The Economic Affairs Interim Committee of the Montana Legislature will hold a public meeting in Miles City Nov. 8 to explore the issue of value-added agriculture and local economic development initiatives in southeastern Montana.
The meeting will be in the auditorium of the Veteran's Affairs Hospital at 210 South Winchester. It will begin at 8 a.m. and end at about 4 p.m.
Susan Fox, executive director of Legislative Services, said the meeting in Miles City is viewed by committee members as a way to reach out to local communities.
"One of the things we heard after this last session was legislators commenting on the great efforts citizens make to get to Helena and be a part of the legislative process," she said. "Meetings such as this one are a way for legislators to show their appreciation. It's also a great opportunity for them to listen to local concerns and voices outside of their own constituencies."
The committee is charged with studying issues related to business and labor, agriculture and livestock, insurance issues, and economic development. In the morning, it will explore current initiatives involved in value-added agriculture as a way to bring economic growth to Montana generally, but with a particular focus on the southeastern region of the state. An afternoon panel will discuss the current state of the economy in the region and how local governments, economic development organizations, and business leaders can work together to sustain economic growth.
The public is invited and will have an opportunity to offer comments or ask questions of committee members.
Members of the Economic Affairs Interim Committee are Sens. Roy Brown, Ken Hansen, Frank Smith, and Donald Steinbeisser; and Reps. Scott Mendenhall, Mike Milburn, Michele Reinhart, and Bill Thomas.
For an agenda, visit http://app.mt.gov/ecal and click on Legislative Branch. Then click on the Nov. 8 meeting entry. More information also is available from the Legislative Information Office at 406-444-2957.