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Record of Proceedings

Butte Silver Bow Study Commission Meeting Summary - March 9, 2026

Council of Commissioners & Committees — Monday, March 9, 2026

BodyButte Silver Bow, Montana

SessionCouncil of Commissioners & Committees

DateMonday, March 9, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:25:57

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

2:00

I'd like to call the March 9th study commission meeting to order.

2:05

If we can please have a roll call, have uh Lori Casey, Cindy Purdue Dolan's excused, Ben Thielen, Matt Stepin, Raylan Brandle, Dan Denehy, Chad Silk, Cindy Shaw, and Mary McCormick.

2:18

If we can have our Pledge of Allegiance in prayer.

3:16

Okay.

3:24

Um emails.

3:28

And then public comment on anything not on the agenda, also nobody in the audience tonight.

3:33

So can I have an approval of the minutes of meeting held February 23rd?

3:37

We had a set of revised minutes that came out from Shanna.

3:40

Um, and we have the original minutes.

3:42

So if I can have an approved uh minutes from February 23rd.

3:51

Thank you, Madam Chair.

3:52

This is really difficult, but there's some things that are in the uh revised minutes, I think that maybe Shanna just took it like in the past where it was just done word for word.

4:03

And I just have I struggle with some of the things that are that were in there.

4:08

So I'm not sure how to address that uh with this body, but maybe you put it out to discussion.

4:15

Madam Chair.

4:16

So there's the amended minutes of February twenty-third.

4:21

And then there was the minutes that were provided to us by Shanna that weren't a minute were the originals.

4:28

Original minutes, which didn't have some of the uh comments and some of the uh corrections or additions to it.

4:35

Um I would say that I would rather approve the minutes that are not amended.

4:45

Um just because I think you have the opportunities to do that, but I think you get into a slippery slope where you know you might not know what the minutes are, or you want something to add it on after the fact.

5:00

Um just because I think you have the opportunities to do that, but I think you get into a slippery slope where you know you might not know what the minutes are, or you want something to add it on after the fact, and I think last week when Commissioner Purdue Dolan brought it up, no one knew what was in her mind, and then she sent the the um the additions, the amendments to Shanna for conclusion, and I don't I I don't think it adds to our debate, it doesn't take away from the debate, it's just some sort of I guess editorial comments and from my perspective.

5:25

I don't think we need those.

5:27

I think uh those people who are involved in that committee meeting in that that meeting itself knew what the discussion was, but I don't think it has to be approved and and made uh part of our record.

5:39

So I would say that in my mind I would rather have the non-amended minutes approved versus the amended uh approved just because if I don't like what happens here tonight, I want to go back and say, Shannon, could you look at the verbatim transcript?

5:58

And I want to add something to that, and I just don't think uh hindsight's 2020 in in this case, so I would rather have the non-amended uh minutes approved.

6:10

Are there other comments or discussion in relation?

6:13

Ms.

6:13

Casey.

6:14

Thank you, madam chair.

6:16

I would agree with both Cindy and Dan.

6:18

I don't think the addition of what's in the minutes.

6:21

The minutes are supposed to be a summary of what transpired, and I don't think what's been amended is germane to what we are doing here.

6:29

It doesn't affect any decisions that we made or did not make during that period.

6:35

And so I I would recommend not approving the amended amendments also or be in favor of that.

6:42

Uh it is a permanent record because YouTube's a permanent record of what happened, but I just don't think as a summary of going back to look at minutes of what we need to do, or if somebody wanted to see what transpired.

6:55

I don't think the addition is germane to what we are doing.

7:00

Okay.

7:01

Is there any other discussion regarding the amended minutes?

7:07

Okay, Ms.

7:09

McCormick.

7:10

I guess I would just like to say, you know what Cindy and Dan and Lori have referred to as the minutes being summary of um discussions, is certainly comparable to what happens at a regular council of commissioner meetings.

7:30

You know, those are very long meetings, and there's always lots of discussions, but um I think the council secretary takes great care to summarize, you know, um really what the key points are and what the motions are and what the findings are.

7:48

So I agree with that um Dan's motion that we approve the original minutes.

7:57

I I don't think we have the motion yet, but we can definitely is there I want to make sure there's other discussion or room for other discussion all right.

8:07

Did you want to make a motion, Mr.

8:08

Denny?

