Bozeman City Commission Meeting - July 21, 2026

This was a lengthy meeting of the Bozeman City Commission, starting early at 4:00 p.m. and continuing late into the evening. The commission considered a wide range of items, including approving an amendment to previous meeting minutes, consent agenda items, a work session on advisory board structure, a construction update on Kagy Boulevard, approval of the community engagement plan for the 2027 Transportation Master Plan, authorization of the Green Power Program Lead Community Agreement with Northwestern Energy, and provisional adoption of an ordinance to reorganize city departments. Numerous public comments were heard on various topics.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Amendment: The commission approved an amendment to the March 24, 2026, minutes to correct the recorded vote on the Sundance Springs Commercial Lot 2 site plan from 5-0 to 4-1, with Commissioner Magic as the dissenting vote. Motion carried 5-0.
• Consent Agenda (G1-G15): Approved as amended (including a correction to the legal description in item G15) with a 5-0 vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• General Public Comment (non-agenda):
  • Daniel Cardi (Bozeman resident) criticized the destruction of public trees by private developers and thanked the Historic Preservation Advisory Board for opposing the NCOD update draft.
  • Mark Campanelli (Bogart Park resident) expressed skepticism about the Bozeman Yards TIFF project, citing financial projections and questioning city staff's reassurances.
  • Emily Telego (remote) asked the commission to clearly mark meetings that start earlier than the regular 6 p.m. time as special meetings to improve public notice.
• Advisory Board Work Session Public Comment:
  • Mike Mees (Mayor of Belgrade) offered to share training resources for advisory boards.
  • Daniel Cardi urged removal of the "one body, one voice" provision, called for allowing joint meetings, improving commission liaison participation, engaging boards earlier, and enforcing term limits of two terms.
  • Mark Campanelli expressed concerns about the "one body, one voice" rule and suggested boards hold office hours. He also flagged a potential conflict of interest on the TIFF board.
  • Emily Telego advocated for ad hoc committees, loosening Robert's Rules during work sessions, and using a "book club" model for board preparation.
• Transportation Master Plan Public Comment:
  • Mark Campanelli highlighted local pedestrian safety concerns around schools and requested that neighborhood-level engagement be included in the plan.
  • Mike Mees noted collaboration between Bozeman and Belgrade on transit routes.
• Green Power Program Public Comment:
  • Mark Campanelli questioned the program's economics, noting the lack of price discovery until late in the process, and expressed concern about counterparty benefits for Northwestern Energy.

Discussion Items

• FYI from Commission: Commissioners announced upcoming walking tours (Bozeman Creek on July 31; zone edge transitions on July 22 and 27) and promoted the first annual ADA celebration at Windley Park on July 25.
• Mayoral Proclamation: Mayor Morrison read a proclamation declaring July 26, 2026, as Americans with Disabilities Act Awareness Day.
• Advisory Board Work Session (Presented by Cola Rowley):
  • The assistant city manager presented findings from a review of advisory boards, noting that consolidation was successful but there are opportunities for improvement in four areas: structure, communication, autonomy, and training.
  • Commissioners discussed: loosening Robert's Rules during work sessions; removing "one body, one voice" language in favor of allowing board members to speak as individuals; supporting ad hoc committees for specific projects; clarifying that boards can hold work sessions; integrating board work plans with the commission's six-month calendar; and improving recruitment and training.
  • On term limits, opinions were divided; the commission decided to postpone a decision.
  • There was consensus to remove the commissioner as a voting member from the Community Development Board, move recreation from the Sustainability Board to Urban Parks and Forestry, and consider placing public art and beautification under Economic Vitality with a different staff liaison.
• Kagy Boulevard Construction Update (Presented by Nick Ross):
  • The project, funded partly by a $25 million federal grant, will be delivered via design-build by CK May and DJ. Construction is expected to be substantially completed in one year (by end of 2027), with a three-month closure of Kagy between 11th and 7th during summer 2027. Pedestrian tunnels will be built at 11th and 7th, and a detour will use South 19th, Graf, and South 3rd.
• Transportation Master Plan 2027 – Community Engagement Plan (Presented by Emiliano Esparza):
  • The plan will update the 2017 Transportation Master Plan, with public engagement starting at the "consult" level. The commission encouraged including a presentation to the Inter-Neighborhood Council and considering more visionary elements.
• Green Power Program Lead Community Agreement (Presented by Natalie Meyer and Charlie Lane):
  • The agreement with Northwestern Energy allows voluntary purchase of power from a new Montana renewable energy facility (up to 50 MW) by commercial and institutional customers. The city's municipal load commitment would be approximately 2.5 MW (for a wind facility) or more if other subscribers join. The tariff will be filed with the Public Service Commission by September 15, 2026. The city is not yet committed to a subscription; the cost of the RFP will be borne by the city if the project does not proceed.
• Ordinance Reorganization (Presented by City Manager Chuck Wynn):
  • The commission provisionally adopted an ordinance dissolving the Department of Strategic Services and creating a Department of Communication and Engagement to elevate that function.

Key Outcomes

• Votes (all 5-0):
  • Approved amendment to March 24 minutes.
  • Approved consent agenda (G1-G15) as amended.
  • Approved the community engagement plan for the 2027 Transportation Master Plan.
  • Authorized the city manager to sign the Green Power Program Lead Community Agreement with Northwestern Energy.
  • Provisionally adopted the ordinance to dissolve the Department of Strategic Services and create the Department of Communication and Engagement (final adoption scheduled for consent on the next agenda).
• Directives and Next Steps:
  • Staff will incorporate commission guidance on advisory board changes (structure, communication, autonomy) and return with proposed resolution amendments.
  • The city will make a presentation to the Inter-Neighborhood Council regarding the Transportation Master Plan.
  • The city manager will work with commission liaisons to clarify roles and improve coordination with advisory board staff liaisons.