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Opinion: Missoula County trying to keep public in dark

Homeless

Emails released in a Freedom of Information Act request appear to show Missoula County commissioners using private partnerships to advance their projects in an effort to intentionally keep plans out of public view.

“We asked United Way to start convening to try to tackle this issue outside the public/media eye,” wrote Commissioners’ Office Chief Administrative Officer Chris Lounsbury to the three Missoula County commissioners in a March 27 email.

“We definitely want to structure this in a way to avoid media parachuting in and derailing productive staff conversations,” replied District 2 Commissioner David Strohmaier.

 

 

Missoula Co. officials discuss another homeless camp location – Video

A Missoula woman’s Freedom of Information Act request for emails about a temporary safe outdoor space reveal county officials have been discussing another location for a potential homeless camp.

In November 2020, county officials and community partners opened an outdoor shelter to help the homeless during the pandemic, but some residents have been concerned since the start.

“A lot of information was about how do we hide things from the public, how do we keep the media from knowing what we’re doing, and that’s wrong — these are our public servants, they are supposed to be working for us not trying to hide what they are doing, and that was really concerning for me,” said Smith.

 

by Madison Doner

 

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Missoula council hears discontent around affordable housing crisis

“We have been working on these issues for a very long time and they have been exacerbated painfully by a global pandemic,” Mayor Engen said. “But I do know that this body is responsible for much and controls little. But what is within our control, we will endeavor to change and modify and make better.”

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