8:11

Chair Mike Madam Chair, I would like to make a motion that the original minutes of February 23rd, 2026 be included as approved in the amended not approved.

8:30

Second.

8:30

Okay, I have a motion from Denny He and a second from Shaw, and I will take my roll call vote.

8:36

Ms.

8:36

Casey, Mr.

8:39

Thielen, if they want to look at it, I suppose they can go to YouTube, but I think we're here to do a service to the constituents and the public silver bow and fighting over shit like this is exactly that.

8:59

It's bullshit.

9:00

So I'm not gonna vote.

9:02

Mr.

9:02

Thielen, you can vote no.

9:05

You know, you don't have to abstain from the vote, you can vote no.

9:10

Okay, Mr.

9:11

Steppen.

9:13

Aye.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Procedural███████████████████████████████████35%

Government Structure████████████████████████████28%

Fire Services███████████████████████23%

Community Engagement███████████11%

Budget Equity Analysis███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Butte Silver Bow Study Commission Meeting Summary - March 9, 2026

The Butte Silver Bow Study Commission met on March 9, 2026, at 5:00 PM. The meeting covered approval of prior meeting minutes, clarification of a vote from December 29, 2025, adoption of a community outreach schedule and budget, and a work session on the preliminary report.

Approval of Minutes

February 23, 2026 Minutes: A dispute arose over amended minutes submitted by the recording secretary. Commissioners Cindy Shaw, Dan Denehy, Lori Casey, and Mary McCormick argued that the original minutes (without amendments) should be approved, stating that minutes are a summary and amendments were not germane. Commissioner Ben Thielen declined to vote, expressing frustration. Motion passed 6-0-1 (6 ayes: Casey, Steppen, Denehy, Silk, Shaw, McCormick; 1 abstention: Thielen) to approve the original minutes and reject the amended version.
March 2, 2026 Minutes: Approved unanimously on a motion by Casey, seconded by Denehy, with no discussion.

Unfinished Business

Clarification of December 29, 2025 Vote: Chair reported that Commissioner Thielen had stated he did not vote for the motion favoring four commissioners and a mayor, but review of the YouTube recording showed he voted in the affirmative. Thielen acknowledged he may have voted in error at the time, but stated he now believes three commissioners are sufficient. He expressed irritation at being questioned on past votes. Chair reiterated that preliminary report decisions are not final and can change based on public input.

Community Outreach Plan and Budget Authorization

Schedule: Ms. Adams proposed listening sessions on April 14 (Melrose), April 15 (Northwestern Energy, 12-1 PM), April 21 (Ramsey, 5:30 PM), and April 23 (Butte Brewing, 5:30 PM). Format: 20-30 minute presentation followed by poster board voting with dot stickers and comment cards. Commissioners agreed to the schedule.
Direct Mailing & Advertising: Ms. Adams requested authorization for up to $9,000, including $7,301 for 17,000 postcards, $800 for an eighth-page ad over 4 weeks, and $1,000 in printing costs. Commissioners supported the outreach as a way to ensure broad county input. Motion by Thielen, seconded by Shaw, passed unanimously (with Casey, Steppen, Denehy, Silk, Shaw, McCormick in favor; Thielen as mover).

Preliminary Report Work Session

General Comments: Commissioners provided feedback on the draft report. Key topics included:
- Neighborhood Councils: Commissioner Shaw and others emphasized the grassroots, ground-up approach should be preserved. The report language was adjusted to state that the Council of Commissioners will establish policies and procedures via ordinance, and shall approve councils that meet those guidelines.
- Fire Services: Commissioner Denehy noted that background sections should clarify that Melrose and Divide have their own fire districts funded separately, and that Walkerville is a separate municipality. Discussion centered on two options: (1) removing volunteer fire departments from the charter entirely, leaving them autonomous with their own taxing districts; or (2) keeping volunteers under the fire chief with charter changes such as a volunteer coordinator. Commissioners agreed that if option one is chosen, the volunteers cannot be required to participate in the fire advisory council, but collaboration could continue via MOU or ordinance.
- Transition Period: Several commissioners noted the need to inform the public that a transition period will occur after the election, as elected officials will serve out their terms. The county attorney will be consulted on legal requirements and timeline.
- Charter Amendment Presentation: Commissioners discussed how to present proposed charter changes – either as a side-by-side table or a section-by-section summary highlighting only changes. A table approach was favored for clarity.
Task Assignments:
- Commissioner Steppen: finalize charter language for fire options.
- Commissioner Casey: create a table of sections changed vs. unchanged.
- Chair: write the summary and conclusions section.
- Commissioner McCormick: complete fire services option descriptions.
- All edits to be submitted by Friday for review at the next meeting.

