Butte-Silver Bow Study Commission Meeting - August 25, 2025

The Butte-Silver Bow Study Commission met on August 25, 2025, to receive public comment, hear a presentation on the council-manager form of government, review feedback from recent public open houses, and discuss rural representation and future outreach. No formal votes on charter changes were taken, but minutes from previous meetings were approved with corrections.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes (July 28 and August 4): The commission unanimously approved the minutes with two corrections: Commissioner Casey requested adding the reason for no minutes for July 14 (meeting was not held), and Commissioner Shaw submitted a list of typos to be fixed.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Bon Banderob (2601 Grand Avenue) referenced a conversation at the Melrose listening session between a resident and Commissioner Callahan. He asked the commission to consider whether six commissioner districts should be created—three from the city and three from the county—to equalize representation.
• Written comment from Ken Neighbor offered several recommendations based on the open house at Butte Brewing. The commission agreed to copy and post the comment online.

Presentation: Council-Manager Form of Government

• Debbie Todd, a former Bartlesville, Oklahoma city council member (population ~38,000), shared her firsthand experience. She advocated for a council-manager form, arguing it prevents concentrating power in a single elected executive and clearly delineates responsibilities: the council sets policy, the appointed manager handles daily operations and personnel. She noted that Bartlesville's council elected a mayor from among themselves, who casts a vote equal to other members and breaks ties. Disadvantages she identified were few, though she acknowledged that city managers may view the role as a stepping stone. She emphasized the importance of hiring a manager who prioritizes community needs.
  • Commissioner Thielen asked for confirmation that she believes a manager form is better than an elected chief executive; Ms. Todd affirmed.
  • Commissioner Shaw asked about managers using the position as a stepping stone; Ms. Todd said some do, but good managers often stay until retirement.
  • Questions were also asked about ward-based elections, wage concerns, and the hiring/firing process.

Discussion Items

• Open House Feedback: Commissioners shared observations from the two listening sessions:
  • Melrose: Residents expressed dissatisfaction with services (road maintenance, law enforcement) relative to taxes. Many asked about separating city and county government, though one resident reported positive service response. Others offered solutions like contracting with a local plow operator or assigning an officer living in Divide.
  • Butte Brewing: Attendees focused on the executive branch form of government, commissioners, neighborhood councils, and the fire issue. Commissioners noted that the structured introduction and roundtable format worked well for one-on-one conversations.
  • Commissioner Callahan clarified that his earlier comment at Melrose—that separation from city-country government could not happen—was based on a discussion with Dan Clark, not his own opinion. He supports looking at all options.
  • Commissioner Dennehy opposed separation of city and county, calling it too expensive and implausible, but supported improving rural representation.
  • Commissioner Steffen called for data on rural population growth and tax revenue to inform representation discussions.
• Future Outreach:
  • The commission discussed expanding the survey via county employee email lists and large private employers. Ms. Conn reported that survey compilation is being handled by Shanna.
  • Two concurrent events on Thursday, August 28: an open house at the EOC and a tailgate at Montana Tech. Commissioners assigned themselves: Ms. Conn will attend the tailgate to distribute postcards; others will split. Commissioner Steffen noted a QR code for the survey will be shown on the Jumbotron, but he cannot participate as a commissioner that evening.
  • Party Line radio appearances were discussed for August 27 (Commissioners Silk and Thielen) and the last Wednesday of each month.
  • An op-ed summarizing public feedback to date is planned after the next round of meetings.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes approved with corrections (Casey's reason and Shaw's typos).
• Total spending on open houses: $1,763 (rentals, refreshments, printing, advertising).
• Research assignment: Ms. Conn will gather data on population, tax rates, and growth rates to support rural representation discussions.
• Legal question raised: Commissioner Dennehy asked whether the commission would draft separate charter changes or pose a general form-of-government question for a vote. The commission noted that charter amendments go to voters, and if a form change is approved, the commission must stay on for 90 days to write a transition plan. Clarification will be sought from Sean Peterson (legal counsel) or the Anaconda Study Commission.
• Next meeting: September 8, 2025, 6:00 p.m. The commission hopes to host representatives from the Anaconda-Deer Lodge Study Commission.