OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Bozeman City Study Commission Meeting – July 30, 2026

City Commission — Thursday, July 30, 2026
BodyBozeman, Montana
SessionCity Commission
DateThursday, July 30, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:57:27
Transcript — Verbatim
0:20

I'm going to uh Rocky Water on the 17th.

0:25

I think I'm going to have the same response.

0:33

I'll call to order the Bozeman City Study Commission meeting of July 30th, 2026 at four o'clock p.m.

0:44

If you're able, please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and we'll follow up with a moment of silence at which time you may be seated if you wish.

0:55

I pledge to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which is one nation.

1:33

Thank you.

1:37

Next item on the agenda is changes to the agenda.

1:41

Does anyone have any changes to the agenda?

1:45

Seeing none next is public comment on anything within the jurisdiction of the study commission.

1:51

We will have opportunity for public comment throughout the meeting.

2:00

If you have anything that you want to say to us that doesn't somehow fit into the rest of the agenda, please step forward.

2:08

Or if you want to speak to us now about things that are on the agenda and then go home and have a good dinner or go to music on main.

2:17

Anything anything goes.

2:24

See none.

2:25

Caleb, anybody online?

2:27

Not right now.

2:28

All right.

2:29

Next item on the agenda is correspondence or study commission update.

2:34

Anybody want to skip our minutes?

2:37

Barbara, I'm gonna let you um you skipped our minutes.

2:41

Pardon me.

2:43

The consent.

2:45

Oh, the consent agenda.

2:48

How did I skip over that?

2:52

Carson, I'd like to make a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented.

2:57

Wait a minute.

2:58

That's not on my agenda.

3:00

That's right.

3:02

Public comment.

3:04

Ah, I see what I did.

3:08

This is why my political career is limited.

3:12

It's a team sport.

3:13

It's a team sport.

3:15

Thank you very much.

3:16

Let's go to the consent agenda.

3:19

So I made a motion.

3:21

I'll second it.

3:24

Motion's been moved and seconded.

3:26

Is there any public comment on the consent agenda?

3:30

Seeing none, all those in favor, so indicate by saying aye.

3:33

Aye.

3:34

Aye.

3:34

Opposed?

3:35

None.

3:36

The motion carries unanimously.

3:38

Okay.

3:40

Now we will do a correspondence or study commission update.

3:45

Um Mike has one.

3:48

Barb, do you want to go first?

3:50

Sure.

3:51

Um Becky and I made our presentation to the Valley West Neighborhood Association.

3:58

It got very compressed at the end due to a big thunderstorm that moved through while we were in the um pavilion.

4:06

Unfortunately, I did not get electrocuted because I was holding the microphone at the time.

4:12

But we got through it.

4:13

Um people were interested, they were engaged.

4:16

Shockingly, they seemed to follow it and understand.

4:20

Um I think having done the presentation once um without benefit of actually having PowerPoint slides.

4:26

We have some, or I at least have some feedback that I haven't had a chance to type up and send to Dane Gelp yet, but um I will do that over the weekend.

4:36

Um so but it was good.

4:39

People were engaged, they had a great turnout.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Charter Revision█████████████████████████████████████████████51%
Public Engagement████████████████████████27%
Procedural████████9%
Election Procedures█████6%
Community Engagement████4%
Racial Equity█1%
Parks and Recreation█1%
Education█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Bozeman City Study Commission Meeting – July 30, 2026

The Bozeman City Study Commission held a three-hour meeting on Thursday, July 30, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:02 p.m., continuing its review of the 2026 Tentative Report and receiving a ballot education engagement timeline from its consultants. The meeting included detailed edits to ballot language and approval of a treasurer for an incidental committee to manage public education efforts.

Consent Calendar

  • The Commission unanimously approved the meeting minutes from July 23, 2026.

