HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions 2026-95 - High Performing BoardsResolution 2026-95 High Performing Boards
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RESOLUTION 2026-95
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA,
ESTABLISHING THE STANDARDS FOR THE RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION OF BOARD MEMBERS,
STANDARDS FOR COMMUNICATION, AND EXPECTATIONS, DUTIES, AND NORMS OF BEHAVIOR
FOR ALL APPOINTED CITY BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AGENCIES, AND COMMITTEES
WHEREAS, Article IV, Section 4.07 of the Bozeman Charter permits the City Commission
to create boards, commissions, or committees as determined necessary; and
WHEREAS, on April 16, 2018, the Bozeman City Commission formally adopted the
Bozeman Strategic Plan via Resolution 4852; and
WHEREAS, the Strategic Plan Section 1.2 Community Engagement encourages the City
of Bozeman to “[b]roaden and deepen engagement of the community in city government,
innovating methods for inviting input from the community and stakeholders” by “restructure[ing]
or combin[ing] City boards and committees to more effectively advise the City and engage the
public”; and
WHEREAS, City Staff prepared a Memorandum and Proposed Plan for board
restructuring, made the plan available on May 20, 2021 for public review, and provided public
notice to inform the public of the opportunity to review and comment on the Proposed Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission held public work sessions on February 23, May 25, and
June 22, 2021 during which it received and reviewed all public, written and oral testimony on the
restructuring of City boards; and
WHEREAS, on June 22, 2021, the City Commission gave direction for City
Staff to move forward with restructuring the City’s advisory boards; and
WHEREAS, Strategic Plan Section 7 High Performance Organization states, “[w]e
operate as an ethical high performance organization, anticipating future needs, utilizing best
practices, and striving for continuous improvement.”
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WHEREAS, on August 10, 2021 the Commission passed Resolution 5323 to establish
standards for the recruitment and appointment of board members, establish standards for how
board members will communicate with the Commission and individual members of the
Commission and City staff (“High Performing Boards”) to increase efficiency and efficacy of
advisory board input; and
WHEREAS, High Performing Boards aims to formalize and streamline communications
between the City Commission, advisory boards, the City Manager, and the public; achieve policy
driven decision-making; and create consistency, predictability, and stability by clearly defining
duties, norms, and expectations for Board Members;
WHEREAS, on March 3, 2026, the Commission adopted priorities, including,
"Strengthen advisory board efficacy to ensure alignment with community goals;" and
WHEREAS, City staff performed a review of boards in Spring of 2026 and produced a
report outlining considerations for the Commission to improve advisory board efficacy, made
available on July 16, 2026, for public review, and provided public notice to inform the public of
the opportunity to review and make comment on the report and boards in general; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission held a public work session on July 21, 2026 regarding
the report, during which it received and reviewed all public, oral, and written testimony on the
state of advisory boards and gave direction to staff to amend Resolution 5323.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Commission of the City of Bozeman,
Montana, to wit:
SECTION 1: MEMBERSHIP, RECRUITMENT, & APPOINTMENT
1) Membership: Membership is established in the resolutions, ordinances, or statutes
establishing each Board’s structure, including any mandatory member qualification.
Additional membership requirements include:
a) Board Members may only serve in one City appointed position at a time;
b) The balance of an unexpired term served by an appointee shall be considered a “term”
if such unexpired term exceeds 50% of the full term;
c) Upon completion of a gap in service equal to a position’s full term, a former member
may be eligible for re-appointment; and
d) Appointments should be made prior to expiration of terms.
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2) Recruitment: Commissioners, staff liaisons, board members, including the chair, and the
City Manager are encouraged to actively recruit qualified members. During the recruitment
process, the City will adhere to the Belonging in Bozeman Plan and will actively work to
achieve membership that reflects the demographics of our community.
a) Vacancies will be posted in the lobby of City Hall and on the City’s website;
b) There will be twice annual active solicitation periods, as prescribed in Section 4.07 of the
City Charter; and
c) As necessitated by vacancies.
