer Ellen Leahy was honored for her 38 years of dedicated service to the health and wellness of Missoula County at the Out to Lunch in Cara’s Park last Wednesday, June 16. Ellen had a significant impact on our community’s health. She joined the Health Department in 1983, first working as a public health nurse in the home visiting program. Then, in 1989, she became the Health Department director. In this role, she’s been instrumental in ensuring that we can eat, drink and work in smoke-free environments, and that our wintertime air is safe to breathe. She’s a key supporter of universal home visiting, and in bringing evidence-based programs, like Nurse Family Partnership, to Missoula. She led the effort to create Partnership Health Center to make sure all Missoulians have access to medical care. PHC started as two people in the Health Department and now has grown to serve more than 10,000 patients from Missoula and surrounding rural communities. Under Ellen’s leadership, Missoula became the first accredited Health Department in Montana, which brings with it a commitment to equity, continuous quality improvement and service to the community. She’s organized the response to many communicable disease outbreaks over the years, including H1N1, whooping cough and foodborne illnesses like E. coli, Salmonella and Hepatitis A. And, she fostered relationships with the University of Montana, which is now formalized through the designation of an “academic health department.” 

Congratulations, Ellen, and thank you for your many years of steadfast leadership! 

Commissioners to proclaim June as Pride Month 

Missoula County Commissioners will proclaim, as they have in years past, the month of June as “Pride Month.” Missoula County acknowledges the lasting impacts of the homophobia and transphobia highlighted by acts of physical, mental, emotion and institutional violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and two spirit (LGBTQIA+ and 2S) people and communities both within the United States and internationally. Missoula county acknowledges that it is essential for local governments to collectively show support for community members who are impacted, in the belief that everyone should be able to live without fear of prejudice, discrimination, violence and hatred based on gender identity, expression or sexual orientation. The commissioners will read the proclamation at their Thursday, June 24 public meeting at 2 p.m.  

Find the agenda and a copy of the proclamation

Weed District and Extension Office promotes pollinator education, awareness 

The Missoula County Weed District/Extension Office, Healthy Acres Healthy Communities and Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium are working with the Missoula Conservation District during Pollinator Week to promote education and awareness of the importance of our pollinators.  Stop by their table at Out to Lunch in Caras Park on Wednesday, June 23, or plan to attend one of two showings of The Pollinators documentary at the Roxy Theatre on Thursday June 24. Visit their information table behind the Roxy before each showing at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Proceeds from the ticket sales will support the Rocky Mountain Gardens and Education Center project. Learn more at jointhebuzzmissoula.org. 

Watch the trailer for The Pollinators

County Attorney's Office seeks proposals for legal case management system

The Missoula County Attorney's Office is soliciting proposals for the purchase of a legal case management system. The total project will include the selection and acquisition of software, implementation services, training and annual support costs to replace the current system (Justware Prosecuter). The contract term will be five years.

Read the full Request for Proposal

Missoula County employees are working hard for you! 

Patrick Swart, Property Records Specialist, Clerk and Recorder’s Office 

“As one of three property records specialists, I maintain public records and documents relating to real estate ownership and assist in researching property rights. I’m also the author of ‘Waypoints,’ a collection of historical narratives about Missoula County. I have my master’s in history and enjoy researching and writing about our community’s past. 

Visit missoula.co/waypoints to learn about the history of our county!” 

Vaccines are available to everyone 12 and older!  

Make an appointment at covid19.missoula.co, and share your experience on social media with the hashtags #endthepandemic, #vaccinatethe406 and #gotmyshot406. 

Stay up to date with Missoula County's COVID-19 vaccine distribution success! Visit covid19.missoula.co/vaccine-information and click on the Vaccination Distribution Map and Dashboard blue button. The data is updated every Monday. If you would like to track data across Montana, visit the Montana Response page. 

Visit our Missoula County Events Calendar to see what other events and classes the county is hosting! 

Missoula County in the News: June 12 to June 18 

Opinion: Join the buzz, Missoula!
ROAD Court: Where hard work changes lives
Missoula County Health Department pushing vaccinations, announces two mobile clinics
Missoula County back in session; approves contract for trails master plan
Missoula County zoning updates eye ag preservation; keeps tabs on water rights
Missoula groups, government pushing NW Energy to stem reliance on fossil fuels

Upcoming Commissioners’ Meetings from Monday, June 21 to Friday, June 25 

To join commissioner department, administrative and public meetings via Microsoft Teams and view the agendas, please 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 leave a voicemail at 406-258-4877 if you have any questions or comments on an upcoming meeting. 

• Monday, June 21 
  Public Works Update 
  Community and Planning Services Update 
  Zoning Code Update 

• Tuesday, June 22 
  Commissioners’ Administrative Public Meeting 

• Wednesday, June 23 
  Chief Administrative Officer Update 
  All Community Council Virtual Meeting 

• Thursday, June 24 
  Health Department Update 
  Commissioners’ Public Meeting 

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