Panel and residents press Bozeman Study Commission to strengthen advisory boards and neighborhood engagement

Panelists, city staff and dozens of residents pressed the Bozeman City Study Commission on April 2 to make the city's advisory boards and neighborhood councils more effective and accessible, saying loose goals and limited staff support have reduced meaningful public participation.

At a study session that featured three longtime volunteers and a city staff overview, the commission heard that consolidation of dozens of boards into a smaller set improved system-level coordination but also concentrated workload and made it harder for everyday residents to take part.

"The lack of wards has created a geographic monopoly on the city commission," said Abby Jones, a Bozeman resident and reporter for the Gallatin Valley Sentinel, urging the commission to consider structural fixes. Jones also criticized Resolution 5,323, saying it "effectively inhibits advisory board members from openly expressing viewpoints that differ from those of the city staff and the city commission."

Panelists who had served on or worked with boards offered mixed views. City staff summarized the current landscape and explained which bodies are statutorily required (library board, police commissions, historic-preservation board, planning-related boards and the new TIF…