Mission:
To promote, stimulate, develop, and advance the general welfare, commerce, and prosperity of Lincoln County and its citizens.
About Us:
In May of 2003, recognizing an opportunity to enhance economic development in the community, the Lincoln County Commissioners approved resolution 609, creating the Local Port Authority. Since its inception, Lincoln County Port Authority has, among other things, formed and developed the Kootenai Business Park, completed Rail Rehabilitation for the park, shaped and partnered with the Kootenai River Development Council a local 501(c)3, built and continue to maintain a youth fishing pond in Libby, and created a Master Stewardship Agreement and program in order to help protect the community from the dangers of wildfire in the wildland urban interface.
MEET OUR TEAM:
Executive Director:
Kate Stephens has been with LCPA since January of 2025, and a resident of Lincoln County since 2006. She has a long history of working for the betterment of the community. Upon arrival in Libby, she began her career at Cabinet Peaks Medical Center in the Marketing and Foundation departments. In 2013, she took over as the Executive Director of the Foundation and Marketing Manager where she remained until 2021 when she left healthcare to become the Mortgage Loan Originator for the Libby branch of Glacier Bank. Her years in leadership and banking have proven to serve LCPA well.
Kate also has a storied history of volunteering in the community. She has led the Cabinet Peaks Medical Center Foundation Board, served as a member of Kiwanis and of the Kootenai River Development Council. In addition to coaching youth soccer, she is an active board and executive member of the Kootenai Rapids Soccer Club, the Libby Area Chamber Commerce, and P.E.O. chapter CG.
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Staff:
Contracts and Grants Manager:
Picture and Bio
Management Forester:
Picture and Bio
Wildfire Mitigation Specialist:
Picture and Bio
Board of Directors:
Pictures and Titles Only
Stewardship Partners:
Pictures and Titles Only
Stewardship Page Summary:
Lincoln County is one of the heaviest forested counties in the west. The state of Montana has classified nearly 99% of the private lands within the county as forested. Additionally, we rank in the 97th and 98th percentile of all western counties in existing and potential fire risk. We also have the largest Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) area, the second largest percentage of homes inside the WUI, and the highest number of second homes in the WUI.
These are just a few of the reasons the Shared Stewardship program was created. The program is a formalized cross-boundary, all hands management program to manage the WUI and Fire sheds, private, state, and federal acres, in a highly collaborative, integrated process.
(Link to concept paper)
(Link to MSA)
(Link to CWPP)
Projects:
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Economic Development
Lincoln County Port Authority partners with and provides oversight to the Kootenai River Development Council whose mission is to promote community and economic development in south Lincoln County by facilitating infrastructure improvements and the county’s desirability as a place to live and work.
Financial Opportunities:
Business Loans:
Lincoln County Port Authority and Kootenai River Development Council have access to loan funds when more traditional bank financing is not sufficient or available to launch or expand your projects. This is a mission-based loan fund with the intent of providing gap financing. Underwriting evaluation is a part of our process.
Foundation:
Lincoln County Port Authority is committed to investing dollars for the future of Lincoln County.
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Contact Us
406-293-8406
kstephens@lcpamt.net
