Vol. 31 No. 10 OCTOBER 2002
MACo 93rd
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
ONE VOTE MARGINS
&
TIE VOTES
MACo
members led the Association by close margins of one vote or tie votes during
the 93rd Annual Conference held in Big Sky from September 22-25. Close votes occurred for 1) the addition of
a new MACo position for information technology, which was to be a joint venture
with the Information Services Division of the State Department of
Administration; 2) the election of the second vice president; 3) the election of an at-large delegate for
the Joint Powers Insurance Authority (JPIA) Board of Trustees and 4) a proposal
for areas annexed by municipalities to include the annexed area into the
municipal fire service area.
Forty-six resolutions were reviewed for approval and
seventeen were presented for re-affirmation.
Eleven of these resolutions were segregated for debate.
Board of Directors Resolution 2002-1, to Establish a
Local Government Information Technology Coordinator, rated a high priority from
the Resolutions Committee. The proposal
had been several years in development and required a two-year commitment for
dues increases and an agreement with the State Department of Administration’s
Information Technology Services Division (ISTD). Tony Herbert, ISTD, explained that the Division was an enterprise
fund and not dependent on general fund budgeting. The vote went through a voice vote, a hand tally and finally a
roll call vote (26 for and 26 against).
The motion to pass the resolution was defeated by the tie vote.
Resolution 2002-45, to Alter
Fire Service Boundaries upon Municipal Annexation, drew confusion during the
debate. Jean Curtiss, Missoula County,
noted that cities, by law, cannot contract with volunteer departments and
suggested that this needs to be changed first. Bill Kennedy, Yellowstone County, said that when the boundaries
change, we have folks who pay for two fire districts and also pointed out that
there already is a petition process for changing district boundaries. The motion to pass the resolution failed with
a 22-23 vote.
The two contested elections
were decided by one vote. The MACo
Second Vice Presidency favored Bill Kennedy, Yellowstone County, over John
Prinkki, Carbon County, with a 27 to 26 vote.
The at-large delegate to the JPIA Board of Trustees was also decided by
one vote when Ted Coffman, Madison County, was elected from a three-way ballot
which also included Don McDowell, Powder River County, and Mary Sexton, Teton
County.
Five MACo Bylaw amendments
were proposed. Four of the five were passed
by the conference delegates, but the amendment to prevent two officers from
being elected from the same county was defeated. Jennifer Smith Mitchell, Gallatin County, felt that no
county could have two commissioners gone from the county on MACo business. Victor Miller, Blaine County, said, “I have
problem in restricting my right and my responsibility to check on candidates
and make my choice for myself.”
SELECTIONS
FROM VIC’S SPEECH
MACo is a very stable organization. We have our fragile coalitions and occasional spats, but MACo is effective because of our stability.
Number One Goal—Getting our legislative “marching orders” ready. Between our passing of resolutions at the Conference and the committee work later in this calendar year, we should have that established.
Number Two Goal—Continuing the concept of health insurance pool, whether this involves working with the State of Montana on being included in their group or the creation of a MACo pool. The concept needs to stay in the limelight.
Number Three Goal—Marketing what we do. We are local government. Cities are too. Those counties with reservations have a third layer with tribal government. These three elements combine to provide the services at the level where everybody sees them, yet I am firmly convinced that the general citizen does not understand that nor do they necessarily have the time to comprehend. I will work with both the Montana League of Cities and Towns and with the Montana / Wyoming Tribal Council Association, so that they understand that MACo exists and that we are willing to be partners.
My challenge to each of you is that you will reach out and make one presentation somewhere in your county explaining county government and local government. I hope you will seriously consider reaching out to the youth in our communities. We cannot expect young people to be excited about current affairs and community involvement if we are not willing to involve them and to be mentors.
Three years ago, I stood before you and told you that “our diversity is our unity”. I have not forgotten that. This is indeed what makes us, as an organization, strong and stable.
