HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-04-25 Study Commission Agenda and Packet MaterialsA. Call to Order with Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence - 4:00 PM, Commission Room,
City Hall, 121 North Rouse
B. Changes to the Agenda
C. Public Comment on Anything within the Jurisdiction of the Study Commission
THE STUDY COMMISSION OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA
SC AGENDA
Thursday, September 4, 2025
How to Participate:
If you are interested in commenting in writing on items on the agenda please send an email
to govreview@bozeman.net prior to 12:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. At the direction of the
Study Commission, anonymous public comments are not distributed to the Study Commission.
Public comments will also be accepted in-person and through video conference during the appropriate
agenda items but you may only comment once per item.
As always, the meeting will be recorded and streamed through the Meeting Videos and available in the
City on cable channel 190.
For more information please contact Ex Officio, Mike Maas, 406.582.2321, or visit bozemanstudy.com.
This meeting will be held both in-person and also using an online video conferencing system. You
can join this meeting:
Via Video Conference:
Click the Register link, enter the required information, and click submit.
Click Join Now to enter the meeting.
Via Phone: This is for listening only if you cannot watch the stream, channel 190, or attend in-
person
United States Toll
+1 669 900 9128
Access code: 951 6442 0347
This is the time to comment on any matter falling within the scope of the Bozeman Study
Commission. There will also be time in conjunction with each agenda item for public comment
relating to that item but you may only speak once per topic. Please note, the Study Commission
cannot take action on any item which does not appear on the agenda. All persons addressing the
Study Commission shall speak in a civil and courteous manner and members of the audience shall
be respectful of others. Please state your name, and state whether you are a resident of the city
or a property owner within the city in an audible tone of voice for the record and limit your
1
D. Consent Agenda
D.1 Due to Software Updates from Granicus, no minutes for August 20 were able to be
generated.(Heinen)
E. Correspondence or Study Commission Update
E.1 Outreach Reports(Heinen)
F. Unfinished Business
F.1 Appointment of Bozeman Study Commissioner(s) to Act as a Liaison with Gallatin County
Study Commission(Heinen)
F.2 Charters of Montana Summary Report (Maas)
G. New Business
G.1 Presentation and Discussion on the Governance and Leadership Structure for the City of
Bozeman(Maas)
G.2 Discussion on Report from Working Ventures and Input on Community Survey (Maas)
H. Future Agenda Items
H.1 Potential Meeting topics(Heinen)
H.2 Study Plan of Action Discussion for Implementation for September 17 Meeting (Heinen)
I. Public Comment on Anything within the Jurisdiction of the Study Commission
J. Announcements
K. Adjournment
comments to three minutes.
Written comments can be located in the Public Comment Repository.
Consider the Motion: I move to appoint ________ to act as Liaison(s) with Gallatin County Study
Commission.
This item is a living list of potential future meeting topics.
Reference Materials
Study Commission Bylaws
Study Commission Resources
Study Commission meetings are open to all members of the public. If you have a disability that
requires assistance, please contact the City of Bozeman's ADA Coordinator, David Arnado, at
406.582.3232.
Study Commission meetings are televised live on cable channel 190 and streamed live on our
Meeting Videos Page.
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3
Memorandum
REPORT TO:Study Commission
FROM:Caeleb Heinen, Recording Secretary
Mike Maas, Ex Officio
SUBJECT:Due to Software Updates from Granicus, no minutes for August 20 were able
to be generated.
MEETING DATE:September 4, 2025
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Citizen Advisory Board/Commission
RECOMMENDATION:No Action to be Taken
STRATEGIC PLAN:1.1 Outreach: Continue to strengthen and innovate in how we deliver
information to the community and our partners.
BACKGROUND:Future meeting minutes ought to be approved at the next schedule Study
Commission meeting.
