MTLrs168.xml Guide to the Montana Commission on Local Government records 1973-1977 Montana Commission on Local Government records Finding aid prepared by Christian Frazza, 1987 Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Montana Historical Society Research Center 2006 Finding aid encoded by Ellie Arguimbau with assistance by Cuadra Associates 2006 Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition.) Montana Historical Society Archives RS 168 Montana Commission on Local Government Montana Commission on Local Government records 1973-1977 8 linear feet of shelf space These Montana Commission on Local Government records (1973-1977, undated) consist of general, outgoing, and interoffice correspondence; financial records; records from hearings establishing the local government study commissions, and the proposed code of local government law; minutes; news releases; organizational records; subject files; and miscellany. 28:6-6 English

The 1972 Montana Constitution required the legislature to "...provide procedures requiring each local government unit or combination of units to review its structure and submit one alternative form of government to the qualified electors ... " by 1976. The 1974 legislature accordingly established the nine-member State Commission on Local Government. Harold Gerke chaired the Commission, and George Boulisman was the director until July 1974 when Dale Harris assumed that position. In its three year existence the Commission was required to: make a detailed study of local government structure, powers, services, and finances, and state-local relations; prepare a revised code of local government law; consult and assist local government study commissions; publicize the voter review of local government; and publish reports and make recommendations to the governor and legislature. The legislature concurrently funded community education projects to be carried out by such bodies as the University of Montana's Bureau of Government Research, Montana State University's Cooperative Extension Service, the Montana Chamber of Commerce, and the League of Women Voters of Montana.

One hundred eighty-two city, town, and county local government study commissions, consisting of at least three unpaid members were elected in nonpartisan elections held in November 1974. These commissions conducted reviews of their local governments and drew up proposals for alternative forms of government which were voted on in 1976. The amount of time and effort invested by each commission in this work varied widely.

This collection consists of: general correspondence of the Commission members; outgoing correspondence to local government study commissioners (with accompanying chronological index) and local and state officials; interoffice correspondence; financial records; hearings on finance, the legislation to establish local government study commissions, and the proposed code of local government law; minutes, which include numerous documents produced by the Commission; news releases; organizational records; subject files, including material concerning grants received by the Commission, research on the proposed code on local government, the study of the state assumption of social services, and the voter review of local government process. The latter includes general information concerning the dissemination of information about the process itself to the public, workshops and seminars, the procedures and progress of the process, and files on a large number of the local government study commissions which include correspondence, minutes, news releases, interviews, etc.

Files on local government study commissions containing only a few sheets have been consolidated and arranged in alphabetical order; larger files, such as that of Missoula/Missoula County, have been kept separate and filed after the entire alphabetical run. The record series also contains miscellany which includes the responses to a questionnaire sent to state agencies regarding their provision of services to local governments, a draft of service laws, and disposition charts.

The collection is arranged by series.

Collection is open for research.

The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.

Acquisition information is available upon request.

Photographs, printed materials, artifacts, and sound records have been transferred to the Photograph Archives, Library, Museum and Oral History respectively.

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search under these terms.