THANK YOU
TO
CONFERENCE
SPONSORS AND EXHIBITORS
BOTH SPONSORS
AND EXHIBITORS
Black Mountain Software, Polson / Great Falls
Intermountain Administrators, Inc., Billings
RDO Equipment Company, Billings
Roscoe Steel & Culvert Co., Billings
SW Montana Building Industry Assoc., Bozeman
Tractor and Equipment Company—
Billings, Great Falls and Williston, ND
SPONSORS
alternative services concepts, Helena
Barry Damschen Consulting,
Helena
Big Sky Resort, Big Sky
Big Sky Owners’ Association,
Big Sky
Brentwood Services, Inc.,
Brentwood, TN
First Madison Valley Bank,
Ennis
Gaston Engineering &
Surveying, Bozeman and Big Sky
MDU Resources Group, Bismarck,
ND
Montana Cooperative Extension
Service, Bozeman
Morrison-Maierle, Inc.
Raymond James Financial,
Helena
Ruby Valley National Bank,
Twin Bridges
Valley Bank of Helena
Yellowstone Club, Big Sky
EXHIBITORS
Browning Ferris Industries of
Montana, Inc. (BFI), Missoula
Cutthroat Communications,
Inc., Bozeman
Employee Benefit Management
Systems
DES / GIS Working Group,
Helena
Entranco, Inc., Helena
ESRI, Clinton
First Call Computer Solutions,
Missoula
Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson-Bulberry
Systems, Billings
Montana Contractors
Association-Concrete Division, Helena
Montana Department of
Commerce-TSEP
Montana 9-1-1 Program, Helena
Montana Pollution Prevention
Program, Bozeman
Montana Pre-stressed Concrete,
Helena
MSU-Local Technical Assistance
Program
Montana Weed Association
National Association of
Counties (NACo), Washington DC
Nationwide Retirement
Solutions, Idaho Falls, ID
Taxpayers Against I-145;
Helena
United Micro Data, Idaho
Falls, ID
VALIC Financial Advisors,
Great Falls
2002-2003
MACo EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Dan Watson, Fiscal
Officer
Rosebud County
Howard Gipe, Urban
Representative
Flathead County
Carol Brooker,
First Vice President
Sanders County
Victor Miller,
President
Blaine County
Bill Kennedy, Second
Vice President
Yellowstone County
Dean Harmon, Past
President
Roosevelt County
2002-2003
MACo BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
President
Victor Miller, Blaine County
First
Vice President
Carol Brooker, Sanders County
Second
Vice President
Bill Kennedy, Yellowstone County
Fiscal
Officer
Dan Watson, Rosebud County
Urban
Representative
Howard Gipe, Flathead County
Past
President
Dean Harmon, Roosevelt County
District
1
William Nyby, Sheridan County
District
2
Todd Devlin, Prairie County
District
3
William Duffield, Fallon County
District
4
Doug Kaercher, Hill County
District
5
Arnold Gettel, Teton County
District
6
Joy Schanz, Golden Valley Co.
District
7
John Prinkki, Carbon County
District
8
Elaine Mann, Broadwater County
District
9
C. Bernie Lucas, Meagher Co.
District
10
Paddy Trusler, Lake County
District
11
Alan Thompson, Ravalli County
District
12
Thomas Hatch, Powell County
Attorneys
Leo Gallagher, Lewis/Clark Co.
Clerks
and Recorders
Cheryl Hansen, Roosevelt Co.
Clerks
of District Courts
Marilyn Hollister, Rosebud County
Coroners
Tim Wong, Cascade County
Justices
of Peace
Gary Olsen, Broadwater County
Superintendents
of Schools
Dottie Donovan, Beaverhead Co.
Sheriffs
Chuck Maxwell, Yellowstone Co.
Treasurers
Susan Miller, Jefferson County
Montana Local Government
GIS Coalition
(MLGGC)
Submitted by Gretchen Baldus, Coordinator
All Montana counties, cities, towns and
tribes are invited to the MLGGC meeting October 17th in Room 152 of
the State Capitol. The group meets
quarterly to exchange ideas on various GIS (Geographic Information System)
issues, to share techniques and to establish standards, among many other
functions. Current topics are the MARLS
petition on GPS usage, critical infrastructure mapping, addressing standards,
and the Montana Cadastral Mapping Project status. To ensure full communication and coordination with the GIS
community in Montana, a portion of each meeting is combined with the
Interagency Technical Working Group (ITWG).
Most meetings also incorporate a short
workshop or seminar on various GIS applications for local governments. Upcoming seminars include a Budgeting and
Finance seminar on implementing GIS and a workshop on using “Feature Analyst,”
ESRI’s ArcView new software. Over 40
potential workshops are also under consideration (e.g. “Data Access Policy
Seminar”, “GIS for Economic Development”, “Rural and Urban Growth and Community
Planning with GIS”, etc.). Agendas, schedules, registration and other information are on
the MLGGC website: http://giac.montana.edu/mlggc.html . Questions?
