Montana Local Government Study Commissions collection, 1972-1986 Overview of the Collection Subject Montana Local Government Study Commissions Title Montana Local Government Study Commissions collection Dates 1972-1986 (inclusive) 1972 1986 Quantity 3.0 linear feet Collection Number Mss 561 Summary According to the 1972 Montana state constitution, local governments may review their government structure every ten years. The collection consists of city and county reviews from across Montana in 1975-1976 and two from 1986. Repository University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections Archives and Special Collections Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library University of Montana 32 Campus Dr. #9936 59812-9936 Missoula, MT Telephone: 406-243-2053 Fax: 406-243-4067 library.archives@umontana.edu Access Restrictions Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and the University of Montana--Missoula. Languages Sponsor English Funding for creating this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Historical Note According to the 1972 Montana state constitution, if the citizens of the both the county and the city decree, a coalition will be formed every ten years to study the local government structure to determine if the city and county governments should be combined. In 1976 the first statewide Local Government Study Commissions were formed. Across Montana, the citizens of cities and counties researched their local governments to decide if combining the governments would be of benefit to them. In 1976, the State Commission on Local http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv04792 1
Government formed to analyze the different data in the cities and counties, each of whom gave their final recommendations to the board and ultimately to the voters. Content Description The collection contains records from the Montana Local Government Study Commissions from across the state from 1975-1976. The cities and counties that are represented in the collection have the final drafts of their study proposals that the citizens voted on. Many of the other city-county studies only have the final draft of their proposal and not the research on which they used in their decision.also included are the final drafts from Flathead County and Livingston for 1986 reviews. Use of the Collection Restrictions on Use Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to the University of Montana. Preferred Citation [Name of document or photograph number], Montana Local Government Study Commissions Collection, Archives and Special Collections, The University of Montana-Missoula. Administrative Information Arrangement The collection is arranged in four series: Series I: Local Government Study Commissions, 2.25 linear feet, 1974-1986 Series II: Publications, 1 folder, 1976 Series III: Interim Committee on Local Government Laws and Interested Persons, 3 folders, 1976-1979 Series IV: State Commission of Local Government, 0.5 linear feet, 1972-1977 Custodial History James Lopach of the University of Montana's Economics Department collected these materials as part of his research. Acquisition Information Gift of James Lopach, 1997. Processing Note http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv04792 2
The collection was originally processed as part of Mss 187. In 2004, the materials described in this guide were identified as a separate collection and reprocessed. In 2010, errors in the 2004 guide were corrected. Related Materials See also Mss 118, Missoula City and County Local Government Study Commissions Records; Mss 187, Coalition for Local Government Study (Missoula, Mont.) Records; and Mss 671, Missoula City Local Government Study Commission Records. Detailed Description of the Collection Series I: Local Government Study Commissions, 1974-1986 2.25 linear feet This series contains materials from the city and county study commissions of Montana. The commissions sent preliminary and final drafts of their local government studies to the chairman of the state commission, James Lopach. Most of the studies were conducted in 1976, while a few were in 1974 and 1986. The commissions gave their recommendations as to whether or not the city and counties should combine the governments. The final reports were then sent to the voters to decide. The county study commission final reports do not include Daniels, Edgerton, Judith Basin, Powder River, and Stillwater counties. The series also contains the monthly newsletter, The Local Government Review Bulletin, that the Commission On Local Government wrote, and research booklets profiling previous study commissions and different Montana cities and counties that were in the transition phase of a combined government. The series is divided up into three subseries; City Study Commissions, County Study Commissions, and Pamphlets. The folders are arranged alphabetically within those topics. Subseries 1: City Study Comissions Box/Folder 1/1 Candidates for City Legislators 1974 1/3 Alberton 1976 1/4 Anaconda 1976 1/5 Baker 1976 1/6 Belt 1976 1/7 Big Sandy 1976 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv04792 3
1/8 Billings 1976 1/9 Bozeman 1976 1/10 Boulder 1976 1/11 Bridger 1976 1/12 Broadus 1976 1/13 Broadview 1976 1/14 Browning 1976 1/15 Cascade 1976 1/16 Chester 1976 1/17 Chinook 1976 1/18 Choteau 1976 1/19 Circle 1976 1/20 Clyde Park 1976 1/21 Columbus 1976 1/22 Conrad 1976 1/23 Culbertson 1976 1/24 Cut Bank 1976 1/25 Darby 1976 1/26 Deer Lodge 1976 1/27 Denton 1976 1/28 Dillon 1976 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv04792 4
