HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-05-26 Public Comment - M. Moran - Fwd_ GVS Action AlertFrom:Mike MoranTo:Bozeman Goverment Study CommissionSubject:[EXTERNAL]Fwd: GVS Action AlertDate:Thursday, February 5, 2026 9:49:38 AM
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To Whom It May Concern,As a resident of Bozeman and a registered voter in Gallatin County I would like to provide opinions on the issuesbeing discussed at today’s meeting.Please see the attached solutions provided by the Gallatin Valley Sentinel and make note that as a voter I agree withall of these stated opinions and solutions. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sent from my iPhoneMichael J. Moran19 Glen Ross Way Bozeman, MT 059718
Begin forwarded message:
From: The Gallatin Valley Sentinel <info@thegvsentinel.com>Date: February 3, 2026 at 10:57:32 PM MSTTo: mikemoran3025@gmail.comSubject: GVS Action AlertReply-To: The Gallatin Valley Sentinel <info@thegvsentinel.com>
February 4, 2026
GVS Action Alert
Bozeman Local Government Study
Hello neighbors,
The Bozeman Local Government Study Commission is continuing to make some
decisions this week, and there are two key areas that they will be deciding that we
want to bring to your attention: how City Commission vacancies are filled and
Commission pay.
We fundamentally disagree with the Study Commission’s drift toward:
Filling Commission Vacancies by Appointment: The Study Commission
wants to keep an appointment process that allows the City Commission to
hand-pick successors who agree with them. Over the last 10 years, four of the
five people who were appointed to the Commission ran for election and won
as incumbents, not because they had overwhelming public support, but
because they had an advantage as an incumbent and because they were
supported by an orchestrated voting bloc.
Career Politician Pay: Defining the Mayor and Commissioner roles as “full-
time” is inherently exclusionary. It forces working professionals and those in
the private sector to abandon their careers to serve, limiting the candidate
pool to professional activists and aspiring career politicians. Bozeman’s mayor
and commissioners already receive the highest pay for their roles in the state.
Our Solutions
Special Elections: If more than 12 months remain in a term, the voters, not the
City Commission, should choose the replacement.
Ward-Based Representation: Move to a 7-member commission elected by
local neighborhoods to ensure accountability and slash the cost of special
elections to roughly four one-thousandths of a percent of the city’s budget
(0.004%).
Citizen-Service Stipends: Keep pay as a modest stipend (already the highest
in the state) to ensure public service remains a civic contribution, not a career
path. We believe public service should be a season of contribution, not a
lucrative career path for a narrow group of activists.
Read our full explanation here: https://www.thegvsentinel.com/our-
response-to-the-january-28-study-commission-meeting-on-vacancies-
pay-and-more/
What You Can Do
1. Email the Study Commission by NOON on Thursday, February 5. Send a
message to govreview@bozeman.net. Tell them you support special elections
to fill vacancies and oppose turning commission seats and the role of mayor
into full-time, salaried “career” positions.
2. Attend the meeting in person or online. Show up this Thursday, February 5, at
4 p.m. at City Hall (121 North Rouse Avenue) or register to attend online via
Zoom at
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iWr35aglT7WtyrzQkTttuw#/registration.
Your presence and public comment are the only things that can stop a small group
from deciding the rules for our local government for at least the next decade.
Upcoming Study Commission
Meetings
February 2026: Mayor Structure & Executive Function
February 5 - Education and discussion on the City Manager structure vs. having a
Strong Mayor (Mayor as CEO of the city) vs. a hybrid system
February 17 - Continued education and discussion on City Manager vs. Strong
Mayor vs. hybrid system
March 2026: Representation & Elections
March (TBD) - Decisions on Mayor Structure and changes to executive leadership
of the city
March 25 - Education and discussion on options for elections by wards
April 2026: Community Representation Structures
April 2 - Education and discussion on Neighborhood Councils and advisory
boards
April 15 - Decisions on elections, wards, and neighborhoods
April 24 - Decisions on elections, wards, and neighborhoods
April 30 - Decisions on elections, wards, and neighborhoods
May 2026: Report Drafting & Public Input
May 7 - Review draft report
May 13 - Final approval of report and release for public comment
May 28 - Public hearing on report
June & July 2026: Report Finalization & Adoption
June 4 - Public hearing
June 17 - Review public comments and finalize report
July 2 - Adopt final report
July 8 - File final report
Don’t Forget to Take Our
Survey
We need to hear from you. If you haven’t yet shared your thoughts on how Bozeman
should be governed, now is the time. Whether you have strong opinions on ward-based
representation or want to weigh in on the Mayor / Manager system, your perspective
ensures that the Study Commission gets survey results from a broad section of the
community.
Take the survey by February 28 here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/localgovernmentstudy
DONATE
Please consider donating to the work of The Gallatin Valley Sentinel. To mirror the
Local Government Study alone costs tens of thousands of dollars. Donate today to
ensure that we have a voice in shaping the next decade of politics in our city.
View email in browser
The Gallatin Valley Sentinel · P.O. Box 10324 · Bozeman, MT 59719-0324 · USA
update your preferences or unsubscribe
From:Mike MoranTo:Bozeman Goverment Study CommissionSubject:[EXTERNAL]Fwd: GVS Action AlertDate:Thursday, February 5, 2026 9:51:44 AM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the
content is safe.
