The Bozeman City Study Commission met July 15th to revise sections of its tentative charter based on public feedback, with four of five commissioners present. Commissioner Becky Franks was excused due to being out of the country.
The commission focused on Section 2.04, establishing a Compensation Board to recommend annual salaries for the mayor and commissioners. Commissioners Barb Cestero and Becky Franks had deleted language tying salaries to area median income and removed provisions directing the board to set commissioners' work hours, both criticized at the prior public hearing. The key debate centered on board composition. Commissioner Deanna Campbell proposed excluding commissioners entirely, citing public concern about conflicts of interest. However, Commissioners Taylor, Cestero, and Strout argued for keeping two commissioners on the board in a non-voting capacity to inform discussions about job duties. City Attorney Greg Sullivan supported this compromise as addressing conflict-of-interest concerns while preserving valuable input. The commission approved language requiring the board to meet annually before candidate filing opens, with all meetings open to the public.
The commission also addressed Section 2.06 on mayoral succession, clarifying that a vice mayor automatically succeeds to the mayor's position until the next municipal election, not for the remainder of their term. Additionally, commissioners directed staff to revise Article 7 on elections and ward systems for presentation at the July 23rd meeting. The commission appointed Commissioners Carson Taylor and Jan Strout as liaisons with DaneGeld, the public education team developing a voter information campaign launching in August.