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2/28/2025
“Missoula This Week” is reported and written By Katie Fairbanks. Send your Missoula news and tips to [email protected].
Missoula Parks and Recreation adds warning signs at Jacob’s Island Dog Park
The city of Missoula has issued safety reminders following the presumed drowning of a Colorado woman in the Clark Fork River late last week.
On Tuesday, Missoula Parks and Recreation put up temporary signs at Jacob’s Island Dog Park warning of dangerous conditions along the river, and the fire department sent out a winter safety advisory.
Last Friday, Colorado resident Danit Ehrlich, 33, who was traveling to Washington, was reported missing. Ehrlich’s last known location was the area near the Jacob’s Island Dog Park with her dog, Bamba, according to the Missoula Police Department. On Sunday, the department said Ehrlich likely drowned in the Clark Fork River and recovery efforts will continue as conditions allow. While the police initially asked residents to keep an eye out for Ehrlich’s dog, the department on Monday stated there was no evidence Bamba left the river.
As of Thursday, an online petition advocating for warning signs at the park to help prevent similar situations had nearly 2,000 signatures.
The parks department plans to install a permanent warning sign at the dog park entrance within the next few weeks, said Becky Goodrich, communications specialist for the department. The sign will notify visitors that the park is not fully fenced, remind people to control their pets near the water, warn of river safety hazards, provide safety tips and feature a QR code linking to a list of fully fenced dog parks, Goodrich said.
The Missoula Fire Department’s safety advisory urged people to stay off icy surfaces, as moving water below makes the ice unstable and dangerous. Pet owners should keep their animals on leash near icy areas and not attempt to rescue them if they go into the water, the department said. In an emergency, people should call 911 for trained first responders to retrieve the animal.
During Monday night’s City Council meeting, Mayor Andrea Davis asked residents and visitors to exercise caution near the river and other waterways throughout the community.
“We will do what we can to make sure folks are safe,” Davis said. “That said, we have a long winding river through our community. We can’t sign everywhere, and we need folks to be contentious of what’s happening out there.”
Davis encouraged residents to spread the word about the city’s fully fenced dog parks located away from the river.
“This is something that is incredibly sad, and the city takes it very seriously,” she said. “We appreciate everybody’s conscientiousness and their hearts.”
A community candlelight vigil for Ehrlich and her dog will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Van Buren Street footbridge near the Jacob’s Island park.
Public Notice
The city is holding a workshop next week to get public input on future uses of the property north of Montana Rail Link Park, which includes the Johnson Street emergency homeless shelter.
The city purchased the 12-acre property from Montana Rail Link in 2017 and developed the southern portion into MRL Park. Environmental remediation on the northern eight acres wrapped up late last year and the state Department of Environmental Quality declared the cleanup a success, according to the city.
In September 2023, the City Council committed the city to start planning for the site within one year with the goal of completing demolition and site preparation of “appropriate buildings” by September 2026.
The Missoula Redevelopment Agency board in December approved a $327,575 contract with design firm GGLO to conduct community outreach and plan redevelopment options for the property. The master plan is not intended to determine the future of the emergency shelter but focuses on the future development of the entire eight-acre property.
The city contracted with the Poverello Center to run the Johnson Street shelter through August 2026. The shelter’s funding runs out in August 2025 unless the council approves more during this year’s budget process.
The nine-month master plan process will include several public workshops and surveys, the first of which will be held from 5:15 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5, at the Brooks Street Stockman Bank meeting room. Attendees can park in the bank parking lot and use the door on the east side of the building to access the meeting room.
Later phases will include the release of redevelopment options and architectural renderings for public input. The MRA board and City Council will likely review the plan in September.
Residents can follow updates about the planning at the project’s Engage Missoula webpage.
Legislative committee axes Missoula project from grant
Missoula’s plan to install a green roof at the Missoula Public Library may be in jeopardy after state lawmakers recently removed the project from a funding bill.
The city applied for the Renewable Resource Infrastructure Grant, included in House Bill 6, to install a living roof. The project would help filter stormwater and reduce runoff, conserve energy, provide habitat for pollinators and educate visitors on the benefits of a green roof, according to the city.
