HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-27-26 Public Comment - K. Adams, Gallatin Valley Sentinel - Public Comment for January 28 MeetingFrom:The Gallatin Valley Sentinel
To:Bozeman Goverment Study Commission
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Public Comment for January 28 Meeting
Date:Tuesday, January 27, 2026 11:13:49 PM
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Dear Bozeman Study Commissioners,
We are submitting this public comment to add to your discussion and decisions tomorrow on
the City Commission and Deputy Mayor position.
Additionally, we submitted a public records request on January 1, 2026 for the raw responsedata from the community survey you conducted with the help of Working Ventures. We find it
concerning that Working Ventures has not shared the raw data with the city and unacceptablethat our information request has not been fulfilled. Pursuant to Article II, Section 9 of the
Montana Constitution and the Montana Public Records Act, we have the right to thisinformation with any personally identifiable information such as a respondent's name, email
address, etc. redacted.
These are our responses and reasoning on the questions you have posed.
Eliminate the Deputy Mayor Position
Currently, Bozeman operates under a unique and often confusing system: a newly-electedmayor does not actually take the reins of the city immediately. Instead, they must serve the
first two years of their four-year term as Deputy Mayor before finally assuming the role ofMayor for the remaining two years.
We believe it is time to eliminate this unnecessary role and allow the person chosen to beMayor lead from day one.
Here is why:
Stalls the Desires of the Electorate: Under the current rules, the implementation of a
newly-elected mayor’s priorities is delayed by two years. When you vote for a newdirection for the city, you should not have to wait half a term to see it started.Redundancy: This structure requires maintaining two distinct positions, Mayor andDeputy Mayor, which complicates the hierarchy of city leadership unnecessarily.Potential for Political Friction: If a Deputy Mayor has a different vision for the citythan the sitting Mayor, it can lead to internal conflict and legislative gridlock within the
commission.Accountability: Voters elect a Mayor to do a job. Forcing that leader into a “waiting
room” role for two years dilutes their accountability to the residents who put them there.
While some may argue that the Deputy Mayor position allows for a “transition and
adjustment” period, Bozeman has been made into a growing city with pressing needs thatcannot afford a two-year learning curve at the top. If a candidate chooses to run for Mayor,
they should be qualified and ready to lead as Mayor the moment they take the oath of office.After all, Bozeman’s budget over a two-year timeframe is half a billion dollars … yes, half a
BILLION dollars. If a candidate needs two years to figure out how to do the job, then we as acity have bigger problems. Any nuances to the role can be learned through an onboarding
program, not a two-year neutered role as Deputy Mayor.
Increase the Number of Commissioners to Seven
Right now, only three of the five people sitting on the City Commission are electedspecifically as commissioners; the Deputy Mayor and Mayor fill the other two seats. We
believe Bozeman needs seven commissioners, and we need them elected by wards.
Currently, Bozeman’s commissioners are elected “at-large,” meaning that they can all live on
the same street and still represent the entire city. By increasing the commission to sevenmembers and dividing the city into seven distinct wards, we can ensure that every corner of
Bozeman has a representative who actually lives in and understands their neighborhood. Thiswould allow enough seats to cover each unique area of town, from the North Side, which has
faced the most pressure from redevelopment and intense new multi-story housing, to the WestSide, which is continually expanding through annexation.
Why seven commissioners?
True Neighborhood Representation: When you have a problem with how your street
gets plowed (or doesn’t) or are concerned about the impacts of a proposed developmentin your neighborhood, you should have a commissioner who lives nearby, shares your
concerns, and will directly be impacted by the decisions that are made.Lower Barrier to Entry: Running a city-wide campaign is expensive and favors those
with deep pockets or major backing from special interest groups like developers andnon-profits (who are responsible for who we have in office now). Campaigning within a
smaller ward is more affordable, allowing regular citizens who care about theirneighborhood, rather than career politicians and activists, to run for office.Diverse Perspectives: Seven seats allow for a broader range of voices and prevent asmall, organized, influential faction from controlling the entire city’s agenda.Keeping the “Citizen” in Citizen Government: By increasing the number ofcommissioners to seven, we avoid the trap that is trying to be set to turn the roles of
mayor and commissioners into full-time paid positions. We are better-served by sevencommissioners who remain active in their own careers and communities, keeping them
grounded in the reality of life in Bozeman.
The conversation of how many commissioners really shouldn’t be separated from the
discussion on wards.
