OLLI at MSU Friday Forum: Is a New City and County Government Structure Needed for Our Growing Community?

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Montana State University will host a virtual Friday Forum on April 12, focused on an upcoming ballot question that will be asked of Gallatin County residents in June- should we as a community reconsider our current forms of city and county government. “Is a new city and county government structure needed for our growing community?” will be held via Zoom from noon to 1:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Montana Constitution is unique in that it requires local government to ask citizens to review government structure every 10 years (Montana Constitution article 11. part 11. subsection 9). This is an opportunity for voters to decide if the existing structure of our local government most effectively still meets our current community needs. Election ballots will be mailed to Gallatin County residents in June 2024.

Ashley Kent, Associate Director at the Local Government Center at MSU will discuss a brief history of this feature of the Montana Constitution, the upcoming ballot question that will be asked of Gallatin County residents in June- should we as a community reconsider our current forms of city and county government, and the benefits of this process relative to dynamic population shifts.

Forum participants are encouraged to submit questions and comments in advance via Zoom registration.

OLLI at MSU Friday Forums occur monthly from September through May. Participants must register no later than 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 12. Upon registration confirmation, participants will receive an email with the Zoom link and instructions to join the program.

OLLI at MSU is a program of Academic Technology and Outreach. ATO works across the university to support and advance its land-grant mission through unique and innovative opportunities for outreach and engagement.