3) Review: The review of applicants shall occur by a panel consisting of the assigned
Commission Liaison, Board Chair, and the City Manager’s assigned staff liaison:
a) Interview questions must ensure applicants receive a fair comparison with other
candidates and will focus on potential conflicts of interest, compliance with norms of
conduct, including but not limited to decorum, communications, preparedness and
attendance.
b) Evaluation criteria must consider the City’s Belonging in Bozeman Plan goals, the duties
and purpose of the individual board, and any membership requirements in enabling
legislation or law.
c) If the Board Chair is an applicant to the board for which they are the chair, the Vice
Chair may sit on interview panels in place of the Chair. If both are applicants, the panel
will not include the Chair or Vice Chair.
4) Appointment: All Board appointments will be made by the City Commission except for
appointments authorized by law to be made by the Mayor. Board officers (chair & vice-
chair) will be appointed by a majority vote of the board’s appointed membership.
SECTION 2: COMMUNICATIONS
1) The boards shall receive direction from the City Commission pursuant to the Commission’s
biennial goal setting, requested assigned work priorities, or other specific direction as the
Commission may provide. Boards will only address items assigned or approved by the
Commission;
2) A board’s annual work plan must align with the Commission’s adopted biennial goals or
priorities as well as any statutory requirements or Commission delegated authorities;
3) The Board should communicate with the Commission through approved minutes, work
plans, progress reports, formal recommendations/resolutions voted on by the Board, or,
upon request by the City Commission, through joint work sessions with the Commission or
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Commission presentations;
4) Board chairs shall communicate with the staff liaison on matters related to the Board’s
operations and the Board’s agenda;
5) Board chairs should direct policy related questions and requests to work on items outside
the work plan to both the Commission Liaison and Staff Liaison;
6) City staff will develop minutes that the Board will review and approve; minutes shall be
provided to the City Commission and made available to the public.
SECTION 3: EXPECTATIONS, DUTIES, AND NORMS OF BEHAVIOR
Norms for Board Members are modeled upon the City Commission’s norms policy as presented
in Resolution 5124. Exhibit A, attached and incorporated into this Resolution, outlines the Rules
of Procedure, which are modeled upon Chapter 2, Article 2, BMC.
1) Training of Board Members: Board Members must participate in an onboarding program
and other training as required by the City Manager.
a) The training will include, but is not limited to:
i) General onboarding: Board procedures, open meetings, public records, process,
requirements, and expectations;
ii) Purposes and focus areas of the Board to be presented by the Staff Liaison;
iii) Effective Meetings: A training to assist Board Members in conducting an efficient
and effective meeting;
iv) Ethics: Initial ethics training upon appointment and annual ethics training as
required by the Charter; and
v) Belonging in Bozeman: Training focusing on various topics including, but not limited
to, implicit and unconscious bias, anti-harassment and anti-discrimination, and
accessibility in institutions, workforces, and local government.
b) Newly appointed board Members must complete onboarding and training within six
months of their appointment; and
c) Newly appointed board members must participate in a six-month check-in with the Staff
Liaison and Commission Liaison.
2) Duties:
a) Commission Liaison has the following duties:
i) Lead the interview of applicants;
ii) Serve as the primary contact with and communication liaison for the Board with the
City Commission;
iii) Assist with resolving questions regarding the role of the City Commission, City
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Manager, Staff Liaison, and the Board;
iv) Serve as a contact, rather than an advocate;
v) Review the Board's work plan and make recommendations to the City Commission
regarding the Board’s work plan;
vi) Support efficient Board operations;
vii) Assist in recruiting and training board members; and
viii) Actively identify items that should be brought to the Board by reviewing applicable
City documents, including but not limited to, Engagement Plans, the City
Commission’s 6-month calendar, the City Commission’s priorities, other Board's
work plans, and staff plans.
b) The Board Chair has the following duties:
i) Act as Presiding Officer and meeting facilitator;
ii) Set the agenda in consultation with the Staff Liaison to ensure alignment with the
approved work plan and staff resources and to avoid directing staff;
iii) Maintain a tone of civility during debate;
iv) Ensure the public has a meaningful opportunity to participate, and that meetings
operate fairly and impartially;
v) Ensure the Board’s questions and discussion are germane to the issues presented; and
vi) Actively participate in recruitment and interviews.
