Study commission hears mixed views on city-manager switch and moving to six full-time commissioners

Butte-Silver Bow — Commissioners, department heads and public commenters offered competing views on whether Butte-Silver Bow should switch to a city-manager form of government and on proposals to cut the commission from 12 part‑time seats to six full‑time seats.

The debate surfaced repeatedly during the May 19 meeting of the Butte‑Silver Bow Study Commission while department leaders described operational needs and residents urged more active neighborhood coordination. The commission is gathering input as it prepares recommendations on the county‑city charter.

Why it matters: changing the government form or shrinking the commission would alter who makes day‑to‑day administrative decisions and how neighborhoods are represented. Backers argue a professional manager and full‑time commissioners could create long‑term continuity and more staff oversight; opponents said the political accountability of elected executives matters.

Resident public commenter (address given as 2601 Grand Avenue) urged the commission to establish six full‑time commissioners who would act as "neighborhood community improvement coordinators," saying the current part‑time structure leaves neighborhood work unfilled. The commenter said, "I am calling and hoping that you will include 6 full time commissioners to facilitate neighborhood improvement projects." (public comment period)

Bill Melvin, the Civic Center manager, said he sees benefits to a city‑manager model because it can provide a “long term plan that can be followed and not politicized.” He told commissioners: "If you had full time commissioners, there wouldn't be an excuse. They should be at all that stuff." Melvin added he had "leaned toward" a city‑manager system in his remarks to the panel.

Tim Cassidy, the newly elected Butte‑Silver Bow assessor, said he "may lean toward maybe 6 full time commissioners" and suggested that a city‑manager plus an elected mayor could free elected leaders to perform political and ceremonial duties while a manager runs daily operations.

Concerns and tradeoffs surfaced repeatedly. Melvin and others warned that a professional city manager is not a cure for political turnover because a manager can be removed by elected bodies; Sheriff Dean Lester said he favors the current elected chief executive model because voters know who they are electing and accountable individuals remain visible to the public.

What the commission directed: Commissioners asked staff to assemble these views for further study and to invite additional testimony from current commissioners and other stakeholders. The commission also agreed to bring the county attorney into future sessions to clarify what changes require voter approval versus what can be changed by ordinance.

The commission will combine feedback gathered from department heads, public commenters and elected officials into its draft recommendations before any ballot language is prepared.

Ending: The Study Commission continues to collect testimony and will schedule additional meetings with current council commissioners and the county attorney to refine options and to identify which changes would require voter action.