County government--Montana Government reorganization--Montana Local government--Montana Municipal government--Montana Public welfare--Montana Montana Detailed Description of the Collection General Correspondence 1 / 1 Commission members: Jim Boyer (re planning and zoning) 1975-1977 1 / 2 Commission members: George Cole (re publicity) 1974 1 / 3 Commission members: Carol Ferguson (re pest control, mental health boards, county development councils, etc.) 1975-1977 1 / 4 Commission members: Harold Gerke 1974-1977 1 / 5 Commission members: Dale Harris (re administration of the Commission) 1973-1977 1 / 6 Commission members: Mitch Leveque (re federal financial assistance) 1974-1976 1 / 7 Commission members: Lauren McKinsey (re public education) 1976 1 / 8 Commission members: Bruce Midgett (re the arts and libraries) 1975-1977 1 / 9 Commission members: Beth Richter (re health care) 1975-1977 1 / 10 Commission members: Mary Rohn (re welfare) 1977 1 / 11 Commission members: Steve Turkiewicz (re financial matters) 1974-1976 1 / 12 Commission members: David Wanzenreid (re administration of the Commission) 1976-1977 1 / 13 Commission members: Opal Winebrenner (re economic and social services) 1975-1976 1 / 14 Commission members: miscellaneous 1973-1977 1 / 15 Governor's Office: Attorney General 1974-1976 1 / 16 Governor's Office: Thomas L. Judge 1974-1976 1 / 17 Governor's Office: Human Resources Planning and Research Project 1974-1975 1 / 18 Governor's Office: Lieutenant Governor 1975-1976 1 / 19 Governor's Office: Office of Budget and Policy Planning 1974-1977 1 / 20 Legislative Assembly: general 1974-1976 1 / 21 Legislative Council 1975-1976 1 / 22 Montana organizations: Institute of the Rockies 1975-1976 1 / 23 Montana organizations: League of Women Voters 1974 1 / 24 Montana organizations: Montana Association of Counties 1973-1976 1 / 25 Montana organizations: Montana League of Cities and Towns 1974-1975 1 / 26 Montana organizations: Northern Rockies Action Group 1975-1976 1 / 27 Montana organizations: miscellaneous 1974-1976 1 / 28 National organizations: Advisory Council on Intergovernmental Relations 1974-1976 1 / 29 National organizations: Great Open Spaces City Management Association 1975 1 / 30 National organizations: International City Management Association 1974-1976 1 / 31 National organizations: National Association of Counties 1974-1976 1 / 32 National organizations: National Municipal League 1974-1976 1 / 33 National organizations: miscellaneous 1973-1975 1 / 34 State agencies: Department of Community Affairs 1976 1 / 35 State agencies: Department of Community Affairs director Ronald Richards 1974-1977 1 / 36 State agencies: Department of Community Affairs, Division of Local Government Services 1974-1976 1 / 37 State agencies: Department of Community Affairs, Division of Planning 1974-1976 1 / 38 State agencies: (re education) 1975 1 / 39 State agencies: Department of Health and Environmental Sciences 1975-1977 1 / 40 State agencies: Department of Justice 1974-1975 1 / 41 State agencies: Department of Revenue 1974-1976 1 / 42 State agencies: Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services 1975-1976 1 / 43 State agencies: Montana Advisory Council on Children and Youth 1974-1975 1 / 44 State agencies: State-Local Coordinator 1974-1975 1 / 45 State agencies: miscellaneous 1975-1976 1 / 46 States, other 1974-1976 1 / 47 United States Senators 1975-1976 1 / 48 United States Representatives 1975 1 / 49 Universities: Cooperative Extension Service 1973-1976 1 / 50 Universities: Professor William Crowley 1974-1975 1 / 51 Universities: Montana State University, Bozeman 1974-1976 1 / 52 Universities: University of Montana, Missoula 1974-1977 1 / 53 Universities: University of Montana, Missoula, Bureau of Government Research 1974-1975 Outgoing Correspondence 1 / 54 Index to correspondence of local government study commissioners 1977 1 / 55-57 To local government study commissioners 1974-1977 2 / 1 To local officials, state and local organizations 1974-1976 Interoffice Correspondence 2 / 2-4 Interoffice correspondence 1974-1977 Financial Records 2 / 5 Budgets 1974-1977 Hearings 2 / 6 Public hearings on local government finance, Billings 1975 2 / 7 Public hearings on local government study commission enabling legislation held in Billings, Glasgow, Great Falls, Helena, Missoula, and Kalispell 1974-1975, undated 2 / 8-10 Public hearings on proposed code on local government held in Butte, Great Falls, Billings, Miles City, Wolf