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 Department of Transportation (MDT) to clarify nondisclosure procedures and whether records should require a formal request to be released.

Committee staff explained the procurement and records process. “It should be public information that’s available and it is available to the public if they would like to file a records request,” Jeff (MPO staff) said, adding that staff will meet with the City of Bozeman attorney and MDT procurement to explore language and procedural changes to address committee concerns.

Belgrade representative Neil Cardwell said his city’s internal rules limit which officials may sign nondisclosure agreements and asked staff to confirm whether participation requirements could conflict with member jurisdictions’ policies: “in our opinion, staff doesn’t have the authority to sign or enter into an NDA or any of those types of agreements … those type of agreements are really only allowed to be signed by the city manager,” Cardwell said.

Committee members pressed staff on several substantive elements of the scope. The plan will: - compile a GIS database (staff asked for about 30 layers from partner jurisdictions); - review existing plans and projected conditions, including land use, demographics and freight; - include a transit‑focused analysis paid for by the transit authority and a standalone transit document while integrating transit throughout the LRTP; - develop a project evaluation framework and scenarios, and produce a financial plan identifying programmatic and aspirational projects; - deliver a public, dynamic performance dashboard intended to live on the MPO website to track performance measures and local goals.

Katie (staff participant) clarified federal requirements for performance measures but said the federal government does not prescribe the dashboard format: “Performance measures and setting targets are a requirement of the MPO, but how you decide to include that in your transportation planning process and how you choose to show you’re making progress … is up to you,” she said.

The committee agreed staff should raise the NDAs and public‑records concerns with the city attorney and with MDT procurement and report back. The committee also discussed forming a community advisory panel, but details on membership and selection will be determined after consultants are under contract.

Votes at a glance: • Motion: Approve minutes from February 26 meeting — Moved by Neil Cardwell; seconded by Mark Heggie; vote: Mayor Terry Cunningham (Aye), Commissioner Fisher (Aye), Neil Cardwell (Aye), Commissioner McFarland (Aye), Dina Leiva (Aye), Mark Heggie (Aye), Dene Jonetti (Aye). Outcome: approved (7–0).

• Motion: Move to approve the final scope of work with Nelson Nygaard for the long‑range transportation plan — Moved by Commissioner Fisher; seconded by Commissioner McFarland; vote: Mayor Terry Cunningham (Aye), Commissioner Fisher (Aye), Neil Cardwell (Aye), Commissioner McFarland (Aye), Dina Leiva (Aye), Mark Heggie (Aye), Dene Jonetti (Aye). Outcome: approved (7–0).

Ending: Staff said the LRTP must meet federal and state regulatory requirements and be adopted by December 2026; with the 15‑month timeline the MPO intends to finish the plan well before that deadline and place the contract on the City of Bozeman consent agenda for formal authorization. Staff will return with recommended language changes and any clarifications about jurisdictional authority to sign nondisclosure agreements.