Local Government Audit to Appear on Primary Ballot
Voters in Flathead County, as well as the cities of Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls, will have the opportunity to approve a once-in-a-decade review of their local government structure
By Denali Sagner
Flathead voters next week will have the opportunity to approve a government audit for Flathead County, as well as the cities of Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls. If passed, the audit will allow local governments to review the functions and structures of their government and make recommendations to help better serve constituents.
Per the 1972 Montana Constitution, the state every 10 years must give citizens the opportunity to review their city or county’s government structure. Called a “local government review,” the process allows municipalities to evaluate local government charters, county commission structures and other functions of their governments. Governmental powers available for review include whether municipal elections are partisan; the number of commissioners in a county; whether an executive may appoint or remove employees without consent of the council; and if elections are held by ward or at-large.
Kalispell, Columbia Falls and Flathead County voters in 2004 rejected local government reviews, making Whitefish the only local municipality to undergo the review process. Kalispell and Flathead County voters rejected a review again in 2014, while Whitefish and Columbia Falls voters approved the review.
If voters approve a local government review during the June primary, interested individuals will then file to run for the commission and will be elected during the November general election. Any proposed changes that the commission develops will be placed on the ballot in November 2026 for voters to approve or deny.
The local government review question will appear on the primary ballot as follows:
[] FOR the review of the government of (insert name of local government) and the establishment and funding, not to exceed (insert dollar or mill amount), of a local government study commission consisting of (insert number of members) members to examine the government of (insert name of local government) and submit recommendations on the government.
[] AGAINST the review of the government of (insert name of local government) and the establishment and funding, not to exceed (insert dollar or mill amount), of a local government study commission consisting of (insert number of members) members to examine the government of (insert name of local government) and submit recommendations on the government.
Voters who live in Kalispell, Whitefish or Columbia Falls will vote on a local government review for the city they live in and Flathead County.
Whitefish City Manager Dana Smith said she expects the resolution calling for a local government review to pass.
“This process is an important one for communities to take that time to review how their local governments are working,” Smith said.
Following the 2004 Whitefish government review, the commission recommended increasing the term for mayor from two to four years, which voters passed. The 2014 commission recommended Whitefish appoint a citizen advocate to assist residents with concerns regarding the city. It also recommended striking the requirement that the city manager attend all planning board meetings. The first recommendation failed, and the second passed.
Rebecca Norton, current Whitefish city councilor, served on the 2014 Whitefish local government commission. She said the commission floated several proposals, including splitting the city up into wards like in Kalispell and Columbia Falls, paying city councilors and implementing policies to balance a need for economic development with the pressures of a growing population.
While not all of Norton’s proposals made it onto the ballot, she said the process was invaluable in sparking dialogue about the structure and function of the Whitefish city government.
“It was quite inspiring to see how accessible our government is in Montana, how you can change things if you show up, and how we lean in and listen to what the public wants,” she said of the process.
She believes the review is important as the resort town, and the Flathead Valley more broadly, contend with a housing crisis and shifting economy that has displaced longtime residents and low-wage workers.
“It’s really important that we have an open, constant dialogue with the people that actually live here and really integrate what they want to see in the future,” she said.
Organizers in other Montana municipalities are pushing for local government reviews, citing outdated government structures amid new challenges. A coalition called Represent Bozeman, which is led by Bozeman Tenants United, is encouraging voters to approve a review of Bozeman’s city charter. The group argues that Bozeman’s 2004 charter is outdated, and that unprecedented population growth has fundamentally reshaped the city, requiring government to respond to issues in new ways. When the charter was updated in 2004, Bozeman’s population sat at 33,520. Today, the city has over 56,000 residents.
The Flathead County Republican Central Committee in a May 20 statement urged voters to reject the government review, citing a burden to taxpayers and a possible increase in local budgets should the commission recommend, and voters approve, expansions to the government structure.
Each municipality is responsible for the cost of the local government audit. In Kalispell, the cost of the review will not exceed $150,000. In Whitefish, the cost will not exceed $21,445. In Columbia Falls, the audit will cost no more than $55,000. In the county, the cost will not exceed $250,000.