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Record of Proceedings

Bozeman Transportation Board Meeting – January 28, 2026: Ethics Training and Work Plan Discussion

City Commission — Wednesday, January 28, 2026
BodyBozeman, Montana
SessionCity Commission
DateWednesday, January 28, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:22:44

Transcript — Verbatim
0:46

Good evening and welcome.

0:47

Uh before I officially call the meeting to order, I want to remind the public listening at home and how they can participate.

0:52

If you would like to follow along from home, you can go to the city's webpage at Bozeman.net and click on the meetings link.

0:58

From that page, you can look under upcoming meetings to find our agenda.

1:01

There you'll find instructions to stream the meeting live listen on the phone or on cable TV channel 190.

1:08

There'll be several opportunities to provide public comment this evening during the public comment periods.

1:13

We'll first hear from those in the room tonight and then take comments from those online.

1:17

If you're following along online, please use the raise your hand feature.

1:20

Staff will call on you uh by name at the appropriate time.

1:23

And as a reminder, you can always provide written public comment in advance of the meeting by going to the commission page on Bozeman.net or by emailing comments at Bozeman.net.

1:32

Emails noted as being for the transportation board are forwarded to us.

1:35

Any comments received before noon today was distributed and to and read by the board.

1:41

With that, I would like to formally call this January 28th, 2026 meeting of the transportation board to order.

1:52

All right.

1:53

Uh are there any disclosures tonight from the board?

1:59

No, seeing none.

2:00

Uh we'll go on to changes to the agenda.

2:03

Um first uh I would like to have someone uh make a motion to excuse Shannon uh uh Mahori from the board tonight.

2:12

I'm moved to excuse Shannon from the meeting tonight.

2:16

I'll second.

2:17

All in favor.

2:19

Aye.

2:21

All posed.

2:23

All right.

2:23

And um another change to the agenda.

2:26

Uh we would like to move um the uh ethics training to the first item on the agenda uh as we have uh some outside uh uh people who would like to be attending.

2:39

We need a vote on that.

2:40

All right, change change to that effect.

2:44

I'll move to make a motion to change the ethics to the first point on the agenda.

2:50

All second motion.

2:51

Okay, Hayden.

2:52

All in favor?

2:54

Aye.

2:55

Opposed.

2:56

All right, passed.

2:59

Um with that, public service aspects for Director Ross.

3:05

Before we get there, Chair, Chair Rowland.

3:09

Um maybe so the ARB item on our agenda tonight, too.

3:14

Okay.

3:15

Um if we don't believe we have enough board members in attendance tonight to make those selections, I might suggest that we continue this item until February.

3:27

Okay.

3:28

Looking around the room, I'm not sure we had two full throated um volunteers to join.

3:38

And that's the minimum that we'll need.

3:40

And so without putting undue pressure on those who were uh grateful enough to show up tonight.

3:47

Um as chair.

3:49

Um, but it may be a numbers game at this point where February would be more appropriate.

3:57

Um I'd so move to move the agenda item um for the um administrative review board selection and presentation to February's meeting.

4:09

I'll second.

4:10

All those in favor?

4:12

Aye.

4:13

Aye.

4:13

I the ayes have it.

4:16

Okay.

4:17

So moved.

4:18

And uh updates, Director Us.

4:21

Yes.

4:22

Uh first of all, congratulations to our new chair, Rio Rowling, who will be serving us for the next two years uh on the transportation board as chair.

4:32

Uh also thank you to Mike Vasilick, who will be our vice chair over that period of time.

4:39

Um we do still have two open positions uh on the transportation board, and we have one applicant in the hopper right now.

4:47

So uh my recommendation has been to uh move forward with um uh interviews for that position, and hopefully fill at least one of them by February's meeting.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Government Ethics████████████████████████24%
Transportation Safety██████████████████████22%
Parking████████████████████20%
Ethics Training██████████████14%
Procedural███████████11%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████6%
Public Engagement██2%
Affordable Housing█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Bozeman Transportation Board Meeting – January 28, 2026: Ethics Training and Work Plan Discussion

The Bozeman Transportation Board met on January 28, 2026, to conduct annual ethics training and review the draft 2026-2027 advisory board work plan. The board also acted on several agenda modifications, received department updates, and set the stage for adopting the final work plan in February.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes: The board unanimously approved the minutes from the November 20, 2025 meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public provided comment, either in person or online.

Discussion Items

Department Updates (Director Nick Ross)

  • Director Ross congratulated Rio Rowling as the new board chair and Mike Vasilick as vice chair for the next two years.
  • He noted two vacant board positions, with one applicant currently under consideration.
  • He announced that the citywide Neighborhood Traffic Calming program is now live and encouraged board members to promote it.
  • The Safe Streets for All Safety Action Plan RFP has been advertised; consultant selection is expected by early February, with work anticipated to begin around March.
  • The construction contract for the North 27th Street connection (Baxter to Cattail) will be advertised at the end of the week, with construction planned for this summer.