Contact Gretchen at 994-6921 or gbaldus@montana.edu.
MOSQUITO DISTRICTS
Any advice?
Yellowstone County is contemplating
a mosquito control district, especially since the West Nile Virus is here. James Kraft, Emergency and General Services,
asks for help and advice from counties which have districts already operating:
1.
How large is your district? (geography, population, etc,)
2. What
is the funding source? (levy, fee,
etc.)
3. Who staffs the service?
4, How is control work done? (contracts, aerial,
trucks, etc.)
5. Spraying?
How often and when? What
insecticide is used and where is it purchased?
6. What are the pros and cons of having the
district?
Please contact Mr. Kraft with your comments and ideas:
James Kraft, Yellowstone County
PO Box 35004
Billings, MT 59107
Phone 256-2775
Email jkraft@co.yellowstone.mt.us
GOVERNING MONTANA
AT THE GRASS ROOTS
Local Government
Structure, Process and Politics
The first book on Montana’s local governments has been
written by Ken Weaver, immediate past director of MSU’s Local Government
Center. According to his preface, the
book describes “the forms, structures and powers of Montana’s local
governments, the roles and responsibilities of local officials and the finance
and politics of governing Montana’s 56 counties and 129 municipalities.”
The first part of book reviews federal and state
government and Montana’s political system.
The second part delves into the forms of county and municipal
governments, special districts, services, finances and self-government powers. The third and final part presents roles and
responsibilities of elected officials and also the politics of making policy
and decisions. Appended at the end are
the “United States Constitution” and the “Constitution of the State of
Montana.”
Weaver wrote, “Not the least of the challenges of
governing at the grassroots in Montana is the nearly complete absence of
reference materials that might aid local officials in understanding what
Montana local government is and what is expected of it. As a result, most county commissioners,
elected county department heads, municipal mayors and council members must
learn how to do their job by the seat of their pants.” This book was designed to provide a single
source of information.
The book is available from:
Local Government Center
MSU
Bozeman, MT
59717
Claim form orders and email
orders are also accepted (upojm@montana.edu). The cost is $25.00 plus $3 for shipping.
The secret
of managing is to keep the guys who hate you away from the guys who are
undecided.”
Casey Stengel
COUNTY NEWS
MISSOULA
COUNTY Clerk of District
Court Kathleen (KD) Breuer resigned
after 14 years of service. Breuer
served on the MACo Board of Directors for three years (1998-2001). Shirley Faust was appointed to complete the
final two years of the term.
ROOSEVELT
COUNTY received a $1,000
incentive award for being the first county to record 1,000 miles of roads for
the GPS / GIS project.
In RAVALLI COUNTY a homeowner who moved a
county road without permits or meeting road standards will pay to correct the
problems.
BROADWATER COUNTY is at last
receiving money from Canyon Ferry Reservoir development. The Broadwater County Trust expects to have
$3 Million available for development and safety improvements on the south end
of the Reservoir. The source of funds
are from the sales of 265 cabin sites, formerly leased by BLM and now being
sold into private ownership.
MISSOULA and DAWSON COUNTIES
have signed lay-off notices and are severely cutting local correctional
facilities budgets to reflect the decrease in per diem rate paid by the State
to house State prisoners.
In GALLATIN COUNTY, the non-profit
corporation that has run the Montana State Winter Fair for 54 years has closed
the event. Financial problems,
including a recent embezzling, were cited.
WIBAUX COUNTY Library funding
is being shifted from the county general fund to it’s own budget. Because it was in the general fund, there is
no base level funding on which to determine the new budget. In addition the County is in a lawsuit for
library renovation, which has no known final costs since there were never any
formal specifications drawn up.
GALLATIN COUNTY has imposed a
one-year ban on coal bed methane drilling in a recently created zone on Bozeman
Pass. The ban is in response to a
controversy with J.M. Huber Corporation and landowners.
Hospitals in DANIELS,
PHILLIPS, ROOSEVELT, SHERIDAN, SWEET GRASS, and VALLEY COUNTIES, which
are members of Eastern Montana Telemedicine Network, received the American
Telemedicine Association President’s Award for outstanding contribution in the
field of telemedicine. The prestigious
award is given nationally to one telemedicine network annually.
