MONTANA NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
HELENA – A new statewide website will make public notices – the means by which government announces day-to-day activities important to citizens – easier than ever to find.
The free site is supported by Montana Newspaper Association member newspapers, and visitors may search by key word or by selecting content for a specific newspaper.
Notices will be archived on the website for 90 days after the publication date, and include public budgets, meeting agendas, sample ballots, court actions, construction projects, and public hearings that are published in most Montana newspapers.
Newspapers across Montana have made a significant financial investment to bring greater access to public notices, according to MNA Executive Director Jim Rickman.
“This new website is a value added service that extends the reach of our members’ printed pages,” Rickman said. “We believe the website will help government keep important information in front of the public, and will increase awareness and understanding of their local governments.”
Far more than the value it adds for government and newspapers, however, is the information accessibility it delivers to the general public.
Rickman said the new service is useful for construction and engineering firms looking for bidding opportunities across the state, people wanting to know about trustee sales of property, and those who want to know when their county commissioners will be accepting comment on adopting a budget, to note a few examples.
The MNA represents 85 Montana newspapers (including Explore Big Sky) and is celebrating its 129th year of service.
Visit the new website at montanapublicnotices.com.
