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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Butte Silver Bow Judiciary Committee Meeting - August 14, 2025

Council of Commissioners & Committees — Thursday, August 14, 2025

BodyButte Silver Bow, Montana

SessionCouncil of Commissioners & Committees

DateThursday, August 14, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 30:36

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

1:16

I will call the Judiciary Committee meeting for August 13th, 2025 to order.

1:22

Roll call.

1:23

It looks like Commissioner Shays, Commissioners Shay, Thatcher, Callahan, Healy, and Anderson are present.

1:30

Commissioner Mainkins is absent.

1:36

First item on tonight's agenda, communication number 2025-310.

1:41

Matt Enruth, Butte Silverbow County Attorney requesting Council of Commissioners authorization for the County Attorney's Office to draft a new ordinance regulating the sale and distribution of medical and recreational marijuana in Butte Silverbow County.

1:54

County Attorney Enroce.

2:14

Do any commissioners have any questions?

2:18

No.

2:18

I would entertain a motion.

2:20

I'll make a excuse me.

2:21

I'll make a motion to hold communication number 2025-310 in abeyance.

2:26

There's a motion and a second to hold communication number 2025-310 in abeyance.

2:31

Is there anything on the question?

2:34

All those in favor?

2:35

Aye.

2:36

Aye.

2:36

Opposed?

2:38

Motion passes.

2:43

Item number two, communication number 2025-353.

2:47

Lori Baker Patrick, Butte Suburbo Treasurer requesting council of commissioners direct the county attorney to prepare a council resolution to be read upon and passed August 20th, 2025, authorizing the approval of the tax deed public auction and the sale of certain parcels that have been tax deeded and owned by the city county of Butte Silverbow.

3:06

County Attorney Ann Ruth.

3:12

It will be on the agenda for next week.

3:40

Okay, that does make sense.

4:00

Okay, so the resolution is to authorize the sale, not to authorize to authorize the purchase, not to authorize the sale.

4:07

Correct.

4:07

Okay.

4:08

It's to finalize everything.

4:09

Okay.

4:09

Yes.

4:09

That makes that makes sense.

4:10

And it will be on uh this Friday will be on the agenda for next week.

4:14

Okay.

4:14

That's actually submitted.

4:16

So do so you recommend we hold.

4:18

Hold this in advance.

4:18

Okay, I would entertain a motion.

4:20

I'll make a motion to hold communication number 2025-353 in advance.

4:27

There is a motion in a second to hold communication number 2025-353 in abeyance.

4:33

Anything on the question.

4:37

Aye.

4:38

Opposed?

4:39

Motion passes.

4:41

Item number three, communication number 2025-374.

4:45

Trudy Healy, Commissioner District 8 requesting Council of Commissioners to look into concerns regarding urban camping on public streets and refer this matter to the Judiciary Committee and County Attorney Ann Ruth to develop an ordinance to address this matter.

4:58

Commissioner Healy.

5:00

I just wanted to make sure the primary goal is to create a safer and cleaner environment for all residents, allowing them to utilize parks and public spaces without fear or discomfort.

5:15

While this ordinance aims to regulate camping, it is not intended to criminalize homelessness.

5:23

The goal is to address specific issues like safety and hazards, sanitation concerns, and the impact on public spaces caused by uncontrolled camping.

5:34

And I just wanted to be clear on that.

5:37

Thank you very much.

5:49

Okay.

5:49

My name is Jamie Vanderlynd and I live at 2715 Moulton Street.

5:54

And I am here because I'm very thankful for all of you for serving the public.

5:59

Thank you very much for doing that.

6:01

And also I'm very proud to be from Butte, where we lead with kindness and being a social worker.

6:16

And I just wanted to point out also the housing crisis that we're in and how scary it is.

6:23

So I'm glad we're here addressing that today because people become unhoused for so many various reasons from intimate partner violence, child abuse, loss of a job, just so many things.

6:35

Aging out of foster care, and what tends to happen is when you live on the street in a camper, what have you, you're living in fight or flight constantly.

6:45

So it's hard to even say what comes first, mental health or homelessness, because we we don't know when you are living unhoused, you are living in a state where you're in danger constantly.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Homelessness█████████████████████████████████████████████59%

Mental Health Awareness███████████14%

Public Safety████████10%

Parks and Recreation█████7%

Procedural████5%

Cannabis Regulation████5%

Summary of Proceedings

Butte Silver Bow Judiciary Committee Meeting - August 14, 2025

Commissioners met on August 14, 2025, to consider three communications: (1) authorization to draft a marijuana ordinance, (2) authorization for a tax deed auction, and (3) concerns about urban camping. The first two items were held in abeyance, while the third sparked extensive public comment and deliberation.