Point, Helena, and Missoula 1976 Minutes 2 / 11-19 Minutes 1974 March - 1976 October 3 / 1-2 Minutes 1976 October - 1977 April Press Releases 3 / 3 News releases 1974-1976 3 / 4 News releases (re public hearings) 1974-1977 3 / 5 News releases (re voter review process) 1974-1976 Organizational Records 3 / 6 Timetables for voter review process 1974-1977 3 / 7 Membership lists of local government study commissions 1975, undated 3 / 8 Project outlines, agendas, and progress reports; rules of procedure 1974-1977 3 / 9 State Commission members and staff: titles, biographical sketches, areas of responsibility 1974-1977 Photographs 3 / 10 List of photographs transferred to Photo Archives Printed Material 3 / 11 List of printed material transferred to Library Subject Files 3 / 12 Contracts: Montana Arts Council 1975-1977 3 / 13 Contracts: Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services 1976-1977 3 / 14 Contracts: miscellaneous 1974-1977 3 / 15 Governor's Advisory Commission on Local Government 1973-1976 3 / 16-20 Grants: Mountain States Regional Medical Program 1974-1976 3 / 21-25 Grants: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 1974-1976 3 / 26 Grants: U.S. Department of Labor, Manpower Administration 1974-1975 3 / 27-28 Montana Association of Counties 1973-1976 3 / 29 Proposed code on local government: citizen groups concerned with local government 1973-1974, undated 4 / 1 Proposed code on local government: financing local government study commissions 1974-1977 4 / 2 Proposed code on local government: organizations' comments on the code 1973-1976 4 / 3-4 Proposed code on local government: services and structures project 1975, undated 4 / 5 Proposed code on local government: staff preparation of the code 1974-1976 4 / 6 Proposed code on local government: animal control 1977, undated 4 / 7 Proposed code on local government: the arts 1975-1977 4 / 8 Proposed code on local government: the courts undated 4 / 9 Proposed code on local government: emergency services 1976, undated 4 / 10-11 Proposed code on local government: finance 1974-1977 4 / 12 Proposed code on local government: libraries 1976, undated 4 / 13 Proposed code on local government: printing 1975-1976 4 / 14 Proposed code on local government: public health 1976, undated 4 / 15 Proposed code on local government: utilities 1977, undated 4 / 16-17 Proposed code on local government: miscellaneous 1977, undated 4 / 18-19 State assumption of social services undated 4 / 20 State assumption of welfare activities 1976 4 / 21 Voter review process: activities of local government study commissions 1975, undated 4 / 22 Voter review process: alternative forms of local government, general information 1974-1975, undated 4 / 23-24 Voter review process: alternative forms of local government, bills 1973-1974 4 / 25 Voter review process: alternative forms of local government, H.B. 176-180 1975 4 / 26 Voter review process: alternative forms of local government, elections 1974-1976 5 / 1 Voter review process: alternative forms of local government, service transfers 1975, undated 5 / 2 Voter review process: alternative forms of local government, tentative decisions by local government study commissions 1976, undated 5 / 3 Voter review process: background information 1976, undated 5 / 4 Voter review process: consultants 1975 5 / 5 Voter review process: Dawson College workshop on local government review 1973-1975 5 / 6 Voter review process: elections of study commissioners 1974-1975 5 / 7 Voter review process: financial operations and budgets of the State Commission 1974-1976 5 / 8 Voter review process: Institute of the Rockies seminars on local government 1974 5 / 9 Voter review process: meetings between the State Commission and local commissions 1975-1976, undated 5 / 10 Voter review process: model final report and certificates establishing existing and proposed plans on government by local government study commissions undated 5 / 11 Voter review process: Montana State University Institute for Teacher Training in Local Government Review 1974-1975 5 / 12 Voter review process: newspaper and magazine articles 1974-1976, undated 5 / 13 Voter review process: procedures 1973-1974 5 / 14-15 Voter review process: public information 1973-1974, undated 5 / 16 Voter review process: radio and television announcements 1974-1976 5 / 17 Voter review process: sister city manager program 1975-1976 5 / 18 Voter review process: slide show 1974-1975 5 / 19 Voter review process: speeches 1975, undated 5 / 20 Voter