TETON
COUNTY Nursing Home Is
facing the problem of empty beds.
Occupancy rates dropped from 86% in 1999 to 67% in 2002. Trends toward home health care and assisted
living, along with there being two nursing homes in the County, may be some of
the causes for the drop.
CASCADE
COUNTY moved the clerk and
recorder’s and treasurer’s offices to Executive Plaza Building as part of the
plan to provide space for an additional district court judge to arrive in
January.
CASCADE
COUNTY met with nine of
Great Falls’ neighborhood councils to discuss management of the county
fairgrounds. The current contract with
the city ends in 2003.
BALLOT
ISSUES
STILLWATER
COUNTY is considering a
straw poll to ask if a vote should be held to levy funds to renovate the
courthouse.
MISSOULA
COUNTY approved a regional
park at Fort Missoula and will place a four mill levy on the November ballot
for its development.
YELLOWSTONE
COUNTY is asking a
countywide levy of 4.75 mills for health programs.
TETON
COUNTY will place a new
3.3 mill tax levy on the ballot to fund ambulance replacements.
JEFFERSON COUNTY has approved two ballot requests. One is for 2 mills for weed control; the other is to create a recreation district with “not more than $20” for annual assessments.
MACo NOMINEES
HONORED
MACo nominated the Tax Policy and Research Staff for
the 2002 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Performance. Although the Staff did not receive the
award, the members were honored in a special ceremony on September 17 at the
Capitol.
In the nomination letter, Gordon Morris
wrote:
“I worked closely with Tax Policy and
Research Staff on HB124 and on the transition to state assumption of District
Courts. These efforts required many
hours of work beyond the 40 hours that you would customarily assume state
employees work. They were tireless in
their dedication to “getting it right the first time.” I cannot think of any previous project that
required careful planning and study resulting in a product that we can all be
proud of. They all deserve recognition for their service to the
State and to counties throughout Montana:
Judy Paynter
Ed Caplis
Larry Finch
Shane Byrne
Dallas Reese
Brad Simshaw
Dan Dodds
Ryan Jose
Kyanne Kelly.”
Clothes make the
man. Naked people have little or no
influence on society.”
Mark Twain
WORKING WITH THE
PRESS
DOESN’T HAVE TO BE
A MEDIA CIRCUS
Selections from an article by
Heather Todd, “County” Volume 14, No. 3
Texas Association of Counties
The key to knowing what to say, how to say it and when
to keep quiet during an interview is practice and training until it becomes
second nature. Even if a county
official knows what they want to say, there are several verbal and non-verbal
does and don’ts that should be followed during an interview.
The number one rule when dealing with the press—never
lie. The key is to always tell the
truth, but skillfully. Other important
dos and don’ts during an interview are:
● Always take your time before answering. Don’t feel pressured to come up with an immediate response.
● Don’t speculate. If you don’t know the answer, then say so or direct them to another county official.
● Don’t look up when pausing or thinking. Interviewees should look down at the podium or at their hands because it gives a more thoughtful pose.
● During a press conference with several people in the room, make eye contact with everyone, not just the person who asked the question.
Even during a controversy, county
officials should look at a press interview not as a burden, but as an
opportunity to get the county’s message or story out to the public.
Don’t give an interview if you’re
not ready, no matter what kind of deadline the interviewer tries to
impose. County officials can exercise
some control over the interview by deciding when and where the interview will
take place.
Use “verbal bridges” to allow
response to a question while moving the interview in a new direction. For example, “I am not the best person to
ask about that,” give contact information for another county employee, and say,
“but I do know about…..” and move onto the subject you want to talk about.
Finally, always feel comfortable asking a question back
to a reporter. Not only will this
clarify what the reporter wants to know, but it will also give the a felling of
being in control of the situation.
COOPERATING AGENCY
INVITATIONS FROM
B.L.M.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will be inviting
individual counties to partner in a cooperating agency relationship as BLM land
use plans are developed. A local BLM
Field Manager will contact affected counties in writing prior to initiating any
major planning or National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process to provide
them the opportunity to request cooperating agency status.
Local governments must meet the Council on Environmental
Quality requirements for cooperating agency status, such as jurisdiction by law
over some aspect of a proposed project or have special expertise. Cooperating agencies will participate in the
preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement. In instances where county governments cannot commit the staff or
resources required of a cooperating agency, there will be other means to be
involved in the process.
