Columbia Falls study commission adopts amended tentative report, schedules Nov. 19 public hearing on plan-of-government change

The Columbia Falls Local Government Study Commission voted on Oct. 22 to adopt an amended tentative report recommending a change in the city's plan of government and set a public hearing for Nov. 19 at 7 p.m.

The commission's tentative recommendation replaces the current reference to "general governing powers" with language to seek "self-governing powers" for the commission-manager form of government; commissioners asked staff to add statutory citations and clarifying language to the draft before public distribution.

The vote followed detailed line-by-line discussion of the draft. Commissioners directed staff to: add the statutory citation that distinguishes general governing powers from self-governing powers (discussed in the meeting as 73-114 MCA and related citations), include the first public-hearing notice and meeting minutes in the appendices, provide an explanation of the petition process, and add a placeholder for a minority report if a commissioner files one. The commission approved the amended tentative report by voice vote and instructed staff to post a revised draft to the city website in advance of the public notice.

Commissioners agreed to publish public-notice advertisements on Sunday, Nov. 2 and Sunday, Nov. 9 and to hold the hearing on Nov. 19 at 7:00 p.m. Staff said the revised tentative report should be made available to the public before the notice; one participant suggested an availability target of Oct. 1 so citizens have time to review materials prior to publication.

Commissioners debated how detailed the certificate of the existing plan of government should be in the final report. Consultant Dan Clark stressed the statutory distinction between the two options: "You either have general governing powers or you have self-governing powers," he said, and cautioned that the report's wording should follow the statutory structure. Several commissioners suggested using language similar to other municipalities' charters or ordinances that grants "all powers not prohibited by the Constitution of Montana and the laws of Montana" to make the scope clearer to the public.

Commissioner Connie Konopaski, who remains inclined to recommend the change, said the commission should present a concise rationale for voters: "We have the opportunity to be proactive for the benefit of the citizens of Columbia pursuing self-government powers. We will still have all the current powers like we talked about under the Montana constitution," she said, and added that a minority report will be filed if she remains unconvinced by the final hearing.

The commission also discussed outreach and logistics: the city clerk will prepare the public hearing notice; staff will post the tentative report on the website and on the city bulletin board; and media outlets such as the Hungry Horse News will be notified. Commissioners discussed how a study commissioner should represent the commission at public or political events and were advised by the city attorney that an individual commissioner should avoid describing those remarks as representing the full commission unless explicitly authorized.

Next steps: staff will update the draft per the direction given on Oct. 22, post the revised tentative report in advance of the public notice, and present the commission's tentative recommendation at the Nov. 19 public hearing. The commission plans to consider final adoption at its Jan. 21 meeting after receiving public comment and written testimony.