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08/21/2026
Hello and good morning. Katie here with the latest edition of Missoula This Week.
In this issue, we recap the recent action on local government budgets, including a deeper look at a major project planned for the Missoula County jail. We also hear from local emergency management officials on how the community can better prepare for wildfires.
But first, your weekend weather ☀️
It may be back-to-school season, but summer isn’t over. High temperatures will reach into the 90s Friday and Saturday, with a slight cool-down to the mid-80s on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service’s Missoula office. There is a chance of rain Saturday afternoon, so for those attending Missoula’s free summer festival (more on that below) or cooling down by the river, make sure to pack sunscreen, water and a rain jacket.
Missoula County set to begin jail’s $3.5M renovation
Last month, when I was looking through the list of new requests for Missoula County’s 2027 budget, a denial caught my eye — $5 million to replace water pipes in the jail that “leak multiple times per week.”
After some brainstorming, Commissioner Josh Slotnick and county staff identified a way to pay for the project’s reduced $3.5 million-price-tag. But it’s not the only fix needed at the aging Missoula County Detention Center.
While 27 years might not seem that old for critical infrastructure like water pipes, the jail is different from other buildings, Sheriff Jeremiah Petersen told me Thursday during a meeting with the Missoula County commissioners and other staff members.
“The water is continuously used, and the copper wears out,” he said.
Jason Hauser, the county’s facilities director, said in an email that the jail uses recirculation pumps to meet its obligation to provide hot water to all cells at all times, but that accelerates the wear and tear on the piping. Hauser said his team spends an average of more than 600 hours per year and about $5,000 on materials to fix leaks.
The impacts of the leaks on inmates are minimal, as fixing living areas takes priority, but cleaning up and reporting the leaks takes staff time, according to detention center staff.
Along with removing and replacing the old pipes, the project will also include replacement of ceiling tile, sheetrock and flooring, Hauser said.
A major construction project inside the secure facility makes things a bit more complicated because the jail can’t close and walls can’t be left open, Chris Lounsbury, the county’s chief administrative officer, said Thursday. A construction crew will essentially follow the plumbers throughout the jail to repair open walls, floors and ceilings as pipes are replaced, Lounsbury said. Construction will take an estimated 18 months.
Ensuring the jail has enough space to move inmates around during the project will be “difficult but doable,” Undersheriff Jeremy Meeder told me.
“The price is just going to go up,” he said. “If we don’t fix it, it will just cause more problems, like flooding issues that would be difficult to work around.”
The county commissioners Tuesday gave a preliminary thumbs up to the new proposal to levy an additional mill, worth about $370,000, to pay for debt service on a $3.5 million loan for the project. Despite that and a proposed 3.25% tax increase, most residents will likely see a decrease in their county property taxes due to legislative changes to tax rates, Lounsbury told the commissioners Tuesday.
The water pipes are not the only thing getting replaced at the jail. Last week, the county commissioners approved a $1.3 million contract with Sapphire Mechanical to upgrade the jail’s heating and cooling system. The cost of that project is covered by savings, Lounsbury said.
Some other fixes, such as replacing certain windows and the concrete in the outdoor recreation area, have been scaled back or removed from the project list, Lounsbury said.
Sheriff Petersen said repairs to the detention center are necessary to maintain safety and security. Despite its age, the Missoula County jail is in better shape than others across the state, he said.
“Our maintenance crews do a good job of keeping it nice, as nice as a jail can be,” Petersen said. “It does not look 28 years old.”
Meeting Minutes 📝
City Council
The Missoula City Council Monday approved the 2027 budget as proposed by Mayor Andrea Davis, including a 3.8% tax increase over last year.
Legislative changes mean most homeowners will see a decrease in their city property taxes, while those for second homes and short-term rentals could increase substantially, city staff said last week.
The council approved the budget in a 9-2 vote, with Council Members Bob Campbell and Kristen Jordan opposed. Campbell’s proposed amendments to cut the budget failed last week.