c) Board Members have the following duties:
i) Commit sufficient time to ensure regular and punctual attendance;
ii) Be prepared, attentive, and participatory;
iii) Abide by Rules of Procedure, Norms of Behavior, and the City and State Codes of
Ethics;
iv) Notify the Staff Liaison and Board Chair as soon as know will not be able to attend a
meeting and of any changes to contact information; and
v) Help recruit new board members.
d) Staff Liaisons have the following duties:
i) Support the Board Chair in preparing the agenda, ensuring alignment with the
approved work plan, resources, and avoiding the board directing staff.
ii) Ensure the agenda packet is appropriately published and noticed;
iii) Ensure minutes are taken and submitted to the City Clerk’s Office;
iv) Participate in candidate recruitment and schedule, coordinate, and participate in
interviews; and
v) Be a resource to the Board and arrange presentations and other work plan items as
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appropriate.
3) Norms of behavior:
a) Board members are encouraged to share their experience and knowledge with new
members;
b) Board members should treat all city employees with respect, and in doing so recognize
that staff strive to always serve the public to the best of their abilities;
c) Board members should be mindful of arguing or debating the merits of a staff person's
professional judgment. Should board members disagree with an employee's
professional judgment they should address such disagreement professionally.
Unresolved disagreements may be addressed with the Board Chair, Commission Liaison,
Staff Liaison, or City Manager as appropriate;
d) Board members must not attempt to direct, pressure, or influence staff workloads,
schedules, or department priorities. When posing inquiries to staff, board members
should keep in mind that their question is for informational purposes only;
e) Board members should not use language or communication methods that a reasonable
person would find humiliating, intimidating, hostile, or offensive;
f) A board member may not take any action that could be construed as a directive or order
to staff and must not attempt to pressure or influence staff workloads, schedules, or
department priorities;
g) All Board interactions shall remain professional and respectful.
h) Specific provisions for board member's attendance at meetings other than board
meetings:
i) Board members may not attend staff meetings unless requested by the City Manager;
ii) Board members’ conduct at public meetings or other events should be informed by
this resolution, adopted rules of decorum, and the Code of Ethics.
iii) If a board member would like to make public comment to the City Commission as a
private citizen the board member should indicate they are speaking in their personal
capacity and not as a member of the board upon which they serve.
iv) If a board member would like to make public comment to the City Commission as a
member of the board upon which they are appointed regarding or in addition to
their Board's recommendation, at the time of making comment to the Commission,
they must identify themselves as a board member and must state that they are
representing their own opinion, not that of the board.
i) All appointed members of city boards or committees should be mindful of the Charter’s
prohibition regarding interference with administration.
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SECTION 4: REPEALER
Resolution 5323 is hereby repealed and superseded by this Resolution.
PASSED, ADOPTED, AND APPROVED by the City Commission of the City of Bozeman, Montana,
at a regular session thereof held on the 20th day of October 2026.
___________________________________
JOEY MORRISON
Mayor
ATTEST:
___________________________________
MIKE MAAS
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
___________________________________
GREG SULLIVAN
City Attorney
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Appendix A
Rules of Procedure
Section 1
Applicability
A. These rules shall govern the conduct of all City of Bozeman boards, commissions,
agencies, and committees (hereinafter "boards") where a majority of members are
appointed by the City Commission and shall supplement other governing rules of the
board.
B. These rules are supplementary to the provision of Title 7, Chpt. 1, Part 41, MCA, Title 7,
Chpt. 5, Parts 41 and 42, MCA, and Title 2, Chpts. 2 and 3, MCA as they relate to
procedures for conducting meetings and public hearings before City boards.
Section 2
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson – Powers and Duties
A. The membership of each Board will appoint the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson for
the year within one month of the start of new members’ terms.
B. The recording secretary shall be any staff member assigned by the Staff Liaison.
C. The Chairperson shall be the Presiding Officer of the board.
D. During the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson shall discharge the duties
and exercise the powers and authority of the chairperson.
