Commission debates survey wording, parks charter language, volunteer fire funding and commission size

Commissioners at the Silver Bow County study commission meeting debated several substantive edits to the draft community survey and related charter language, with some members urging neutrality in wording and others urging clarity about the practical effects of each option.

Commissioner Cindy Purdue Dolan raised two concerns about the minutes and several survey items, including a parenthetical phrase that she worried could imply the county lacks a parks function. "On the charter changes... the proposal would formally establish the department of parks and rec. It currently exists under the public works department," Dolan said, urging clearer wording so respondents do not mistakenly think there is no parks function today.

Dolan also questioned a sentence in the fire services section that states "unclear oversight leads to confusion about roles, responsibilities, and authority," and she asked whether the line about new taxing districts needing voter approval to fund volunteer districts is necessary. Commissioner Lori Casey and others said the latter sentence is a factual description of how new taxing districts would raise money and should remain; Casey said it is important the public understands the nature of changes tied to each option.

On survey format, one commissioner asked whether to include an open‑ended "anything else" question. The Chair cautioned that such a prompt could create expectations the commission might not have time to address. Shanna Adams offered multiple distribution options — a QR‑coded newspaper ad, social media, radio, the county newsletter and targeted paper copies in community locations — and said a mailer through the water bill had been done previously. Adams told the commission a full mass mailing would be in the "$20,000 range," though she said she would pull exact figures if the commission wanted them.

The commission also debated the proposed commission structure. Commissioner Ben Thielen said he opposed language that would establish five full‑time paid commissioners, arguing the community could be served with three. "The size of our community, we should be able to get away with 3 commissioners... We don't need 5," Thielen said. Commissioner Lori Casey proposed using roll call votes going forward so minutes clearly record who voted for or against measures.

The commission did not adopt final edits to the survey during the meeting; members asked staff to finalize distribution plans and to return corrected minutes for approval.