All past meeting recordings are available for review on the City's Meeting
Videos page.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:None identified
ALTERNATIVES:As per the Study Commission
FISCAL EFFECTS:None
Report compiled on: July 30, 2025
4
Memorandum
REPORT TO:Study Commission
FROM:Caeleb Heinen, Recording Secretary
Mike Maas, Ex Officio
SUBJECT:Outreach Reports
MEETING DATE:September 4, 2025
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Citizen Advisory Board/Commission
RECOMMENDATION:This is the time for Study Commissioners to report personal outreach since
the last meeting.
STRATEGIC PLAN:1.1 Outreach: Continue to strengthen and innovate in how we deliver
information to the community and our partners.
BACKGROUND:This is the time for Study Commissioners to report personal outreach since
the last meeting.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:None identified
ALTERNATIVES:As per the Study Commission
FISCAL EFFECTS:TBD
Attachments:
Local_Government_Study_Snapshot_(GA4).pdf
Report compiled on: August 25, 2025
5
Aug 1, 2025 - Aug 31, 2025 Government Study Web Report
Device ca…▼Age ▼City ▼Source ▼Page path ▼
Top Devices Used
(by total users)
User Overview
90.64%Engage Rate
67
New users
44.63
% Return Visitors
New users Returning Users Engagement rate
A u g 1 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 3 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 4 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 5 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 6 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 7 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 8 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 9 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 0 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 1 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 2 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 3 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 4 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 5 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 7 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 9 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 0 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 1 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 2 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 3 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 4 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 5 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 6 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 7 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 8 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 9 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 3 1 , 2 0 2 50
5
10
15
20
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
54
Returning Users
121
Total users
google
(direct)
bing
govdelivery
duckduck…
facebook.…
url43.mai…
(not set)
39.2%11.7%
32.2%
Top Traffic Sources
(by total users)
Source Total users
google 57
(direct)44
bing 8
govdelivery 8
duckduckgo 6
facebook.com 3
betterbozemancoali…1
community.thegvse…1
ehq 1
granicus_productio…1
Grand total 120
▼
111 717171
City Total users
1.Bozeman 34
2.(not set)7
3.Denver 5
4.Omaha 4
5.San Francisco 4
6.Belgrade 3
7.Seattle 3
8.Buffalo 2
9.Des Moines 2
10.Four Corners 2
Grand total 121
▼
desktop
mobile
tablet
82%
Device category Total users
1.desktop 100
2.mobile 17
3.tablet 5
Grand total 121
▼
Where Did Our Users
Come From?
Age Total users
1.unknown 104
Grand total 104
▼
No data
Top Age Groups
(by total users)
6
Aug 1, 2025 - Aug 31, 2025 Government Study Web Report
Device ca…▼Age ▼City ▼Source ▼Page path ▼
Scroll Depth
Events Overview
25
50
75
100
37.1%
8.7%
20.9%
33.3%
171.0
Sessions
No dataDoc Views No data
Button Clicks
Views Document Views Button Clicks Engagement rate
A u g 1 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 3 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 4 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 5 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 6 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 7 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 8 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 9 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 0 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 1 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 2 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 3 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 4 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 5 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 7 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 9 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 0 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 1 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 2 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 3 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 4 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 5 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 6 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 7 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 8 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 9 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 3 1 , 2 0 2 5
0
20
40
0%
50%
100%
Engaged sessions Regular Sessions
0 50 100 150 200
August
July
June
May
Septem…
What month have users been
most engaged this year?