Key Outcomes

Approved original minutes of February 23, 2026 (6-0-1).
Approved minutes of March 2, 2026 unanimously.
Adopted community outreach schedule and authorized up to $9,000 for mailing and advertising.
Commissioners committed to completing draft charter language and report revisions before the next meeting, with a target to release the preliminary report to the public by March 30, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

I'd like to call the March 9th study commission meeting to order. If we can please have a roll call, have uh Lori Casey, Cindy Purdue Dolan's excused, Ben Thielen, Matt Stepin, Raylan Brandle, Dan Denehy, Chad Silk, Cindy Shaw, and Mary McCormick. If we can have our Pledge of Allegiance in prayer. Okay. Um emails. And then public comment on anything not on the agenda, also nobody in the audience tonight. So can I have an approval of the minutes of meeting held February 23rd? We had a set of revised minutes that came out from Shanna. Um, and we have the original minutes. So if I can have an approved uh minutes from February 23rd. Thank you, Madam Chair. This is really difficult, but there's some things that are in the uh revised minutes, I think that maybe Shanna just took it like in the past where it was just done word for word. And I just have I struggle with some of the things that are that were in there. So I'm not sure how to address that uh with this body, but maybe you put it out to discussion. Madam Chair. So there's the amended minutes of February twenty-third. And then there was the minutes that were provided to us by Shanna that weren't a minute were the originals. Original minutes, which didn't have some of the uh comments and some of the uh corrections or additions to it. Um I would say that I would rather approve the minutes that are not amended. Um just because I think you have the opportunities to do that, but I think you get into a slippery slope where you know you might not know what the minutes are, or you want something to add it on after the fact. Um just because I think you have the opportunities to do that, but I think you get into a slippery slope where you know you might not know what the minutes are, or you want something to add it on after the fact, and I think last week when Commissioner Purdue Dolan brought it up, no one knew what was in her mind, and then she sent the the um the additions, the amendments to Shanna for conclusion, and I don't I I don't think it adds to our debate, it doesn't take away from the debate, it's just some sort of I guess editorial comments and from my perspective. I don't think we need those. I think uh those people who are involved in that committee meeting in that that meeting itself knew what the discussion was, but I don't think it has to be approved and and made uh part of our record. So I would say that in my mind I would rather have the non-amended minutes approved versus the amended uh approved just because if I don't like what happens here tonight, I want to go back and say, Shannon, could you look at the verbatim transcript? And I want to add something to that, and I just don't think uh hindsight's 2020 in in this case, so I would rather have the non-amended uh minutes approved. Are there other comments or discussion in relation? Ms. Casey. Thank you, madam chair. I would agree with both Cindy and Dan. I don't think the addition of what's in the minutes. The minutes are supposed to be a summary of what transpired, and I don't think what's been amended is germane to what we are doing here. It doesn't affect any decisions that we made or did not make during that period. And so I I would recommend not approving the amended amendments also or be in favor of that. Uh it is a permanent record because YouTube's a permanent record of what happened, but I just don't think as a summary of going back to look at minutes of what we need to do, or if somebody wanted to see what transpired. I don't think the addition is germane to what we are doing. Okay. Is there any other discussion regarding the amended minutes? Okay, Ms. McCormick. I guess I would just like to say, you know what Cindy and Dan and Lori have referred to as the minutes being summary of um discussions, is certainly comparable to what happens at a regular council of commissioner meetings. You know, those are very long meetings, and there's always lots of discussions, but um I think the council secretary takes great care to summarize, you know, um really what the key points are and what the motions are and what the findings are. So I agree with that um Dan's motion that we approve the original minutes. I I don't think we have the motion yet, but we can definitely is there I want to make sure there's other discussion or room for other discussion all right. Did you want to make a motion, Mr. Denny? Chair Mike Madam Chair, I would like to make a motion that the original minutes of February 23rd, 2026 be included as approved in the amended not approved. Second. Okay, I have a motion from Denny He and a second from Shaw, and I will take my roll call vote. Ms.

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