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03/06/2026
“Missoula This Week” is reported and written By Katie Fairbanks. Send your Missoula news and tips to [email protected].
Operational levies needed to offset enrollment drop, cost increases, district says
The Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees Wednesday voted to place two school funding levies on the May ballot to help pay for salaries and other growing costs amid declining enrollment.
The board voted unanimously to place on the May 5 ballot an elementary school operational levy of $1.35 million and a high school operational levy of $1.13 million. The trustees voted not to run a high school safety levy, which failed twice in the last two years.
“We are not expanding our district when asking for this levy,” Superintendent Micah Hill said during the meeting Wednesday. “We can’t keep paying teachers what they are worth … and maintain staffing. There has to be reductions, there’s no way around it. We are losing students.”
The elementary general fund levy would cost the owner of a $300,000 home an additional $18.63 annually and the owner of a $600,000 home $39.79. For the high school general fund levy, the owner of a $300,000 home would pay another $8.30, and the owner of a $600,000 home would pay $17.73.
Even if the levies pass, many homeowners may not see increases in their tax bills because of changes to property tax rates the Montana Legislature made last year, Denise Williams, the district’s executive director of business and operations, said during the meeting.
The levies are higher than in past years because the STARS Act, which state lawmakers passed last year, allows districts in high-cost counties that have met the starting teacher salary goals to increase their maximum budget and use that revenue to offset employee housing costs, Williams told trustees.
The state’s funding formula sets the school district’s general fund maximum budget, largely based on enrollment. The state supports 80%, while the district is responsible for generating the remaining 20% through measures such as operational levies.
The STARS Act increased the “quality educator payment” MCPS receives from the state,but its requirement for higher teacher salaries puts more budgetary pressure on the district, which also has to pay for wage increases for other employees, Superintendent Micah Hill said during the meeting.
“We have considerable salary obligations moving ahead and will need the levy at the full operational amount allowed by law to support that,” he said.
The district receives a 3% inflationary increase in its state funding, but that does not keep pace with rising costs for salaries, insurance, utilities or other budget obligations, Hill said.
While a growing number of students enrolled in the district’s early literacy program and developmental preschool has helped offset declines, the average elementary class sizes, except fifth grade, are lower than in previous years, Hill said. The preliminary budgets include staff reduction tied to the enrollment decreases, but cuts would not mean “packing classrooms,” he said.
Trustee Meg Whicher said it’s difficult for some residents to understand that, although Missoula is in a housing crisis, the growing population does not necessarily translate into more school-age children.
“We still need pretty much the same amount of money to educate the children we do have,” she said.
The district’s preliminary high school budget is particularly tight, even with the proposed levy, because of declining enrollment, salary increases and higher transportation and technology costs, according to estimates presented to the board. Hill emphasized that the budget numbers are estimates and will likely change in the coming months. The district may see more savings from staff retirements, but it may also see larger jumps in insurance costs or changes to federal funding, he said.
Trustee Jenny Walsh encouraged school board members, parents and voters to bring their concerns to the Legislature, which she said has more money to pay for education than local districts.
Scott Chook, president of the Missoula Education Association, said the union voted to endorse the levies and will work to help them pass. Chook said he plans to set up a community political action committee (PAC) to support the levies.
Courtney Kircos, president of the Merged Missoula Classified Employees Organization, said the levies are necessary to avoid cuts to classified staff, such as paraeducators, cafeteria workers, custodians and office staff, who are the backbone of the district.
The levies will appear on the May 5 ballot. The Elections Office will send ballots for the all-mail election to registered voters in mid-April.
Following Up
Big Sky Professional Baseball, which owns the Missoula PaddleHeads, has withdrawn its request to install artificial turf at the city’s Ogren Park stadium, according to city officials.
The PaddleHeads lease the stadium from the city and last year proposed installing artificial turf to extend the field’s usable season. Several residents and anti-plastic groups raised health and environmental safety concerns, and the Missoula City Council in December delayed a vote on the proposal after a lengthy discussion about the turf’s potential impacts.
The Missoula Current first reported last week that PaddleHeads President Matt Ellis withdrew the request for artificial turf.
“The Missoula PaddleHeads look forward to continuing to work in partnership with the City of Missoula to make Ogren Park Allegiance Field a great community asset with programming and events that bring our community together with entertainment, impact, and joy,” Ellis wrote in a Feb. 19 email to Dale Bickell, the city’s chief administrative officer, and other city staff.
Ellis did not respond to Montana Free Press’ requests for comment.
Bickell told MTFP that the PaddleHeads will repair the field for the upcoming season before installing a new grass field in the fall. The Missoula Redevelopment Agency board in August approved spending $1.6 million in tax increment financing to replace the field.
Public Notice
The Flathead National Forest is taking public comment on the proposal to reconstruct the wastewater system serving Holland Lake Lodge and the nearby campground south of Condon.
The system was shut down in fall 2023 after public complaints of leaks to the state Department of Environmental Quality. The project would replace a portion of the existing infrastructure with a similar modernized system designed to handle the same amount of waste as the existing system, according to the Forest Service. The agency has consulted the Department of Environmental Quality on the proposal. Construction would begin this summer.
