Myth Busters!

This is FALSE. 

While the Elections Office conducts all elections within Missoula County and provides details on when and where to vote, it does not produce information about candidates beyond their names and what race they're running in.

Producing details on candidate platforms or positions risks the perception of bias. 

Voters are encouraged to research candidates by visiting campaign websites or social media accounts and reviewing information local media outlets publish about candidates.

This is false. County finances are audited in two ways.

First, the county auditor is an elected official who examines and investigates claims presented to the County for payment to make sure County employees are not spending your property tax dollars inappropriately. The auditor is elected by residents and does not report to the commissioners. 

Secondly, external audits are required by state law every year. Contracted auditors review the previous’ years expenses, revenues and other financial statements for accuracy.

Additionally, when staff make a procurement request to spend county funds, it's checked against their department budget to ensure there are sufficient funds for the expense. 

Hello, thanks for your question. 

Because Missoula County is a general powers government, we cannot ban the use of fireworks on private property unless the Legislature passes a law giving us explicit authority to do that. But private property owners, including businesses open to the public, can set expectations for being on their property (think "no shoes, no shirt, no service"). If you break those rules and the property owner asks you to leave, it can become a criminal trespass issue if you don't comply.

The upshot: It's probably best to make sure the property owner is OK with lighting off fireworks before you begin your celebration. 

This is false. Many development projects come before the county commissioners at their public meetings. These requests include family transfer exemptions, new subdivisions and rezoning requests. However, county staff and elected officials often hear from residents who are concerned about certain kinds of businesses proposed in their neighborhoods.

Montana state law generally limits counties’ authority over what people do with their own private property. This is especially true in areas that do not have local zoning regulations. Much of Missoula County is unzoned, meaning that there are few rules about what types of businesses can be built. Any authority that counties have typically involves ensuring developments meet state and local regulations.

Major development proposals, such as housing subdivisions, go through a robust process and are subject to approval by the county commissioners. Storage units are regulated through zoning. In areas where there is no zoning, they go through “buildings for lease or rent” review under state law and local regulations, which applies when storage unit developments involve four or more buildings or 30 or more units in a single building. Storage unit businesses are a common use for private commercial property, as they require little infrastructure like a well or septic system but can generate profit for the landowner.

The County risks being sued if it denies a request to build or expand a storage unit facility that satisfies state law and local regulations, even if the request is unpopular with residents.  Lawsuits can be costly and require taxpayer money to defend.

Missoula County currently has zoning for the Missoula urban area outside city limits, but it doesn’t cover areas such as Frenchtown, Lolo or Seeley. We are on the cusp of initiating the first countywide update to the land use plan that would cover these areas. Planning staff have started conversations with community councils about planning for growth. While this will not impact current development proposals, getting involved in this process is one way you can have a say in how your community grows in the future. Information about community councils is online at missoula.co/communitycouncils.

This is TRUE. 

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a Missoula County Office Sheriff's Deputy demanding money for missed jury duty — IT'S A SCAM! Don't trust the caller ID. Scammers may even spoof the Sheriff's Office real phone number. Your best defense is to hang up.

Fines for missing jury duty are handled by and paid to the courts, not the Sheriff's Office. The only payments the Sheriff's Office collects are for concealed weapons permits, fingerprint services and civil processing.

REMEMBER: Real Deputies will never...

• Demand immediate payment over the phone
• Scare you or threaten you with arrest for not paying
• Ask for payment via Bitcoin, Venmo, Cash App, gift cards or kiosk deposits

What should you do if you get this call?

• Hang up immediately
• Call 406-258-4810 to verify any claims
• Report the scam

This is True AND False.

TRUE: Missoula County now has more authority to change speed limits — but only on County roads. Thanks to a bill introduced by Missoula County Sen. Willis Curdy and signed into law by the governor, counties across Montana can now set speed limits below 35 mph on paved county roads in residential neighborhoods that meet certain density requirements.

FALSE: Missoula County cannot change speed limits on state highways, like Highway 93. That authority belongs to the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT).

Under the old law, counties could only set speed limits below 35 mph on unpaved or gravel roads— not paved ones. That meant many posted speed limits on paved county roads weren’t legally enforceable. Now, with this update, counties can legally post lower, safer speed limits — like 25 mph — in dense residential areas where 35 mph is too fast.

This is FALSE.

Though they share a name (and sometimes work together), Missoula County and the City of Missoula are separate governments.

Missoula County is a general powers government — County commissioners can only make laws when the state specifically says they can. The City of Missoula has its own government structure. They collaborate on some things, but they don't govern each other.

If you live outside city limits, Missoula County is your local government. This includes: Bonner, Lolo, Clinton, Frenchtown, East Missoula, Seeley Lake, Turah, Huson, Condon and others. 

There are some shared services, including: Missoula Public Health, 9-1-1 and the Missoula Public Library. But when it comes to legislation or administration? They each run their own show.

This is FALSE.

Not quite. Most development starts with private landowners or developers — they decide what they'd like to build and where. Missoula County doesn’t pick the location or type of project. Instead, the County’s role is to make sure proposed developments follow local and state regulations, like subdivision and zoning rules, environmental health codes and building standards. These tools are some of the only ways the County can help manage growth.

For example, if someone wants to build a commercial development, the County checks that it meets all code requirements and is in the right zoning district — if it’s zoned at all. In unzoned areas, the County can’t limit whether a development is commercial, residential or industrial.

Even in zoned areas, the County can’t dictate exactly what gets built. So, if a neighborhood wants a grocery store but a developer proposes a brewery, and it fits the zoning, there’s nothing the County can do to swap one for the other.

Want to weigh in or learn more about what’s being proposed near you? Go to the Development Projects page to see current development proposals and share your input.