E. The Presiding Officer shall preserve strict order and decorum at all meetings and confine
members in debates to the question under consideration.
F. The Presiding Officer may move or second any item of business before the board.
G. The Presiding Officer shall state, or cause to be stated, every motion coming before the
board, announce the time for a roll-call vote to be announced by the recording
secretary, announce the decision of the board on all subjects, and decide all questions
of order. For appeals to the board, a majority vote of the board members present shall
govern and conclusively determine such question of order.
H. The Presiding Officer shall vote on all questions.
Section 3
Parliamentary Authority
A. Unless otherwise specifically provided herein or by ordinance or statute, all meetings
and hearings of the boards shall be conducted in accordance with these rules.
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B. In all cases not covered by these rules, the controlling parliamentary authority shall be
the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
Section 4
Meeting Agendas
A. The Staff Liaison, or their designee, shall arrange a list of matters to be brought before
the Board according to the order of business specified in the agenda. The agenda must
be furnished, along with all supporting information, to each member and the public
through the City's website no later than 48 hours immediately preceding the meeting
for which that item has been scheduled. All material related to an agenda item before
the board must be made available to the public within the above time frame. Copies of
the agenda shall be available from the City Clerk and one copy shall be posted at the
designated posting board in the City Hall for public viewing and made available on the
City's website. Pursuant to Section 7-1-4135, MCA, the City Commission designates as
the official posting place for all boards the posting board in the lobby of City Hall located
at 121 North Rouse Avenue, Bozeman, Montana.
B. The Board Chair shall determine the meeting agenda in consultation with the Staff
Liaison who will prepare and publish the agenda. The agenda is determined by the
Board Chair in collaboration with the Staff Liaison and must be in alignment with an
approved work plan, resources, and must avoid directing staff. The Chairperson or a
majority of board members may remove an item from the agenda. The Commission
Liaison may remove an item from the agenda if it is not in the approved work plan or
requested by the City Commission. The agenda shall be in substantially the following
form:
a. Call to Order
b. Disclosures
c. Changes to the Agenda
d. Public Service Announcements
e. Approval of Minutes
f. Consent Items
g. Special Presentations
h. Action Items
i. Work Sessions
j. FYI/Discussion
k. Public Comments on non-agenda items
l. Adjournment
Order of the above may be adjusted by the Presiding Officer.
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Section 5
Meetings
All meetings of the Board shall be open to the public unless authorized by law. Prior to closing
any meeting of the Board, the Chairperson and Staff Liaison shall consult with the City Attorney.
A. Regular Meetings
a. Boards shall establish a regular meeting schedule that aligns with their workload.
b. Any meeting of the Board may be adjourned to a later date and time, provided
that no adjournment shall be for a longer period than until the next regular or
specially scheduled meeting.
c. The Staff Liaison, Presiding Officer, or majority of the Board may cancel a regular
meeting if no business is scheduled for that meeting.
B. Public Hearings
a. Public Hearings are meetings required of some citizen advisory boards to be held
as a public hearing pursuant to law. The provisions of Section 5.A apply to Public
Hearings.
b. Unless prohibited by law, a public hearing may be rescheduled or adjourned to a
specific later date and time.
C. Executive Sessions
a. Executive Sessions are meetings of the Board with the purpose to discuss
litigation strategy, a matter of individual privacy, or other matters wherein a
meeting may be closed pursuant to law and will be scheduled as needed.
b. Although each Executive Session will commence as an open public meeting,
Executive Sessions may be closed to the public pursuant to authority and
limitations in Title 2, Chpt. 3, Part 2, MCA.
c. An Executive Session may be called at any time during any meeting if authorized
by law.
d. The Board Chair must consult the City Attorney prior to attempting to close a
meeting. If the Board Chair does not consult the City Attorney prior to
attempting to close a meeting, the meeting must be adjourned until such
consultation can be obtained or the issue raised that could lead to closing the
meeting must not be discussed.
