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Council reviews boards and committees ordinance, sets timeline for volunteer recruitment
Summary
Councilmembers discussed a proposed boards & committees ordinance (Ordinance 1037‑2026) and agreed to open volunteer applications in mid‑March with a goal of filling boards by May. Members debated limits on serving on multiple boards and clarified absences and nomination timing.
Councilmembers reviewed proposed changes to the city’s boards and committees ordinance during a Feb. 9 work session and held a first reading of Ordinance 1037‑2026 at the regular meeting.
Councilmember Andy Healy said he is updating the ordinance and will meet with the three boards he currently liaisons to in order to gather updates. Healy said the TAG Board likely will postpone membership reviews until after spring donations so as not to disrupt fundraising. The Council discussed outreach strategies — the Mayor suggested opening volunteer applications mid‑March and a goal of boards being fully staffed by May; members also noted that the city magazine does not reach all doorsteps and recommended direct outreach by board members.
Council debated whether members should be limited to serving on three boards; Jeff McDaniels said Helena’s population and turnout should allow filling multiple boards without such limits. McDaniels also asked for clarification in Section 8 on what constitutes “official permission” for absences and questioned whether the Mayor “may” or “shall” serve on certain boards; the Mayor and Clerk acknowledged the need for clearer language and the Clerk corrected a typographical error identified during the discussion.
The item remains at first reading; Council did not adopt ordinance language during the Feb. 9 meeting. The Mayor and Council indicated next steps: finalize ordinance edits, begin a volunteer application process in mid‑March, and return to Council for subsequent readings and confirmation of official liaisons once the ordinance is approved.