342Views
Top Active Buttons
No data
Top Viewed Documents
No data
Event name Page path Eve…
No data
▼
Top News Items
Page title Page path Vie…
1.Scam Alert: Don’t Fall for Fake Tex…/Home/Components/News/News/8432/17 126
2.Bozeman Public Library Celebrate…/Home/Components/News/News/8547/17 95
3.Party at the Pond: Bozeman Host…/Home/Components/News/News/8531/3493 69
4.A Message for Bozeman Voters | E…/Home/Components/News/News/8569/2848 52
5.Party at the Pond: Bozeman Host…/Home/Components/News/News/8531 41
6.Walk with Commissioner Madgic |…/Home/Components/News/News/8557/17 37
7.Aquatics Updates | City of Bozem…/Home/Components/News/News/8565/17 28
8.Notice of Public Hearing on LIHTC…/Home/Components/News/News/8549/17 27
Grand total 1,529
▼Page path Views
1./Home/Components/Calendar/Event/35536/3794 209
2./Home/Components/Calendar/Event/35525/3794 138
3./Home/Components/Calendar/Event/35521/3492 130
4./Home/Components/Calendar/Event/35527/104 101
5./Home/Components/Calendar/Event/35548/3794 88
6./Home/Components/Calendar/Event/35613/3794 68
7./Home/Components/Calendar/Event/35521/3126 49
8./Home/Components/Calendar/Event/35536/3126 39
Grand total 2,517
▼
Top Calendar Items
Event name Event count
No data
▼
Search term Event count
1.Jobs 25
2.parking permit disputes 17
3.zoning 15
4.parking 14
5.Fingerprinting 11
6.directory 11
Grand total 2,417
▼
Search Terms
90.64%Engage Rate
Page path Views
1./services/local-government-study 108
2./services/local-government-study/meeti…40
3./services/local-government-study/about…28
4./services/local-government-study/about…27
5./services/local-government-study/meeti…25
6./services/local-government-study/work-…22
7./services/local-government-study/about 20
8./services/local-government-study/about…11
9./services/local-government-study/meeti…10
10./services/local-government-study/news 9
Grand total 342
▼
Top Pages
/services/local-…
/services/local-…
/services/local-…
/services/local-…
/services/local-…
/services/local-…
/services/local-…
/services/local-…
31.6%
11.7%
14.9%
5.8%
8.2%
7
Aug 1, 2025 - Aug 31, 2025 Government Study Web Report
Device ca…▼Age ▼City ▼Source ▼Page path ▼Homepage Overview
10.9K
Sessions251
Banner Clicks
1.4K
Button Clicks
Button Clicks Banner Clicks Engagement rate
A u g 1 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 3 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 4 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 5 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 6 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 7 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 8 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 9 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 0 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 1 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 2 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 3 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 4 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 5 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 6 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 7 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 8 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 1 9 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 0 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 1 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 2 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 3 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 4 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 5 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 6 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 7 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 8 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 2 9 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 3 0 , 2 0 2 5
A u g 3 1 , 2 0 2 5
0
5
10
15
0%
50%
100%
97.92%
Engagement rate
Top Active Buttons
button_click PAY UTILITY BILL
button_click APPLY FOR
JOBS
button_click MEETINGS
button_click ONLINE
SERVICES
Others
46.9%
13.8%
10.2%
23.3%
Event name Event count
1.button_click PAY UTILITY BILL 677
2.button_click APPLY FOR JOBS 337
3.button_click MEETINGS 147
4.button_click ONLINE SERVICES 84
5.button_click PAY CITY ASSESSMENT 70
6.button_click SCHEDULE BUILDING INSPECTIO 39
