Hearing planned on city manager proposal

The public will get its chance to say what it feels about the proposed city manager form of government at a public hearing, 7 p.m. Monday, July 11, at Havre City Hall.

The Government Study Commission adopted a tentative report Monday night that outlined the panel’s decision to call for a change of government.

The commission is in favor of replacing the present mayor-council form of government with a commission-manager system.

The tentative report will be placed on the study commission's Facebook page.

Under the proposal, the city would be run by a seven-member commission. The members would include:

Four commissioners, one each from the four wards; two commissioners elected at large, and a mayor elected at large.

The mayor, unlike the present mayor, would be a member of the council and would preside at meetings.

The commission would hire a city manager to run the daily affairs of city hall under the commission’s direction.

The July 11 hearing will be one of two the study commission plans on holding. The date for the second hearing has not been set, said commission chair Dave Brewer.

After the second hearing, the commission will approve a final report. Brewer said he anticipates the final report will be similar to the tentative report.

City attorneys will review the proposed change and it will be sent to the Hill County Clerk and Recorder's office to be placed on the Nov. 8 ballot.

In a letter to the public, the three commissioners — Brewer, Perry C,. Atchison and Lowell J. Swenson — said their main goal has been to propose a form of government “that will be responsive to local citizens and provide the opportunity for devising solutions to local problems.”

“We feel the citizens of Havre can achieve these goals by adopting the Commission-Manager form with self-governing powers.”