Consent Calendar

Communication 2025-310 (County Attorney request to draft medical and recreational marijuana ordinance) was held in abeyance by unanimous vote.
Communication 2025-353 (Treasurer request to prepare a resolution for tax deed public auction) was held in abeyance by unanimous vote, with the resolution to be placed on the next week's agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

Jamie Vanderlynd (2715 Moulton Street) expressed gratitude for the commissioners' service and emphasized that homelessness arises from many causes (domestic violence, job loss, etc.). She cautioned against criminalizing homelessness and urged that any ordinance not concentrate people in unsafe conditions. She advocated for prevention and creative solutions such as providing bathrooms and laundry facilities, and stressed the importance of treating unhoused individuals with humanity.

Discussion Items

Commissioner Healy introduced Communication 2025-374, seeking to develop an ordinance addressing urban camping on public streets. She clarified that the goal is safety and cleanliness, not criminalizing homelessness, and cited complaints about encampments along Blacktail Creek where people use the creek as a toilet.
Commissioner Callahan argued that some homeless individuals refuse help and that the community must address those with serious drug, alcohol, and mental health problems. He warned against repeating past inaction.
Commissioner Thatcher expressed discomfort with labeling groups of homeless people and advocated for positive alternatives (e.g., mobile showers and laundry) and for enforcing existing laws with due process. She stated that most crimes are committed by housed individuals and reminded commissioners to be grateful for their own circumstances.
Commissioner Anderson argued that some homeless individuals deliberately disrupt society and should be separated from those seeking help. He shared examples from his hospital security work of individuals who repeatedly destroyed apartments. He asserted that the commission's duty is to protect the majority and that rights end when they harm others.
Commissioner Shea questioned how intent could be determined in enforcement, with Commissioner Anderson responding that repeated anti-social behavior and refusal of help indicate intent. The discussion also included exchanges about past efforts, with Commissioner Callahan recalling that earlier promises to use existing laws yielded no results.

Key Outcomes

Communication 2025-310: Held in abeyance.
Communication 2025-353: Held in abeyance; the resolution will appear on the August 20, 2025 agenda.
Communication 2025-374: After discussion, the committee referred the matter to the Judiciary Committee and County Attorney to draft an ordinance, as proposed by Commissioner Healy. The meeting was continued afterward for the Judiciary Committee.

Meeting Transcript

I will call the Judiciary Committee meeting for August 13th, 2025 to order. Roll call. It looks like Commissioner Shays, Commissioners Shay, Thatcher, Callahan, Healy, and Anderson are present. Commissioner Mainkins is absent. First item on tonight's agenda, communication number 2025-310. Matt Enruth, Butte Silverbow County Attorney requesting Council of Commissioners authorization for the County Attorney's Office to draft a new ordinance regulating the sale and distribution of medical and recreational marijuana in Butte Silverbow County. County Attorney Enroce. Do any commissioners have any questions? No. I would entertain a motion. I'll make a excuse me. I'll make a motion to hold communication number 2025-310 in abeyance. There's a motion and a second to hold communication number 2025-310 in abeyance. Is there anything on the question? All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion passes. Item number two, communication number 2025-353. Lori Baker Patrick, Butte Suburbo Treasurer requesting council of commissioners direct the county attorney to prepare a council resolution to be read upon and passed August 20th, 2025, authorizing the approval of the tax deed public auction and the sale of certain parcels that have been tax deeded and owned by the city county of Butte Silverbow. County Attorney Ann Ruth. It will be on the agenda for next week. Okay, that does make sense. Okay, so the resolution is to authorize the sale, not to authorize to authorize the purchase, not to authorize the sale. Correct. Okay. It's to finalize everything. Okay. Yes. That makes that makes sense. And it will be on uh this Friday will be on the agenda for next week. Okay. That's actually submitted. So do so you recommend we hold. Hold this in advance. Okay, I would entertain a motion. I'll make a motion to hold communication number 2025-353 in advance. There is a motion in a second to hold communication number 2025-353 in abeyance. Anything on the question. Aye. Opposed? Motion passes. Item number three, communication number 2025-374. Trudy Healy, Commissioner District 8 requesting Council of Commissioners to look into concerns regarding urban camping on public streets and refer this matter to the Judiciary Committee and County Attorney Ann Ruth to develop an ordinance to address this matter. Commissioner Healy. I just wanted to make sure the primary goal is to create a safer and cleaner environment for all residents, allowing them to utilize parks and public spaces without fear or discomfort. While this ordinance aims to regulate camping, it is not intended to criminalize homelessness. The goal is to address specific issues like safety and hazards, sanitation concerns, and the impact on public spaces caused by uncontrolled camping. And I just wanted to be clear on that.

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