D. Special Meetings
a. The Presiding Officer or a majority of the board may call Special Meetings of the
board, only after they have the approval of the Commission Liaison to hold such
meeting and after ensuring Staff Liaisons can support the meeting, upon at least
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seventy-two (72) hours’ notice to each member personally served on each
member through email or left at the member’s usual place of residence.
b. Notice shall also be made to the public by, at a minimum, posting the agenda on
the City’s website and posting board at least forty-eight (48) hours prior.
E. Subcommittees
a. Subcommittees shall only be formed with the express authorization of the City
Commission.
b. Subcommittees shall be limited to a period of time in alignment with, or until the
completion of an assigned specified task.
F. An “Ad Hoc Committee” is a temporary committee that is convened for the purpose of
addressing a specific task or issue and formed for a limited period of time in alignment
with, or until the completion of a specific task. An Ad Hoc Committee may be formed by
the City Manager or City Commission and as authorized by the Charter. Members of an
ad hoc committee are appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the City Commission.
Ad Hoc Committees are subject to all requirements for public notice and open meetings.
Section 6
Order of Presentation/Public Participation
A. The order in which items are presented to the board shall generally be as follows:
a. The Staff Liaison, or their designee, shall present the agenda item to the Board, if
appropriate.
b. If applicable, the Staff Liaison may present a background report. After the
presentation, board members may ask clarifying questions. If the agenda item is
a public hearing, the Presiding Officer will open the public hearing prior to staff
presentation.
c. If applicable, comments from the applicant, or the applicant's agent, shall be
heard. The applicant's presentation/testimony is limited to ten (10) minutes,
subject to the discretion of the Presiding Officer.
d. After being recognized by the Presiding Officer, a board member may direct
questions to the staff or applicant.
e. Members of the audience, or their agent, may be invited to provide testimony or
evidence. To be recognized, each person desiring to give testimony or evidence
shall approach the podium and, after being recognized, give their name and
whether they are residents of the city or property owners within the city for the
record.
f. After being recognized by the Presiding Officer, a board member may direct
clarifying questions to any person testifying.
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g. Following public comment, the Staff Liaison must be given the opportunity to
comment on any testimony or other evidence.
h. Following staff comment and if a public hearing, the applicant will be given the
opportunity to rebut or comment on any testimony or other evidence. The
applicant's comments and rebuttal is limited, subject to the discretion of the
presiding officer, to five (5) minutes.
i. If a public hearing, following applicant rebuttal and any further questions, the
Presiding Officer will close the hearing and bring the agenda item forward for
motion, discussion, and vote.
j. If a public hearing, after being recognized by the Presiding Officer, a board
member may direct questions limited to the rebuttal testimony and evidence.
k. The recording secretary shall enter into the record all correspondence that has
been received but not yet provided.
l. Unless required to act by a certain date pursuant to law, the Board may continue
the discussion to a date certain, close discussion and vote on the matter, or close
discussion and continue the vote to a date certain.
B. All testimony and evidence shall be directed to the Presiding Officer. No person, other
than a board member and the person recognized as having the floor, shall be permitted
to enter into the discussion. No questions shall be asked of a board member except
through the Presiding Officer.
C. The Board may ask the Staff Liaison for their recommendation.
D. If the Board is presiding over a public hearing, in the event the applicant does not
appear at the scheduled time and place, unless the applicant has waived their
appearance in writing, and the waiver was accepted by the Board, or unless the matter
is submitted as a consent item, the matter must be continued to the next available
regular meeting, public hearing date, or other date certain.
E. Agreement with staff’s written findings is an acceptable method of presenting findings.
F. Witnesses may be required to testify under oath.
G. Anonymous written comments will not be accepted.
H. A public hearing which has been formally closed for all public input may not be
reopened and no additional evidence or testimony from the public shall be received or
considered except as provided herein. If additional information is required from the
public before a decision can be made, the Board upon motion duly made, seconded and
passed, may call for an additional public hearing which hearing shall be noticed as
required by law, specifying date, time place and subject matter of hearing. This
paragraph does not preclude the Board, after the public hearing, from asking questions
of staff, receiving additional evidence from staff or, after a hearing held on a preliminary
plat, pursuant to Title 76, Chpt. 3, MCA, from consulting the applicant about conditions
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or other mitigation required of the applicant. Upon decision by the Presiding Officer, or
upon a duly adopted motion of the board to reopen the public hearing prior to close of
the agenda item in which the hearing was held, the requirement to provide public
notice does not apply; the public hearing may be reopened and the additional input
provided prior to a final decision on the item.
