MISSOULA — The federal government has been shut down for a month now with no clear end in sight.
But local governments continue to operate and provide services. That includes Missoula County, although the impacts of the shutdown are still being felt.
“This is the time of year where we're really engaged in that application process, specifically around federal grants,” said Chris Lounsbury, chief administrative officer for Missoula County.
Lounsbury says that right now, the immediate impacts of the shutdown are steps in the process of being reimbursed by the federal government.
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“I think it's twofold, right? So, on the like actual impacts of the delay, that's pretty small. Just in the fact that, you know, again, we're, we're used to it being a reimbursement system. So the county is generally expending those funds first and being reimbursed,” said Lounsbury.
Lounsbury says this is typically the time of year when the county works on federal grants, largely to be ready for the spring construction season.
But its grant applications are slowly piling up, alongside the thousands of counties across the country.
“When we think of, you know, the three primary bridge projects that we've kind of outlined is needing to be replaced, including Boy Scout and a few others in the North country. That backlog is, I think we're, we're going to feel our toughest piece both because right now we aren't able to submit those. And so we'll be right up against deadlines for that.
While projects may be delayed, Lounsbury says the county has broader concerns for the community as a whole.
“We certainly understand that it has a much bigger impact community-wide for those partners who are either furloughed or who are having to work without pay, that that obviously has a bigger community impact for our folks here in town,” said Lounsbury.