Correspondence & Study Commission Update

  • Commissioner Barb reported on a July 27 presentation to the Valley West Neighborhood Association, which was well-received despite being cut short by a thunderstorm.
  • Ex Officio Mike Maas provided updates on ballot logistics: the Gallatin County elections administrator confirmed there are 27 precincts within city limits, and each precinct will require a different ballot layout due to randomized sub-option order. Mr. Maas recommended listing the "current" option first in sub-options. He also noted that the city's ballot may trigger a third page if county, school, and other questions are added, affecting cost sharing with Monfortin.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • City Attorney Greg Sullivan addressed a public comment question regarding the use of the word "recommend" in the report. He stated that since the ballot measure has not yet been adopted, it is permissible to use "recommend" in the report. Once placed on the ballot, public resources cannot be used to support or oppose the measure, but factual statements about the commission's recommendation remain allowed.

Discussion Items

  • Unfinished Business – Review of 2026 Tentative Report: The Commission spent the majority of the meeting editing the report and ballot language. Key changes included:
    • Revised sub-option titles to improve clarity: "Size of the Commission" instead of "Composition", "Residency Requirements of Commissioners", and "Method of Electing City Commissioners if the Ward System is Approved".
    • Adjusted the wording of sub-options to separate the concepts of wards and election method.
    • Added a finding about geographic centralization of commissioners and linked it to compensation.
    • Corrected language in the charter regarding vacancies and mayoral succession.
    • Noted that a minority report may be submitted by September 6 if needed, but no commissioner committed to one.
  • New Business – Ballot Education Engagement Timeline: Consultants Nevin, Aaron, Audrey, and Tor presented a draft presentation, talking points/FAQs, and an engagement timeline. They advocated for a distinct brand separate from the city logo to maintain neutrality in education. The Commission discussed:
    • The need for printed materials (flyers, postcards) with QR codes to the website.
    • Staffing events: Commissioners will sign up for tabling slots; consultants will fill gaps.
    • Upcoming events: Sweet Pea Festival (Aug 7-8), SLAM, Farmers Market, downtown car show, and library tabling.
    • The website will be updated with new branding and content, archiving old materials.
  • Appointment of Treasurer: Mike Maas was unanimously appointed as treasurer of the incidental committee to manage campaign finance reporting, effective immediately.

Key Outcomes

  • The Commission reached consensus on ballot language edits; Becky and Barb will incorporate all changes and circulate a clean draft by Saturday morning, August 1. Final edits must be submitted by Sunday, August 2 at 5:00 p.m. to be included in the August 6 agenda.
  • The final report will be adopted and signed at the next meeting on August 6, 2026.
  • Mike Maas will file the necessary paperwork with the Commissioner of Political Practices and act as treasurer.
  • Consultants will provide view-only access to the engagement spreadsheet and begin securing booth space and printing materials for Sweet Pea and SLAM.
  • Commissioners were asked to sign up for tabling shifts via email to Nevin.

Meeting Transcript

I'm going to uh Rocky Water on the 17th. I think I'm going to have the same response. I'll call to order the Bozeman City Study Commission meeting of July 30th, 2026 at four o'clock p.m. If you're able, please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and we'll follow up with a moment of silence at which time you may be seated if you wish. I pledge to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which is one nation. Thank you. Next item on the agenda is changes to the agenda. Does anyone have any changes to the agenda? Seeing none next is public comment on anything within the jurisdiction of the study commission. We will have opportunity for public comment throughout the meeting. If you have anything that you want to say to us that doesn't somehow fit into the rest of the agenda, please step forward. Or if you want to speak to us now about things that are on the agenda and then go home and have a good dinner or go to music on main. Anything anything goes. See none. Caleb, anybody online? Not right now. All right. Next item on the agenda is correspondence or study commission update. Anybody want to skip our minutes? Barbara, I'm gonna let you um you skipped our minutes. Pardon me. The consent. Oh, the consent agenda. How did I skip over that? Carson, I'd like to make a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. Wait a minute. That's not on my agenda. That's right. Public comment. Ah, I see what I did. This is why my political career is limited. It's a team sport. It's a team sport. Thank you very much. Let's go to the consent agenda. So I made a motion. I'll second it. Motion's been moved and seconded. Is there any public comment on the consent agenda? Seeing none, all those in favor, so indicate by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed? None. The motion carries unanimously. Okay. Now we will do a correspondence or study commission update. Um Mike has one. Barb, do you want to go first? Sure.

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