Gallatin County Study Commission
WTF is the Gallatin County Study Commission?
This June, Gallatin County voters approved a local government review. The LGR study commission will review the current structure of local government and alternative forms of government over the course of a year. This study commission may make recommendations about changes to the form of government. Citizens will then vote in 2026 to adopt or reject the study commission’s recommendations.
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle submitted a questionnaire to all candidates running for the Gallatin County Study Commission. To find the full responses, head here.
Candidates
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Ted Barkley (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
It would be presumptuous to identify specific issues prior to the review process. Some of the areas I would focus on include representation (are three commissioners adequate for a population our size?), transparency in political and administrative processes, effectiveness, accountability, efficiency, and access to the processes of governance.
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Mitchell Blaszczyk (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
With the boom that Gallatin County has gone through, Gallatin County's infrastructure has not been able to catch up. Helping voters distinguish what departments need resources will be number one on my list.
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Anne Donovan (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
I don't see any issues with the current government structure. This Study Commission is to study the county government and determine if it's the right structure to take us into the future. I love this valley and think that the government functions in its current state but do think it's worthwhile to see if it's going to be the right structure going forward. It's worth studying, even if no changes come from it.
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Andrew Epple (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
Three areas: First, County Commission make-up. Should we consider increasing the number of Commissioners from three to five or even seven? Would a larger commission be more representative of our growing population?
Second, interlocal government cooperation. Are there opportunities to improve or further optimize relationships between Gallatin County and our incorporated cities?
Third, departmental structure and overall management. Could we deliver services more efficiently by combining or splitting up existing departments? Should the County consider a shift toward a manager / commission form of government to more effectively carry out day to day operations of the organization?
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Robert Fish (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
Did not respond to numerous requests for comment.
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Rene Flynn (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
Did not respond to numerous requests for comment.
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Christopher Gray (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
I have three thoughts about this. First, I do believe a charter is necessary self-governing. Self-governance powers are necessary for a county of our nature in the state of Montana. Two, accountability for the all the elected officials, including the Gallatin County Commission for their actions on an everyday basis. Third, is the checks and balances that are out of order in the current form of government.
The Gallatin County Commission has both executive and legislative functions, and they sit as a body with executive functions and they also have two county executives at this time that they hire to carry out those executive functions --- those could be separated from a legal standpoint for both those branches of government and the commissioners themselves need to be more of a legislative function and then making decisions in a quasi-judicial nature.
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Janae Hagen (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
The area I’m most interested in studying is how the county partners with city governments as the population continues to grow. The infrastructure for water, housing developments, and roads is key to sustainable growth, and as a study commissioner, I would dig into those dynamics and determine if there is effective collaboration across government entities.
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Jacqueline Haines (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
I am particularly interested in exploring the advantages and disadvantages of electing certain positions versus having them appointed by the Commission. Additionally, I would like to understand how county-wide growth has affected our current government structure and work to identify opportunities for adaptation and increased efficiency while maintaining community feedback and involvement.
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Amber Jupka (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
I would like to see more discussion into certain elected offices and why we are requiring them to have a political affiliation vs proof of experience to do the job effectively. I believe that some of these offices are extremely important to how effectively our county runs and should be based on their performance to do the job vs their political affiliation.
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Jamie Just McCray (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
Did not respond to numerous requests for comment.
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Jeffrey Kraus (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
Local government is government closest to the people. I want a county that is representative of the entire county, and stays accountable to citizens. Elected officials, both commissioners and row officers, are the familiar face citizens to rely on to navigate and deal with labyrinthine laws and regulations. Every effort to follow the spirit and letter of Montana’s sunshine laws and to create an open, “the public comes first” ethic is my goal.
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Elijah Matthias (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
We need to focus on the power lying within the citizens of Gallatin County. I personally don’t see discernable issues with our government structure at the county level but am eager to investigate the particulars with the local government commission.
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Billy McWilliams (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
Listening about current county government structure and process. What works and what doesn't. Including all Gallatin County Citizens. All of us. Rural/Urban Wealthy/Middle/Low income.
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Teri Patterson (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
I am focused on keeping our citizens and small businesses viable in the ever-changing environment. I would like to visit with the Department of Transportation office and make sure we are making good choices when it comes to fixing our roads. I would like to visit with the General Fund expenses and most importantly, I would like to see why there is not enough workers in each department to help make this government run as smoothly as possible.
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EJ Porth (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
I am not coming in with preconceived ideas of what needs to change and want to let the study commission do the work of listening first. I would be particularly focused on ensuring that rural voices still have representation. It is important to me that County government reflects the will and interests of all County residents, not just our population centers and cities. I will also be interested in understanding the impacts of partisanship on our elections.
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Josh Sadaj (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
The current county government structure lacks streamlined decision-making and responsiveness, especially evident in its handling of rapid community growth. My focus would be on reevaluating the balance of power between elected officials and administrative roles to enhance operational efficiency. Additionally, I advocate for transitioning from at-large to ward-based elections to ensure equitable representation and that every community's voice is heard and reflected in county decisions.
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Donald Seifert (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
Generally, Gallatin County government is very effective. However, due to recent legislation concerning local governments there may be an opportunity to increase efficiencies in government as well as provide greater transparency and accountability to the residents.
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Joshua Tuininga (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
I don’t have a specific problem I am targeting. I am not presupposing a problem to solve. I am going to dig into the information and make decisions and pick a direction based on that. If I had to guess what I would do first, I would follow the money. Make sure that Taxpayer money is being used efficiently across the County.
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Klaas Tuininga (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
I think that our current structure needs some study as in the past few years they seem to have changed the structure without the vote of the citizens of Gallatin County.
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Robert Webster (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
I do not have a preconceived notion on what works and what does not with the county government. I expect that the recent growth in the county may be stressing operations but have no direct knowledge of that myself. My initial focus, aside from understanding the rules the commission must work with, will be to reach out to residents and understand why they voted to have this commission formed. What issues have they had that prompted the yes vote for the commission. Focus on maximizing their feedback and then educating them to the county government options available through the commission.
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Steve White (Non-partisan)
What are issues you see with the current county government structure, where would you like to direct your focus?
The county government study review process is established in the Montana Constitution (Art XI), and limited to issues per Montana law (MCA Title 7). This is an important opportunity for Gallatin County citizens to become engaged in the process. There are limitations (per law) with the changes that can be proposed and considered. I would serve with no specific agenda. My focus is on citizen transparency and engagement, and would look forward to hearing from the public in monthly meetings held across the county regarding their concerns, suggestions and questions.