Five Montana projects are in the preliminary stages.
Field Office/Project Notice
of Intent Contact
Lewistown after Oct. 2002 Jerry Majerus
Missouri River Breaks 538-7461
Butte after Oct. 2003 Ruth Miller
Headwaters South 533-7600
Miles City after Oct. 2004 Kathy Bockness
Powder River 232-7001
Lewistown after Oct. 2005 Jerry Majerus
Headwater North 538-7461
Billings after Oct. 2006 David Jaynes
Revision 896-5013
REDUCING TRAVEL
BUDGETS
(You know your county
is in deep financial trouble if you were to send out a memo like this.)
TRANSPORTATION
Hitchhiking in lieu of
commercial transport is the preferred choice.
Luminescent safety vests will be issued to all employees prior to
departure on any trips for county business.
Bus transportation will be used whenever hitchhiking is not possible.
LODGING
All employees are encouraged
to stay with relatives, friends or mere acquaintances while on county
business. If weather permits, public
areas such as parks, roadside rests and parking lots could be used for camping. Bridges and tunnels may provide shelter in
periods of inclement weather.
MEALS
Expenditures for meals will
be limited to the absolute minimum. It
should be noted that certain grocery chains often provide free samples of
promotional items. Entire meals can
often be consumed in this manner. Travelers
should also become familiar with indigenous roots, berries and other protein
sources available at their destination.
If restaurants must be utilized, travelers should seek establishments
offering “all you can eat” salad bars. This will be especially cost effective
to employees traveling together, as a single plate can be used to feed the
entire group. Employees are also
encouraged to bring their own food while on county business.
HOSTING
Extravagances such as hosting
constituents while traveling is strictly discouraged. If it is absolutely necessary, the constituent should be
encouraged to “pick up the tab.” Such
action should serve to convince people that the county is concerned about
spending money on services, not social frivolities. The hospitality provided to our constituents who visit our county
facilities should also be cost effective.
In lieu of meals, picnic benches will be placed in parking lots near the
dumpsters available for picking through, and green garden hoses will be made
available so that liquid refreshments can be provided to our guests.
from “LTAP Matters”
Montana Local
Technical Assistance Program newsletter
July, August, September 2002, Vol. 20, No.
3
Attorney General
LETTER OF ADVICE
(Not a Formal Opinion)
Question: Should
a Clerk and Recorder refuse to record a document that is not notarized in
strict conformance with 1-5-416 MCA?
Held: You
contend documents which are stamped with the words “Notary Public” rather than
“Notarial Seal” or which are dated “’02” rather than with the four-digit year
have not been properly acknowledged.
Although a notary public may not strictly observe these requirements of
1-5-416 MCA, your complaint elevates form over substance. The deficiencies you note do not preclude
instruments from being recorded.
(1-5-602(1) and 1-5-609 MCA)
Requested by:
Thomas J. Esch, Flathead
County Attorney
MOTEL REIMBURSEMENT RATES
The current in-state room rate of $35 per night plus tax will be applicable from October 16 through May 14.
The Department of Administration has designated all the cities in the State of Montana as "high cost" during the peak tourist months beginning May 15 through October 15. During that time, officials and employees should ask for the state per diem room rate, and if that is not available, they have the option to expend up to the federal per diem room rate which is currently $55 per night plus tax for all cities with the exception of Big Sky, West Yellowstone and Polson/Kalispell. Please refer to the Federal Lodging Rate Guidelines for these cities. The high cost city list previously provided is no longer in effect.
1-0340.20 IN-STATE TRAVEL
LODGING REIMBURSEMENT RATES
IN GENERAL
Except as provided in sections
1-0340.25, the maximum lodging reimbursement rate for in-state travel is the
actual cost of lodging, not to exceed $35 per night, plus the applicable taxes
on the allowable rate.
1-0340.25 IN-STATE TRAVEL
LODGING REIMBURSEMENT RATES
AT ACTUAL COST SUBJECT TO FEDERAL PER DIEM CAP
Except as provided for in section 1-0340.30, you are eligible to be reimbursed your actual out-of-pocket lodging expenses, not to exceed the federal per diem room rate for the location involved (generally $55), plus the taxes on the allowable cost, for any location in Montana if your lodging occurs on or after May 15 but before October 15.
