Study Commission Meeting - July 28, 2025: Probation Update, Public Outreach, and Fire Department Structure
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Study Commission Meeting: July 28, 2025
Note: The raw transcript indicates the meeting was called to order on July 20, 2025, but the provided timestamp is July 28, 2025. The following summary uses the July 28 date as instructed.
The Butte-Silver Bow Study Commission met to hear from misdemeanor probation officers, discuss public outreach strategies, review draft materials, debate the structure of fire services, and set dates for open houses and a formal public hearing.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Edward Banderob submitted two emails read into the record. The first criticized the council and CEO for refusing to act on unanimous requests and failing to implement charter duties for 20 years, suggested six districts with alternating election cycles, and proposed an at-large council chair. The second recommended interactive listening sessions at volunteer fire halls, using campaign-style signs for promotion, and evening meeting times (7 p.m.) to boost attendance.
Discussion Items
- Misdemeanor Probation Department Update: Officers Mike and Rachel presented on the department’s history (started 2010), current workload (40–50 clients per officer, ~100 total), and community service (700–750 hours last year). They highlighted challenges: mental health resource shortages, lack of transportation for clients, inadequate equipment for winter work, and the need for independence from city court to avoid perceived bias. Commissioner Thielen inquired about a third officer—both agreed it would help. County Attorney Enruth explained that the office should be an independent department, not under city court, and that this change would likely require an ordinance amendment rather than charter revision. Commissioners discussed the distinction between felony probation (state-funded) and misdemeanor probation (county-funded) and the vehicle boot program’s connection to traffic convictions.
- Public Outreach Planning: Shanna Adams presented a draft flyer and survey. Commissioners requested changes: remove the “other cities” table for readability, increase text size, change “career and rural fire departments” to “paid fire department and volunteer fire departments,” and replace the directional graphic with a courthouse photo. The flyer will focus on “what is a charter” and include dates. The survey will be electronic with QR codes for open houses. Deadline for commissioner comments on the survey is July 30 to have it ready by August 7.
- Open House Format and Fire Department Station: The commission debated whether to have a dedicated station on fire department structure and who should staff it. Commissioner Silk (a career firefighter) offered to be at the station but faced conflict-of-interest concerns. Commissioner Dolan and others argued perception could undermine trust, suggesting two knowledgeable individuals (one from paid, one from volunteer) instead. County Attorney Enruth detailed the legal complexities: charter language must specify fire department structure, and dissolving volunteer districts within city limits could remove career firefighter response in those areas. The commission agreed to keep the fire topic general, using bullet points (e.g., “How do you want fire services structured?”) and to allow public to speak freely without pre-determined positions. Anaconda-Deer Lodge’s model (fire department outside charter) will be explored in a future meeting.
- Scheduling: Open house dates set: August 7 (Melrose), August 12 (Butte) – both 5:30–7:30 p.m. Work session on August 18 to review initial feedback. Additional open houses: August 26 (EOC), and two in September (dates TBD to accommodate absent commissioners). Formal public hearing moved from August 25 to September 22 to allow more listening sessions. The draft report deadline remains November, but firm ballot deadline is July 2026.
Key Outcomes
- The commission reached consensus that the misdemeanor probation office should become an independent department (not under city court). The change will be pursued via ordinance; commissioners will submit charter-related questions to County Attorney Enruth.
- Public outreach materials (flyer, survey) will be finalized by early August. Open houses will adopt a station-based format with flexible staffing; commissioners will mingle rather than man fixed stations. The fire department station will not have a designated commissioner advocate; instead, general discussion will be encouraged.
- A future study commission meeting will feature representatives from Anaconda-Deer Lodge to discuss their fire department structure.
- All open house dates are posted on the county website and will be advertised via flyers, social media, radio, and email lists (e.g., BLDC, Chamber).
- The meeting adjourned.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, I'll call the July twentieth, twenty twenty-five meeting to order. And uh we don't have Kim Cohn here tonight to do our roll call, but if we could um please just go around and say your name and that you are here for the record. We'll start with you, Ms. Casey. Lori Casey. Cindy Purdue Dolan. Thank you. Um, Ms. Shaw and um Mr. Seppin are excused for tonight. So if we can have our Pledge of Allegiance and prayer States of America and for which it stands. Thank you, Kido. All right, well, thanks for having us first. My name is Mike, and this is Rachel. We are both misdemeanor probation officers. Um, we'll just kind of give you a little rundown of what we do. So misdemeanor probation for the youth silver bow was started in 2010. Um at the time it was placed under city court, and it started with one whole officer. So and it continued that way until what 2023? 2023. So then that's when Rachel joined. I started in 2019, Rachel in 2023. Um, so just the basics of probation. It's just a form of community supervision. Uh it's typically ordered by a judge at the time of sentencing is an alternative to incarceration, just keep people out of jails. Everybody knows how overcrowded it is. Um probation, it's designed to promote public safety while providing the probationer with an opportunity for rehabilitation. It's also intended to serve as a meaningful punishment that deters criminal behavior and to achieve cost savings, as I said in comparison to keeping people locked up. Um probationer is typically required to report to either myself or Rachel on a regular basis. Uh there's certain conditions, um, rules that they have to follow. So just an example, some are abstaining from alcohol and drug use. Uh they gotta obey all local, state, and federal laws, um, any kind of counseling that's court ordered. Um, examples are like domestic violence counseling, um, any kind of chemical dependency treatment, just things of that nature. Um, then we also supervise making sure people uh if they're ordered restitution for theft charges, uh criminal mischief charges, vandalism, stuff like that, so that way they pay, make whoever the victim is whole again. Um and a big part of it is community uh service. So a lot of times people instead of getting jail sanctions or sentenced to custody, they're released to us and they have to complete community service. So it's a way of giving back to the community. Um Rachel will kind of get into that a little bit more. Um we average probably 40 to 50 um per officer, so we're close to about 100 total people on probation, and that number's just going up. It's not slowing down. Um we also supervise the participants in the DUI court and the veterans treatment courts. Um another thing we do, you might have seen them around town is we place vehicle boots on cars, the vehicle mobilization devices. So that's we oversee that program as well. Um community service, Rachel tell you about that. So with the community service, we um oh I'm sorry. Hello. Okay, so with the community service, um, that was a main part of why my position was created. Um it provides alternative sentencings to reducing jail overcrowding and alternative alternatives for those who are indigent and cannot afford, have the ability to pay the fines. Um we've done a lot of um cleanups in neighborhoods, alleys, um, basically anywhere with outside services that need help. We've done the highway cleanups, we've done a lot of parks, um, the food and clothing drives.
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