Mission council passes cannabis ordinance and seeks new librarian
EMILY MESSER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months, 3 weeks AGO
St. Ignatius Town Hall sits on First Avenue beside the fire and police department. (Emily Messer/Leader)
Emily Messer joined the Lake County Leader in July of 2025 after earning a B.A. degree in Journalism from the University of Montana. Emily grew up on a farm in the rolling hills of southeast Missouri and enjoys covering agriculture and conservation. She's lived in Montana since 2022 and honed her reporter craft with the UM J-School newspaper and internships with the RMEF Bugle Magazine and the Missoulian. At the Leader she covers the St. Ignatius Town Council, Polson City Commission and a variety of business, lifestyle and school news. Contact Emily Messer at [email protected] or 406.883.4343 | November 26, 2025 11:00 PM
The St. Ignatius City Council completed the second reading of the cannabis ordinance, looked for a new librarian and authorized laptop purchases for the council on Nov. 18.
The cannabis ordinance limits the number of dispensaries or any commercial establishment engaged in the retail sale of cannabis based on the town population. This ordinance allows one dispensary per every 1,000 people in St. Ignatius and closely follows Montana state law regarding their distance from churches or educational buildings.
The council approved the second reading with a minor change to the penalty clause, detailing the fine to not exceed $500 or 6 months in jail. The ordinance will be effective on Dec. 18.
The council is also seeking a new part-time public librarian or clerk. The position requires a high school diploma or GED and includes benefits such as sick leave, vacation and holiday pay. The position further requires a person to obtain their public library certification within five years of hiring.
The public library resides at the St. Ignatius High School campus with staffing appointed by the Library Board. Council person Janis Heffern is the library chairman, and anyone interested in the position can email their resume and letter of interest to her at [email protected].
The council further approved the purchase of Dell laptops at $935 each. This would provide each council member with a city laptop for council purposes. The council plans to purchase these through Lake County and possibly get them at a lower cost.
ARTICLES BY EMILY MESSER
Polson City Manager resigns
Meece explained that this is an opportunity for him and his wife, Karen, to move closer to their family in Washington. He also describes it as a great opportunity to continue working in local government.
Mission police receive surprise gear upgrade
St. Ignatius Police Chief Jason Acheson was surprised and grateful when he stopped by Gambles Hardware to check on his rifle order and found out that the owner, Clay McCready, had ordered out-of-budget rifles for the department.
Polson Rural Fire requests levy to keep pace with growth
On the ballot this year for Special Purpose Elections is the Polson Rural Fire District’s request for a $250,000 annual levy to maintain safety and equipment as the outskirts of Polson continue to grow.