Missoula BCC: Nothing to See Here Folks. Move Along.
by jhwygirl
Tomorrow’s regular Wednesday public hearing of the Missoula County Board of County Commissioners contains a few things that might be of interest to county citizens – but don’t look to the county webpage for information on what it is they’re doing.
For example – we’ve got a family-exempted subdivision for George Denman. Don’t know where – don’t know how many lots. Don’t know if he has legal access…don’t know if it’s on a hillside or in a wetland. And because of this lack of information, people won’t know 5 years from now whether that lot that sells down the street was part of what was supposed to be a lot created for a member of Denman’s family.
Maybe that’s the idea…everyone knows those family-exempted subdivisions are just away to evade regular subdivision laws. Ravalli and Powell and Flathead counties are all contemplating reeling these things in a bit…and maybe even more counties.
But we get a link for some pathway.
There’s a 2-lot subdivision on 2.4 acres somewhere in Orchard Homes on 7th Street, west of Clements. Anyone ever heard of a legal description up there? Is it zoned? Isn’t there a staff report for this?
How can they give us a link for some pathway, but they can’t seem to get out a staff report to the website 5 days (on Friday) before the hearing. Don’t tell me the County Commissioners don’t have it – and if they aren’t getting the staff report 5 days before the hearing, it isn’t just the administrative staff in the BCC that are slipping.
Seriously. Look at this weeks city council hearing – and compare that to the BCC public hearing. Rarely does the BCC have much more than 1 or 2 subdivisions and 1 or 2 family transfers….yet information (i.e., links to staff reports) are sooooo hard to do for the county. .
Even though they do seem to do them selectively.
Ridiculous.
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June 2, 2009 at 8:21 am
Stay on this sunshine theme! You can read the entire city commission packet online.
Counties have no excuse other than the commissioners have outkicked their coverage by getting elected.
June 2, 2009 at 8:28 am
Oh gawd….You can’t just screw up the City and be content. Now you and the control freaks have to go after those of us that choose to live in the county. No wonder why Frenchtown and Condon residents want to get away from you elitist urbanites. We don;t want your services, your taxes and fees and we certainly don’t want your ignorant trendy planning input on what we do with our land.
We are just fine with the limited staff that the county has ,staff that actually produces great work on the ground rather then surfing the desk and playing at work. If we need more information regarding someones right with THEIR own private property we can call the county and ask them.
Please stay in the city and leave us the f*ck alone.
June 3, 2009 at 10:00 am
I’m sure you don’t want the taxes or fees, but you don’t want the services? Yeah, right.
June 2, 2009 at 8:58 am
I live in the county too, or don’t you realize that?
June 2, 2009 at 9:49 am
I’ve seen family transfer abuse first hand and more than once. Was told that it needs to be fixed in the legislature but the political will doesn’t exist–family transfer is a popular process. Yeah, no doubt.
The latter part of this New West article
http://www.newwest.net/index.php/main/article/7022/ addresses family transfers.
June 2, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Isn’t part of this equation solved by actually GOING to the public meeting? I know everyone wants to get everything accomplished via electronic means, but the commissioners are in the same place every week, available for public comment.
June 2, 2009 at 7:21 pm
Absolutely. But, like the decisions being made by the elected people, information needs to be reviewed. Can’t just get up there, malfactor, and say “don’t approve this subdivision because I don’t like it.” You gotta know what it is you are commenting on. Be educated about the subject.
The BCC, I guarantee you, is not handed its information at the meeting, nor the day before. They most certainly get it a week before. THAT IS PUBLIC INFORMATION. Taxpayer dollars went into generating that information.
Think of it this way. If someone called you up wanting to set a meeting, you’d want to know what they want to talk about. You’d want to prepare yourself, review what you needed to review and you’d want to gather provide whatever information was needed.
All of that stuff at the BCC is being acted on in some legal way. They’re approving a subdivision (which has to meet certain laws) or their spending taxpayer money – all of which is entitled not only staff scrutiny, but public scrutiny.
How is someone to comment on a subdivision – and keep in mind, it isn’t just neighbors that are legally entitled to comment – they got to know exactly what it is someone is proposing to do…and they have to compare that to what it is they are legally able to do (per state law, per county regs, and maybe even a federal law or two).
June 3, 2009 at 10:02 am
Valid point, malfactor, except that BCC meetings are held in the middle of the day, in the middle of the week. Kinda hard for working stiffs to make those meetings.
June 2, 2009 at 9:48 pm
It’s very easy to accomplish what jhwygirl talks about. And it’s part of having transparent government. Many places you can read, online, the exact information and reports the commissioners read, and arrive at the meeting with the ability to speak with the same level of understanding.
It is the informed electorate that makes the best decisions.
And yes, all residents in the city are also residents of the county and the state, and the country. “County residents” means everyone who lives in the county, not just people who live outside of the city. County commissioners don’t always pick up on that, though.
June 3, 2009 at 7:38 am
Of course the access is tru wetlands.
Its raining, isn’t it.?
June 4, 2009 at 8:04 am
I want very few services from the county and I am only too happy to continue plowing snow off the road at 5 am for the school bus when the county crews are overwhelmed, spraying or pullling weeds, volunteering as a member of the Fire Department and QRU, and donating funds for a myriad of organizations and individuals that need help. I live in the so called Wildland Urban interface but am not dependent on state or federal fire crews to protect my homestead and in 25 years have been the first responder with equipment and free manpower on forest fires. I have had to show a state employee , a 20 year old poorly trained college kid how to operate his water pump and suck water out of a creek to fill their fire truck tanks. My neighbors and I are producers and not dependent on the city or county yet I willingly pay my taxes for essential services and greatly support our local schools through my taxes adn with thousands of dollars in private contributions nad work in kind. We dont need a law saying we have to shovel our sidewalk in the county because we know the kids and the elderly need to walk on it. We are more likely to shovel ours, theirs and help them pack their firewood onto the their porch. We are different in the outlying areas. Please take some time to learn about us before assuming and trying to force your city regulations into our lives. Please take back the crap we don;t need such as fire sprinklers ( a joke) and The Office of Rural Initiatives and just leave us alone.