Last month, Holland Lake Lodge owner Eric Jacobson received permission from the Missoula Board of Health to use a wastewater holding tank temporarily to serve the lodge until the Forest Service repair is complete.
The Forest Service is holding an information session on the project from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 9, at Swan Valley Community Hall in Condon. People can also join virtually via Microsoft Teams or submit comments online.
By the Numbers
The number of crashes on Reserve Street between Interstate 90 and Brooks Street from 2019 to 2023, including three fatal crashes and 63 resulting in serious injuries, according to the Reserve Street Safety Action Plan. The Missoula City Council heard an update on the plan Wednesday ahead of its adoption later this month.
The plan outlines several projects to improve safety on the high-traffic corridor, along with potential funding sources. Short-term, lower-cost projects include updating lighting, signage and traffic signals at multiple locations and installing quick-build separators to restrict turn movements, Nick Foster with Kittelson and Associates told the council. Larger projects include installing new traffic lights, roundabouts or protected bike lanes.
Many of the projects could be funded by state and federal grants, along with local funds, said Charlie Menefee, an associate transportation planner with the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization. The city would coordinate with the Montana Department of Transportation on any projects outlined in the plan, he said.
The Transportation Policy Coordinating Committee, which governs the MPO, is set to adopt the plan during its March 17 meeting.
5 Things to Know in Missoula
Almost all Missoula County officials up for election this year appear headed for another term after few challengers filed to run by the March 4 deadline. Unchallenged incumbents, all Democrats, include Missoula County Commissioner Juanita Vero, Sheriff Jeremiah Petersen, County Attorney Matt Jennings, Auditor Lester Bracey, Clerk and Recorder/Treasurer Tyler Gernant and Superintendent of Schools Erin Lipkind. Nonpartisan Justices of the Peace Alex Beal and Landee Holloway and Missoula District Court Judge Shane Vannatta filed for reelection. Kelli Sather, a state public defender, filed to run against Holloway. Three members of the Missoula Conservation District’s Board of Supervisors — Art Pencek, Robert Schroeder and Bart Morris — filed to keep their seats. The races for Montana’s two congressional seats and U.S. Senate seat will be more crowded, with Rep. Ryan Zinke and Sen. Steve Daines both declining to seek reelection. Hundreds of Montanans filed for dozens of state House and Senate seats and two Public Service Commission seats. The primary election is June 2, and the general election is Nov. 3.
The Missoula County commissioners Thursday delayed voting on a developer’s request to rezone the Blackfoot Crossing in Bonner and for a new subdivision on the property. Owner Gregory Morse plans to convert the 107-acre site to a mix of commercial, residential, industrial and recreational/open spaces. Most of the property was previously zoned for industrial use, and some areas would retain that designation. That includes two parcels within the Blackfoot Crossing property not owned by Morse — the former Harris Manufacturing building and a NorthWestern Energy parcel on the south side. The northeast corner of the property, designated as agricultural working lands, would also keep that zoning. The west side of the property would be rezoned to Commercial Center to allow for a planned travel plaza. About 42 acres in the middle of the property would be zoned Neighborhood Center, allowing for housing, retail and office uses. The strip of land along the Blackfoot River would be zoned Resource and Open Lands. The property is located in a targeted economic development district, and certain infrastructure projects could be eligible for tax increment financing revenue. The commissioners will continue the meeting on March 12.
The Missoula County commissioners Thursday opened a public hearing on a new 20 mph speed limit around Seeley Lake Elementary School. The current speed limit is 25 mph, and there are minimal signs around the school, according to the county’s public works department. Superintendent Christina Hartmann told the commissioners Thursday that there have been several accidents around the school due to speed, and there are no sidewalks for students to walk on. The school board and Seeley Lake Community Council recommended a permanent 20 mph limit on School Lane and Pine Drive around the school. Hartmann said they requested a permanent speed limit because children use the playground outside of school hours. The commissioners will hold a second hearing and vote on the request on April 9.
Outdoor burning is now open in Missoula County. Residents planning to burn any natural vegetation or untreated wood must purchase an outdoor burn permit and activate it on the day they plan to burn. Permits cost $7 annually and can be purchased and renewed online or in person at Missoula Public Health, 301 W. Alder St., on the second floor. Permits can be activated online or by calling 1-888-583-6497. Burning is allowed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Within city limits, parcels must be at least one acre or more to be eligible for a permit. Recreational fires are banned year-round in city limits. Inside the Missoula Air Stagnation Zone, it’s illegal to burn piles of leaves and grasses because of the smoke. More information is available online.
This month, Missoula County residents can fill out the county’s Housing and Community Development Survey to help identify the needs related to public infrastructure and facilities, economic development, human services and housing. The online survey takes about 10 minutes to complete, and responses are confidential and anonymous. Feedback will inform the county’s grant acquisition efforts and how to prioritize applications for funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The survey closes March 31, and the results will be presented at the Missoula County commissioners’ meeting Thursday, April 23.