Public hearing held on Havre city government

Havre's Local Government Review Study Commission held their final public hearing Tuesday night, a week before ballots will be counted, and it will be determined whether Havre will change the form of government it has had since 1891.

The commission recommended the city put on the ballot a proposal to change the form of government from mayor-city council to manager-commission.

City Council member Terri Lilletvedt, who was in the audience, said that throughout the years Havre has had great mayors who have managed the city for scant pay, but the manager position is something voters need to consider.

"I think we've been very fortunate to have had mayors that work for next to nothing, but I don't think we can keep expecting someone to do that," she said. "I just don't think as a member of the community that is something fair to ask."

The meeting was the study commission's last public hearing and marks the end of two years of interviews, inquiries and public discussions about whether the city should adopt a new form of government and, if so, decide what that form of government should be that will be submitted to the voters for their approval.

A final report was issued by the study commission in August. In the report, members recommended Havre adopt a commission-manager form of government with self-governing powers. The city council would become a commission composed of seven members, one elected from each ward and the remaining two and the mayor elected at-large.

Study Commission Chair Dave Brewer and Vice-Chair Perry Atchison fielded questions from the audience at the hearing. The third study commission member, Lowell Swenson was absent.

Roger Gruber, a member of the audience asked if the new arrangement means there would be no mayor.

"If the new format is approved there will be an overall city manager that will be run by the commision," Atchison said. "The commission will be headed by the mayor, but he is not going to have the powers like he has now. He is going to be a voting member of the commission."

The mayor would become a title position and voting member of the commission, whose executive powers would be absorbed by the city manager, said City Council President Andrew Brekke, the city council's liaison to the study commission.

The manager would be a hired position tasked with running the daily operations of the city and would answer to the commission, whose members are elected by the voters, he added.

"With no term, he is simply hired?" Gruber asked.

Brewer and Brekke said the manager would be hired by contract.

Brewer said the specifics of the manager's contract including salary and duties would be decided by the current city council and the new commission.

"What we're looking for is expertise. There are a lot of things that come up in city government these days where it would be beneficial to have someone who has gone to school and learned how to run a city government," Brewer said.

"It's no different than the mayor except here it is a hired position as opposed to an elected position," Brekke said.

Mavis Filler, another member of the audience, asked how the manager position would be paid.

Brewer said the study commission was not responsible for deciding how the proposal would be paid for, but what would be the most efficient form of government. However, every time they have had a hearing that was a top question they were asked, he added.

Atchison said some of the duties, such as disciplinary measures and other duties, are under department heads. That could reduce the duties taken on by department heads. Those reduced duties could free up money, but the money to pay for the manager would likely come from different parts of the city government, he said.

Mayor Tim Solomon, who was in the audience, said it is important that the study commission let people know the city cannot cut the wages of department heads.

They will continue to be paid at levels comparable throughout the state, he said.

Solomon said the $60,000-$80,000 salary range that has been listed for a manager might be a low estimate.

He said that Whitefish, a smaller city, is now looking for a new city manager for $100,000-130,000 a year.

Brekke said the cost of living is higher in Whitefish, though the position advertised benefits.

He added that if the determination is that the manager-commission form of government is good for Havre, the city should find a way to make it work rather than dismiss it because they think it is too expensive.

Lillivedt asked why the study commission decided to move away from having two council members per ward in the proposal.

Brewer said throughout the interviews conducted as part of the report, people constantly said they thought it was important to still have at least one member from each ward. However, the study commission also thought the current system of electing council members two per ward was too limiting.

He said most cities throughout the state of Montana have moved away from electing council or commission members by ward and instead elect all of them at-large.

If the committee's proposal is approved by voters, Brekke said, there will be a transition period. At the council's discretion, the study commision can remain in place to help with the transition where the council will be changed to a commission, staff will be transitioned and the duties a manager will take on will be decided. The transition will take place during the course of a year and the effective deadline to transition will be in 2018.