Bozeman Local Government Study Commission Meeting - May 28, 2026
Bozeman Local Government Study Commission Meeting - May 28, 2026
The Bozeman Local Government Study Commission met on May 28, 2026, to discuss the tentative draft of the local government study report, consider charter amendments, and receive updates on ballot education and community outreach. The meeting included review of the first draft of the tentative report, discussion of numerous amendment proposals, and a recommendation on neighborhood impact statements. Commissioner Franks was excused from the meeting.
Consent Calendar
- The consent agenda was approved unanimously (4-0) with no items pulled for discussion.
Correspondence & Study Commission Update
- Commissioner reported continuing correspondence with the neighborhood association for a presentation in late July. Another commissioner offered to present to the Sunset Rotary Club in September.
- A request for a forum by the League of Women Voters and Business and Professional Women is pending.
- In a call with Nevin from Dane Geld (consultant for ballot education), Nevin expressed excitement to start and can attend the June 4 meeting; he indicated that messaging and education related to the three sub-options would not be difficult. Engagement levels will be discussed later with the group.
Discussion Items
Tentative Report – Draft One Input
- Barb, a staff member, presented the first draft of the tentative report, emphasizing that feedback should be high-level (what is correct, missing, or wrong) rather than wordsmithing. The table of contents follows statutory requirements, and the amended charter will be inserted later.
- Commissioners praised the tone and organization. Feedback included: clarify that the report is the first study commission report in 20 years; fix references to five vs. seven commissioners; adjust language about the mayor representing Bozeman across Montana and the United States (some felt that oversimplified); and add mention of public perception that commissioners come with minds made up.
- Version control issues arose because a later iteration was emailed after the agenda was published. It was decided that written comments should be based on the version posted for the June 4 agenda.
- Barb requested that the group stop amending worksheets and instead work only in the amended charter with track changes; this was agreed to. A decision was made to remove the worksheets from the report and keep a comparison document between the current and amended charter.
- A motion to put a direct link on the website to rejected amendments failed for lack of a second. Discussion ensued about transparency vs. confusion.
Amendments and Recommendation (Items Not Reached on May 27)
- Deanna's amendments: Many were introduced but failed to get a second or failed on vote.
- Passed: Amendment to Section 8.03C – replacing "provide opportunities for residents to influence decisions" with "provide opportunities for public input regarding decisions" (motion carried 4-0).
- Failed: Amendments regarding preamble wording, contract participation (Section 1.03), expense reporting (Section 2.04), attendance rules (2.06), city manager role (3.04), fiscal management (Article 6), personnel and budget sections, and public engagement language (8.03A, 8.03C – flexibility language retained).
- Jan's recommendation: To have the City of Bozeman Interneighborhood Council and neighborhood associations work with the city's Department of Community Engagement to co-create a neighborhood impact statement process. Passed unanimously (4-0).
- The meeting ran out of time; remaining amendments (estimated 11) will be addressed at the June 4 meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved (4-0).
- Amendment to Section 8.03C passed (4-0): replaces "influence decisions" with "input regarding decisions."
- Recommendation on neighborhood impact statements passed (4-0).
- All other amendment motions failed (no second or majority).
- The meeting will continue on June 4, 2026 to handle the remaining agenda items and amendments. Two commissioners will attend virtually; Deanna and Jan will be in the room.
- The tentative report will be updated for the June 4 meeting, incorporating feedback and using a single comparison document between the current and amended charter.
Meeting Transcript
We love you. Two minute warning. We're just listening very deep. She might be out of town. She did say she's a lot of speed. So I just want to do something. Yeah, I'm sorry. So I have some side of the meeting. So I'll be able to do it. So that we get to the major purpose of this meeting for which the public may be watching uh and/or present. Um and I also think we'll probably get through that uh and then we can go back to F1. We also need to excuse Becky. Right. Um do you want to comment on that, Deanna? I do. I don't know how we can possibly be looking at the final report if we haven't considered all of the changes that might be made to the uh um uh draft charter. It's a final tentative report, it's not even we won't even approve it till it to get it on the record, um, and um what we have in front of us, at least from what I've seen, is 32 motions to amend, and um very few of them in my mind are substantive in the sense that they would affect what what went into the report, so I think we should um deal with that first, and then we will get to the changes. Well, I I uh first of all, um I sent uh a document last night um uh simplifying the uh motions. There aren't 45. 32. I counted them in the thing you said last night. Yeah, um, and uh I take it uh uh well actually I find it insulting that you think they're not substantive. Um and I don't I I honestly don't see how you can possibly continue the business of a final report without having somewhat of a finalized version of the draft charter. All right, would you like to make a motion to not change the agenda? Yes, I so move. Is there a second? Motion fails for lack of a second. Okay, next item is public comment on anything within the jurisdiction of the study commission. Can I interrupt? Can we excuse formally? Sorry. Could I get a motion to excuse uh Commissioner Franks? I move we excuse Commissioner Franks from today's meeting, second. Any discussion all those in favor of the motion, so indicate by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. Now, public comment. Um there will be time for public comment on any motion that's made under F1. There will be time for public comment on input to the tentative draft report, and um then there'll be um public comment at the end the way we normally do, but anything other than uh on subject matter other than those, or if you want to give public comment and leave right now, um, feel free to step forward to the mic, give your name. I feel like I'm preaching to the choir, but there may be people online. Uh give your name and address, and you have three minutes for input, and this is kind of general input for us. Is there any online, Caleb? Okay. Next item is the consent agenda. And would anybody like to pull any of the items on the consent agenda for discussion? All right, can I have a motion on the consent agenda? And move we approve the consent agenda, second. It's been moved and seconded. Any public comment on the consent agenda?
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