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Study commission schedules five open houses and readies community survey on charter questions
Summary
The Butte-Silver Bow Study Commission set five open-house dates and plans a community survey to gather public input on charter topics including fire service structure; the survey will "soft launch" the week after the meeting and be available at open houses and online.
Butte-Silver Bow — The Butte-Silver Bow Study Commission scheduled five public open houses and a community survey as part of its charter review process, the commission reported at its Aug. 4 meeting.
Commission staff member Shanna Adams told the commission the sessions are planned for August and September and staff is preparing boards, handouts and a survey link. The sessions are intended to collect public preferences and local knowledge to inform the study commission’s recommendations to voters.
Why it matters: The study commission must provide the public with clear options and evidence before voters decide whether to amend the charter. Public outreach is the primary method the commission has chosen to collect community input.
What was scheduled: Adams listed five confirmed open houses: Melrose (Tuesday, Aug. 12), Butte Brewing (Thursday, Aug. 14), Butte Emergency Operations Center (Thursday, Aug. 28), Montana Tech Student Union (Thursday, Sept. 11, noon–1:30 p.m.) and Ramsey School (Tuesday, Sept. 16). Adams said printed flyers are going up, KBOW radio will run ads, and the Montana Standard will carry notices.
Survey and timeline: Adams said the survey would “soft launch” later the week after the meeting and be fully available by the scheduled open houses; commissioners will get test links beforehand and staff will provide paper or tablet access at open-house locations. Commissioners discussed an October 1 tentative closing date for the survey so staff would have time to analyze responses for the commission’s draft report; staff did not set a final close date at the meeting and suggested keeping the closing flexible if public participation is lower than expected.
Question design and neutrality: Commissioners and staff debated how to frame survey questions about fire services without leading respondents. Several commissioners recommended open-ended questions and non-leading rating items rather than yes/no formats that would bias results. Adams said she will resend a revised draft of the survey questions and the display boards to commissioners for comment.
Next steps: Staff will finalize boards and handouts, confirm ad placements, and arrange tablets and in-person assistance to collect survey responses at the open houses. Commissioners volunteered to staff some sessions; staff will follow up on availability and finalize a schedule. The commission also plans a public hearing at the end of September that will be advertised according to legal notice requirements.
Ending: The outreach plan gives the public several options to weigh in on the study commission’s work; staff will provide revised materials and a survey link for commissioners to review before the sessions.
