Bozeman City Commission Meeting, June 23, 2026: Budget Adoption, Opportunity Zone, and Consent Agenda
Bozeman City Commission Meeting - June 23, 2026
The Bozeman City Commission met on June 23, 2026, to adopt the FY 2027 annual operating budget and the 2027-2028 biennium budget, discuss an opportunity zone application, and handle consent agenda items and public comments. Key decisions included approval of the budget with amendments adding the city shops complex and C. Bozeman Creek funding, removing a fire station line item, and authorizing an opportunity zone proposal for only one census tract.
Consent Calendar
- The commission voted 5-0 to approve consent items 1–2, 4–8, and 10–18, after removing item F3 and moving item F9 to an action item. City Manager noted that item F18 (sports park) came in significantly under budget, allowing restoration of value-engineered features.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Bob Muldowney argued that an interlocal agreement improperly overrode Ordinance 1409, which requires TIF overages to return to the general fund, and urged the commission to examine dissolution or compliance.
- Mark Campanelli raised concerns about conflict-of-interest disclosures at the TIF board, the Idaho Pole property, and wetland relocation, calling for better oversight.
- Emily Kelly questioned the TIF eligibility of several line items in the FY 2027 downtown URD budget, asking for a legal determination.
- Ross Keo (from Missoula) supported the opportunity zone, stating it catalyzed affordable housing and investment in Missoula.
- Suki Nakamura opposed the opportunity zone, citing lack of guarantees and oversight.
- Dan Cardi also opposed, arguing beneficiaries are investors, not the community.
- Jason Delmu (speaking on his own behalf) supported the opportunity zone as a marginal benefit.
- Steve Noble (C. Bozeman Creek) thanked the commission for proposed funding.
- Katie Madison (Haven) thanked the commission for maintaining shelter funding.
- Emily Tlaido urged performance metrics and criticized using vacancy savings.
- Chris Brown (resident) opposed the fire station bond, citing tax fatigue.
- Ricky Burns (ADA coordinator) urged funding for the disability liaison position.
- Kristen Newman supported the liaison role for community engagement.
Discussion Items
- Opportunity Zone (Action Item F9): Economic Development Director Britt Fontnum presented two eligible census tracts (Gallatin County Tract 6 and Tract 11.02) for a 10-year federal designation. Tight timeline (deadline July 7) limited community engagement. Commissioners questioned control over outcomes, community support, and potential displacement. After public comment, an amendment to remove Tract 11.02 passed 4-1. The main motion authorizing the city manager to submit the proposal for Tract 6 only passed 4-1.
- Budget Adoption: Finance Director Melissa reviewed the FY 27-28 biennium budget ($689M resources, $609M requirements). Key discussions included:
- City Shops Complex: Staff proposed adding $84.147M total (with $8M already budgeted) to fund a consolidated facility. An amendment to add $76.147M and update rate impact charts passed 4-1.
- C. Bozeman Creek: The commission added $150,000 to the general fund, sourced from vacancy savings, for continued planning (passed 5-0).
- Fire Station No. 4: An amendment to remove the $19M fire station bond and convert the $70,000 ballot education line to general ballot outreach passed 4-1.
- Pre-Approved Building Plans: A proposal to allocate $125,000 from the planning subsidy failed 1-4.
- Midtown Neighborhood Plan: A $50,000 proposal was withdrawn after staff noted it would be insufficient.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda approved 5-0.
- Opportunity Zone proposal authorized for Tract 6 only (vote 4-1).
- Budget adopted with amendments:
- Added $76.147 million for the city shops complex.
- Added $150,000 for C. Bozeman Creek planning.
- Removed $19 million for Fire Station No. 4; redirected ballot education funds to general outreach.
- Final budget vote: 5-0.
- The commission also approved two mayoral proclamations (Parks and Recreation Month and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence).
- City Manager announced a new social media series, "Bozeman at Work," and reminded the public that city fireworks are only allowed at the fairgrounds on July 4th.
Meeting Transcript
Loc Loc All right, Mike, I went without even looking at you. No signal. Uh good morning and welcome to the June twenty third city of Bozeman city commission meeting. Um, we're glad that you're here with us this evening. Um, a few housekeeping items before we get started. Um, provide public comment associated with every action item as well as uh non-agenda public comments as well as on our consent item. Um, we'll make sure it's telegraphed well in advance so folks don't miss the opportunity. Um we'll start with public comment in the room, then we'll do online public comment. Um, for anyone following along at home, uh, and you're listening either from calling in or cable channel one ninety will not be able to provide public comment, so if you wish to do so, hop on over to our streaming page on the city's website. Um, we did have a uh a debacle with our public comment repository service laser fees. Uh but they were all the comments were still distributed to us today. We were able to get it figured out and laser features back online. Okay, moving on to changes to the agenda. City manager, I believe we have a couple of changes. Yes, we do, mayor. Thank you. We are going to remove consent item F3 from the agenda tonight. And we are going to move F9 to the first action item. Great. So for just to reaffirm, F3 is no longer on this agenda. There is no date certain for that item, and F9 will be our first action item directly after general public comment. Okay. Any FYI from the commission this evening? Yep, Commissioner Sweeney. Thank you, Mayor. While I was not able to attend in person the historic preservation advisory board meeting last week, they did agree to form a subcommittee to work on draft um demolition code language and ideas. And uh thank you for Commissioner Magic sitting in on that meeting for me. Great. Any further FYI? Just um the city manager, you can do who 4th of July. Like any sort of announcement. Yes, when it's returned, good. Okay. Are you gonna do the 4th of July? Are you gonna go? Um any further FYI? Um I have just uh one that I want to share about, relatively unprepared, but just wanting to acknowledge uh a tragedy last week, um, the loss of uh of a child um on our on our streets um and knowing that that tragedy reverberates much farther out than just that family, but I know um our hearts with with that family. Um that the tragedy of losing um not only someone on roadways that is such an avoidable um tragedy, but also of a child, and an un an unimaginable pain that that family must be going through, and knowing that for many of us that reopens some of the scars, some of the wounds of Leslie Brown that was just earlier this year, and Kelly Fulton, of course, and others that um have that we've lost um in this community, and just wanting to bring bring that tragedy and bring that pain into this room. Um that is any further FYI from the commission. Okay. From staff. I do. Uh, thank you, Mayor, and thank you, Commissioner Magic. It is our 250th anniversary, in case you haven't heard, as a country. Um, on 4th of July, we invite everybody to come celebrate with our annual fireworks show at the fairgrounds. And this is an amazing collaboration between our fire department and several private businesses in town who fund this thing 100% with no taxpayer money. And uh we are looking forward to at 10 p.m. Uh our fireworks, we're gonna light up the sky, and uh those are the only fireworks allowed in Bozeman, and that is a really difficult thing to police and enforce. Um, but it's been the law for a couple of years now, and we've been pretty lenient about it. Uh, we just ask the public to please understand that fireworks are prohibited in the city of Bozeman for a lot of reasons.
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