Association, County, State & National News
MACo President, Commissioner Doug Martens, Bids Farewell
My time as President of MACo is coming to an end. It was an experience I will never forget. There are so many thank you's in order--I can’t even begin…
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MACo 2nd Vice President Candidate: Commissioner Ross Butcher, Fergus County
MACo is a very valuable tool to us, as elected local leaders, to provide support and the resources necessary to help carry out our duties and responsibilities. Should I be…
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MACo 2nd Vice President Candidate: Commissioner Sidney Fitzpatrick, Big Horn County
I will be dedicated to MACo and will work to bring cooperation and diversity with other counties to ensure integrity in the 2nd Vice President position. I would respectfully serve…
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MACo Fiscal Officer Candidate: Commissioner Mike McGinley, Beaverhead County
MACo is the glue that gives the counties their collective power. Involvement by commissioners is the strength of MACo. I have always believed that if you belong to any organization,…
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MACo Welcomes Sandra Marks as HCT Senior Account Executive
Help us in welcoming a new addition to our team! Sandra Marks has joined the MACo Health Care Trust as their new Senior Account Executive.
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Deadline Approaching for Counties to Submit Fiscal Recovery Fund Reports to U.S. Treasury
Counties that receive funding from the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund are required to meet compliance and reporting responsibilities. On August 31, both the Interim Report and the Recovery…
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MACo Announces New Cybersecurity Initiative
MACo is pleased to announce a new cybersecurity initiative being offered to our membership and introduce Art Pembroke as the Program Coordinator. In order to launch this member benefit we…
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Grants Available: Renewable Resource Grant & Loan Program
The DNRC Renewable Resource Grant and Loan Program (RRGL) is accepting planning grant applications. Planning grants are available to government entities for planning activities which lead to an RRGL program…
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Montana Association of Planners 2021 Conference
The 2021 Montana Association of Planners Conference will be held in Missoula, Montana at the Holiday Inn Downtown from Monday, September 13, through Wednesday, September 15, 2021.
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USDA Invests $1 Million for Montana Rural Economic Development
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Montana Acting State Director Jake Ceartin today announced that USDA is investing $1 million to support rural economic development in Montana.
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Grants Available: Reclamation & Development Grants Program
DNRC Reclamation and Development Grants Program (RDGP) is now accepting applications for RDGP Planning Grants to fund planning and assessment for natural resource projects. Up to $50,000 is available per…
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Broadwater County Seeking Building/Maintenance Supervisor
Broadwater County is a seeking a highly motivated individual for a Full-Time Building/Maintenance Supervisor. This position is responsible for managing the maintenance of county-owned buildings and grounds.
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July 16th: Recent Land Use Changes
During our eleventh Virtual Townhall of 2021, we focused primarily on land use changes made during the 2021 legislative session. We also continued to answer ARPA and other local government…
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Sanders County Seeking Deputy County Attorney
Sanders County is seeking a Deputy County Attorney. This is a full-time position that performs legal duties of a criminal nature and civil nature for the County Attorney.
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Changes to the Montana Wrongful Discharge Act
The Montana Legislature made significant changes to the Montana Wrongful Discharge Act (WDEA) during the 2021 Legislative Session that became effective April 1, 2021. The changes made the law more…
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FY 2021 PILT Payments Distributed
The 2021 Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) payments were made on or about June 24, 2021, to more than 1,900 local government entities across the United States. On December…
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Lewis & Clark County Seeking Information Technology & Services Director
Lewis and Clark County is hiring an Information Technology & Services Director. Under general administrative direction of the Chief Administration Officer and the City Manager, this position manages and directs…
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June 18th: Digging Deeper into ARPA
On June 18th, MACo and the Local Government Center hosted a virtual “townhall” to provide Montana’s counties with timely updates as well as a venue and opportunity to share and…
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Cascade County Seeking Planner
Cascade County is seeking a Planner. This position performs routine and complex administrative, technical, and professional work in planning programs for the County related to the development and implementation of…
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American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
The latest COVID-19 relief package, signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021, provides $1.9 trillion in mandatory funding, program changes and tax policies aimed at mitigating…
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June 4th: Answering Your ARPA Questions
On June 4th, MACo and the Local Government Center hosted a virtual “townhall” to provide Montana’s counties with timely updates as well as a venue and opportunity to share and…
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MACo Legislative Update, Issue 17 – June 1, 2021
Hi, hello, how are ya? It’s been a hot minute since I last graced the interface of your selected internet-capable device. Where have I been? Nowhere. Recuperating. Recovering. Sleeping. Thinking…Thinking…
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2021 Sanitation in Subdivision Bills AND Part 1 & Part 2 Zoning Bills
On June 1st, MACo and the Montana League of Cities & Towns (MLCT) provided training and updates on sanitation in subdivision bills as well as Part 1 and Part 2…
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SB 161 (2021) – An Act Allowing Certain Subdivisions to Qualify for an Expedited Review
On May 25th, MACo and the Montana League of Cities & Towns (MLCT) provided training and updates on SB 161 from Montana's 2021 Legislative Session, which generally revised subdivision laws.
