Council postpones appointment to Yellowstone County Behavioral Health Coalition, agrees to review boards and commissions

The City of Billings council voted to postpone consideration of appointments to the Yellowstone County Behavioral Health Coalition so members could review applications and consider a newly proposed review of boards and commissions.

Council member Pittman moved to postpone item 1a1 (appointments to the Yellowstone County Behavioral Health Coalition) to the Feb. 23 business meeting; the motion was seconded by Council member Neese. After discussion about seeing applicant materials and statutory concerns for bodies such as the Board of Adjustment, the motion passed with Mayor Nelson and Council member Nicholson recorded as voting no.

Council members cited two reasons for postponing: a desire to review the applicants before consenting and an ongoing initiative from Council member O'Donnell to form a committee that will review whether the city's roughly 27 boards and commissions remain necessary and whether any should be consolidated or have clarified charters. City Administrator Kukulski told the council staff can provide a spreadsheet showing applicants and which boards are statutorily required.

Council members emphasized that some boards (for example, the board of adjustments and board of appeals) carry statutory duties and require caution before delay. Several members and the city administrator said the clerk's office must maintain minimum notification windows for vacancies.

The council agreed to place a council member-led review of boards and commissions on a future work session agenda for further discussion; no board was dissolved or appointed at the meeting.