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Mike Moran <mikemoran3025@gmail.com>Date: February 5, 2026 at 9:49:30 AM MSTTo: govreview@bozeman.netSubject: Fwd: GVS Action Alert
To Whom It May Concern,As a resident of Bozeman and a registered voter in Gallatin County I would like to provide opinions on theissues being discussed at today’s meeting.Please see the attached solutions provided by the Gallatin Valley Sentinel and make note that as a voter I agreewith all of these stated opinions and solutions. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sent from my iPhoneMichael J. Moran19 Glen Ross Way Bozeman, MT 059718
Begin forwarded message:
From: The Gallatin Valley Sentinel <info@thegvsentinel.com>Date: February 3, 2026 at 10:57:32 PM MSTTo: mikemoran3025@gmail.comSubject: GVS Action AlertReply-To: The Gallatin Valley Sentinel <info@thegvsentinel.com>
February 4, 2026
GVS Action Alert
Bozeman Local Government Study
Hello neighbors,
The Bozeman Local Government Study Commission is continuing to make some
decisions this week, and there are two key areas that they will be deciding that we
want to bring to your attention: how City Commission vacancies are filled and
Commission pay.
We fundamentally disagree with the Study Commission’s drift toward:
Filling Commission Vacancies by Appointment: The Study Commission
wants to keep an appointment process that allows the City Commission to
hand-pick successors who agree with them. Over the last 10 years, four of the
five people who were appointed to the Commission ran for election and won
as incumbents, not because they had overwhelming public support, but
because they had an advantage as an incumbent and because they were
supported by an orchestrated voting bloc.
Career Politician Pay: Defining the Mayor and Commissioner roles as “full-
time” is inherently exclusionary. It forces working professionals and those in
the private sector to abandon their careers to serve, limiting the candidate
pool to professional activists and aspiring career politicians. Bozeman’s mayor
and commissioners already receive the highest pay for their roles in the state.
Our Solutions
Special Elections: If more than 12 months remain in a term, the voters, not the
City Commission, should choose the replacement.
Ward-Based Representation: Move to a 7-member commission elected by
local neighborhoods to ensure accountability and slash the cost of special
elections to roughly four one-thousandths of a percent of the city’s budget
(0.004%).
Citizen-Service Stipends: Keep pay as a modest stipend (already the highest
in the state) to ensure public service remains a civic contribution, not a career
path. We believe public service should be a season of contribution, not a
lucrative career path for a narrow group of activists.
Read our full explanation here: https://www.thegvsentinel.com/our-
response-to-the-january-28-study-commission-meeting-on-vacancies-
pay-and-more/
What You Can Do
1. Email the Study Commission by NOON on Thursday, February 5. Send a
message to govreview@bozeman.net. Tell them you support special elections
to fill vacancies and oppose turning commission seats and the role of mayor
into full-time, salaried “career” positions.
2. Attend the meeting in person or online. Show up this Thursday, February 5, at
4 p.m. at City Hall (121 North Rouse Avenue) or register to attend online via
Zoom at
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iWr35aglT7WtyrzQkTttuw#/registration.
Your presence and public comment are the only things that can stop a small group
from deciding the rules for our local government for at least the next decade.
Upcoming Study Commission
Meetings
February 2026: Mayor Structure & Executive Function
February 5 - Education and discussion on the City Manager structure vs. having a
Strong Mayor (Mayor as CEO of the city) vs. a hybrid system
February 17 - Continued education and discussion on City Manager vs. Strong
Mayor vs. hybrid system
March 2026: Representation & Elections
March (TBD) - Decisions on Mayor Structure and changes to executive leadership
of the city
March 25 - Education and discussion on options for elections by wards
April 2026: Community Representation Structures
April 2 - Education and discussion on Neighborhood Councils and advisory
boards
April 15 - Decisions on elections, wards, and neighborhoods
April 24 - Decisions on elections, wards, and neighborhoods
April 30 - Decisions on elections, wards, and neighborhoods
May 2026: Report Drafting & Public Input
May 7 - Review draft report
May 13 - Final approval of report and release for public comment
May 28 - Public hearing on report
June & July 2026: Report Finalization & Adoption
June 4 - Public hearing
June 17 - Review public comments and finalize report
July 2 - Adopt final report
July 8 - File final report
Don’t Forget to Take Our
Survey
We need to hear from you. If you haven’t yet shared your thoughts on how Bozeman
should be governed, now is the time. Whether you have strong opinions on ward-based
representation or want to weigh in on the Mayor / Manager system, your perspective
ensures that the Study Commission gets survey results from a broad section of the
community.
Take the survey by February 28 here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/localgovernmentstudy
DONATE
Please consider donating to the work of The Gallatin Valley Sentinel. To mirror the
Local Government Study alone costs tens of thousands of dollars. Donate today to
ensure that we have a voice in shaping the next decade of politics in our city.
View email in browser
The Gallatin Valley Sentinel · P.O. Box 10324 · Bozeman, MT 59719-0324 · USA
update your preferences or unsubscribe