Evaluation of Montana county websites



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Transparency Checklist How to evaluate websites Progress reports County website project County comparison chart City website project List of cities School district website project List of school districts
Action steps

1 Reading the chart
2 Conclusions chart
- 2.1 2012
- 2.2 2009
3 Counties without websites (13)
4 Correcting errors

What information can people find on their county's website in Montana?

This page captures a snapshot of the information contributed by Sunshine Review users after they've studied the information made available on Montana county websites.

See also: County websites, state-by-state comparison, to compare what you can find on Montana's county websites to what can be found on county websites in other states.

Reading the chart

In the chart below:

	means that information is included on the government website
	means that the information was not provided on the government website
P	means that information was partially provided

Check the Sunshine Review page about each county for more detailed information about what information is available on the county website, along with recommendations SR users have made for positive changes.

See sample transparency legislation at the Sunshine Standard

Conclusions chart

2012

In 2012, Sunshine Review re-evaluated the five largest counties in Montana, which average a "C" website transparency grade.

	Budget?	Meetings?	Elected officials?	Admin. Officials?	Permits/ Zoning?	Audits?	Contracts?	Lobbying?	Public records?	Taxes?
Y	5	1	4	3	4	4	0	0	0	5
P	0	4	1	0	1	0	3	0	0	0
N	0	0	0	2	0	1	2	5	5	0

Comparison chart

County	Grades	Budget	Meetings	Elected Officials	Admin. Officials	Permits/ Zoning	Audits	Contracts	Lobbying	Public records	Taxes
Cascade County, Montana	C	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	P	N	N	Y
Flathead County, Montana	C-	Y	P	P	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y
Gallatin County, Montana	D	Y	P	Y	N	Y	N	N	N	N	Y
Missoula County, Montana	C	Y	P	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	N	Y
Yellowstone County, Montana	C-	Y	P	Y	Y	P	Y	P	N	N	Y

2009

These evaluations were conducted in 2009, where the counties averaged a "D" website transparency grade.

	Budget?	Meetings?	Elected officials?	Admin. Officials?	Permits/ Zoning?	Audits?	Contracts?	Lobbying?	Public records?	Taxes?
Y	8	19	21	28	15	1	0	0	0	3
P	3	7	15	9	3	1	0	0	1	9
N	32	17	7	6	25	41	43	43	42	31
No Website	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13

Comparison chart

County	Grades	Budget	Meetings	Elected Officials	Admin. Officials	Permits/ Zoning	Audits	Contracts	Lobbying	Public records	Taxes
Beaverhead County, Montana	D-	N	Y	P	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N
Blaine County, Montana	D	Y	P	Y	P	Y	P	P	N	P	Y
Carbon County, Montana	D-	N	P	P	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N
Carter County, Montana	D-	N	N	P	P	N	N	N	N	N	N
Cascade County, Montana	C	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	P	N	N	Y
Chouteau County, Montana	D-	N	N	P	P	N	N	N	N	N	N
Daniels County, Montana	D-	N	P	P	P	N	N	N	N	N	N
Dawson County, Montana	F	P	P	Y	Y	P	N	P	N	N	N
Fallon County, Montana	D-	N	Y	P	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N
Fergus County, Montana	D-	N	Y	P	P	N	N	N	N	N	N
Flathead County, Montana	C-	Y	P	P	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y
Gallatin County, Montana	D	Y	P	Y	N	Y	N	N	N	N	Y
Glacier County, Montana	D-	N	N	P	P	N	N	N	N	N	N
Golden Valley County, Montana	D-	N	P	P	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N
Granite County, Montana	D-	N	P	P	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N
Hill County, Montana	D-	P	N	N	P	N	N	N	N	N	N
Jefferson County, Montana	D-	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	N	N	N	N
Lake County, Montana	D-	N	P	P	P	Y	N	N	N	N	N
Lewis and Clark County, Montana	D-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	Y
Liberty County, Montana	D-	N	N	P	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N
Lincoln County, Montana	D-	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N
Madison County, Montana	D-	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	Y
Mineral County, Montana	D-	N	N	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	P
Missoula County, Montana	C	Y	P	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	N	Y
Park County, Montana	D-	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	P
Pondera County, Montana	D-	N	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N
Powell County, Montana
Prairie County, Montana	D-	N	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	P
Ravalli County, Montana	D-	P	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N
Richland County, Montana	D-	N	N	Y	P	N	N	N	N	N	N
Rosebud County, Montana
Sanders County, Montana	D-	N	Y	Y	Y	P	N	N	N	N	Y
Sheridan County, Montana	D-	N	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N
Silver Bow County, Montana	D-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N
Stillwater County, Montana	D-	P	P	Y	Y	P	N	N	N	N	N
Sweet Grass County, Montana	D-	N	N	N	N	Y	N	N	N	N	N
Teton County, Montana	D-	N	P	P	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N
Toole County, Montana	D-	N	N	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N
Valley County, Montana	D-	N	N	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N
Wheatland County, Montana	D-	N	N	P	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N
Yellowstone County, Montana	C-	Y	P	Y	Y	P	Y	P	N	N	Y

Counties without websites (13)

County	Grades	Budget	Meetings	Elected Officials	Admin. Officials	Permits/ Zoning	Audits	Contracts	Lobbying	Public records	Taxes
Big Horn County, Montana	F	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Broadwater County, Montana	F	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Custer County, Montana	F	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Deer Lodge County, Montana	F	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Garfield County, Montana	F	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
McCone County, Montana	F	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Meagher County, Montana	F	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Musselshell County, Montana	F	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Petroleum County, Montana	F	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Phillips County, Montana	F	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Powder River County, Montana	F	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Roosevelt County, Montana	F	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Treasure County, Montana	F	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Wibaux County, Montana	F	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N

Correcting errors

If you discover an error in this chart or on one of the articles about a Montana county, you can correct it immediately or report the error.

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