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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-10-28 Minutes, City Commission, SPEC MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION BOZEMAN, MONTANA October 28, 2004 ***************************** The Commission of the City of Bozeman met in special session at the Holiday Inn, 5 Baxter Lane, on Thursday, October 28,2004 at 7:00 am for a legislative forum, hosted by the City Commission of the City of Bozeman and the Bozeman School District NO.7 Board of Trustees. Present from the City were Commissioner Krauss, Commissioner Hietala, Commissioner Youngman, City Manager Kukulski, and Deputy Clerk of the Commission DeLathower. Present from Bozeman School District NO.7 were Trustees Michael Wold, Bruce Grubbs, Heather Hart, Denise Heyman, Carson Taylor, John Kauffman, and Sara Garcia; and employees District Clerk Steve Johnson and Maintenance Supervisor Gary Griffith. Legislative candidates attending were Bob Hawks, Mike Phillips, Chris Harris, John Sinrud, Jack Wells, Page Lutes, Larry Jent, Brady Wiseman, Roger Koopman, Joe Balyeat, Ted Washburn, Bill Warden, Dave Tyler, Doug Marshall, and Scott Sales. City Manager Kukulski called the meeting to order at 7:10am. Sianina of Notice of SDecial Meetina Each of the Commissioners, in turn, signed the Notice of Special Meeting. leaislative forum discussion Prior to this morning's meeting, each candidate received a list of 11 questions that were composed by representatives of the City of Bozeman and Bozeman School District No.7, as follows: 1. What are your top two or three priorities, if elected? 2. If the Supreme Court upholds its current decision and requires the State of Montana to define Quality Education and increase funding, how would you recommend accomplishing the two tasks? 3. What, if any, role do you believe a good public education system plays in attracting and retaining business in Montana? 4. How would you deal with health insurance for low-income children in Montana? 5. Would you vote for a sales tax? If yes, specifically how would the sales tax be used to fund K-12 and City government? 6. Would you support providing local school districts and cities with greater flexibility in how they spend funds and the ability to roll funds over into the next fiscal year? 7. Since becoming a candidate, have you spent time with a school official to learn about school funding and to take a look at an actual school district budget? 8. On what issues do you differ from the platform of your political party? 9. As you know, several Montana communities, including West Yellowstone, have used resort taxes to build and maintain much needed pUblic infrastructure in their communities. Although bills which would allow any community to work with its voters to design and possibly enact similar local tax policies have been placed before the legislature in every session since 1981, that authority is presently extended only to small communities which derive most of their economic activity from tourism. Will you support a bill which would remove the population limit and 10-28-04 - 2 - economic criteria from the resort tax law, thereby allowing the voters of any community the right to determine for themselves whether such tax policies are a fit in their community? 10. Will you support a bill ensuring that communities retain the necessary authority to impose impact fees necessary to assure that the cost of providing infrastructure to new development is borne by that development and not by the general taxpayer? Conversely, will you oppose bills intended to restrict or remove that authority? 11. What are your views regarding local government control versus state authority regarding annexation, planning, zoning, subdivision review, and tax increment financing? Of those 11 questions, four questions were covered during the forum. Those four questions were: "Will you support a bill which would remove the population limit and economic criteria from the resort tax law, thereby allowing the voters of any community the right to determine for themselves whether such tax policies are a fit in their community? On what issues do you differ from the platform of your political party? Would you support providing local school districts and cities with greater flexibility in how they spend funds and the ability to roll funds over into the next fiscal year? Will you support a bill ensuring that communities retain the necessary authority to impose impact fees necessary to assure that the cost of providing infrastructure to new development is borne by that development and not by the general taxpayer?" Those legislative candidates who desired to do so responded to the questions, outlining their beliefs and objectives. Adiournment - 9:10 a.m. City Manager Kukuski adjourned the meeting at 9: 1 am. ATTEST: ~~st~ Clerk of the Commission PREPARED BY: ~D' ) ~(J.~ KA N L. DeLA THOWER Deputy Clerk of the Commission 10-28-04