The Granite County Study Commission voted to approve a final draft of a county government survey and cover letter and authorized staff to send the questionnaire to residents, Chairman Brian Sen said during the commission's meeting.

The survey, which the commission developed to gather community preferences about local government structure and powers, includes questions about adopting a dedicated county executive or manager, partisan versus nonpartisan elections and whether the county should move from its current elected-county-officials form to an alternative plan of government. "This will give us data, hard data that we can actually analyze," Chairman Brian Sen said, arguing the survey will move the commission beyond anecdotal input.

Members said the draft clarifies which questions would require a change in the county's plan of government rather than only a change in powers. Secretary Luke Kulitowski, who led the cover-letter and survey read-through, said the cover note will explain that some questions "entail a change in the form of government" and noted the commission plans to present a final report by 08/17/2026.

A substantive portion of the meeting focused on a question that would ask whether commissioners' terms should change from six years to four. Commissioners agreed to include two pros and two cons alongside that question to help respondents weigh trade-offs. Approved pro language emphasizes "more consistent term lengths with other elected offices" and "greater opportunity for turnover." Approved con language cautions that shorter terms could mean "less time to gain experience within one term" and "less continuity in commission positions due to reduced staggered elections."

The commission discussed legal constraints before finalizing wording. Members cited correspondence with legal advisor Dan Clark clarifying that some proposed changes — for example, converting certain elected offices to appointed positions or changing commissioners' term lengths — constitute changes in plan of government and would require adopting a different form such as a commission form before implementation.

On logistics, members agreed to place a prominent return-by date in the cover letter and to supply a self-addressed stamped envelope with each survey. The draft cover letter asks residents to return responses to the Granite County Clerk and Recorder's Office at the County Courthouse in Phillipsburg by Wednesday, January 7. The commission discussed getting an address list and mailing support from Clerk Sarah and acknowledged potential vendor costs for stuffing and postage if the clerk's office does not handle the full mailing.

The commission noted the county allotted $12,000 in June 2024 to fund the local government study commission. A verbal cash report listed a starting cash balance of $10,037.57 and an October cash figure of $10,005.00; members also mentioned small line items such as a $13 mailing charge and a $17.50 Zoom cost.

After final edits, Chairman Brian Sen moved to approve the survey and cover letter with the agreed additions and to send it out; the motion was seconded and the commission voted to carry it. Members agreed Luke Kulitowski will circulate a final draft by email and arrange signatures and any printing or mailing steps with county staff.

The commission set its next meeting for Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 6:00 p.m. The meeting adjourned after the vote.