Bozeman department directors review core duties, service levels and data at staff–commission retreat

Directors from the City of Bozeman outlined their departments’ essential functions during the retreat, giving commissioners a data‑driven view of workload, service levels and staffing needs.

Why it matters: Commissioners said staff briefings help the elected body better explain city work to residents and support budget and policy decisions. Directors used the session to point to operational constraints — staffing levels, regulatory obligations and the time needed to convert planning policy into on‑the‑ground results.

Key takeaways by department

Community development (Aaron): The planning and building divisions review projects against adopted codes and state law. Aaron said building services issued 3,461 permits in 2024, performed 22,860 inspections, and permitted 987 new dwelling units; through April 2025 the department had issued 817 permits and completed about 6,200 inspections and permitted 588 dwelling units in the first four months of 2025.

Legal (Erin): Erin said the city attorney’s office provides criminal prosecution for municipal offenses (noting a focus on DUI and domestic violence caseloads) and civil legal services for the organization. She stressed the office’s duty to the organization (not individual elected members) and the professional rules that constrain legal advice and litigation choices.

Utilities (Sean): Utilities staff highlighted water‑quality sampling and system operation: approximately 6,000 water‑quality samples per year, regular valve and hydrant maintenance, and a wastewater treatment plant that treats roughly 8 million gallons per day. Directors said asset management and timely capital replacement are central to avoiding service failures.

Public works / Transportation & Engineering (Nick): Nick described streets, fleet and traffic operations, and the city‑hosted Gallatin Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization. Public works manages heavy equipment, a vehicle shop, and urban transportation projects. The department also administers the city’s solid‑waste enterprise and an organic‑collection pilot.

Parks & Recreation (Mitch): Parks staff said the city maintains about 900 acres of parkland and 118 miles of multiuse pathways. The department inventories roughly 27,000 public trees and described ongoing work on deferred maintenance, new amenities such as a splash pad, and connecting parks to housing and stormwater strategies.

Police (Captain Joe Swanson and others): The police department described patrol staffing, investigations and school resource officer programs. The department is authorized for 76 sworn officers and had 69 sworn officers at the time of the meeting; it assigns detectives to multi‑jurisdiction task forces and emphasizes training and community engagement.

Fire (Josh): The fire department described training, inspections and public education. The chief noted the department’s accreditation and regional mutual‑aid role; the department reviews commercial and multi‑family construction for code compliance and conducts broad community safety programs.

Library (Susan): The Bozeman Public Library discussed services and funding: approximately 325,000 visitors in the prior year; 30 staff, roughly 50 volunteers; a bookmobile with 759 stops and about 12,000 visitors; and operating funds from a Gallatin County mill levy (under $1 million a year returned through an interlocal agreement). The library also highlighted philanthropy that funded a recent renovation and a bookmobile.

Finance, HR, IT and grants (Melissa, Cassie, Scott, Jamie): Finance emphasized audits, internal controls and long‑range fiscal planning. HR described payroll, benefits, recruitment and employee relations for roughly 550 city employees. IT covered cyber security, enterprise applications and public‑facing systems. The city’s grants coordinator was credited with helping secure large federal grants and managing onerous reporting obligations.

Quotes

- "We issued 3,461 building permits in 2024 and conducted 22,860 inspections," Aaron said, underscoring the scale of building‑services work.

- "We take over 6,000 water‑quality samples a year," Sean said while describing water quality and distribution maintenance.

Discussion vs. direction

Directors used the session to ask for continued commission support on staffing, capital investment and public messaging about regulatory timelines. Commissioners and staff agreed to plan additional public briefings so residents can see where input shaped policy decisions and why some outcomes take multiple years to appear on the ground.

Ending

Directors and commissioners said they will return to this format periodically to deepen understanding across elected leaders and department heads and to give commissioners more material for public outreach and budget decisions.