Condon talks incorporation

The Swan Valley Community Council heard a presentation on what it would take for Condon to become its own town at the council's May meeting.

No action was taken, other than forming a subcommittee to further investigate incorporation, but general considerations of the idea included the prospect of being able to handle things on the town's own terms - without needing to fit in Missoula County's envelope for some things like road maintenance and building codes - and looking toward the future on how to keep the town a vibrant and feasible place for younger families.

Ted Morgan, Swan Valley Community Council treasurer, gave the presentation and went through what it means to be an incorporated community, what would be needed to make that happen and the main costs associated with the switch. Community members asked questions related to the volunteerism nature of a lot of small incorporated communities and whether the idea would be the best for an aging community.

A lot of roles in small incorporated communities - like commissioners or fire chiefs - are volunteer-based, Morgan said, which he and other council members felt would work in Condon.

"We're basically already there. We're all volunteers...that do everything already," Grace Siloti, Swan Valley Community Council chair, said.

City sewer expenses are normally the biggest costs for incorporated communities, Morgan said, something Condon doesn't currently have. Other than insurance, Morgan said road maintenance would likely be the biggest cost for Condon. As an incorporated entity, Condon could benefit from state entitlement funds.

Using Bainville, Montana - which incorporated in 1929 - as an example of a town with similar demographics to Condon, Morgan said that income from the state provides about $160,000 to Bainville, which he said would be a good chunk to attribute to roads and bridges in Condon's case. Morgan said Bainville pays $13,000 to $15,000 each year to cover insurance.

Morgan explained that unincorporated communities - like what Condon and Seeley Lake are currently - are adopted by a county in regard to laws, building codes and property taxes. Incorporated towns gain more local control and autonomy for residents, Morgan said, and could act on their own accord as far as maintaining roads goes or adopting more town-specific building codes.

Per state law, an area looking to incorporate would need to either have 300 occupants or more, or exist as a townsite operated by the U.S. government prior to April 3, 1981, and be located three miles from the boundary of nearby incorporated towns. Condon hit a population of 307 in 2022, according to U.S. Census Data.

If Condon decided to incorporate, it would need a mayor, commissioners, a treasurer, fire chief, public works director and to decide how to handle law enforcement, either by contracting deputies with the county or maintaining its own department. A municipal building and a post office - which the town already has - would also be needed. Landowners with more than 160 acres would have to agree to be incorporated independently.

After obtaining these requirements, the town would petition the county government, needing no less than 300 registered voters' signatures, or two thirds of the registered electorates' signatures, on the petition. Then, a census of the proposed incorporated community would be taken and delivered to the county Clerk and Recorder's Office.

"We're all complaining, I haven't heard one (person) that says, hey I love Missoula County they're doing amazing things for us, I don't hear that from people," Morgan said at the meeting. "It really comes down to who's ready to walk the walk and who's ready to talk the talk and at least explore this opportunity."

According to research from Montana State University's Local Government Center from 1971, the last community to incorporate was Fort Peck in 1986.

The Swan Valley Community Council will meet next on June 18. It's anticipated this meeting will be attended by the Missoula County Commissioners.