Study Commission — Bozeman, MT
Date: 2026-01-28

Bozeman City Commission Meeting Minutes, January 28, 2026




 THE CITY COMMMISSION MEETING OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA

 MINUTES

 January 28, 2026


A) 00:04:39 Call to Order with Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence - 4:00 PM,
 Commission Room, City Hall, 121 North Rouse
Present: Carson Taylor, Becky Franks, Barb Cestero, Deanna Campbell, Jan Strout, Mike Maas
Absent: None
Excused: None


B) 00:05:55 Changes to the Agenda

C) 00:06:19 Public Comment on Anything within the Jurisdiction of the Study Commission
00:08:08 Mary Bateson gave public comment

00:11:26 Jim Webster gave public comment


D) 00:14:55 Consent Agenda
 D.1 No Claims to Approve
 D.2 00:15:00 No Minutes to Approve
Video recordings are available. Minutes for previous meetings will be uploaded soon


E) 00:16:05 Correspondence or Study Commission Update
00:16:17 Commissioner Deanna Campbell discussed an Op Ed editorial that her and
Commissioner Carson Taylor wrote for the Bozeman Chronicle

00:16:56 Commissioner Becky Franks discussed the new social media advertising for Study
Commission Meetings and updates to the Study Commission website.

Bozeman Study Commission Website




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Bozeman City Commission Meeting Minutes, January 28, 2026



00:18:18 Commissioner Jan Strout proposed a workshop for Bozeman Business and Professional
Women and KGBM Community Radio PSAs, as well as looking at Charter models from Boulder CO,
Eugene OR, Seattle WA and Sante Fe NM.

00:20:10 Commissioner Barb Cestero discussed looking at charters for Cheyenne/Laramie WY,
Bellingham WA and Boise ID.

00:21:00 Commissioner Carson Taylor discussed a request by Gallatin Valley Sentinel for interview
with himself and Commissioner Deanna Campbell.

00:22:55 Commissioner Becky Franks discussed her correspondence with a neighbor to
investigate the Charters of Bend OR, Boulder CO and St. George UT.

00:24:04 Ex Officio Mike Maas discussed the updates to the Study Commission website.


F) 00:24:35 Unfinished Business
 F.1 00:24:40 Discussion and Decisions Items
 23- Ordinances 2152 - Amending the Salaries and Expenses of the City Commissioners
 and Mayor of the City of Bozeman.pdf
 BCSC January 28th Topic Document .pdf
 Pages 13-25 from Model-City-Charter9th-Edition.pdf
 Municipal Comparison Chart.xlsx
 BCSC - City Commission Notes.pdf
 BCSC - Employee Survey Results.pdf
 RE_ Bozeman AMI.pdf
00:25:08 Commissioner Becky Franks discussed the process of writing the draft report

00:26:48 Discussion on writing the draft report

00:30:31 Commissioner Carson Taylor outlined the agenda items up for discussion (1-6).

00:33:27 Public comment

00:33:48 Daniel Carty gave public comment

00:36:33 Mary Bateson gave public comment

00:36:56 Jim Webster gave public comment

00:37:35 Dar Armstrong gave public comment

00:39:31 Emily Talago gave public comment

Deputy Mayor Role

00:43:47 Commissioner Becky Franks gave her position on the Deputy Mayor role



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Bozeman City Commission Meeting Minutes, January 28, 2026



00:44:39 Commissioner Deanna Campbell gave her position on the Deputy Mayor role


00:44:49 Commissioner Jan Strout gave her position on the Deputy Mayor role


00:45:38 Commissioner Barb Cestero gave her position on the Deputy Mayor role


00:47:24 Commissioner Carson Taylor gave his position on the Deputy Mayor role


00:51:47 Discussion on the details of the Deputy Mayor Role (pro tempore, term limits, term
length)



00:52:50 Motion to approve I move to eliminate the Deputy Mayor Position as currently written in the
Charter and write in a way to provide a Mayor Pro Tem should the Mayor become incapacitated

Becky Franks: Motion
Barb Cestero: 2nd

00:54:51 City Attorney Greg Sullivan discussed the legality of making the decision to add a pro
tem guideline in the Charter at this meeting

00:58:06 More discussion on the details of the Deputy Mayor Role (pro tempore, term limits,
term length)



01:05:33 Motion to amend I would amend it that we vote to eliminate the Deputy Mayor position and
table the discussion for Pro Tem Mayor

Deanna Campbell: Motion
Failed due to a lack of Second

01:08:45 Vote on the Motion to approve I move to eliminate the Deputy Mayor Position as currently
written in the Charter and write in a way to provide a Mayor Pro Tem should the Mayor become
incapacitated The Motion carried 4 - 1.