7.button_click COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MAP V 23
8.button_click PARKING 21
9.button_click SOLID WASTE 18
10.button_click RECREATION REGISTRATION 6
Grand total 1,445
▼Event name Event count
1.banner_slide: BOGERT POOL HOURS 101
2.banner_slide: UPDATING THE DEVELOPMENT C 49
3.banner_slide: WATER ADEQUACY FOR RESIDEN 35
4.banner_slide: NATIONAL NIGHT OUT 30
5.banner_slide: COMMUNITY PLAN 19
6.banner_slide: EQUITY INDICATORS HUB 15
7.banner_slide:1
8.banner_slide: Ausreichende Wasserversorg 1
Grand total 251
▼
banner_slide: BOGERT POOL
HOURS
banner_slide: UPDATING THE
DEVELOPMENT C
banner_slide: WATER
ADEQUACY FOR RESIDEN
banner_slide: NATIONAL NIGH…
banner_slide: COMMUNITY PL…
banner_slide: EQUITY INDICAT…
banner_slide:
banner_slide: Ausreichende Wa…
40.2%
6%
7.6%
12%
13.9%
19.5%
Top Banners
Top ServicesService Menu
Page path Views
1./services/utilities-services 592
2./services/jobs 507
3./services/online-services 437
4./services/licensing-and-permits 344
5./services/gvmpo/long-range-transportat…221
6./services/solid-waste-collections 182
7./services/gvmpo 160
Grand total 4,234
▼
12,461
Views
Page path Views
1./business/building-permits 99
2./business/business-license-applications 88
3./business/licensing-and-permits 76
4./business/rfps-and-bids 41
5./business/development-center/building-c…33
6./business/licenses-permits-utilities/checkl…24
7./business/development-center 21
Grand total 456
▼
Business Menu Top Public Notices
Page title Page p…Views
1…Notice of Certification…/Home/C…26
2…Public Notices | City …/Home/C…3
3…Public Notices | City …/Home/C…2
4…Notice of Public Heari…/Home/C…2
5…Public Notices | City …/Home/C…2
6…Notice of Public Heari…/Home/C…1
7…Public Notices | City …/Home/C…1
Grand total 38
▼
8
Aug 1, 2025 - Aug 31, 2025 Government Study Web Report
Device ca…▼Age ▼City ▼Source ▼Page path ▼
Query - The search word or phrase that was entered into Google Search by user/s
Landing Page - The most popular URL that was shown to user/s in Google Search using that query
URL Clicks - The number of times the Landing page was clicked on in Google Search by user/s
Impressions - The number of times your page showed up in a Google Search search query result
URL CTR - A higher URL click through rate percentage is a good indication that the query matches the content on your site.
Site CTR -
Average Position - A relative ranking of the position of your pages on Google Search.
Landing Page Impressions Url Clicks URL CTR
https://www.bozeman.net/1%
https://www.bozeman.net/departments/parks-and-recr…28%
https://www.bozeman.net/services/utilities-services 1%
https://www.bozeman.net/departments/parks-and-recr…10%
https://www.bozeman.net/departments/police-depart…6%
https://www.bozeman.net/departments/human-resour…9%
https://www.bozeman.net/services/jobs +0%
https://www.bozeman.net/departments/administratio…6%
https://www.bozeman.net/our-city/parking 7%
https://www.bozeman.net/departments/parks-and-recr…5%
▼
32.2K
Url Clicks
12.0Avg. Position
2.4M
Impressions
Impressions URL CTR
MOBILE DESKTOP TABLET
0
500K
1M
1.5M
2M
0%
0.5%
1%
1.5%
2%Impressions Impressions (previous month)
Aug 1 Aug 5 Aug 9 Aug 13 Aug 17 Aug 21 Aug 25 Aug 2960K
80K
100K
120K
Url Clicks Url Clicks (previous month)
Aug 1 Aug 5 Aug 9 Aug 13 Aug 17 Aug 21 Aug 25 Aug 29
0
1K
2K
3K
Google Search Report
Query Impressi…Clicks Site CTR Avg. Position
bozeman montana 1%6.8
bozeman 1%6.8
bozeman mt 1%5.89
bozeman, montana +0%6.5
bozeman news 1%7.25
swimming classes 0%84.62
kid's swimming classes 0%83.86
country code 63 +0%1.06
swimming lessons 0%85.78
childrens swimming classes 0%82.72
▼
Impressions URL CTR
United States Canada United Kingdom Germany France
0
1M
2M
3M
0%
1%
2%
9
Memorandum
REPORT TO:Study Commission
FROM:Caeleb Heinen, Recording Secretary
Mike Maas, Ex Officio
SUBJECT:Appointment of Bozeman Study Commissioner(s) to Act as a Liaison with
Gallatin County Study Commission
MEETING DATE:September 4, 2025
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Citizen Advisory Board/Commission
RECOMMENDATION:Consider the Motion: I move to appoint ________ to act as Liaison(s) with
Gallatin County Study Commission.
STRATEGIC PLAN:1.1 Outreach: Continue to strengthen and innovate in how we deliver
information to the community and our partners.