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Missoula County Earns National Achievement Award for Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority
The National Association of Counties (NACo) named Missoula County as a recipient of a 2021 Achievement Award in recognition of the county’s effort to establish the Big Sky Passenger Rail…
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HB 450 (2021) – An Act Revising Laws Related to Divisions of Land Exempt from Subdivision Review
On May 11th, MACo and the Montana League of Cities & Towns (MLCT) provided training and updates on SB 174 from Montana's 2021 Legislative Session, which revised laws related to…
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May 14th: Sine Die & Continuing the ARPA Discussion
On May 14th, MACo and the Local Government Center hosted a virtual “townhall” to provide Montana’s counties with a venue and opportunity to share and learn from the situations and…
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Additional FY 2020 Mineral Impact Fund Distribution
Mineral Leasing Act (MLA, 30 U.S.C. 191) payments were sequestered under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (BBEDCA) by the federal government for our state FY…
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SB 174 (2021) – An Act Revising Laws Related to the Review & Approval of a Subdivision
On May 11th, MACo and the Montana League of Cities & Towns (MLCT) provided training and updates on SB 174 from Montana's 2021 Legislative Session, which revised laws related to…
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MACo Legislative Update, Issue 16 – April 25, 2021
The whispers are no longer just words lost in all that hot air accumulated under the Dome—Senate President Blasdel has proclaimed from high atop his pulpit that they could adjourn…
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April 23rd: Nearing the End of Session & Continuing the ARPA Discussion
On April 23rd, MACo and the Local Government Center hosted a virtual “townhall” to provide Montana’s counties with a venue and opportunity to share and learn from the situations and…
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FY 2022 Inflation Factor for Mill Levy Calculation
The inflation factor for FY 2022 is 0.93%. Per 15-10-420, MCA, “a governmental entity that is authorized to impose mills may impose a mill levy sufficient to generate the amount of…
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MACo Legislative Update, Issue 15 – April 18, 2021
Last week was a whirlwind of a wild and weird Legislative week. Is that new? No. Is it expected? Yes. So, who cares? You do. And I’ll tell you why…
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MACo Legislative Update, Issue 14 – April 11, 2021
HELENA—Tomorrow, Monday, April 12th, is Legislative Day (LD) 69. That means there are 21 LDs remaining, equating to roughly 1 month/4 weeks/100 bajillion hours until Sine Die. (But who’s counting?)…
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April 9th: Legislative Updates & Continuing the ARPA Discussion
On April 9th, MACo and the Local Government Center hosted a virtual “townhall” to provide Montana’s counties with a venue and opportunity to share and learn from the situations and…
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MACo Legislative Update, Issue 13 – April 5, 2021
Happy Day After Easter! Yes, I’m back in your inbox reporting from your usual digi device, disrupting your holiday with yet another fun-filled update. I know what you’re thinking, “Shantil,…
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MACo Legislative Update, Issue 12 – March 28, 2021
The Legislature is a real mover and shaker right now. Firstly, HB 2 (the State budget bill) will be heard in the Senate Finance & Claims Committee tomorrow, March 29th…
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March 26th: Special Guest Speakers, Legislative Updates & ARPA Discussion
On March 26th, MACo and the Local Government Center hosted a virtual “townhall” to provide Montana’s counties with a venue and opportunity to share and learn from the situations and…
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MACo Legislative Update, Issue 11 – March 21, 2021
Last week’s meanderings had so many true facts it didn’t feel like the legislative session. So, this week, we’ll be bringing ourselves back into Legislative Land and focusing on some…
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MACo Legislative Update, Issue 10 – March 14, 2021
Just when you think you're out, they pull you back in . . . Welcome to this week’s legislative meanderings and Legislative Update, both of which are entirely based on…
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March 12th: MACo Provides Legislative Updates & Talks About the American Rescue Plan (ARP)
On March 12th, MACo and the MSU Local Government Center hosted a virtual “townhall” to provide Montana’s counties with a venue and opportunity to share and learn from the situations…
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MACo Legislative Update, Issue 9 – March 8, 2021
Hi. Hey. How are ya? It’s Monday. Yes. Monday. So, this is not the usual Sunday update but a Monday update instead. However, in my time—Legislative Time—it’s still Sunday and…
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MACo Legislative Update, Issue 8 – February 21, 2021
Where and when are we in the time and space of Legislative Land? Well, we are still in Helena. Some of us are in home-offices on Zoom and/or streaming hearings.…
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February 19th: MACo Provides Legislative Updates About Weeks 6 & 7 of the 67th Legislative Session
On February 19th, MACo and the MSU Local Government Center hosted a virtual “townhall” to provide Montana’s counties with a venue and opportunity to share and learn from the situations…
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MACo Legislative Update, Issue 7 – February 14, 2021
Helena – Week 7. Hi, hello, how are ya? I bet you just love that I’m gracing your inbox on Valentine’s Day, especially when Monday is a federal holiday and…
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MACo Legislative Update, Issue 6 – February 7, 2021
Helena – Well hello Week 6, have you seen my shoes? No? How about my jeep keys? No? My vacuum-sealed, double-walled, burn-my-lips, keep-my-coffee-hot-forever, travel mug? No? Hmmmm . . .
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February 5th: MACo Provides Legislative Updates About Weeks 4 & 5 of the 67th Legislative Session
On February 5th, MACo and the MSU Local Government Center hosted a virtual “townhall” to provide Montana’s counties with a venue and opportunity to share and learn from the situations…
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MACo Legislative Update, Issue 5 – January 31, 2021
Helena – Welcome to week five of the 67th Legislative Session! Holy cannoli folks, we are ONE MONTH IN and one month down. It’s been . . . an adventure.…
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