Reject Full-Time Salaries and Return to a True Citizen Stipend
A major concern we have with the current direction of the Study Commission is the potentialto turn city leadership into a career path. There is a quiet but persistent push to justify full-
time, high-salaried positions for the Mayor and Commissioners. We believe this would be ahuge mistake for Bozeman.
Currently, Bozeman’s commissioners are already paid a monthly salary of $2,251, with theMayor receiving $3,376.50, and these numbers are adjusted annually based on the Consumer
Price Index. They also receive a monthly allowance of $200 for incidental expenses ($300 forthe Mayor), and may also be reimbursed for other expenses, such as dinner meetings and out-
of-town travel and expenses for city-related business.
On top of that, during their term in office, City Commissioners may opt to participate in the
City’s employee benefits program, which includes health insurance, dental and visioninsurance, life insurance, a city-paid contribution of 9.07% of their pay to the Public
Employee Retirement System, among several other benefits. When you add the costs of thesebenefits to their monthly stipends, these “volunteer” roles already look like full-time
professional positions.
The Highest Paid in the State
It is important for residents to know that Bozeman’s Mayor and Commissioners are currentlythe highest-paid elected officials of their kind in Montana. Nearby towns like Belgrade pay
their council members $50 per meeting (as of 2024), and Billings, Montana’s largest city, paystheir Commissioners and Mayor $600 and $800 per month, respectively (as of 2024). This
translates to Bozeman’s elected officials being paid nearly four times as much as electedofficials in a city twice its size, and that is not accounting for Bozeman’s hefty benefits
package on top of their monthly stipends.
Our Stance: A Decreased Stipend for Public Service
We believe the pay for these roles should be decreased to a modest stipend. Serving on theCity Commission should be an act of civic duty, not a financial incentive. Here is why:
Attracting the Right Leaders: High-paying political offices attract individualsmotivateded by a paycheck. A modest stipend ensures candidates run because they care
about the city, not because they need a taxpayer-funded career.Avoiding the Career Politician Trap: Full-time pay encourages incumbents to stay in
power as long as possible just to keep their salary and benefits. A stipend modelencourages regular residents to serve for a few years while maintaining their private
lives and professional careers.Distributing the Workload: Whether the number of commissioners stays the same or
is expanded to seven, no single commissioner should need to work 40 hours a week ifthe city is managed efficiently by its professional staff and they focus on pipes, public
safety, and infrastructure.Protecting the Taxpayer: Bozeman residents are already facing rising costs and a city
budget that is nearly half a billion dollars over two years. Turning any number ofcommission seats or the mayoral position into full-time, salaried positions with full
benefits would add a massive and unnecessary burden to the taxpayer. Bozeman can’teven afford to properly staff its police and fire departments; yet, activists turned elected
officials want to make their commission seats their careers.
The bottom line is that we want commissioners and a mayor who understand the value of a
dollar because they are out in the community earning one, not politicians who view your taxdollars as their primary source of income. If they claim that there is too much work to be done
to be both a commissioner or mayor and hold a full-time job, then perhaps the question shouldbe why we are making a town the size of Bozeman so complicated. Many cities that are far
more high-functioning than Bozeman run with far-less compensated volunteers and a fractionof the budget. On top of that, the new rules under the Montana Land Use and Planning Act
should mean that the City Commission spends far less time on land-use decisions than theyhave in any years prior.
Hold Special Elections to Fill Vacancies – It’s Worth the Cost
Currently, when a seat on the Bozeman City Commission becomes vacant, Section 2.06 of the
City Charter dictates that it be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term “pursuant to statelaw.” In practice, this often leads to the commission appointing a replacement themselves
rather than letting the voters decide. This is how we got past commissioners ChristopherCoburn, Emma Bode, and Douglas Fischer into their seats.
We believe the City Charter should be changed to mandate special elections for fillingvacancies, rather than relying on appointments.
Why?
Direct Public Accountability: The most important power you have as a citizen is the
right to choose your representatives. An appointment process bypasses the publicentirely, allowing the existing commission to “hand-pick” their own colleagues.Critical During Controversies: Vacancies often occur under contentiouscircumstances or scandals. In these moments, it is even more vital that the person filling
the seat has the direct mandate and trust of the voters, not just the approval of the peoplealready in City Hall.Neutralizing the Incumbency Advantage: Appointees often run for the seat once theirtemporary term is up. By appointing someone, the commission is essentially giving a
head start to a candidate who hasn’t earned a single vote, making it harder forchallengers to win later on.