BACKGROUND:After meeting with the Gallatin County Study Commission, there was
discussion of appointing a point person to coordinate future meetings and
deadlines.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:None identified
ALTERNATIVES:As per the Commission
FISCAL EFFECTS:TBD
Report compiled on: August 25, 2025
10
Memorandum
REPORT TO:Study Commission
FROM:Mike Maas, Ex Officio
SUBJECT:Charters of Montana Summary Report
MEETING DATE:September 4, 2025
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Citizen Advisory Board/Commission
RECOMMENDATION:Review the Study Commissioner Reports on Charters Around Montana.
STRATEGIC PLAN:1.1 Outreach: Continue to strengthen and innovate in how we deliver
information to the community and our partners.
BACKGROUND:Each Commissioner provided an overview report on charters from Montana:
Barb for Missoula
Becky for Helena
Carson for Great Falls
Jan for Whitefish
Deanna for Billings
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:None identified
ALTERNATIVES:None
FISCAL EFFECTS:None
Report compiled on: September 2, 2025
11
Memorandum
REPORT TO:Study Commission
FROM:Mike Maas, Ex Officio
SUBJECT:Presentation and Discussion on the Governance and Leadership Structure for
the City of Bozeman
MEETING DATE:September 4, 2025
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Citizen Advisory Board/Commission
RECOMMENDATION:Receive presentation.
STRATEGIC PLAN:1.1 Outreach: Continue to strengthen and innovate in how we deliver
information to the community and our partners.
BACKGROUND:City Manager Chuck Winn and Deputy Mayor Joey Morrison may present on
the differing Executive Leadership structures as well as provide their insight
as to their effectiveness. Following the presentation, Study Commissioners
will have the opportunity to ask questions of the City Manager and Deputy
Mayor and engage in discussion, as per the Final Study Plan.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:None identified
ALTERNATIVES:As per the Study Commission
FISCAL EFFECTS:None
Report compiled on: September 2, 2025
12
Memorandum
REPORT TO:Study Commission
FROM:Mike Maas, Ex Officio
SUBJECT:Discussion on Report from Working Ventures and Input on Community
Survey
MEETING DATE:September 4, 2025
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Citizen Advisory Board/Commission
RECOMMENDATION:Receive the Report and provide input on Community Survey; no specific
action recommended.
STRATEGIC PLAN:1.1 Outreach: Continue to strengthen and innovate in how we deliver
information to the community and our partners.
BACKGROUND:Working Ventures was selected as the Communication Strategist for the
Study Commission. This is the opportunity for Study Commissioners to
provide input for the official Community Survey that will be provided to the
public for response.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:None identified
ALTERNATIVES:As per the Study Commission
FISCAL EFFECTS:TBD
Attachments:
Bozeman Study Commission - Public Survey Distribution Plan
Graphics.pdf
Report compiled on: September 2, 2025
13
The public survey is our first and broadest means of gathering feedback from Bozeman, MT, residents regarding their
preferred structure of city government. The results received through this survey will inform later phases of public
engagement (such as open houses, public meetings, and workshops) which will feature more complex, nuanced
feedback gathering methods. The Working Ventures (WV) team will employ a multi-channel approach to ensure that
the public survey is widely distributed, accessible, and inclusive. The appropriate communication channel identified in
the Study Commission’s plans will be used intentionally to reach as wide and representative a swath of the community
as possible. For each distribution method, WV will prepare collateral and deliverables to make execution seamless.
SURVEY DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS
Study Commission Website: The survey will be embedded on the Commission’s dedicated webpage, with a
clear call-to-action banner and FAQs about the purpose, confidentiality, and how results will be used.
Deliverables: Web copy, FAQ text, graphics for banner placement, and a short explainer video (optional).
Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Engage Bozeman): Regular posts, stories, and boosted
campaigns will promote the survey across City platforms. Posts will highlight deadlines, emphasize accessibility,
and direct residents to the survey link.
Deliverables: Branded post templates, content calendar, suggested hashtags, pre-written captions, and
resized graphics for multiple platforms.
