Bozeman Study Commission Meeting - April 15, 2026

The Bozeman Study Commission convened on April 15, 2026, to discuss the timeline for finalizing the charter, select a firm for ballot education services, and receive public comment on neighborhood associations, among other items. The meeting also included a joint discussion with Gallatin County commissioners on wards, districts, commissioner pay, and advisory boards.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda was adopted unanimously (4-0), including routine approvals and the authorization of an absence for Commissioner Barb Sistero.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mark Campanelli (Booger Park neighbor, speaking as an individual) expressed that the Inter-Neighborhood Council (INC) currently serves both an advisory and advocacy role, and that better two-way communication with the city is needed. He opposed language that would restrict INC to an advisory-only role.
• Daniel Cardi (Bozeman resident) requested that the commission look up definitions of advisory, advocacy, and activism, and advocated for including both advisory and advocacy roles in the charter for neighborhood associations.
• Natsuki Nakamura (Bozeman resident, member of the Economic Vitality Board, speaking as an individual) noted that creating a neighborhood association is easy (11 signatures, one annual meeting) but sustaining it is difficult; she emphasized the need for a full-time city staff person to support associations and for a meaningful advocacy role so residents feel heard.
• Zara Osman (West Side Bozeman resident, Vally Unit Neighborhood Association steering committee and INC alternate, speaking as an individual) shared that the INC’s survey of 428 members found over 80% in favor of submitting a formal recommendation to the City Commission, but that the Commission declined to even discuss the recommendation. She characterized this as an insult to volunteer efforts.
• Jason Delmule (public commenter) argued that requiring development application notice to neighborhoods at the charter level is inappropriate, as the time for practical input is at the outset before a project is designed. He also criticized the INC survey language as one-sided and lacking context (e.g., no reference buildings; 20,000 sq ft vs. 150,000 sq ft for downtown buildings).

Discussion Items

• Timeline and Schedule Adjustments: The commission discussed moving the May 7 meeting to May 13 and adding a meeting on May 20 to accommodate absences. The final public hearing on the tentative report was moved from May 28 to June 17 (4:00-6:00 PM, with a possible shift to June 18 to allow a later start time). The draft charter language will be finalized by May 13, released for public comment on May 28, and the public hearing on the tentative report is June 17. The final report adoption is scheduled for August 6.
• Selection of Ballot Education Firm (DaneGeld): The commission reviewed two proposals. Commissioners preferred DaneGeld (Missoula) over KW1 (Portland) due to its tiered pricing, understanding of Montana reporting requirements, and experience with Gallatin County. A motion was made and seconded to engage DaneGeld, with the level of service (lowest, active, or transformative) to be negotiated by staff. The motion carried 4-0.
• Neighborhood Associations Discussion: Commissioners shared priorities for the charter article on neighborhood associations:
  • Carson: Urge the city to increase coverage beyond the current 28-30% of the city; simplify the process for starting an association; provide city funding for events and a dedicated staff person.
  • Jen: Emphasized organic growth with standards; referenced Seattle’s “Front Porch” approach; suggested that developers could be asked to contribute to neighborhood engagement costs; noted that strong, well-resourced associations might reduce the need for wards.
  • Deanna: Stated that the mission of neighborhood associations should be clearly defined as bottom-up communication to the city council, not just social events; opposed mandatory bylaws, preferring self-government.
  • Becky: Advocated for including language that affected neighborhoods must be notified upon application for development (though staff noted the trigger should be at public notice, not application); recommended at least one full-time city employee to support associations; saw associations as a pipeline for future city commissioners.
• County Commissioners on Wards, Districts, Pay, and Advisory Boards: Gallatin County Commissioners Zach Brown and Jen Boyer discussed:
  • Wards/Districts: The county uses three districts based on population, with candidates required to live in the district for two years before filing, but elections are countywide. Advantages include geographic distribution; disadvantages include confusion over boundaries and limited candidate pools. Redistricting is done by the Clerk and Recorder every 10 years at minimal cost.
  • Commissioner Pay: The county uses a salary compensation committee (three commissioners, three other elected officials, up to four public appointees) that meets once a year. Pay is tied to the statutory formula for the sheriff’s salary, which limits raises because it would increase deputy pay. Commissioners noted that compensation is a barrier to attracting diverse candidates.
  • Advisory Boards: The county has moved away from giving advisory boards managerial authority (e.g., hiring, firing, budgets) and now restricts them to an advisory role. The county has 20-30 advisory boards; most meet monthly. Recruitment is challenging, with many boards struggling to maintain quorums.

Key Outcomes

• Vote on Consent Agenda: Passed 4-0.
• Vote on Ballot Education Firm: Motion to engage DaneGeld with negotiated service level passed 4-0.
• Timeline Change: Agreed to skip the May 7 meeting, move its agenda to May 13, add a May 20 meeting, and keep the June 17 public hearing (with a possible shift to June 18 for a later start time).
• Next Steps: Staff will send out an email to finalize the agenda for the April 24 meeting. Commissioners will continue drafting charter language on neighborhood associations and advisory boards, with final votes on those topics expected at the April 30 meeting.