Addressing the Cost: $105,000 for Democracy
The primary argument against special elections is the cost, approximately $105,000 per
citywide special election. While that is a significant amount of money, we have to look at it incontext:
A Fraction of the Budget: In a city where the two-year budget is nearly half a billiondollars, $105,000 is a small price to pay to ensure the integrity of the democratic
process.The Cost of Silence: Allowing an unelected official to vote on million-dollar contracts
and major policy changes for years can cost taxpayers far more in the long run than aone-time election fee. To put this in perspective, consider the hundreds of thousands of
dollars the city has spent on urban camping, and the intangible costs to the quality oflife, lost business, and degradation of our waterways, or consider the costs of the newly-
created “Belonging and Engagement Coordinator” position that taxpayers will be payingupwards of $85,000 per year plus benefits for (so more like over $100,000 per year) so
someone can implement the city’s Belonging in Bozeman DEI plan.Lower Cost By Moving to Wards: By shifting elections to wards versus at-large, the
costs for a special election would be far less than if the election were held city-wide.
The right to vote should not be traded away for administrative convenience or budget savings.
Bozeman deserves a commission chosen by the people, 100% of the time.
Keep Terms at 4 Years and Establish Term Limits – No More Career Politicians
Currently, Bozeman city commissioners and the mayor serve four-year terms. However, the
City Charter lacks explicit term limits that prevent individuals from holding onto these seatsfor decades. We believe it is time to establish clear, strict term limits for all elected city
positions.
We recommend a limit of two consecutive four-year terms for any single office.
Why do we need term limits in Bozeman?
Preventing Stagnation: Without term limits, incumbents can build powerful political
machines that make it nearly impossible for new voices to break into city leadership.Prioritizing Residents Over Politics: When a politician knows their time is limited,
they are more likely to focus on achieving results for the community rather thanconstantly campaigning for their next re-election and making decisions that appeal to
their voter base.Encouraging New Ideas: Term limits ensure a regular influx of fresh perspectives.Ending Another Way for Incumbents to Have an Advantage: Again, it is a well-known fact that incumbents have a massive advantage in fundraising and name
recognition. Term limits level the playing field, making our local elections morecompetitive and representative of the population as a whole.
Public service should be a season of a person’s life, not a lifelong career funded by thetaxpayers. By establishing term limits, we ensure that City Hall remains a place for residents
who care, not a permanent home for politicians with no prospects outside of their electedofficial career.
Keep City Politics Non-Partisan
One of the other questions facing the Study Commission is whether to add party labels
(Democrat, Republican etc.) to our local ballots. While some argue that partisan electionsprovide a shortcut for voters to understand a candidate, we believe that bringing national party
politics into City Hall would be a step backward for Bozeman.
Clearly stated, our stance is that local elections should remain non-partisan. Party affiliation
should not matter if your focus is on pipes, public safety, and infrastructure. A successfully-written City Charter would keep party politics and identity politics out of local government,
and keep the focus on the things that keep a city running.
Professionalism Over Politics: No Additional Elected Offices
While the idea of electing every city official might sound like “more democracy” or “moreaccountability to the public,” it often leads to a less effective government. We believe that
critical administrative roles, such as the City Attorney, Police Chief, and City Clerk, shouldremain positions that are hired by the City Manager that are filled through a professional
hiring process based on merit.
Turning these specialized roles into elected offices is a risk Bozeman cannot afford. Here is
why we oppose electing these city officers:
Prioritizing Expertise over Popularity: These roles require highly specific legal, law
enforcement, and administrative expertise. We want a City Attorney hired for theirknowledge of municipal law and a Police Chief hired for their record in public safety,
not someone who is simply the best at running a political campaign.A Professional Hiring Process: Currently, these officers are vetted through a that
includes interviews and background checks by professionals. In an election, that vettingis replaced by popularity contests and donor interests.Avoiding Institutional Knowledge Loss: Elections are unpredictable. If we elect theseofficers, Bozeman risks losing decades of institutional knowledge and professional
stability every four years based on the political whims of the moment.Preventing Constant Conflict: There is a major concern regarding professional
confidence when officers are elected rather than hired. We need experts who areaccountable to professional standards and the law, not to a political faction or campaign
contributors.
Keep our professionals in place. Do not turn professional careers into political offices.
Bozeman needs people who are hired for their skills, not elected for their politics. With wardsand an expanded commission, you would have a plurality of voices who will be giving input
to the City Manager on who to hire for these professional positions.
Respectfully submitted,
Katie Adams, Bozeman Resident
on behalf of The Gallatin Valley Sentinel