Section 7
Quorum and Voting
A. Unless otherwise provided by law, a quorum shall consist of a majority of all appointed
board members. If a quorum is not present, those in attendance shall be named and the
board shall adjourn to a later time.
B. The recording secretary shall reduce motions to writing and, upon request, shall read a
motion prior to the vote.
C. Votes shall be made by roll-call.
D. Upon every vote, the outcome shall be stated and recorded.
E. A board member has an obligation to vote unless there is a conflict of interest.
F. Email, telephonic, or proxy voting shall be prohibited except as allowed by remote
participation rules adopted by the City Commission.
Section 8
Rules of Debate/Reconsideration/Conflict of Interest
A. Every board member desiring to speak shall address the Presiding Officer and upon
recognition by the Presiding Officer, shall confine discussion to the question under
debate, avoiding all personalities and indecorous language.
B. A board member, once recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking unless the
member is to be called to order, or as herein otherwise provided. If a board member,
while speaking is called to order, they shall cease speaking until the question of order is
determined, and, if in order shall be permitted to proceed.
C. Order of rotation in matters of debate or discussion shall be at the discretion of the
Presiding Officer.
D. A motion to reconsider any action taken by the Board must be made on the day such
action was taken. It must be made either immediately during the same session, or at a
recessed and reconvened session thereof. Such motion shall be made by one of the
prevailing side, but may be seconded by any member, and may be made at any time and
have precedence over all other motions or while a board member has the floor. It shall
be debatable — nothing herein shall be construed to prevent any board member from
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making or remaking the same or any other motion at a subsequent meeting of the
board, but the matter must be duly scheduled as an agenda item.
E. Pursuant to the City' s Code of Ethics, any board member or liaison may seek the advice
of the City Attorney or request the City Attorney issue an ethics opinion pursuant to
2.03.630, BMC. If the City Attorney advises that there is a conflict of interest, the
member shall recuse themself, leave the meeting table, and refrain from the discussion
and vote on the matter for which a conflict of interest exists.
F. After a motion, duly made and seconded, by the board, no person shall address the
board without first securing the permission of the Presiding Officer.
Section 9
Open Meetings and Email
A. Except for properly called executive sessions as permitted by state law, all meetings of
the board shall be open to the public and media, freely subject to recording by radio,
television and photography at any time, provided that such arrangements do not
interfere with the orderly conduct of the meetings.
B. A quorum of the Board shall not conduct electronic discussions involving a matter over
which the board has supervision, control, jurisdiction, or advisory power. Synchronized
email discussions are email exchanges among a majority of board members within
minutes of each other that create the quality of simultaneity similar to instant
messaging or chat room discussions. Such discussions are characterized as an active
exchange of information rather than the passive receipt of information. An example of
synchronized email discussion would be a majority of board members sitting at their
computers and instantly exchanging emails concerning board business, whereas a
passive receipt of information is where a board member receives an email and responds
in the normal course of time similar to responding by letter received in the mail. The
Board shall not view emails or other electronic communication mechanisms concerning
any matter on the agenda during a board meeting unless the submission is part of a
specifically approved and adopted electronic public testimony program. Electronic
communication mechanisms include text messaging or any other emerging technology
that violates the spirit of open meeting laws. This does not preclude viewing emails or
electronic communication mechanisms that were received prior to the board meeting.
Emails received by board members concerning an agenda item shall be forwarded to the
city clerk, and if needed staff liaison and board secretary and retained in accordance
with the City's retention policy.
C. All communications, including those on non-agenda items, pertinent to a board
member’s role may be considered public information. See Section 15.D.
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Section 10
Decorum
A. All boards are subject to and must comply with Section 2.02.120, BMC as required by
2.02.120.L.
