Havre Study Commission to hold public hearing

The Havre Study Commission will inch closer to making its final report at 7 p.m. today when it holds a public hearing at city hall.

The commission members said they want to hear from the public on its tentative proposal which calls for:

• Adoption of self-governing powers, an action that will give the city government more authority over how it runs the city.

• A seven-member City Commission would replace the eight-member City Council. Under the proposal, one commissioner would be elected from each ward, two would be elected at large and a mayor with far less authority than the present mayor would be elected at large.

• Creation of a city manager form of government. The manager would oversee day-to-day operations while the commission would set policy.

Study commission chair Dave Brewer said he has heard many favorable comments from people he has spoken to on the street, but thus far turnout at public hearings has been sparse.

He said the commission will have another hearing before it votes on the final proposal it will submit to voters in the Nov. 8 election.

City Council member Caleb Hutchins suggested this weekend on the study commission’s Facebook page that the panel look at the possibility of presenting the proposal to voters cafeteria-style, allowing voters to accept one part of the plan while rejecting others.

The three study commission members were elected in the 2014 election. The proposals have to be submitted to the Hill County Clerk and Recorder by late August.

In addition to submitting the proposal to voters, the study commission is charged with making recommendations on how city government could run more efficiently.

These proposals will be submitted to City Council but do not have to be approved by voters.

City Council member Andrew Brekke proposed the commission study the suggestion to make Havre a Class 2 city. Mayor Tim Solomon asked City Council to approve such a plan, but it was unanimously rejected.

Brewer said he expected the commission would review the mayor’s proposal.