The city planned to use the $125,000 state grant as part of the 25% in matching funds needed for a $1 million grant from the Western Montana Conservation Commission, said Tracy Campbell, the city’s stormwater superintendent. The total project cost could vary from $400,000 to $1 million, depending on the scope of the project allowed by how much grant funding the city receives, she said.
“If we don’t get this money, we’re going to have to keep looking elsewhere, keep fundraising, or the project won’t happen,” Campbell said.
Following a series of hearings, the House Appropriations Committee on Monday voted 15-8 on an amendment proposed by bill sponsor Rep. John Fitzpatrick, R-Anaconda, that included removing the Missoula project. The only other projects removed from the bill were two Granite County proposals that did not include matching funds.
During a House Appropriations Committee hearing on Feb. 21, Fitzpatrick said he proposed removing the Missoula project based on concerns raised by members of the Joint Subcommittee on Long-Range Planning that green roofs are problematic to install and maintain and could make it difficult to find a leak.
Campbell told the committee the library roof was built with the project in mind and can support the structure. The soil does not go directly on top of the roof and the plants would be installed in a modular system that could be moved to access the roof, she said. The city plans to work with Intermountain Roofscape Supply of Whitehall, a local business that specializes in these projects, Campbell said. The project, in a highly visual location, could help increase demand for similar projects and boost the local economy, she said.
Responding to questions during Monday’s hearing, Fitzpatrick told the committee he did not do any other research into the project or green roofs before proposing the amendment to remove the Missoula project.
Rep. Mike Vinton, R-Billings, who is also on the joint subcommittee, said the project stands out among the others, many of which are public water and sewer projects, and the subcommittee decided it doesn’t fit its criteria. The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation ranked the project fourth out of 42, according to the Governor’s Executive Budget. Vinton said in comparison to a regular roof, the project cost was “out of line.”
Following approval of Fitzpatrick’s amendment, Rep. Connie Keogh, D-Missoula, introduced an amendment to add the project back to the bill. Keogh said she visited the library to learn more about the project, which is not replacing the relatively new library roof but is an additional system to help filter stormwater and cool the building. The amendment failed, and the bill passed unanimously with Fitzpatrick’s amendment.
In response to some of the committee members’ concerns, Campbell told MTFP that the DNRC highly ranked the project because it meets all the department’s criteria and stands out as innovative.
“I don’t think any project ranked so highly has ever been removed for seemingly not very solid reasons, in my opinion,” she said.
Campbell said there were some misconceptions about modern green roof technology, which helps extend the life of roofs. While it would require some irrigation and maintenance, the stormwater filtration and cooling benefits of the project outweigh the costs, she said. Campbell also emphasized the potential benefits of the project to the Whitehall business and the local supply chain.
There is a chance the project could be amended back into the bill on the House floor, Senate committee or Senate floor, Campbell said. The bill will next head to the House floor for a vote.
By the Numbers
The number of meals volunteers delivered to Meals on Wheels clients in Missoula County last year. The program, operated by Missoula Aging Services, delivers meals and provides safety checks for 310 homebound clients, said Dean Thompson, the nonprofit’s nutrition program manager.
The number of clients dropped after peaking around 400 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic but has increased from pre-pandemic levels, Thompson said. The organization expects the number of clients to continue growing as the population ages, he said.
More than 100 volunteers regularly deliver meals, and the organization is always looking for more, said Anna Wilson, public relations and marketing manager for Missoula Aging Services. Thompson said he is inspired and impressed by the volunteers.
“It really is the heart and light they bring to folks every day, there’s no way of measuring that,” he said.
Volunteers deliver along an average of 20 routes every weekday, Thompson said. The program includes three rural routes that serve Bonner, Clinton, Lolo, Frenchtown and Evaro, he said. Missoula Aging Services works with the Seeley Lake Senior Center to deliver meals to residents in the Seeley-Swan Valley. The organization has recently seen large and unexpected growth in the number of clients in rural areas, Thompson said.
Along with providing nutritional meals, the program helps address social isolation by providing regular safety checks and face-to-face interaction, Thompson said.
