I attended the Butte Local Development Corporation’s annual awards dinner last month. And I found myself profoundly inspired watching those officials, representing a community that has weathered decades of hardship, step confidently into a new era of growth. What struck me most wasn’t any single program or flashy investment, but an attitude. Butte leaders are choosing collaboration over complacency, which shows in the city’s steady growth and development.
The BLDC, for example, recently worked with Highlands College of Montana Tech to develop a training curriculum for solar manufacturing and partnered with Missoula-based ClearSky Climate Solutions to identify and secure a suitable industrial site. Instead of asking “why,” Butte’s response to new ideas seems to be “how can we make this work?” That’s a powerful mindset – and one I believe Jefferson County is ready to embrace.
As Board President of the Jefferson Local Development Corporation, I’ve witnessed significant change over the past year. New doors have been opened, but there’s also new uncertainty for our communities. Grants that have traditionally been available to rural areas are harder to find, with limited federal funds available to areas that have historically seen robust support. Amid these shifts, our best path forward lies in working together, not only through policies or plans, but through genuine collaboration and engagement that supports shared progress.
At JLDC, we’ve spent months diving deep into the county’s economic opportunities. This includes consulting on the county’s strategic growth plan, working with new organizations at the Montana Department of Commerce, collaborating with new partners such as Montana Photonics and new organizations coming to Jefferson County. We’ve learned that as national trends shift and access to funding becomes more competitive, it’s clear that we must adapt—not by regulating harder, but by building stronger connections with the people and partners who drive change on the ground.
Our communities are built on hard work, resilience, and a deep connection to place. Mining, ranching, and natural resource stewardship are core to who we are. But sustaining our way of life into the future means being open to new voices and new ideas, and welcoming the uncomfortable but necessary conversations that help us grow.
That also means rethinking how JLDC and other county organizations might engage the public—not just informing residents about decisions already made, but creating space for public engagement that sparks innovation and fosters shared ownership. Plans and policies should guide us, not govern us. They should be tools for conversation and collaboration, not just regulatory checklists.
Some Montana towns are already exploring these ideas. Red Lodge is blending arts and tourism to energize its core, while White Sulphur Springs is using local culture to drive reinvention. The municipality of Red Lodge teamed up with the local artists and a community foundation to install public art and organize festivals, drawing new visitors and revitalizing downtown. The White Sulphur Springs’ Chamber of Commerce collaborated with the Meagher County Cultural Council and local ranchers to create events like the Red Ants Pants Music Festival, which celebrates rural heritage and boosts the local economy. These aren’t cookie-cutter solutions. Instead, they prove what’s possible when local leadership, public engagement, and creative thinking align.
At JLDC, we’re committed to supporting locally-led ideas—whether it’s through shared-use spaces, adaptive reuse, or finding new ways to listen and lead. Rural Main Street still matters. In fact, our future may depend on how well we work together to reimagine its purpose and unlock its potential.
Keith Foley is president of the Jefferson Local Development Corporation. Contact him at kfoley8132@gmail.com.
