Local Government Study Commission Meeting - November 18, 2025

The Local Government Study Commission convened on November 18, 2025, to review updates from working groups regarding the fire department, city manager, and neighborhood councils. Public commenters raised concerns about accessibility, the legal interpretation of public participation rights, and fiscal transparency. The commission discussed legal constraints regarding mandatory community councils, the complex ownership of fire department assets, and potential charter amendments. A new subcommittee was formed to further study neighborhood council frameworks.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes from the meeting held on November 10, 2025, by unanimous voice vote (all in favor).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ed Bandrab (Greeley Neighborhood Community Development Corporation and concerned citizens): Expressed strong opposition to a "hundred thousand dollar" top-down mandated community council program. Argued that councils must be built from the ground up, self-sustaining, and possess authority. Proposed a specific charter amendment structure involving a Greater Butte Silver Bow Community Council and district improvement councils. Offered to serve as an ex-official participant in future study subcommittees.
• Larry Winstall (Property owner, Greeley neighborhood): Expressed frustration regarding the lack of communication channels with current government officials, describing the experience as a "dead end" and "hopeless." Stated a need for neighborhood councils to serve as a direct communication bridge. Requested the commission to participate in a walking tour of the Greeley neighborhood to observe infrastructure issues firsthand.
• Matthew Van Drab (2601 Grand Avenue, Butte): Argued that the commission's current public comment procedures discourage public participation. Cited Montana Supreme Court rulings and proposed a streamlined process where public comment is solicited only at the beginning of the meeting and immediately prior to the final vote, with a motion required only for speakers wishing to comment after deliberation. Stated that allowing additional comments should not require a vote, serving as an indication of the commission's desire to hear from the public.
• Mitzu Rasillian (815 West Granite): Recommended that the commission obtain fiscal notes for major charter amendment proposals (e.g., city manager, mayor election, number of commissioners). Asserted that these notes should detail costs for contractors, executive salaries, and support staff (health insurance, holidays) to allow for accurate cost comparisons against the current system.

Discussion Items

Neighborhood Councils

• Cindy Perdu Dolan: Expressed reservations about the feasibility of the proposed community council model, citing concerns regarding the "bandwidth" of volunteers available to perform the work. Emphasized the complexity of the proposal compared to previous iterations.
• Mary (Commissioner): Stated the necessity of forming a formal subcommittee to draft a framework before the full body debates the issue. Opposed starting a debate without a structured foundation.
• Matt (Commissioner/Attorney): Argued that the current charter already 100% authorizes the formation of neighborhood councils via citizen communication. Expressed concern that mandating a specific council structure constitutes an unfunded mandate and potentially exceeds legal bounds by creating a sub-council with advisory authority that could subvert the elected council of commissioners. Asserted that the issue is not the lack of authority but the lack of citizen initiative to exercise existing rights.
• Ed Bandrab: Contended that the 2014 procedure for recognizing the Greeley Neighborhood Community Development Corporation was a specific request the city ignored. Clarified that the proposed model does not cost tax money, does not enforce codes, and seeks only to recommend actions and gain official recognition. Rebutted the claim that citizens cannot communicate, noting the group's own successful coordination.
• Chad (Commissioner): Volunteered to join the new neighborhood council working group. Advocated for fact-finding on how other communities structure neighborhood councils. Expressed a preference for language that allows the council of commissioners to authorize councils via ordinance rather than specific charter mandates, to allow flexibility over time.

Fire Department Working Group

• Ben (Commissioner) & Cindy: Reported that the working group is organizing to meet with Chief Executive Anakin Steppen upon his return. Noted that the career firefighters union and a volunteer subcommittee have reached out to offer support.
• Matt (Commissioner): Addressed legal questions regarding the removal of the volunteer fire department from the charter:
  • Confirmed no state law limits the number of fire districts.
  • Cited the City of Ekalaca vs. Ekalaca Volunteer Fire Department (2021) Supreme Court ruling, noting that where entities are commingled, the city is deemed the owner. Observed that the attorney opposing the removal in this case previously argued similarly in Ekalaca and lost.
  • Addressed double taxation: Asserted it is not double taxation if volunteers remove themselves from the charter and levy their own special mills, as county taxation would continue for general services while volunteer districts tax for specific services.
  • Highlighted potential disputes over equipment and building ownership, noting many assets are titled to the county while others are volunteer-owned or purchased via grants/tax dollars.
  • Commissioner Dolan: Emphasized the need to resolve asset insurance and ownership issues, noting many deeds date back to the 1930s while others are modern.
  • Commissioner Shaw: Discussed the "urban boundary" and suggested using it in the charter for fire districts to ensure updates with census data and growth, rather than fixing specific metes-and-bounds language. Confirmed the current district map is up-to-date and expansion is possible under state statute.

Key Outcomes

• Agreement to Form Working Group: The commission established a working group for neighborhood councils consisting of Chairman Danahe, Chad, and Mary to fact-find and draft recommendations.
• Fire Department Study: The commission requested the list of fire department equipment and ownership details from Director Zach Osborne (to be provided to the subcommittee).
• Meeting Schedule:
  • Next Party Line: November 26, 2025.
  • Next Study Commission Meeting: December 1, 2025 (agenda includes coroner's office and superfund coordinator positions).
  • No meeting scheduled for the Monday prior to Thanksgiving.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned by unanimous motion. No public hearing was scheduled. No votes were taken on binding resolutions during this session; all items remain in the deliberative phase pending working group reports.

Note: There is a discrepancy regarding the date of the meeting. The transcript opens with the chair stating the order is for "November 17, 2025," but the user-provided system timestamp and the context of the meeting date (e.g., the next meeting being December 1, one week later) indicate the session is occurring on November 18, 2025. The summary reflects the actual session date of November 18 as per the prompt's metadata.