Marshall Mountain, the popular recreation area near East Missoula, has moved from private to public ownership over the past few years.
But even with the progress made by city and county officials, there's still more work to be done and money to be raised for the former ski hill.
A public hearing was held on Wednesday evening about the next steps in Missoula's acquisition of the 480-acre park.
City and county representatives took part in a public hearing at the Missoula Public Library about a $1 million resolution for the project at Marshall Mountain.
Before the city and county voted on whether or not to use $2 million worth of open space bonds on the Marshall Mountain Park Project, residents shared their opinions on adopting the resolution.
Opinions ranged from the positive environmental impacts and also the great recreation opportunities the area provides.
"I would ask you to support the acquisition of Marshall Mountain because the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago the second best time is today and in our grasp are 480 acres of trees much older than 20 years," one person stated.
Among the outpouring of public comments were some residents who had concerns about what this resolution means for taxpayers.
Some people said that Missoula has a tax issue and needs to fix that before putting money toward another recreational area.
“Taxes are out of control, the people in Missoula City and County need relief, and spending more money on a park that we don’t need because we have another one is a want, not a need," one person said.
County commissioners voted 3-0 in favor of adopting their resolution while the Missoula City Council voted 9-2, also in favor of adopting it.
A final decision on county ownership and management of Marshall Mountain is expected to be made this winter.
