Marley: A Student for the City
Not every day does Marley have to crawl through the back of a 2001 Dodge Durango to unlock the doors from the inside, but, day in and day out, Marley tirelessly puts herself to work at the Missoula Office of Neighborhoods. Among a small office of two hard working women, the Office of Neighborhoods coordinates the efforts of the nineteen neighborhood councils throughout Missoula, makes grant funding available for neighborhood projects, and conducts leadership training seminars, leadership meetings and general meetings for neighborhood councils.
Originally from Laurel, Montana, Marley Merchen moved to Missoula in August 2018 when she began her degree in Communications Studies with a minor in Irish studies. About a month into her time in Missoula, Marley got a work study position at the Office of Neighborhoods. The next day, she went to her first neighborhood council meeting. A year and a half later, Marley has been to her fair share of meetings and works part-time as a city employee.
Marley admitted that when she first moved to Missoula, she was not completely sold on the Valley. She chose UM over MSU because of the liberal arts environment, but she was not certain about how Missoula would treat her. Marley also looked at a variety of colleges before her decision, and disliked how a lot of college towns isolated their college students on campus and avoided welcoming them into the community. Working with the Office of Neighborhoods has undoubtedly sold Marley on Missoula. As a student, Marley admits that Missoula is an amazing community with a variety of different people, but that the majority of Missoula is accessible to everyone as well. Seeing different neighbors working together, taking the free bus across town, and interacting with community members on the UM campus through the Office of Neighborhoods revealed the magic of Missoula to Marley.
While working with neighborhood councils, Marley has grown an appreciation for the passion for place that neighbors have in Missoula. Missoula’s neighborhood councils are actually quite unique as well. Marley admits, “When Missoula rewrote their charter and mandated neighborhood councils. It is unique to have neighborhood distinctions, and also another way for citizens to interact with their local government and feel pride about living here.” The passion for community involvement in Missoula is unlike any other city in Montana. Marley admits, “I have trouble with city meetings that go really late into the night, but seeing people get excited about neighborhood projects, especially when they get grant funding, makes it all worth it.” Since 2019, the Office of Neighborhoods has increased large grant funding from $3,000 to $6,000, and is able to offer a grand total of $18,000 for neighborhood projects a year. The Office of Neighborhoods witnesses neighbors really pushing for what they want for their neighborhoods. Leaders of all ages in the neighborhood leadership councils work closely with Marley’s office, and she principally is inspired by the genuine excitement from neighborhood leaders during trainings and meetings.
Marley has a strong appreciation for civic involvement, but also an attention to detail. She has particular traffic circles that are her personal favorites, and she drives by them on a special route to check on them throughout the year. With this passionate personality, she urges UM students to appreciate Missoula: “Missoula may not be your home, but we are technically citizens of Missoula. You still live here and need to be a good neighbor. Drive carefully, hang out in parks appropriately, and party responsibly.” Marley emphasizes that how the City works with UM impacts the student population at UM: “UM has brought a lot of press, good and bad, to Missoula, so it is integral that students understand they impact the well being of the Missoula community.”
This article also appears in the Neighborhood Ambassadors newsletter.
