Bozeman commission unanimously approves 17 consent items including cost‑plus engineering contract and groundwater study

The Bozeman City Commission unanimously approved 17 consent items Monday, including the city’s first cost‑plus professional engineering contract and authorization for a municipal groundwater supply study.

Deputy Mayor Morrison moved to approve consent items F1–F17; the motion was seconded and passed on a 5–0 roll call. The commissioners voting aye were Deputy Mayor Morrison, Commissioner Majic, Commissioner Fisher, Commissioner Boddy and Mayor Cunningham.

What was on consent: City Manager Wynne highlighted item F13 as the city’s first cost‑plus contract with a professional engineer, saying the approach specifies a negotiated fee and hourly billable rates and lets the city verify work and time. Wynne said the item is for a “hundred and $181,000 contract” and estimated the cost‑plus approach could save about 5–10 percent compared with traditional fixed‑price contracts. On item F14, the packet authorizes the city manager to sign a professional services agreement for a municipal groundwater supply project; the project’s initial phase includes significant groundwater modeling to identify favorable aquifer conditions and mitigation alternatives.

Public comment: Allison Sweeney, chair of the Jant Neighborhood, asked to be included in community engagement for the project identified in F13 and said neighborhood associations near Cooper Park planned to participate. Daniel Carty, a Bozeman resident, commented on F14’s groundwater study and urged the city to create or task an advisory board (the Sustainability Board or a water supply advisory board) to provide public input and oversight before drilling, warning that projects described as “mitigation” can have long‑term consequences for natural resources.

Ending: The consent agenda passed without amendment. Staff will proceed with the contracts and incorporate public comments into outreach for the engineering and groundwater projects.