MTLRS135.xml Guide to the Montana Government Operations Unit records 1973-1974 Montana Government Operations Unit records Finding aid prepared by Sue Jackson; Updated by Lindsey Mick Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Montana Historical Society 1987; 2025 Finding aid encoded by Ellie Arguimbau with assistance by Cuadra Associates; Updated by Lindsey Mick2006; 2025 Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition.) Montana Historical Society Archives RS 135_RS 502 Montana Office of the Governor, Government Operations Unit Montana Government Operations Unit records 1973-1974 0.7 linear ft This collection is a subgroup (Former Unit) of the Montana Office of the Governor records. The Office of Budget and Program Planning absorbed the Government Operations Unit (GOU) in late 1974. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Office of the Governor records. Records of the GOU (1973-1974) include interoffice correspondence, reports, subject files concerning executive branch and federal agencies, and miscellany. 28:5-2 English

The Montana Commission on Executive Reorganization was created in 1969 to develop a plan for a more efficient executive branch of state government. The Commission worked to streamline this branch from 161 independent executive agencies listed in the Montana codes to a total of 19 departments. With the passage of the Executive Reorganization Act of 1971 which abolished certain agencies and transferred their powers and duties to other agencies, the Commission constructed a plan of implementation and recodification necessary to make the reorganization a reality. The Commission ceased operation in 1972.

The Executive Reorganization Office, as part of the Governor's Office, carried out the work of amending numerous statutes to reflect the changes created by the Executive Reorganization Act. In June 1973 the work of this office was transferred to the Government Operations Unit (GOU) directed by Richard L. Llewellyn. The GOU was created by Governor Thomas Judge and was to be "responsible for studying, monitoring, and evaluating the organizational structure, management practices, and functions of the executive branch agencies in order to improve the manageability of state government."

In its capacity as the "general research and planning arm of the governor," the GOU reviewed the status and membership of advisory boards and councils, reviewed organizational charts for all agencies in the executive branch, reviewed all proposed legislation from the executive branch to ensure compatibility with the Executive Reorganization Act and other state laws, completed the recodification bills reflecting the reorganization approved by the legislature, and reviewed the management and fiscal practices of executive agencies. Special projects completed by the GOU include: a comprehensive study of the Boulder River School and Hospital which produced a report recommending a program to improve efficiency and effectiveness; a feasibility study for a centralized laundry service for the Department of Institutions; a study of the Aging Services Program of the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services; a proposal to coordinate the functions of several state agencies to provide services to Montana's developmentally disabled citizens; resolution of a dispute between the Department of Administration and the University System concerning fiscal accountability; a study of the feasibility of the establishment of a Department of Motor Vehicles; and revision of the Statewide Budget and Accounting System (SBAS).

The GOU staff included research analysts Paul McCann and Patrick McLaughlin; management systems analyst Franklin Smoyer; fiscal systems analyst Thomas McCarvel; and staff attorney Patrick Melby. Funding for the office came from state general funds and from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant funds. The functions of the Government Operations Unit were absorbed by the Office of Budget and Program Planning in late 1974.

This collection consists of records of the Government Operations Unit and includes general correspondence; interoffice correspondence within the Governor's Office; reports to the governor and the legislature; subject files kept by the office containing materials from departments of the executive branch and from federal agencies; and miscellany.

The collection is arranged by series.

Collection is open for research.

The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Library & Archives and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Library & Archives 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.

In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Office of the Governor were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 502, in order to help facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the MTHS catalog, and to follow best archival practices.

Collections from the Montana Office of the Governor's various Offices and Programs that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 502. Rather than reprocessing over 15 linear feet of Governor's materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those collections/finding aids, and provide access to them via links through the central finding aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding aids at manageable sizes. Please read the scope and content note carefully to determine if this subgroup/sub-subgroup pertains to your research needs.

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Library & Archives, Helena, Montana.

Acquisition information is available upon request

Printed material transferred to Library.

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.

Administrative agencies--Reorganization--Montana Government reorganization--Montana Montana Detailed Description of the Collection General Correspondence 1 / 1 Chronological 1973 February - 1974 May Interoffice Correspondence 1 / 2 Chronological 1973 January - 1974 February Printed Material 1 / 3 Listed of printed material transferred to the Library Reports 1 / 4 Annual report to Governor and to Legislative Assembly 1973 Subject Files 1 / 5 Coordinated planning process (includes Planning Programming Budgeting System; Federal Regional Council; State Regional Coordinator) 1973 1 / 6 Montana Department of Administration 1973 January - 1974 January 1 / 7 Montana Department of Agriculture 1973 May - 1974 January 1 / 8 Montana Department of Business Regulation 1973 June-September 1 / 9 Montana Department of Fish and Game (includes Montana Board of Outfitters) 1973 May - 1974 January 1 / 10 Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences (includes Montana Migrant Health Project) 1973 April - 1974 January 1 / 11 Montana Department of Institutions (includes Boulder River School and Hospital, Warm springs State Hospital, centralized laundry system, etc.) 1973 February - 1974 April 1 / 12 Montana Department of Justice (includes Montana Highway Patrol) 1973 August-October 1 / 13 Montana Department of Labor and Industry (includes Montana Status of Women Advisory Council, Montana Employment Security Division) 1973 March - 1974 January 1 / 14 Montana Department of Livestock 1973 August - 1974 January 1 / 15 Montana Department of Motor Vehicles [proposed] (includes Montana Highway Traffic Safety Division, Montana Division of Aeronautics, Montana Motor Pool Division, Montana Gross Vehicle Weight Division, Montana Motor Fuel Tax Division, Montana Registrar's Bureau) 1973 August - 1974 February 2 / 1 Montana Department of Professional and Occupational Licensing 1973 April - 1974 January 2 / 2 Montana Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (includes Montana Developmental Disabilities Program, Montana Aging Services Division, Warm Springs State Hospital, Boulder River School and Hospital) 1973 February - 1974 February 2 / 3 Education (includes Montana University System, Montana Commissioner of Higher Education, Montana Board of Regents, Montana Commission on Post-Secondary Education, Montana Department of Education) 1973 May-December 2 / 4 Montana state local government commissions 1973 August - 1974 January 2 / 5 United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare strategy for capacity building (re human services programs) 1974 January - February 2 / 6 United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (re grant) 1973 April - 1974 October Miscellany 2 / 7 Position descriptions, office inventory, list of reports prepared by Government Operation Unit, and "Results of Government Operation Unit" 1973, undated