Ethics Training

  • Director Ross led the annual 2025 city ethics training, focusing on conflicts of interest, disclosure, recusal, and impartiality.
  • The board worked through five scenarios covering financial disclosure, speaking as a board member vs. individual, agenda setting for personal benefit, use of position to benefit a personal nonprofit interest, and nepotism.
  • Board members engaged in discussion, questioning the boundaries of impartiality and the role of board members in shaping policy vs. applying existing criteria.
  • The training concluded with the board certified as ethical for the year.

2026-2027 Advisory Board Work Plan

  • Director Ross presented a draft work plan organized under four categories: Board Governance, Planning Efforts, Capital Efforts, and Policy Efforts.
  • Key proposed items included:
    • Transportation Master Plan (TMP) Update: Funding begins July 1, 2026, with board involvement in scoping and review.
    • Comprehensive Safety Action Plan: Grant-funded, to be conducted in parallel with the TMP.
    • Meetings with Gallatin Valley MPO and UTD board: Scheduled for enhanced regional coordination.
    • Capital Projects: Sourdough Road, College Street (11th-19th), and the shared-use path along North Frontage Road.
    • Parking and Curb Management: Downtown parking work group, curb management, metered parking policy considerations, and permit district evaluation.
    • E-Bike Policy: Development of ordinance language for shared-use paths.
  • Board members provided feedback:
    • Mike Vasilick expressed strong support for prioritizing the TMP update and emphasized the importance of collaboration with MPO and UTD.
    • Hayden questioned the timing relative to the MPO's long-range plan and suggested the work plan may have too many meetings.
    • Chair Rio Rowling supported moving up the Frontage Road path planning and showed interest in a metered parking pilot on College Street.
    • A board member noted the need to revisit the two downtown permit districts, particularly the high school district, which appears underutilized.
    • Another member suggested the 'parking kiosk update' item might be more operational than strategic, and recommended public engagement on design.
  • Director Ross agreed to incorporate the feedback and will bring a revised draft for a vote at the February meeting.

Key Outcomes

  • Agenda Modifications: The board voted to excuse board member Shannon Mahori and to move the ethics training to the first agenda item (both passed unanimously).
  • Administrative Review Board Selection: Continued to the February meeting due to insufficient members in attendance to make selections.
  • Minutes Approved: Unanimously approved minutes from November 20, 2025.
  • Ethics Training Completed: Annual requirement fulfilled for 2025.
  • Work Plan Next Steps: Staff will revise the draft work plan based on board discussion and submit it for formal adoption at the February meeting.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and welcome. Uh before I officially call the meeting to order, I want to remind the public listening at home and how they can participate. If you would like to follow along from home, you can go to the city's webpage at Bozeman.net and click on the meetings link. From that page, you can look under upcoming meetings to find our agenda. There you'll find instructions to stream the meeting live listen on the phone or on cable TV channel 190. There'll be several opportunities to provide public comment this evening during the public comment periods. We'll first hear from those in the room tonight and then take comments from those online. If you're following along online, please use the raise your hand feature. Staff will call on you uh by name at the appropriate time. And as a reminder, you can always provide written public comment in advance of the meeting by going to the commission page on Bozeman.net or by emailing comments at Bozeman.net. Emails noted as being for the transportation board are forwarded to us. Any comments received before noon today was distributed and to and read by the board. With that, I would like to formally call this January 28th, 2026 meeting of the transportation board to order. All right. Uh are there any disclosures tonight from the board? No, seeing none. Uh we'll go on to changes to the agenda. Um first uh I would like to have someone uh make a motion to excuse Shannon uh uh Mahori from the board tonight. I'm moved to excuse Shannon from the meeting tonight. I'll second. All in favor. Aye. All posed. All right. And um another change to the agenda. Uh we would like to move um the uh ethics training to the first item on the agenda uh as we have uh some outside uh uh people who would like to be attending. We need a vote on that. All right, change change to that effect. I'll move to make a motion to change the ethics to the first point on the agenda. All second motion. Okay, Hayden. All in favor? Aye. Opposed. All right, passed. Um with that, public service aspects for Director Ross. Before we get there, Chair, Chair Rowland. Um maybe so the ARB item on our agenda tonight, too. Okay. Um if we don't believe we have enough board members in attendance tonight to make those selections, I might suggest that we continue this item until February. Okay. Looking around the room, I'm not sure we had two full throated um volunteers to join. And that's the minimum that we'll need. And so without putting undue pressure on those who were uh grateful enough to show up tonight. Um as chair. Um, but it may be a numbers game at this point where February would be more appropriate. Um I'd so move to move the agenda item um for the um administrative review board selection and presentation to February's meeting. I'll second. All those in favor? Aye.

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