Press Releases & Local Media: Survey announcements will be included in press releases sent to local
newspapers, radio, and community TV. Short features and PSAs will reach residents less active online.
Deliverables: Draft press release, media pitch email template, and 30–60 second PSA script for radio/TV.
External Community Partners: Nonprofits, neighborhood associations, civic groups, schools, and businesses
will be enlisted to circulate the survey link. Commissioners will conduct outreach at meetings and events to
encourage participation.
Deliverables: Partner email template, customizable flyer with QR code, and a short presentation deck for
commissioners to use in outreach.
Flyers & Posters: Printed flyers with QR codes linking to the survey will be posted in libraries, community centers,
schools, and other high-traffic locations.
Deliverables: Print-ready PDF poster designs in multiple sizes, plus digital versions for community newsletters.
SURVEY PLATFORM:
The Working Ventures team will manage survey deployment, monitoring, and response tracking through
monday.com. This platform is being leveraged because of its strong accessibility standards, robust data privacy
compliance, ease of use, and powerful integration features:
·Accessibility & Inclusion: Built to meet international accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 Level AA), monday.com works
with screen readers, supports keyboard navigation, and offers high-contrast visual options—ensuring the platform is
usable by everyone.
Data Privacy & Security: Fully compliant with leading frameworks, including SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001/27018,
GDPR, and CCPA, with encryption, secure AWS hosting, role-based access, and continuous security monitoring.
Ease of Use: monday.com offers intuitive, visually driven boards and dashboards that make it easy for all team
members and commissioners to see progress at a glance without technical training.
Features & Integrations: The platform integrates seamlessly with tools like Google Drive, Outlook, and Slack,
enabling smooth coordination and minimizing duplicate work.
Reporting Tools: Built-in dashboards and automated reporting allow the Commission to track survey participation
across channels, compare outreach effectiveness, and make data-informed decisions in real time.
PUBLIC SURVEY
DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY
DRAFT FOR REVIEW - SEPTEMBER 4, 2025 |
14
PUBLIC SURVEY DRAFT
DRAFT FOR REVIEW - SEPTEMBER 4, 2025
WELCOME NOTE
The purpose of this survey is to gather feedback from Bozeman residents on the processes and structure of our local
government. This survey has 22 questions and should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Your feedback will
be used to understand current resident experiences and what changes might be helpful in the future.
This survey is being conducted by the City of Bozeman Local Government Study Commission. It is one of the first
steps in a multi-year study to learn what’s working, what’s not working, and what ideas could improve the City’s
governance. Your feedback will be kept confidential and reported in aggregate to the Study Commission.
If you have any questions about the survey, please email [commission contact].
We appreciate your time and feedback!
SURVEY QUESTIONS
Landing Page - Welcome to the Bozeman Community Survey!
1. (Short Text Box) Please provide your 5-digit home ZIP code.
2. (Multiple Choice - Select 1) Where do you currently live?
a.Within Bozeman city limits
b.Outside Bozeman city limits, but in the Gallatin Valley
c.Outside of Gallatin Valley
3. (Multiple Choice) Are you a full-time or part-time resident of Bozeman?
Full-time resident (more than 6 months of the year)
Part-time resident (less than 6 months of the year)
Not a resident of Bozeman
Other (Write-in) __________________
Demographics - First, we’d like to know more about you. These demographic questions are optional.
4. (Drop Down Menu) What year were you born?
5. (Multiple Choice - Select 1) What is your gender?
Female/Woman
Male/Man
Non-binary
Prefer to self-describe: ________
Prefer not to answer
6. (Checkbox - Select All) What is your race/ethnicity? (select all that apply)
American Indian or Alaskan Native
Asian
Black or African American
Hispanic or Latino
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
White
Skip logic to
validate ZIP code
|
15
DRAFT FOR REVIEW - SEPTEMBER 4, 2025 |
Current State - Next, we are interested in your current thoughts about Bozeman city government.
7. (Short Text Box) What are the top 2 words you would use to describe the City of Bozeman’s current structure and
processes of local government?
