HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-31-25 Public Comment - D. Carty - Public Comment_ WARD Ballot InitiativeFrom:Daniel Carty
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Public Comment: WARD Ballot Initiative
Date:Thursday, July 31, 2025 11:00:42 AM
Attachments:PublicComment_WARD ballot intiative_7-31-2025.pdf
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July 31, 2025: 11:00am
Please place the attached public comment (pdf) in the WARD ballot initiative public comment
folder. Thank you.
Daniel Carty
213 N. 3rd Ave,
Bozeman, MT 59715
Outlook
Ballot Education: Bozeman Water Adequacy Initiative (aka WARD)
From Daniel Carty <dgc12@hotmail.com>
Date Thu 7/31/2025 10:50 AM
To Chuck Winn <cwinn@bozeman.net>; Terry Cunningham <tcunningham@bozeman.net>
Cc Greg Sullivan <gsullivan@bozeman.net>; Joey Morrison <jmorrison@bozeman.net>; Jennifer Madgic
<jmadgic@bozeman.net>; Douglas Fischer <dfischer@bozeman.net>; Emma Bode <ebode@bozeman.net>
July 31, 2025; 10:50am
WARD BZN LLC
c/o Daniel Carty
213 N. 3rd Ave
Bozeman, MT 59715
Chuck Winn, Bozeman City Manager
Terry Cunningham, Bozeman Mayor
Bozeman City Hall
121 N. Rouse Ave
Bozeman, MT 59715
Dear City Manager Winn and Mayor Cunningham:
The Bozeman City Commission recently voted to allocate $50,000 of public money (Bozeman taxpayers’
dollars) for ballot education on the Bozeman Water Adequacy Initiative (aka WARD). Because public
money will be used for such education, I am writing to make the following requests under the Montana
Constitution, Article II. Declaration of Rights, Section 8. Right of Participation1 and Section 9. Right to
Know.2
Request 1. Allow the public unrestricted in-person and remote participation in any and all City-related
meetings or discussions—internal and external—on the Bozeman Water Adequacy Initiative (aka
WARD). Particularly, this would apply to any and all meetings and discussions—internal and external—
with the contractor selected for consulting and graphic design services for [WARD] ballot education.
Moreover, provide the public with video recordings and written minutes within one business day of any
and all such meetings. Finally, provide the public with digital and print versions of all WARD-related
internal digital and hard-copy communications among City staff, among City Commissioners, and
between City staff and City Commissioners.
Request 2. Provide the public access to digital and print versions of any and all City Commission Public
Service Announcements, FYIs/Discussions, Disclosures, Work Sessions, Special Presentations, Action
Agenda Items, Consent Agenda Items, and the like that are in any way related to the Bozeman Water
Adequacy Initiative (aka WARD). Such digital and print versions should be final versions (aka final
drafts) and should be made available to the public at least 7 days in advance of any and all City
Commission meetings.
7/31/25, 10:54 AM Mail - Daniel Carty - Outlook
https://outlook.live.com/mail/0/sentitems/id/AAkALgAAAAAAHYQDEapmEc2byACqAC%2FEWg0AAehEyDbBH0ahmPAO%2FnenFQAJUnIMkgAA 1/2
Request 3. Provide the public with access to digital and print versions of any and all City
Commissioner(s) and City staff meetings and discussions with and presentations to individuals and
groups outside of the City’s internal meetings and outside of the City’s public-noticed meetings. Such
digital and print versions should be final versions (aka final drafts) and be provided 7 days in advance of
all such City Commissioner(s) and City staff meetings, discussions, and presentations.
In conclusion, I remind the City Manager, Mayor, Deputy Mayor, City Commissioners, and City Attorney
that MCA 13-35-226(4) “…restricts public employees from soliciting support or opposition for political
committees, candidates, or ballot issues during work hours or at their place of employment.”
Please respond in writing to these requests by 12:00 noon on August 5, 2025. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Daniel Carty
Montana Constitution, Article II, Declaration of Rights
1 Section 8. RIGHT OF PARTICIPATION. The public has the right to expect governmental agencies to
afford such reasonable opportunity for citizen participation in the operation of the agencies prior to the
final decision as may be provided by law.
2 Section 9. RIGHT TO KNOW. No person shall be deprived of the right to examine documents or to
observe the deliberations of all public bodies or agencies of state government and its subdivisions,
except in cases in which the demand of individual privacy clearly exceeds the merits of public disclosure.
cc: Bozeman City Attorney Greg Sullivan; Bozeman Deputy Mayor Joey Morrison; Bozeman City
Commissioners Jennifer Madgic, Douglas Fischer, and Emma Bode; and comments@bozeman.net for
the public record
7/31/25, 10:54 AM Mail - Daniel Carty - Outlook
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