Approve:
Carson Taylor
Becky Franks
Barb Cestero
Jan Strout

Disapprove:


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Bozeman City Commission Meeting Minutes, January 28, 2026



Deanna Campbell

Partisan Elections

01:09:32 Commissioner Deanna Campbell gave her position on partisan elections

01:10:07 Commissioner Jan Strout gave her position on partisan elections

01:10:32 Commissioner Barb Cestero gave her position on partisan elections

01:10:39 Commissioner Becky Franks gave her position on partisan elections

01:10:50 Commissioner Carson Taylor gave his position on partisan elections



01:11:41 Motion to approve I move that we retain the election of mayor and commissioners as
nonpartisan for the Charter

Jan Strout: Motion
Deanna Campbell: 2nd

01:11:58 Vote on the Motion to approve I move that we retain the election of mayor and commissioners
as nonpartisan for the Charter The Motion carried 5 - 0.

Approve:
Carson Taylor
Becky Franks
Barb Cestero
Deanna Campbell
Jan Strout

Disapprove:
None

Filling Commissioner Vacancies

01:12:31 Overview on the current process to fill commissioner vacancies

01:13:22 City Attorney Greg Sullivan warned about outside city charters being related to their
specific state laws and how filling vacancies is pursuant to state law

7.3.704
7.3.708

01:19:32 Discussion on election procedures in regards to special elections and charter
specifications



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Bozeman City Commission Meeting Minutes, January 28, 2026



01:27:09 Commissioner Jan Strout gave her position on filling election vacancies

01:30:00 Commissioner Barb Cestero gave her position on filling election vacancies

01:33:04 Commissioner Becky Franks gave her position on filling election vacancies

01:34:55 Commissioner Deanna Campbell gave her position on filling election vacancies

01:35:14 Commissioner Carson Taylor gave his position on filling election vacancies

01:41:09 Discussion on the process of filling election vacancies (special elections, elections
coinciding with other municipal elections, length of vacancy, appointment)

01:44:04 Suggestion to table this decision for later meetings

Other Elected Offices (City Attorney, Police Chief, etc)

01:44:59 Commissioner Barb Cestero gave her position on electing other city offices

01:45:57 Commissioner Becky Franks gave her position on electing other city offices

01:46:32 Commissioner Deanna Campbell gave her position on electing other city offices

01:47:00 Commissioner Jan Strout gave her position on electing other city offices

01:47:33 Commissioner Carson Taylor gave his position on electing other city offices



01:49:55 Motion to approve I move that we keep section 4.03 Legal Officer as it is in the current Charter
as an appointment

Deanna Campbell: Motion
Barb Cestero: 2nd

01:51:14 Vote on the Motion to approve I move that we keep section 4.03 Legal Officer as it is in the
current Charter as an appointment The Motion carried 5 - 0.

Approve:
Carson Taylor
Becky Franks
Barb Cestero
Deanna Campbell
Jan Strout

Disapprove:
None



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Bozeman City Commission Meeting Minutes, January 28, 2026



01:51:33 Commissioner Becky Franks brought up the Charter language included by Judge Colleen
Harrington and a request to provide more details

01:53:00 Discussion on picking up items 5 and 6 on February 5th meeting

G) 01:53:24 New Business
 G.1 Upcoming Agendas Discussion
01:53:52 Commissioner Barb Cestero and Becky Franks discussed February 5th meeting:
- Learning Session: Executive structure (local and statewide)
-Process to appointment mayor pro tem
- Review Duties of commissioners
- Number of Commissioners

01:56:48 Discussion on order of agenda items for February 5

Commissioner Carson Taylor to discuss with Dan Clark on the order of agenda items for February 5

02:00:16 Suggestion by Commissioner Becky Franks to include presentations as separate YouTube
channel videos

 G.2 Options for an Alternative to July 2


H) Future Agenda Items

I) 02:00:50 Public Comment on Anything within the Jurisdiction of the Study Commission
02:01:00 Lara Grochowski gave public comment

02:03:35 Ex officio gave an answer to the public comment


J) Announcements

K) 02:04:01 Adjournment




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