JEDI Advisory Board Development

Missoula County commissioners approved the JEDI Advisory Board bylaws on Nov. 28 and the Missoula City Council approved them on Dec. 6.

The advisory board meets from 4 to 6 p.m. on the third Thursday of every month, location to be determined. Find meeting agendas and minutes on the County's board site.

The bylaws for the Missoula City-County Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Board are now adopted. A Task Force, established when the County and City adopted the JEDI Advisory Board resolution in 2023, worked to complete the bylaws and assist the Missoula County commissioners and Missoula City Council in implementing a process to select and appoint members to the City-County JEDI Advisory Board. The bylaws are now available under the Documents tab on the right side of the page, and board members have been chosen.

Staff presented the bylaws to the Missoula County commissioners for adoption at their administrative public meeting on Nov. 28, and the Missoula City Council adopted the bylaws on Dec. 6. Questions about the County process can be directed to Elisha Buchholz, Missoula County Equity Coordinator, at ebuchholz@missoulacounty.us or 406-258-4462. Questions about the City process can be directed to Alex Lawson, City of Missoula JEDI Specialist, at lawsona@ci.missoula.mt.us or 406-552-6133.

The JEDI advisory board will guide and support both governments on issues, policies, programs, services and other opportunities to help ensure all residents have equitable and just access to public resources. To achieve its goals, the Task Force will strive to ensure that the Board is comprised of community members who are less likely to have representation in government or policy. This includes but is not limited to those who live in rural areas, race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, socioeconomic status, language and physical ability.

Background

In 2021, the Missoula County commissioners and Missoula City Council adopted the JEDI Resolution (2021-087), aligning their commitment to “pursue initiatives, efforts, strategies and partnerships that advance a more just, equitable, diverse and inclusive Missoula, free of systemic and structural inequalities.” One of the outcomes identified to support these efforts is establishing a joint City-County JEDI Advisory Board to guide, support and assist local government in implementing JEDI into all aspects of service so that everyone may achieve their best life.

Early in 2021, community members representing a broad array of personal and professional identities, expertise and experiences assembled to create the JEDI Advisory Board Planning Committee. Together, they drafted the JEDI Advisory Board resolution to establish the JEDI Advisory Board that the County passed on Jan. 5, 2023, and the City passed on Jan. 11, 2023 (City RN 8659, County RN 2023-007). When the resolution passed, three members of the Planning Committee were appointed to a Task Force to complete the bylaws and help the County and City implement a process to select and appoint members to the JEDI Advisory Board. Once the bylaws are adopted and Advisory Board members are recruited, the Task Force will dissolve.