Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ballot Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bozeman commission ratifies $50,000 ballot-education contract after public objections
Summary
After extended public comment and questions about neutrality and budget math, the Bozeman City Commission unanimously ratified a $50,000 professional-services agreement for a ballot-education campaign; staff emphasized the city will remain neutral and any additional spending would require a contract amendment.
The Bozeman City Commission on Aug. 5 ratified a $50,000 professional services agreement to develop a ballot-education campaign tied to the city’s water adequacy and affordable-housing ballot topics, after more than an hour of public comment and commissioner questions.
Commissioners moved the item (previously listed on the consent agenda as G4) to action for discussion. Assistant City Manager John Henderson told the commission the contract as presented is for $50,000 (an amount included in the FY26 budget adopted June 10) and that a proposed additional $20,000 direct-mail option would require a later contract amendment. Henderson said the city will follow state rules on political practice and “we are not ‘actively opposing’ the issue” and will remain neutral in its messaging.
Why it matters: Residents and initiative backers asked for greater transparency and for both sides of the citizen initiative to be represented in any city-funded materials. Speakers repeatedly raised concerns that packet language and a separate water-fund allocation could be read as commitment to a larger $70,000 or $100,000 effort; opponents said that would amount to indirect advocacy. Supporters argued the city can and should provide neutral facts so voters can make informed decisions.
What happened: After public comment, Commissioner Majic moved to ratify the contract as presented; the motion passed unanimously. Commissioners and staff noted the legal constraints on advocacy and said the city’s legal department vetted materials handed out at recent public events.
Key details and clarifications: The city budget included $50,000 for ballot education; staff said other funds related to water-education and conservation already exist in the water fund but are separate from the contract before the commission. Henderson told the commission, “If the commission would like to go above and beyond that $50,000 with something like the direct mailer, that would in fact have to come back as an additional scope item to be included on that contract as an amendment.”
What’s next: The commission approved the ratification vote and instructed staff to continue developing an objective information campaign. Community members who spoke said they would continue to scrutinize the city’s outreach and reserve oversight options with state authorities if they believe the city crosses legal lines.
