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Home My WebLink About1981-06-16 ;197 MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION BOZEMAN, MONTANA June 16, 1981 I, ********************* The Commission of the City of Bozeman met in special session in the Willson School Auditorium in the City of Bozeman, June 16, 1981, at 7:00 p.m. Present were Mayor MacNab, Commissioner Vollmer, Commissioner Stiff, Commissioner Swanson, Commissioner Mathre, Interim City Manager Evans, Interim Assistant City Manager Barrick, City Attorney Planalp and the Interim Clerk. The meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. Signing of the Notice of the Special Meeting The Mayor requested that each of the Commissioners sign the Notice of Special Com- mission Meeting, for the purpose of allowin g the residents of Bozeman to present their testi- mony concerning their feelings on what type of material mayor may not be regulated as obscene. Each Commissioner in turn signed the Notice. I Discussion- Obscenity regulation? Mayor MacNab opened the public hearing. He requested that people step to the micro- phone in the front of the auditorium, state name and address, and limit speeches to five min utes. He also requested that the public hearing be started with a proponent of an or- dinance, then an opponent, and continue in that manner to the end. The following is a list of the proponents of an ordinance: Vince Guhin 7198 River Road David Petersen 519 North 22nd Marshall Kath 19 Madison Court Steve Quay Ie 11 East Main Garvan Wiman 1120 West Koch Ben Cross Belgrade Rick Sorum 1416 Bear Canyon Road Lana Wadding 5 North Valley Drive Dwayne Heap 504 North 15th Bob Davies 1000 North 17th Tom Beausoleil 103 North Grand Kay Hill Norris Nick King 3 Faculty Court Francis Horner 1417 South Rouse Rick Vaught 505 West Babcock David Yaeger Belgrade Steve Gilskey 308 North Black Pierre Hoekema Churchill Lou Engle 1211 Holly Roger Koopman 811 South Tracy I Bill KeightIy 8645 South 19th Warren Stone Belgrade Rick Sorum 1416 Bear Canyon Rick Johnson Bozeman John Delee 304 Nelson Story The following is a list of the opponents of an ordinance: Richard Wortman Belgrade Norm Eggert 316 North Western Drive Lauren Roe 204 South 9th Scott Moore 1151 North Pinecrest 398 Karen Fisher 505 North Valley Jon Eggert 316 North Western Drive Heather Craig 1216 South Grand Sheila Whittsett 610 South 13th Felicia Lopez 1002 South 15th Walt Mayer 8218 Balsam Drive Mike Esgrow 1616 South 19th Rick Boylan 1812 Willow Way I Susan Stark Bozeman Brad Anderson 1502 South Black Craig Stauber 6383 Aajker Stan Iverson 607 West Lamme Tom Wessel 714 North 17th Morris Jaffe 1311 South Black Polly Renne 2855 Sourdough Road David Shontz 721 South 7th Gordon Julian Bear Canyon Jim Farnon South of Bozeman Pat Jobes 255 Quinn Creek Road John Parker 1612 South Tracy Marie McAllister 606 South 5th Jean Schmidt 302 South Willson Joanne Troxel 607 West Lamme Duane Pinski Bridger Canyon Charles Caughlan 23 Gardner Park Wes Lynch 1320 West Babcock Diane Schlad weiler 4721 Love Lane The following person spoke, to give information regarding the issue: Don Nelson Kalispell The above lists may not be complete because it was hard, if not impossible, to hear and understand some of the people as they gave their names and addresses. This set of minutes presents only the highlights of the speeches. The tapes of the meeting are the official record of the meeting. Mr. Scott Moore presented to the Commission a petition containing 515 signatures, op- I posing the concept of an obscenity ordinance. Ms. Karen Fisher strongly opposed the proposed obscenity ordinances. She stated that the Texas Daughters of the American Revolution had banned The American Dictionary of Words as obscene since it contains 39 obscene words. She said she felt it was a good book and had in fact presented this book to several people. Mr. Steve Quayle presented to the Commission several magazines and other examples of the type of merchandise which can be seen and purchased at Ms. Kitty 's. He strongly supports an obscenity ordinance. He stated that 80 percent of all pornography ends up in the hands of children. Mr. Garvan Wiman stated that he had heard much about rights but not much about the responsibility of the people. He requested that the Commission place the ordinance on the balht so that the people may choose which they want. Mr. Mike Esgrow, a psychologist from British Columbia on leave for research at MSU, quoted the results of studies which show that uncontrolled pornography does not have a harm- ful effect on an area--and may in fact decrease the rate of crime. It may provide an alterna- I tive, a safety valve, which will channel energies another direction. Mr. Tom Wessel, President of the Local Chapter of the ACLU, opposes any legislation on any material. He stated that he does not approve of pornography personally. However, he feels that anyone is free to do what he does--avoid that which offends one. If the store sells something which offends, one can always refuse to enter the store or purchase anything from that store. ~99 Ms. Jean Schmidt referred to the Kalispell adult bookstore. She stated that the City of Bozeman does not need to follow in the footsteps of the City of Kalispell. She feels that an ordinance would be costly and inefficient. Mr. Lou Engle stated that Mr. Bauer has effectively divided the city. However, none I of the people have stated that they are for pornography, no matter which side they are on. Mr. Don Nelson, Kalispell, stated that the City of Kalispell had limited only the sale of obscene material. After everyone had spoken, several of the main speakers again spoke to thank the Commission for holding the public hearing. Mayor MacNab closed the public hearing. Adjournment There being no further business to come before the Commission at this time, it was moved by Commissioner Vollmer, seconded by Commissioner Stiff, that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried by the following Aye and No vote: those voting Aye being Commissioner V oUmer, Commissioner Stiff, Commissioner Swanson, Commissioner Mathre and Mayor MacNab; those voting No, none. ~:l~--~ .~ I DUNt::AN S. MACNAB, Mayor ATTEST: ROBIN L. WILLIAMS Interim Clerk of the City Commission I