Three Mission Valley communities opt to review local governments
Summer Goddard
Members of the Lake County Pachyderms listen as Polson Study Commission Chair Larry Ashcraft discusses the current local government review underway in Polson.
Summer Goddard
Polson Study Commission Chair Larry Ashcraft addresses the Lake County Pachyderms at an April 25 meeting at the Polson Rural Fire Station while fellow study commission member Phil Thalen, right, looks on.
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
2 of 3 free articles.
Residents of Polson, Ronan and St. Ignatius communities opted to review their current form of government in the June 2024 primary election and that process is now underway.
The option for local government review is unique to Montana and was added to the state’s constitution in 1972 to give citizens the opportunity to review their forms of government every 10 years. A study commission is established by affirmative vote of the people.
Local government reviews were passed in the June 2024 primary election for the City of Polson (695-605), the City of Ronan (194-164) and the Town of St. Ignatius (81-54). Voters declined a review of the county form of government (4,195 votes against and 3,639 votes for.)
Five-person study commissions have been established in each city/town that voted for a local government review. Those commissions will conduct studies by interviewing city officials, hosting public meetings, reviewing public documents and more. Based on their findings, they either choose no change to the current form of government or make a recommendation to voters via resolution on the Nov. 2026 ballot.
“It’s an opportunity most states don’t have,” said Larry Ashcraft, chair of the Polson study commission. Ashcraft spoke to the Lake County Pachyderms last Friday during their monthly meeting about the review process.
Currently, Polson has a city manager form of government. Elected city council members hire a city manager to implement city policies. The city’s department heads answer to the city manager, who, in turn, answers to the city council.
Having a strong council with a city manager form of government is important, Ashcraft notes, otherwise “the tail can wag the dog.”
Polson moved to a city manager form of government in Nov. 2006 after a similar review process of the city’s then mayor / council form of government. The city’s charter, a document available on the City of Polson website, spells out the powers and roles of both the city manager and the city council.
Ashcraft explained that in the study commission’s information finding process – interviews have been conducted with current as well as past council members, city department heads, past mayors and longtime residents. He encourages any citizens who’d like to share their input to attend their monthly meetings held every second Tuesday of the month at City Hall at 3 p.m.
“We’re doing this because we need to find out before we can make any decisions what goes on inside our city government,” Ashcraft said. He added that while the study commission accepts feedback from residents, they’re not a regulatory body.
“There are certain things we cannot do – that aren’t in the scope of this review,” he said. “We aren’t removing or disciplining staff members or individuals serving in elected office, not adding or changing or removing services, programs, policies or ordinances, not changing the election process, not making changes to fees, assessments, taxes or any other service funding mechanisms.”
“What we’re deciding,” Ashcraft said, “is whether to keep the city manager or go back to a mayor – or change the city’s charter.”
Looking at how city council members are elected – either by ward as Polson does now – or at large, partisan, or non-partisan, concurrent or overlapping terms is also within the scope of the study commission.
Additional public meetings, two have been held so far, are planned for the summer months when the resident “snow birds,” who winter elsewhere, return to Polson.
While there are recurring themes that have come up in the information gathering process, Ashcraft says he wants to keep them under wraps until the commission is prepared to share final findings.
As for his motivation to serve on the study commission, Ashcraft said, “I’ve only got a certain amount of time here and I want to do what I can do for my community.” He added that all study commission members are “doers” with a passion to serve their community.
“Many people don’t want to rock the boat until something happens,” he said. “But by then, it’s too late.” Ashcraft said he hopes keeping voters informed will encourage increased civic engagement among the electorate. “We need as many voices out there as we can,” he said.
When one attendee thanked Ashcraft, and fellow study commissioner Phil Thalen, who also attended, for their service, the audience expressed their agreement with a round of applause.
Ronan Study Commission Chair Chuck Holman shared that public meetings about Ronan’s form of government have already been held, but additional comments are welcome. Public meetings for the town of St. Ignatius Government Review Commission were held in February.
Those with questions or input for their city’s government review study commission are encouraged to contact the following people:
Polson –
Larry Ashcraft. Chair. ashcraft_LGRSC@cityofpolson.com
Pete Ridgeway Vice Ch ridgeway_LGRSC@cityofpolson.com
Dave Rittenhouse rittenhouse_LGRSC@cityofpolson.com
Mark Hubbard hubbard_LGRSC@cityofpolson.com
Phil Thalen thalen_LGRSC@cityofpolspn.com
Ronan – Study Commission Chairman Chuck Holman, 406-529-4119, chuck@mission-mountain.com
St. Ignatius – Information unavailable as of press time.
