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Deputy director leads ethics training for HPAB, stressing disclosure and recusal
Summary
Rebecca Harbage, deputy director of community development, led an annual ethics training emphasizing upfront verbal disclosure, the difference between speaking as an individual and as a board member, and circumstances when recusal or public disclosure is appropriate; trainers cited Bozeman code and Montana statutes.
Rebecca Harbage, deputy director of the City of Bozeman Community Development Department, delivered the Historic Preservation Advisory Board’s annual ethics training on Jan. 13 and walked members through common conflict-of-interest scenarios.
Harbage said the training covers use of public office for private gain and the city’s expectation that officials act impartially. “Ethics can be complex and very gray,” she told attendees, and advised members to consult the city attorney on legal questions.
Training scenarios included a Tax Increment Financing board member who owns a nearby restaurant and votes on a hotel proposal without disclosing conversations; a board member who sends letters to the newspaper while implying they represent their board; a chair who deprioritizes an applicant because they own a competing business; and a contract approval involving a member’s relative as a subcontractor. In each scenario, Harbage and board members emphasized the importance of putting disclosures on the public record, considering recusal where a reasonable observer would perceive a conflict, and following the city’s financial disclosure procedures.
Board members echoed the guidance: one member said it is “better to over disclose than not,” and others recommended recusal when a member’s private interest could reasonably be seen as affecting official action. Harbage cited relevant legal standards in Montana and Bozeman municipal code and recommended that members review the city code, the ethics handbook and, when unsure, consult City Attorney Greg Sullivan.
The training concluded with a summary of next steps: review the code, ask the city attorney about particular cases, and follow recordkeeping and disclosure practices so the public record reflects any potential conflicts. No formal board action was taken during the training.
Authorities mentioned during the session included Montana statutes on public officer ethics and Bozeman municipal code provisions on financial disclosure and improper governmental action, which Harbage referenced as sources for the guidance offered.
