Review continues in Hot Springs

HOT SPRINGS – A group of residents in Hot Springs met last week to discuss the town’s ongoing local government review.

The group of citizens met at the Tribal Nutritional Center on Spring Street to hear one another’s thoughts on potential changes to the town’s governance.

The public hearing was organized by members of the town’s elected study commission for the local government review, but its proceedings were driven by members of the community, who shared their concerns, asked questions and provided possible future changes as the evening progressed.

“This meeting is for you to talk about how you feel about your government,” Susan Roberts, a member of the study commission said at the outset of the meeting.

Members of the commission provided residents with a number of materials to familiarize themselves with the local government review, while also providing voters with examples of alternative forms of town governance employed across the state.

According to the Local Government Center of Montana State University in Bozeman, Hot Springs currently employs a council-mayor/commission-executive form of local government.

Under its current logistical setup, local government in Hot Springs entails the voters of the town electing the mayor and the town’s council/commission.

The mayor handles daily business and appoints department heads of the various infrastructural positions with the consent of the elected council.

Additionally, the town of Hot Springs is split into two voting wards, an issue which proved to be unpopular with some in attendance, many of whom noting the town of Hot Springs is probably too small to warrant two specific wards.

Expanding the number of memebers currently sitting on the town’s council was another idea proposed by several Hot Springs residents in attendance at last week’s hearing.

The elected commissioners also provided residents with anonymous surveys for voters to fill out, in addition to a suggestion box for ideas to be placed in.

The surveys are designed to help the commission further understand what the resident’s of the town want regarding their government.

As the meeting wrapped up Roberts urged those in attendance to spread the word about the town’s local government review.

“I really appreciate everyone attending tonight. Please talk to other citizens,” Roberts said.

According to Kathryn McEnery, a member of the commision leading the local government reveiw, last week’s public hearing is a mandated part of the local review proecss.

Hot Springs voters narrowly supported the local governemnt review with a 41-40 vote in favor during the June elections of 2014.

Last week’s public hearing is only the latest aspect of ongoing local government reveiw.

A couple of weeks ago the review commission hosted an information meeting for the residents of Hot Springs.

The informational meeting which took place on Thursday March, 12 was designed to educate voters on the ongoing review.

McEnery stated the informational meeting provided residents with an opportunity to learn about the different local government options available at the local level in Montana.

Another element of the review imvolves members of the commission talking with current government officials in Hot Springs including the mayor, public employees and current council members.

These interviews are designed to see what currently works, in addition to hearing suggestions from those familiar with the day-to-day operations of the local government.