review process: state funding 1974-1977 5 / 21 Voter review process: training of State Commission staff by the Northern Rockies Action Group 1975-1976, undated 5 / 22-23 Voter review process: University of Montana Bureau of Government Research programs on local government 1973-1976 5 / 24-25 Voter review process: workshops and consulting activities of the State Commission 1974-1976 5 / 26 Voter review process: workshops, forums, and activities sponsored by outside organizations 1975-1976, undated 5 / 27 Voter review process: workshops on city-county form of local government 1975-1976 5 / 28 Voter review process: workshops on conducting the transition between forms of local government 1975-1977 5 / 29-31 Voter review process: county commissions, B-V 1974-1976 5 / 32 Voter review process: Cascade County 1974-1976 6 / 1 Voter review process: Custer County 1974-1976 6 / 2 Voter review process: Daniels County 1974-1976 6 / 3 Voter review process: Dawson County 1974-1976 6 / 4 Voter review process: Flathead County 1975-1976 6 / 5-6 Voter review process: Gallatin County 1975-1976 6 / 7 Voter review process: Golden Valley County 1975-1976 6 / 8 Voter review process: Granite County 1974-1977 6 / 9 Voter review process: Lewis and Clark County 1974-1976 6 / 10 Voter review process: Lincoln County 1975-1976 6 / 11 Voter review process: Park County 1975-1976 6 / 12 Voter review process: Powell County 1975-1976 6 / 13 Voter review process: Ravalli County 1974-1976 6 / 14 Voter review process: Valley County 1975-1976 6 / 15 Voter review process: Wheatland County 1974-1976 6 / 16 Voter review process: Wibaux County 1974-1976 6 / 17-18 Voter review process: Yellowstone County 1974-1976 6 / 19-21 Voter review process: cities and towns local commissions, A-W 1974-1976 6 / 22-24 Voter review process: Anaconda/Deer Lodge County 1975-1976 7 / 1-3 Voter review process: Billings 1974-1977 7 / 4-5 Voter review process: Bozeman 1975-1976 7 / 6 Voter review process: Butte/Silver Bow County 1973-1976 7 / 7 Voter review process: Clyde Park 1975-1976 7 / 8 Voter review process: Deer Lodge 1975-1976 7 / 9 Voter review process: Dillon 1975-1976 7 / 10 Voter review process: East Helena 1975-1976 7 / 11 Voter review process: Glendive 1974-1976 7 / 12 Voter review process: Great Falls 1974-1977 7 / 13 Voter review process: Helena 1975-1976 7 / 14 Voter review process: Kalispell 1974-1977 7 / 15 Voter review process: Lewistown 1975-1976 7 / 16 Voter review process: Livingston 1975-1976 7 / 17 Voter review process: Libby 1975-1976 7 / 18 Voter review process: Manhattan 1975-1976 7 / 19 Voter review process: Miles City 1975-1976 7 / 20-23 Voter review process: Missoula/Missoula County 1974-1976 7 / 24-25 Voter review process: Polson 1975-1976 7 / 26 Voter review process: Shelby 1975-1976 7 / 27 Voter review process: West Yellowstone 1975-1976 Miscellany 8 / 1 Thomas Judge's speeches and writings discussing local government 1969-1975, undated 8 / 2 List of sound recordings transferred to the Archives Sound Recording Collection 8 / 3 Local government code disposition charts undated 8 / 4 Local government code summary charts 1976 8 / 5-7 Preliminary staff draft of service laws 1976 8 / 8 Questionnaire on state-local relations undated 8 / 9 Questionnaire on state-local relations: responses from Administration, Agriculture, Business Regulation, Institutions undated 9 / 1 Questionnaire on state-local relations: responses from Health and Environmental Sciences undated 9 / 2 Questionnaire on state-local relations: responses from State Lands, Governor's Employment and Training Council, Livestock undated 9 / 3 Questionnaire on state-local relations: responses from Community Affairs, Labor and Industry undated 9 / 4 Questionnaire on state-local relations: responses from Natural Resources and Conservation, Revenue undated 9 / 5 Questionnaire on state-local relations: responses from Military Affairs, Professional and Occupational Licensing, Social and Rehabilitation Services undated 9 / 6 Questionnaire on state-local relations: responses from Consumer Council, Citizen's Advocate Office, Mental Health Advisory Council, Federal/State Coordinator, State Auditor, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Justice, Commissioner of Higher Education, Montana Arts Council undated 9 / 7 Questionnaire on state-local relations: responses from State Library, Montana Historical Society, Montana Advisory Council for Vocational Education, Montana Bicentennial Administration, Fish and Game undated