MPO committee approves long‑range transportation plan scope after discussion on nondisclosure rules and public access

The Bozeman City Metropolitan Planning Organization Technical Planning Coordination Committee on Monday approved the final scope of work for its long‑range transportation plan, selecting Nelson Nygaard as lead consultant and authorizing a contract just under $348,000.

The vote followed public comment and an extended committee discussion about nondisclosure language used during the procurement and how the public can access evaluation materials. Emily Toledo, a Bozeman resident, urged clarity and transparency and cited Article II, Section 9 of the Montana Constitution in arguing for public access: “no person shall be deprived of the right to examine documents or to observe the deliberations of all public bodies or agencies of state government and its subdivisions,” she said.

Nut graf: The committee approved a 15‑month project intended to produce an MPO‑hosted, dynamic long‑range transportation plan with a performance dashboard, GIS data compilation across jurisdictional boundaries and a transit chapter funded by the local transit authority. Committee members also asked staff to work with the City of Bozeman attorney and the Montana…