Montana County No. 57? Northeastern Missoula Residents Push to Form New County

Residents in northeastern Missoula County are organizing to form a new local government called County No. 57. They argue this new county would provide a leaner, more responsive administrative structure tailored to rural needs.

Ted Morgan of Swan Valley leads the movement, which involves communities including Condon, Seeley Lake, Potomac, Greenough, and parts of Bonner. Their goal is to establish a county government that creates 32 full-time jobs and better represents local interests, addressing concerns that the current county seat, located about an hour and a half away, is too distant to serve these areas effectively. Missoula County officials, represented by Chief Administrative Officer Chris Lounsbury, have engaged in ongoing, cooperative discussions with the secessionists to explore service delivery options without framing the issue as adversarial.

The group is now preparing to raise funds and increase public support with signage while continuing community meetings with county officials.

While Montana’s legal process for forming a new county remains unspecified, this movement highlights growing tensions in large counties over rural representation. For Montana businesses and policymakers, such efforts could signal a shift toward more localized governance models, potentially influencing service costs and regional economic development. The challenge will be balancing efficient administration with the diverse needs of Montana’s rural populations.

Secession effort to form County No. 57 from Missoula County picking up speed
By Zach Volheim, KPAX News