1/29 Dutton 1976 1/30 East Helena 1976 1/31 Ekalaka 1976 1/32 Ennis 1976 1/33 Eureka 1976 1/34 Fairfield 1976 1/35 Fairview 1976 1/36 Forsyth 1976 1/37 Froid 1976 1/38 Fromberg 1976 1/39 Geraldine 1976 1/40 Glascow 1976 1/41 Glendive 1976 1/42 Grass Range 1976 1/43 Great Falls 1976 1/44 Hamilton 1976 1/45 Hardin 1976 2/1 Harlem 1976 2/2 Harlowton 1976 2/3 Havre 1976 2/4 Helena 1976 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv04792 5
2/5 Hingham 1976 2/6 Hobson 1976 2/7 Hot Springs 1976 2/8 Hysham 1976 2/9 Ismay 1976 2/10 Joliet 1976 2/11 Jordan 1976 2/12 Judith Gap 1976 2/13 Kalispell 1976 2/14 Kevin 1976 2/15 Laurel 1976 2/16 Lavina 1976 2/17 Lewistown 2/18 Libby 1976 2/19 Lima 1976 2/20 Livingston 1976-1986 2/21 Malta 1976 2/22 Manhattan 1976 2/23 Medicine Lake 1976 2/24 Melstone 1976 2/25 Miles City 1976 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv04792 6
2/26 Missoula 1976 2/27 Moore 1976 2/28 Neihart 1976 2/29 Outlook 1976 2/30 Philipsburg 1976 2/31 Plains 1976 2/32 Plentywood 1976 2/33 Plevna 1976 2/34 Polson 1976 2/35 Poplar 1976 2/36 Red Lodge 1976 2/37 Rexford 1976 2/38 Roundup 1976 2/39 Saco 1976 2/40 St. Ignatius 1976 2/41 Scobey 1976 2/42 Shelby 1976 2/43 Sidney 1976 2/44 Stanford 1976 2/45 Stevensville 1976 2/46 Sunburst 1976 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv04792 7
2/47 Terry 1976 2/48 Three Forks 1976 2/49 Troy 1976 2/50 Twin Bridges 1976 3/1 Valier 1976 3/2 Virginia City 1976 3/3 Westby 1976 3/4 West Yellowstone 1976 3/5 Whitefish 1976 3/6 Winifred 1976 3/7 Winnett 1976 3/8 Wolf Point 1976 Subseries 2: County Study Comissions Box/Folder 1/2 Candidates for County Legislators 1974 3/9 Beaverhead County 1976 3/10 Big Horn County 1976 3/11 Blaine County 1976 3/12 Broadwater County 1976 3/13 Carbon County 1986 3/14 Carter County 1974 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv04792 8
3/15 Cascade County 1976 3/16 Choteau County 1976 3/17 Custer County 1976 3/18 Dawson County 1976 3/19 Deer Lodge County 1976 3/20 Fallon County 1976 3/21 Fergus County 1976 3/22 Flathead County 1976-1986 3/23 Gallatin County 1976 3/24 Garfield County 1976 3/25 Glacier County 1976 3/26 Golden Valley County 1976 3/27 Granite County 1976 3/28 Hill County 1976 3/29 Jefferson County 1976 3/30 Lake County 1976 3/31 Lewis and Clark County 1976 3/32 Liberty County 1976 3/33 Lincoln County 1976 3/34 McCone County 1976 4/1 Madison County 1976 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv04792 9
4/2 Meagher County 1976 4/3 Mineral County 1976 4/4 Missoula County 1976 4/5 Musselshell County 1976 4/6 Park County 1976 4/7 Petroleum County 1976 4/8 Phillips County 1976 4/9 Pondera County 1976 4/10 Powell County 1976 4/11 Prarie County 1976 4/12 Ravalli County 1976 4/13 Richland County 1976 4/14 Roosevelt County 1976 4/15 Rosebud County 1976 4/16 Sanders County 1976 4/17 Sheridan County 1976 4/18 Silver Bow County 1976 4/19 Sweet Grass County 1976 4/20 Teton County 1976 4/21 Toole County 1976 4/22 Treasure County 1976 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv04792 10
4/23 Valley County 1976 4/24 Wheatland County 1976 4/25 Wibaux County 1976 4/26 Yellowstone County 1976 Subseries 3: Pamphlets Box/Folder 5/1 Local Government Review Bulletin 1974-1975 5/2 Local Government Review Bulletin 1975-1976 5/3 Local Government Study Booklets undated 5/4 Staff Report to the Commission on Local Government 1974 5/5 The Voter Review Journal Newsletter 1976 Series II: Publications, 1976 1 folder This series contains one folder of booklets from the Bureau of Government Research at the University of Montana. All are related to local government in Montana. Box/Folder 5/6 Bureau of Government Research Booklets 1976 Series III: Interim Committee on Local Government Laws and Interested Persons, 1976-1979 3 folders The series consists of clippings from Montana newspapers on the progress of local government studies and memos to the committee stating the approach to the local studies and outlines of major tasks. Many of the memos are from the Montana Legislative Council, which oversaw the local studies. The series also contains the 1977 Montana House Bill No. 122 calling for "the general revision of laws http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv04792 11
relating to county and municipal government; enacting a local government code; and providing an effective date." The series is arranged alphabetically. Box/Folder 5/7 Clippings 1976-1979 5/8 Memos from Montana Legislative Council 1977-1978 6/1 Montana 45th Legislature, House Bill #122 1977 Series IV: State Commission on Local Government, 1972-1977 0.5 linear feet This series contains directories of local government commissioners, state financial recommendations, and memos to various county and city officials with reports of findings and regulations. Also in the series are commission staff reports researching various aspects of state issues local governments had to take into consideration. A final report on the work of the Montana State Commission on Local Government 1974-1977 is in the series. The series is arranged alphabetically. Box/Folder 6/2 Directory of Local Government Study Commissioners 1974-1975 6/3 Final Report 1977 6/4 Financial Recommendations 1974-1977 6/5 Memos 1975-1976 6/6 Staff Reports 1972-1977 6/7 Staff Reports 1977 Names and Subjects Subject Terms : Metropolitan government -- Montana Geographical Names : http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv04792 12
Missoula (Mont.) -- Politics and government Missoula County (Mont.) -- Politics and government Finding aid prepared by Jodi Allison-Bunnell (2004) and Teresa Hamann (2010) 2004 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West: http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/cc-attr.shtml http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv04792 13