On November 3, Bozeman voters will decide whether to adopt a new city charter. Whatever the outcome, one question remains: How do citizens make their voices heard at City Hall, and how do they know anyone is listening?

During our work on the Bozeman City Study Commission, we heard a recurring complaint. People attended meetings, submitted comments, and offered recommendations, only to feel their concerns had been ignored or dismissed. They wanted more than three minutes at a microphone. They wanted to know someone was listening.

One way to address this concern is through Bozeman’s Neighborhood Associations and the Inter-Neighborhood Council (INC). Both have existed under the city’s charter since 2006, yet many residents know little about them.

A Neighborhood Association brings together people who live or have interests in a defined area. It is not a homeowners association. There are no mandatory dues, and participation is voluntary. Neighbors can work together on traffic, development, parks, safety, and other issues, then bring their concerns to City Hall.

How do you organize a Neighborhood Association?

Start by talking with your neighbors. Find others who care about what happens in your neighborhood. Establish proposed boundaries and organize a meeting. To gain city recognition, an association must meet requirements that include notifying eligible participants, adopting bylaws, electing officers, and establishing democratic voting procedures.

The bylaws must provide for an annual meeting, define membership eligibility, and give eligible members a chance to participate. The city’s Neighborhoods Program provides information and assistance with applying for recognition.

Where does the INC fit in?

The INC is not a group appointed by City Hall. Each recognized Neighborhood Association selects a representative under its bylaws. Members can attend meetings, vote on neighborhood matters, elect leaders, and participate in choosing their INC representative.

INC representation therefore begins with residents themselves. Representatives bring neighborhood concerns together, discuss issues affecting the wider community, and recommend action to the city. When an association takes an official position, it must report how members were consulted and the voting results. The INC advises; the elected City Commission makes the decisions. INC meetings are open to the public and allow for public comment. It is democracy at work.

What would the new charter change?

The proposed charter keeps the basic structure of Neighborhood Associations and the INC. The requirements for organizing an association remain largely the same. What changes is how the city must work with them.

The existing charter provides for a staff liaison. The proposed charter calls for a fully dedicated liaison to assist Neighborhood Associations and the INC. Having someone assigned specifically to this work could make it easier for residents to organize, obtain information, and communicate with city government.

It also requires the Commission or city manager to respond to INC recommendations, explaining how they were considered and why a different course was chosen.

The city need not accept a recommendation. Elected officials still make the decisions. But INC recommendations could no longer simply be brushed aside or left to languish unanswered in an email inbox. Citizens may not always get the decisions they want, but they deserve to know their concerns were considered.

If voters approve the charter, these provisions are scheduled to take effect July 1, 2027. If not, Neighborhood Associations and the INC will continue under the existing charter, while citizens’ concerns about not being heard will remain largely unaddressed.

What can you do now?

If you haven’t voted and there is still time, cast your ballot. Then find out whether your neighborhood has an association. Attend a meeting. Help revive an inactive association, or talk with neighbors about starting one. The city’s Neighborhoods Program can help.

Not every neighborhood currently has an active association. That means there are residents who do not have this additional way of bringing their concerns to the city. Organizing more neighborhoods would give more citizens an opportunity to participate, regardless of which charter is in effect.

Good government requires citizens willing to speak and elected officials willing to listen. Whatever happens November 3, the opportunity—and the responsibility—to participate belongs to all of us.

The views expressed are my own and may not represent those of the entire Bozeman City Study Commission.   

Deanna Campbell has been a Bozeman resident for more than 37 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education and an MBA, with a professional background in corporate management, education, and nonprofit organizations. She is an elected member of the Bozeman City Study Commission and has a longstanding interest in citizen participation, accountable government, and community affairs and is available to speak to community groups in her individual capacity. dcampbell999@gmail.com