Word 1
Word 2
Likert Ratings (1 - Strongly Disagree to 5 - Strongly Agree)
8. I stay informed about local government issues in Bozeman.
9. I understand who leads and makes decisions for our city.
10. I am confident in the current structure of city government in Bozeman.
Future Leadership Goals - There are several ways that cities in Montana structure their local government. One of the
main differences is how leadership operates. There are benefits and limitations to each model. We would like to know
what you see as leadership priorities going into the future to help tailor Bozeman local government to our needs.
11. (Checkbox - Select 3) When you think about how you want the City of Bozeman to function going forward, what are
your top 3 priorities?
Transparent leadership
Accountable leadership
Democratic representation
Fiscally-responsible model of government
Efficient administration
Responsive administration
Stable administration
Visible leaders
Term-limited leaders
Other (Write-In) ____________
Mayor & City Manager - We would like to know your opinions on a few different city leadership models.
Cities can be run in different ways. Two of the most common leadership models are:
Commission–Manager Model (what Bozeman uses now):
Voters elect a City Commission. The Commission chooses a City Manager, who is a trained professional. The
City Manager runs the daily operations of the city, such as carrying out the budget, hiring department heads,
and managing city staff. The Mayor is a member of the City Commission and serves a 2-year term. The mayor
mainly has a ceremonial role, such as leading meetings and representing the city at events, but does not
directly run city departments.
Mayor–Executive Model:
The Mayor is directly in charge of city operations. In this model, the Mayor oversees staff, manages the
budget, and directs daily work of the city government. There may or may not be a City Manager in this model.
If there is no City Manager, the Mayor is the chief executive in charge of city operations. The mayor is typically
elected for a 2-year or 4-year term by the residents of the community.
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DRAFT FOR REVIEW - SEPTEMBER 4, 2025
12. (Multiple Choice - Select 1) In your opinion, how involved should the mayor be in daily city operations (such as
managing staff, overseeing the budget, and directing departments)?
Full-time executive role (Mayor directly manages city operations)
Part-time ceremonial role (Mayor leads meetings and represents the city, but does not run departments)
Hybrid with ceremonial and limited executive role (Mayor handles some executive tasks, but a City Manager
still manages most daily operations)
No preference
13. (Multiple Choice - Select 1) How long should the Mayor’s term of office be?
2 years (the current system)
4 years
No preference
Unsure
14. (Multiple Choice - Select 1) Should the City of Bozeman create the position of a Deputy Mayor (someone who
assists the Mayor and may step in if the Mayor is unavailable)?
Yes
No
Unsure
15. (Multiple Choice - Select 1) Should the city retain a professional city manager to run daily operations?
Yes, with full executive authority (City Manager runs all operations; Mayor is mostly ceremonial)
Yes, but with reduced powers (City Manager handles some operations, while the Mayor takes on more
authority)
No, transition to mayor holding executive authority
Unsure
16. (Long Text Box) Please share any other feedback you may have about the roles of the mayor and/or city manager
going forward.
.
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OPTIONAL MODEL: Executive Mayor
City Commission
Voters
Mayor
Administrative Departments
CURRENT MODEL: City Manager
Administrative Departments
City Commission
Voters
Mayor
City Manager
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DRAFT FOR REVIEW - SEPTEMBER 4, 2025
We would like to know your opinions on potential changes to the Commission structure based on Bozeman’s rapid
growth.
17. (Likert Rating: 1 - Strongly Disagree to 5 - Strongly Agree) I believe Bozeman should prioritize geographic district-based
representation rather than total city-wide votes for commissioners.
18. (Multiple Choice - Select 1) If the city has district-based commissioners, which rule should apply?
Commissioners must live in the district they represent, and only people in that district vote for them
Commissioners do not need to live in the district, but are elected by voters in that district
No preference
19. (Multiple Choice - Select 1) Do you think Bozeman should expand its City Commission beyond 5 members?
Yes
No
Unsure
20. (Long Text Box) Please share any other feedback about what would make you feel well-represented by our city
government
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CURRENT MODEL:
City-wide Election
POTENTIAL MODEL:
Election by Geographic District
City Commission
Next, we are interested in your opinions regarding the City Commission structure.