“Passing this budget isn’t being responsible; in fact, I see it as an act of cruelty on the taxpayers of Missoula,” he said Monday.
Other council members spoke in favor of the budget despite constraints. Council Member Gwen Jones said the city’s budget is stretched thin and that Missoula is not the only Montana city raising taxes to maintain services.
“We’re working so hard to provide essential services and yet having to raise taxes,” she said. “That means it’s structural. Missoula is not an outlier at all; this is happening across Montana. … This is a legislative issue that they’re going to have to address.”
The council also approved increases for some parks, public works, business licensing, building, planning, fire prevention and impact fees.
School Board
The Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees Tuesday unanimously approved the district’s 2027 budgets.
The elementary budget totals $80.7 million, a 4% increase over last year’s $77.6 million, according to documents presented at the meeting. The high school budget increased about 5%, from $63.4 million to $66.7 million.
The state’s school funding formula sets the district’s general fund maximum budget, largely based on enrollment. The state covers 80%, while the district is responsible for generating the remaining 20% through measures such as operational levies. In May, voters approved the elementary and high school operational levies.
The board also voted not to run a high school safety levy on the November ballot. The levy failed in 2024 and 2025.
Trustee Jeff Avgeris, who was in favor of running the levy, said that while he doesn’t want to pay more taxes, the need for the money has only gotten more dire as the district’s budget gets tighter. The district is covering safety costs such as school resource officers and security cameras with other funding, he said.
Several trustees questioned the decision to allocate resources to running a levy that is unlikely to pass, as voters are dealing with high costs for things like food and gas. Trustee Jenny Walsh said the Montana Legislature could change school funding during next year’s session, and the district needs the community’s support for those “good bills.”
Public Notice 🧐
Section of Birch Street closed for milling and paving
🗓️ Monday, Aug. 24 through Wednesday, Aug. 26
⏰ 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
📍 Birch Street between North Russell Street and West Broadway
ℹ️ The road will reopen each evening, and local traffic and first responders will have access during work hours.
Currents Aquatics Center to close for annual maintenance
🗓️ Aug. 23 through Sept. 11
ℹ️ The closure allows for deep cleaning, routine maintenance and facilities improvements at the city’s indoor pool. Currents swim passes will be accepted at Splash Montana during the closure.
Verbatim 💬
“We collectively have to change our perceptions of wildfire. … Just because you live in the city doesn’t mean you don’t have risk from wildfire. That really is where our education efforts, from my perspective, need to be focused. And we’re starting to get more capacity to have that focus in some of these areas where they don’t need to be talking about thinning projects on their property; they need to be talking about routine home maintenance, getting rid of the juniper bush that’s right up next to their house, cleaning out their gutters, very simple things that can make a huge difference. But it is a long game, and we gotta change some hearts and minds.”
— Adriane Beck, director of the Missoula County Office of Emergency Management, told the Missoula City Council during a Wednesday update on wildfire preparedness.
Beck and Missoula Fire Chief Lonnie Rash updated the council about the city, county and regional efforts to prepare for wildfire. Beck said, as recent wildfires in Spokane and other more urban areas have shown, the hazard is not only “out in the boonies.” The county office offers home assessments and a cost-share program to help residents mitigate their home’s ignitability, she said.
Rash said city and rural fire departments work together with state and federal agencies, law enforcement and the office of emergency management, which is critical in responding to larger fires. Since fires are dynamic, response plans vary with conditions and fire behavior, he said.
The officials encouraged residents to sign up for Smart 911 to receive location-specific alerts. In an emergency, officials will send alerts to all smartphones in a certain area, as well as public broadcast TV and radio, Beck said.
Local Lineup 🚶
🎶 The 20th annual River City Roots Festival returns to downtown Missoula this weekend. The free event includes performances by 10 bands throughout Friday and Saturday, an art show on Main Street, a street bar and food vendors. Saturday also includes the four-mile Roots Run and a variety of kid-friendly activities at the Family Roots Fest at Caras Park. The schedule is available online.