MONTANA WORKERS
And
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT
The average Montana worker…
Has a
high school diploma (or equivalent) or some college, no degree
Is a
full-time employee of a for-profit company
Works
in the services sector (such as teacher,
child care worker, nurse), the wholesale/retail trade sector (such as salesperson, cashier) or public
administration sector (such as office clerk, secretary, fire fighter,
correctional officer)
Earns
average of $25,000 a year
Is
married with a working spouse and one child living at home
Lives
within 18 minutes of the workplace and does not carpool or take public
transport.
Montana Federal, State and local government employment
positions have decreased:
1970 20.5% of Montana labor force
1980 19.0% of Montana labor force
1990 18.4 % of Montana labor force
2000 15.3 % of Montana labor force.
“Profile
of Montana Worker 2002”
MT Department of Labor and Industry,
August 28,2002
Montana Prevailing Wage Rates
Prevailing wage rates are required by Montana's Little
Davis-Bacon Act. These wage rates apply to public works contracts entered into
for construction services (heavy, highway and building) or non-construction
services by the state, county, municipality, school district, or political
subdivision in which the total cost of the contract is $25,000. It requires
that bidders for such projects pay a set rate of compensation, including
employee benefits, and that at least 50 percent of the workers on the jobs be
bona fide Montana residents. Counties
are advised to inform bidders of these requirements.
The schedule of rates for building construction, heavy
and highway construction, and non-construction are available at
NACo INFORMATION
HEALTH
Bill
Kennedy, Yellowstone Co.
I traveled to Baton Rouge two days in advance of the NACo convention to meet with the Rural Action Caucus. NACo 1st VP Karen Miller, Missouri, is our liaison with the NACo Board. It was a planning meeting to structure our rural priorities. The number one priority is to gain nationwide recognition of the many needs of rural counties, especially in the west. Two years ago, two priorities were set as electronic communication capabilities (digital divide) and rural health care. Our lobbying has paid off with congressional recognition of less populated rural counties.
The Rural Action Caucus will be moving ahead with the legislative initiatives involving direct flow of federal dollars to local communities for infrastructure, roads and rural community programs. National drought relief and terrorism dollars to local communities are their top priorities. In February, the Rural Action Caucus will finalize their legislative agenda for 2003.
In New Orleans, the convention went well. The Health Steering Committee agenda consisted of a wide range of health issues. A national concern is prescription drugs and this was a top priority from rural and urban counties. Health Resolutions that passed are as follows:
Low
DSH States Reimbursements
to rural hospitals
Increase
of Federal Medical Assistance Percentages,
HIFA Waiver & Services
Health
Care for Legal Emigrants
Faith
Based Initiatives
Preserving
& Strengthening CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance)
Federal
Funding of Public Health Threats &
Emergencies
Homeland Security & Public Health
MONTANAN CHOSEN
TO LEAD NACo
STEERING COMMITTEE
Bill Kennedy, Yellowstone County, has been
appointed to head the NACo Health Steering Committee.
NACo has only eleven steering committees
nationwide, so his appointment highlights his dedication to health services
issues at the Montana level and at the national level.
The NACo Health Steering Committee
includes four vice-chairs and five subcommittees. Each subcommittee has a chair and vice-chair. In addition there are 32 members chosen from
a variety of states. In all, Kennedy
will lead close to 50 members through a variety of complicated and sometimes
controversial issues.
SHOW ME THE MONEY
A new report, “Show Me the Money”,
compiles strategies of state and local governments around the nation to cope
with budget crunches. The 20-page
report was written by William Eggers of the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research
and is available online at:
www.manhattan-institute.org/state_budget_report.pdf
.
The strategies in the report have been
tested and proven by local governments around the nation.
RURAL ASSISTANCE
The Midwest Assistance Program (MAP) is a private,
non-profit organization providing technical assistance and training on water,
wastewater, solid waste and housing issues to small, rural communities in the
nine states of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska,
North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.
Small, rural communities and other entities, such as mobile home parks,
water and sewer districts and unincorporated areas, are beneficiaries of MAP's
technical assistance and training.
Montana has four MAP offices, each with a
rural development specialist:
Whitefish, Bill Leonard
bleonard@cyberport.net
Florence, Judy Sass
jsass4322@aol.com
Helena, Paul Torok
midwestassistance@qwest.net Laurel, Dustin White
dawhite@nemontel.net