Bozeman’s City Commission is elected based on who receives the most total votes across the city. Alternatively,
some cities elect commissioners using districts or wards to ensure geographic representation from across the city.
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Advisory Boards and Neighborhood Councils
Many cities use groups like Advisory Boards and Neighborhood Councils to give residents a stronger voice in local
government. These groups can provide advice to the City Commission, represent neighborhood concerns, or have formal
powers in decision-making. The following questions ask about what role you think these boards should play in Bozeman.
21. (Multiple Choice - Select 1) What should be the main role of Advisory Boards and Neighborhood Councils in Bozeman?
Provide advice and recommendations to the City Commission, but not make final decisions
Share community input and help shape policies, with limited decision-making power
Have formal decision-making power, including the ability to approve or block certain actions
Unsure
22. (Multiple Choice - Select 1) How much influence should Advisory Boards and Neighborhood Councils have on City
decisions?
Advisory only (Commission may consider their input but makes all final decisions)
Shared influence (Boards help set priorities and may have authority in certain areas)
Strong influence (Boards can veto or block decisions made by the Commission)
Unsure
THANK YOU NOTE
(Resident Respondents) - Thank you for your participation in the Bozeman Community Survey. Your feedback will
be used to understand current resident needs and to propose future changes to continue to serve the people of
Bozeman. We appreciate your time and engagement. Please check the Bozeman city website for additional feedback
opportunities.
(Non-Resident Participants) - Thank you for your interest in the Bozeman Community Survey. At this time, we are
only gathering feedback from Bozeman city residents. We appreciate your time and interest. Please check the
Bozeman city website for future feedback opportunities.
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Memorandum
REPORT TO:Study Commission
FROM:Caeleb Heinen, Recording Secretary
Mike Maas, Ex Officio
SUBJECT:Potential Meeting topics
MEETING DATE:September 4, 2025
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Citizen Advisory Board/Commission
RECOMMENDATION:This item is a living list of potential future meeting topics.
STRATEGIC PLAN:1.1 Outreach: Continue to strengthen and innovate in how we deliver
information to the community and our partners.
BACKGROUND:Joint Meeting with Gallatin County Study Commission
Study Commission Purview and Charge
Charter Crises and City Attorney notes of issues in current Charter
Staff identified "pinch points"
Develop and adopt a discovery plan for best practices to be learned
from other communities.
Following deliberation and public input, decide the Power structure
desired for the City of Bozeman
Following deliberation and public input, decide the Form of
government for the City of Bozeman
Following deliberation and public input, decide the Plan sub-options
that will be under consideration
Following deliberation and public input, decide the Recommendations
that will be under consideration
Draft a Tentative Report and submit for legal review
Second Public Hearing—to gather citizen response to Tentative Report
Adopt the Final Report from Second Public Hearing
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:None identified.
ALTERNATIVES:As per the Study Commission.
FISCAL EFFECTS:TBD
Report compiled on: August 25, 2025
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Memorandum
REPORT TO:Study Commission
FROM:Caeleb Heinen, Recording Secretary
Mike Maas, Ex Officio
SUBJECT:Study Plan of Action Discussion for Implementation for September 17
Meeting
MEETING DATE:September 4, 2025
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Citizen Advisory Board/Commission
RECOMMENDATION:The Study Commissioners may discuss the Staff or related parties they would
like to reach out to for insight on the September 17th Meeting topic:
Advisory and Citizen Board Utilization and Management. They may also
discuss their inquiries and expectations for that meetings discussion.
STRATEGIC PLAN:1.1 Outreach: Continue to strengthen and innovate in how we deliver
information to the community and our partners.
BACKGROUND:This Agenda item is for the Commissioners to discuss their upcoming
meetings, as well as their expectations and topics of inquiry.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:None identified
ALTERNATIVES:As per the Study Commission
FISCAL EFFECTS:TBD
Report compiled on: August 25, 2025
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