The program costs about $800,000 annually, not including staff time, Thompson said. Each meal costs $9.28. About a quarter of Missoula’s Meals on Wheels program funding comes from the federal Older Americans Act, Thompson said. While Congress is likely to reauthorize the law, it’s unclear how much money will be available for Meals on Wheels, he said. The program also receives funding from the state and Missoula County, as well as donations.
The program’s main fundraiser, March for Meals, kicks off this weekend and runs through the month. Last year, the campaign raised about $180,000, and the organization is hoping for $200,000 this year, Thompson said. More information is available on Missoula Aging Services’ website.
5 Things to Know in Missoula
Missoula Fire Chief Gordy Hughes will retire at the end of June, following a 32-year career in the fire service, the city announced Thursday. Hughes grew up in Missoula and joined the department in 1993 after serving four years in the U.S. Coast Guard. After 13 years as a firefighter, he became an inspector, followed by fire marshal in 2011 and assistant chief in 2017. Hughes was hired as chief in January 2022. Under Hughes’ leadership, the department ran a successful 34-mill fire levy in 2024 and received a $7 million federal staffing grant.
“Serving the citizens of Missoula has been a profound honor and privilege,” Hughes said in a statement. “I am excited about the department’s continued growth and success. With the momentum we have built, I know the MFD will continue to thrive in its service to Missoula.”
A new sport is coming to Missoula high schools this fall after the Missoula County Public Schools board on Monday approved a grant application to the Atlanta Falcons and Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation to start a girls’ flag football program. The district’s athletic directors have been working with the foundation and there is every indication the grant request will be successful, said Superintendent Micah Hill. The $135,000, three-year grant will be split evenly between Big Sky, Hellgate and Sentinel high schools to cover transportation, coaching, officials and equipment costs through 2027. In a recent survey, 36 Big Sky students, 25 Hellgate students and 52 Sentinel students indicated they are interested in joining the sport, said Nick Laatsch, Hellgate athletics director. Most of those students do not participate in another fall sport, said Josh Jannusch, Sentinel athletics director. Last year, 17 Montana high schools ran a girls’ flag football program, with an increase to 32 schools expected this year, Jannusch said.
The University of Montana is holding its sixth annual day of giving on March 5. The Big Give runs from noon Wednesday to noon Thursday. The fundraiser, held by the UM Foundation, aims to inspire alumni, donors, parents and friends to support students through charitable gifts in 24 hours, according to a university press release. Donors may support more than 50 participating groups, including academic programs, scholarships and athletics, listed online. Last year, more than 840 donors gave nearly $650,000 during the campaign.
The Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization is holding two open houses on potential safety improvements to Reserve Street. The events will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Hellgate School’s cafeteria in building three on Flynn Lane. The MPO, city and the Montana Department of Transportation are working on a plan to improve safety on Reserve Street from Interstate 90 to Brooks Street based on public feedback and traffic and crash data. Changes identified in the plan will take place incrementally as funding becomes available. More information is available on the project webpage.
Three of Missoula’s snowplows will be named The Big LePLOWski, Scoop Dog and Darth Blader, the winners of the city’s naming contest. The three winners, submitted by Angela Medina, Will Campbell and Chelsea Wittmann, respectively, were announced during the Missoula City Council meeting on Monday. The city received 388 name entries, which staff narrowed down to a top 20. Residents cast 3,854 votes to choose the three winners. Brian Hensel, deputy public works director, said the contest was a fun way to recognize how essential snowplows and operators are, as demonstrated during the last couple of weeks. The city plans to run the contest again later this year, Hensel said.
Photo Op
Sentinel High School auto and industrial tech teacher Leah Philbert, right, discusses her automotive class with Gov. Greg Gianforte during a tour of the school’s career and technical education classrooms on Wednesday. The governor visited Russell Elementary School, Washington Middle School and the high school and learned about a variety of Missoula’s CTE and work-based learning programs.
“Career and technical education programs are critically important because they open up new horizons for our students,” Gianforte said. “They develop our workforce. They empower students, and they create better opportunities for all Montana