Missoula County’s gun ordinance was originally drafted in 1995, so commissioners held a meeting on Thursday to update the policy.

Chief Operating Officer Chris Lounsbury said the update was necessary due to the many new buildings operated by the county.

“A really long time ago, the county passed an ordinance that prohibited the carrying of firearms in the Missoula County Courthouse, and at the time, any other properties the county owned,” said Lounsbury. “So, what the county commissioners were looking at is an update to that ordinance, given the number of buildings that we have included in our county campus since 1995.”

Lounsbury identified the other buildings where weapons will be prohibited.

“When we think of the county, oftentimes we just think of the courthouse on West Broadway, but now there’s also the Missoula City County Health Department, and the public health clinic over off of Railroad Street, and then we also have the records center out off of Paxson Avenue and a few others, so we had to update that ordinance to include all those buildings.”

Lounsbury said the Missoula County Commissioners will hold a public meeting to discuss the enhanced ordinance on October 25.

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