The Bozeman City Study Commission advanced proposed charter language on ward boundary creation and adjustment, removing contentious partisan provisions and settling on a 10 percent population threshold for triggering redistricting reviews between decennial censuses.
Working from a draft authored by Commissioner Barb Cestero, the four-member commission (Commissioner Carson Taylor's absence was excused) spent roughly an hour on the new Section 7.04, which would establish an independent ward advisory board if voters approve a ward system. Cestero drew language from the National Civic League's model charter, Missoula's ward governance structure, and public comment received at the June public hearing.
The original draft proposed that no more than two members of the five-member ward advisory board belong to the same political party. Commissioners and public commenters objected. Commissioner Deanna Campbell noted that Bozeman's city elections are nonpartisan and questioned whether the city could legally ask about party affiliation. Public commenter Katie Adams of the Gallatin Valley Sentinel added that such disclosures would become public record and might discourage qualified applicants. The commission agreed to strike the political party language. The draft also proposed that the city commission appoint four board members, with those four selecting a fifth. Cestero explained this mirrored the state's legislative redistricting process. But Campbell and Commissioner Jan Strout both advocated for the commission to appoint all five members directly, with those members then choosing their own chair. Cestero agreed to make that change.
The population deviation threshold sparked the most debate. Cestero had proposed 5 percent, splitting the difference between Missoula's 3 percent and other alternatives. Campbell pushed for 10 percent, citing analysis from the Sentinel that a single large subdivision could push the city past 5 percent. Strout argued against any percentage trigger, proposing instead a fixed five-year mid-census review to avoid constant redistricting cycles and election costs. Ex Officio member Mike Maas offered a broader critique: the charter should not include such detail. "The percentage I don't think is something you want in a charter," Maas said. "If we set a number at 5 percent in the charter and we determine that that's too low, we have to go to the voters to amend the charter." He recommended stating simply that the commission shall establish a ward advisory board—leaving composition and criteria to ordinance. The commission did not fully adopt that approach but agreed to set the threshold at 10 percent while leaving the question of whether to include any trigger open for the July 30 meeting.
Timing and Implementation
Commissioners agreed unanimously that ward boundaries and any commission expansion from four to six members would take effect for the 2029 election, not 2027. Maas explained that the charter's redistricting timeline—requiring boundaries six months before the primary election—would make it impractical to complete the process between a November 2026 voter approval and the March 2027 deadline. Campbell said she preferred the earliest possible implementation, but the rest of the commission favored 2029 to allow adequate time for public engagement.
Charter Articles 8 and 6 Refinements
Cestero presented revisions to Article 8 on public engagement, explaining that language in Section 8.03 on the principles of public engagement had been softened based on concerns from city attorney Greg Sullivan that overly prescriptive "shall" provisions could create legal liability by setting unachievable standards. On Section 8.05 concerning city advisory boards, Maas recommended removing language requiring boards to be established by resolution, since that would prevent the commission from using ordinances when needed—such as if state legislation required a new board. The commission agreed to keep substance on board purposes and composition while removing the "shall be established by resolution" requirement.
On Article 6, the commission debated whether the city's independent auditor could also provide other financial services to the city. The finance director had requested that flexibility. Campbell objected, calling it inconsistent with industry standards. Maas proposed requiring a unanimous commission vote to grant such a waiver. Chair Franks indicated support for that compromise. The commission also agreed to remove candidates for political office from the Board of Ethics training requirement in Article 9, after staff noted that candidates are not yet subject to city ethics codes and the provision's scope extended beyond municipal authority.
The commission will meet July 30 to review clean drafts of both the charter and the final report, with final approval targeted for August 6. Commissioners were asked to submit report edits by end of day Saturday.