Section 11
Recording of Meetings and Minutes
A. The recording secretary shall prepare a summary of all meetings to be known as the
“Minutes” and to be approved by the Board. It shall not be necessary to formally read
out loud the Minutes prior to approval. The Staff Liaison or Board Secretary may revise
such Minutes to correct spelling, numbering, and other technical defects. Prior to
approval, any board member may request the privilege of amending or correcting the
Minutes to accurately reflect the substance of the prior meeting. If an objection is made
by any board member to such amendment or correction, a majority vote of the board
shall be necessary for adoption of the correction or amendment. The approved minutes
shall be forwarded to the City Clerk's office for posting within a month of the meeting in
which they were approved. The Clerk's Office will provide access to approved Minutes
on a Commission agenda for informational and transparency purposes only.
B. Executive Session Minutes. Executive Session Minutes shall be taken and prepared by
the Board Secretary. The Board shall approve the minutes of an executive session in
open meeting; however, any discussion concerning the contents of the minutes, prior to
approval, shall be conducted in executive session. The Staff Liaison or Board Secretary
will distribute the draft executive session minutes to the members in a manner that
ensures and retains confidentiality. The Board shall follow Sec. 2.02.130 BMC related to
dissemination of executive session minutes.
C. At the discretion of the Board and City Clerk's Office, all meetings shall be televised,
broadcast, and/or a video or audio recording made. Audio or video recordings shall be
made available to the public unless required to be kept confidential by law.
Section 12
Attendance at Meetings/Removal by City Commission/Terms
A. All board members are expected to contribute the time necessary to fulfill their
fiduciary obligations to the Board. All board members are required to contact the
Presiding Officer and the Staff Liaison prior to the meeting if they will be absent. If prior
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contact is made, the absence may be determined excused by the board. If a board
member fails to contact the Presiding Officer or Staff Liaison prior to the meeting, the
absence may be considered unexcused by the board. The City Commission and City
Manager may be notified by the Staff Liaison of any board member with more than one
unexcused absence in any calendar year. The Board, via motion and vote, may forward
to the City Commission the name of any board member having three or more excused
absences, or two or more unexcused absences, in a one-year timeframe. The City
Commission may remove a board member for excessive absences.
B. A board member’s term may be extended by the City until the City Commission appoints
a replacement.
C. All terms shall expire on December 31 of their given year.
Section 13
Compliance with the City Code of Ethics
A. All board members are required to follow State ethics laws regarding appointed officials
and the City of Bozeman Code of Ethics.
B. New board members will receive the City of Bozeman ethics handbook and must sign a
form acknowledging receipt of the handbook and affirm they will uphold the state and
city ethics codes.
C. Board members are also required to attend City-sponsored Ethics Training. Non-
compliance with the City Code of Ethics and training requirements may result in removal
of a board member. See the City Code of Ethics for more details.
Section 14
Compliance with the City Purchasing Policy
A. All boards are subject to the City purchasing policy (Administrative Order 2009-06), as
revised, unless specified by law.
B. City Staff Liaisons shall handle financial transactions unless specific arrangements have
been made in writing through the City Controller.
Section 15
Compliance with State Records Retention Policy/Social Media
A. All City boards are subject to the State of Montana records retention policy.
B. The City Clerk’s Office will handle retention of all agendas, minutes, and board
resolutions once they have been forwarded to the Clerk’s Office.
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C. E-mails, texts, websites and social networking sites are subject to adopted records
retention schedules. For social media and websites, please refer to the current
Information Technology Social Media Use Policy for further guidelines. Board members
do not have authority to represent or speak on behalf of the City in social media or
other public forums.
D. Individual members are responsible for preserving communications that are potentially
subject to the Right to Know provisions of Montana’s State Constitution (Art. II, Section
9) and may be considered a “public record” pursuant to Title 2, Chpt. 6, Montana Code
Annotated. As such, these emails and texts, its senders and receivers, and the contents
may be available for public disclosure and will be retained pursuant to the City’s record
retention policies. Emails and texts that contain confidential information such as
information related to individual privacy may be protected from disclosure under law.
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