Inter-Neighborhood Council Meeting - September 10, 2026: Robert's Rules Training and Updates
Inter-Neighborhood Council Meeting - September 10, 2026
The Inter-Neighborhood Council (INC) of Bozeman, Montana met on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. The meeting included a special training on Robert's Rules of Order, public comments on the urban forest management plan and a city charter amendment, and updates from the commission and city liaisons.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (August 13, 2026): The minutes were approved unanimously with no discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Marsha Caveney (BCAN/Bozeman Tree Coalition): Spoke in support of the urban forest management plan update, emphasizing that it is only updated every 10 years. She urged stronger tree protection ordinances, earlier involvement of the city forester in development, and hiring an urban ecologist. She noted that public comments are due by September 17, 2026, and directed attendees to comment via email or engage.bozeman.com.
- Carson Taylor (Chair, City Study Commission): Announced completion of the city charter amendment work, which includes a new Article 8 on public engagement. He requested INC members help disseminate flyers about the ballot issue (ballots mailed October 12, 2026) and asked to be placed on the October meeting agenda.
- Becky Franks (City Study Commission member): Provided additional details on the charter amendment, noting three sub-options that would only take effect if the amended charter passes. She encouraged INC members to invite presentations to neighborhood associations before ballots go out.
Discussion Items
- Robert's Rules Training (Dan Clark, Director, MSU Local Government Center): Conducted an interactive 20-minute session on parliamentary procedure. Topics included: use of points of order, calling the question (requires a two-thirds vote), the purpose of a second (to indicate at least one other person wants to discuss), motions in the affirmative, handling amendments (including amendments to amendments), and abstentions (only appropriate for legal conflicts of interest). He emphasized that parliamentary procedure is a tool to facilitate orderly meetings and that the chair may allow discussion before a motion to build consensus. He also noted the six criteria for a legal meeting under Montana law (quorum, notice, agenda, public comment, minutes, and proper authority). Handouts on meeting scripts and motion types were provided.
- Commission Liaison Update (Deputy Mayor Douglas Fischer): Highlighted upcoming city commission items:
- October 6, 2026: Work session on potential ballot issues for November 2027 (e.g., fourth fire station, affordable housing levy, second library, EMS, mental health response).
- September 22, 2026: Joint meeting with Belgrade.
- October 27, 2026: Revisions to advisory boards (transportation, community development, historic preservation, economic vitality).
- November 10, 2026: Fowler community housing work session.
- December 1, 2026: South Bozeman TIF bond decision.
- Bozeman Creek Vision Plan final adoption (end of year).
- Responded to questions about the UDC cleanup (technical, not rezoning neighborhoods), wetlands code changes (alignment with Army Corps process, no impact on in-field development), and requested ethics training for INC (commission agreed to arrange).
- City Liaison Update (Emily Kiely, Community Engagement Coordinator): Reported on the annual INC indoor reports (submitted; data given to commission). Key takeaways: desire for dedicated FTE for neighborhoods, better use of technology for communication, appreciation for coffee walks with commissioners, need for commission liaison to advocate more for INC, challenges in recruiting diverse members, and request for increased city financial support. Also announced the launch of the Civic Academy (seven sessions, Wednesdays 1-4 p.m., Oct 14 – Dec 9, 2026; applications due Sept 30, 2026, limited to 30 participants).
- Neighborhood Updates and Chair Selection: With the chair (Emily Mason) and vice chair (Jim Webster) unavailable for the October meeting, Beth Boyson was nominated and unanimously approved to chair the October 2026 meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes of August 13, 2026 approved unanimously.
- Beth Boyson approved as acting chair for the October 2026 meeting.
- The city commission will arrange ethics training for INC members.
- INC representatives will distribute flyers and invite city study commission speakers to neighborhood meetings regarding the charter amendment.
- The meeting adjourned at approximately 5:50 p.m., followed by an informal discussion with Mayor Joey Morrison and Deputy Mayor Douglas Fisher.
Meeting Transcript
Hey Jim, it's four thirty whenever you're ready. All right, we'll call the meeting to order. And the usual introduction here. Good afternoon, and thanks for joining us before we start the INC meeting. I'd like to remind folks of a couple of things to make it easier for you to follow along and make public comment. You can join us in real time in several different ways. First, by attending in person in the city commission room. Second, streaming live on your computer by going to the meetings video page at Bozeman MT.gov and clicking the view live event link. Third, you can watch the meeting on cable TV on channel one ninety. You can also join us through our video conference. Click the link to register, enter the required information, and click submit and join now to enter the meeting. You can also listen to audio only via the phone number listed on the agenda. If you are joining us online and are having connectivity issues, try exiting out of the meeting coming back in. If you continue to have issues, please remember you can access via the phone information or on cable channel one ninety. If you'd like to offer public comment, there are three ways you can do that. If you are attending the meeting in person, when public comment is called, please form an orderly line at the podium and wait your turn to comment. Second, if you are joining us through video conference, you can use the raise your hand feature at the bottom of the panel. Click that hand, and when it is your turn to comment, staff will call you by name. Please remember to go back in and click the hand when you have finished making your comment. Lastly, as always, you can email your public comment to comments at Bozeman.gov. And if your comment is received by noon the day of the meeting, your comment will be distributed prior to the meeting. Okay. There you go. Let's start with some introductions. Are there any board disclosures? Beth. My name is Beth Boyson. I'm disclosing that I'm married to a member of the legislature. I think any other disclosures. Are there any changes? No changes. No changes. Emily. Thank you. Um thing that I'll mention, and for those of you that may not know me, I am Jim Webster, Vice Chair for INC, and taking the meeting today for Emily Mason, Chair, who is not able to be here. So that's important just to give the public and the board a heads up on this item. And that really then should be the only change. And uh we will get into the approval of the minutes from August 13th. Anyone want to make a motion or have a question, comment about those minutes? Thank you. Is there any public comment in the room on the motion to approve the minutes? Stephanie, is there any public comment on online? Nothing online. Okay. Any discussion? All in favor. I'm all opposed. Okay. Motion passes. Okay, now public comments on non-agenda items falling within the purview and jurisdiction of the board.
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