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Project Overview
WGM Group, Inc., in partnership with ECOnorthwest and M2O Group, is conducting a study to explore governance options for the Big Sky community, including the potential of incorporating as a municipal government. This study aims to provide the community with the facts needed to make informed decisions about their future, whether through incorporation, other governmental changes, or maintaining the status quo. The project includes extensive public and stakeholder engagement and will culminate in a final report outlining findings and next steps.
Upcoming Engagement Opportunities
Monday 7 October 2024 to Friday 11 October 2024
Big Sky Community Week
We'll be out and about during Big Sky Community Week so make sure to stop by our table and introduce yourself, say hi, ask questions, and give us your ideas! Full schedule and more information HERE.
Tuesday 15 October 2024 6:15 pm to 8:00 pm
Community Conversations – Evening
Join us at the Big Sky Water and Sewer District Community Room for Community Conversations where we explore and discuss community values and talk about services and governance.
Tuesday 22 October 2024 8:00 am to 9:15 am
Community Conversations – Morning
Join us at the Big Sky Water and Sewer District Community Room for Community Conversations where we explore and discuss community values and talk about services and governance.
Tuesday 12 November 2024 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm
Community Conversation – Mid-day
Join us at the Big Sky Water and Sewer District Community Room for Community Conversations where we explore and discuss community values and talk about services and governance.
January 2025
Big Sky Governance Study Public Meeting #2
Meeting details available closer to the meeting date and will be found HERE.
Background & Process
The Path to the Future of Big Sky
In 1992, voters in the Big Sky Resort Area approved the implementation of a Resort Tax on “luxury” goods and services, excluding essential items.
In 1998, the electorate voted to establish a District responsible for overseeing the administration of this tax. Local businesses within the District collect and remit the tax. A five-member volunteer Board of Directors, elected by the community, allocates the tax revenue to address key local needs. The District is managed by a small, paid staff hired by the Board.
Following a strategic planning exercise in 2004, the Chamber of Commerce spent several years researching public sentiment and legislative requirements surrounding incorporation, with funding from BSRAD.
The Big Sky community explored ways to improve coordination among local entities and enhance future planning. After consulting with the Big Sky Chamber, the MSU Extension Local Government Center (LGC) identified six potential options for addressing local governance challenges, including the formation of a community council, the creation of a special district, or modifying the existing Resort Tax district. Each option had benefits and challenges, and the community needed to decide which best suited its needs and resources. Other unincorporated communities in Montana were also interested in Big Sky's approach.
Starting in 2022, the grassroots group, Big Sky Local Governance, LLC, met with the intention of bringing incorporation to a vote in November 2023. This group’s work generated the interest that eventually led to the formation of the exploratory group that created this report.
In June and July 2023, 12 leaders from diverse stakeholder groups in Big Sky met for three days to discuss the potential incorporation of the community. Convened by Big Sky Resort Area District (BSRAD) leadership, the group aimed to understand shared issues and explore possible incorporation options. Over 12 hours of discussions, they developed a strategy and timeline for a future community-driven incorporation study. While no decisions were made, the group worked collaboratively and emphasized the importance of community input in determining whether incorporation should move forward.
The Big Sky Resort Area District (BSRAD) is partnering with WGM, along with ECOnorthwest (ECO) and M2O Group, to help citizens make informed decisions about local governance. WGM, an engineering, planning, and design firm, offers technical expertise and has been building sustainable communities since 1965. ECO specializes in economics, finance, and planning, using data-driven approaches to help clients make informed decisions. M2O brings expertise in public outreach, particularly within the Big Sky community, ensuring effective communication and engagement throughout the process.
Governance Study Resources
Current Process, Meeting Info, & Supporting Materials
Please Explore All Meeting & Important Process Materials Below
Tuesday 24 September 2024 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Public Meeting #1
Meeting agenda, links, and recording HERE.
Engage
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
We want to know what you want to know about governance. Below, you'll find multiple opportunities to stay connected, tell us your ideas, and engage with your neighbors, so don't be shy! With your involvement you'll be shaping the future of Big Sky for generations to come.
Subscribe for Project Updates! Please?
We know you don't need more emails in your inbox, but subscribing here will keep you updated with occasional emails containing survey and engagement opportunities as well as important project updates.
What do you want from this Governance Study?
Tell us what questions you want answered, what you need to know to help steer your community in the right direction, and/or what are your fears that you want to avoid with information gained through this governance study? (max 140 characters).
13 October, 2024
Anonymous says:
Please focus your study on exactly what services citizens feel are missing in Big Sky and how any form of governance addresses these needs?
26 September, 2024
Anonymous says:
Increase the BSOA footprint to be the same as the resort tax footprint..increase the board to accommodate the increase in size of the area.
26 September, 2024
Anonymous says:
Facts please. In depth study of why it didn’t work in try past. And a clear sense of what incorporation would look like with no changed laws
25 September, 2024
Anonymous says:
How could additional governance be added and not just become another layer. How would we remove existing layers and non-profits?
25 September, 2024
Anonymous says:
How does incorporation, if the community goes that route, make us more efficient and what does that do for the non-profits filling the gap?
24 September, 2024
Anonymous says:
Underwhelmed after launch: billed as 2 hr mtg, and all we did was an online survey. No game plan/outline for our complicated situation.
24 September, 2024
Anonymous says:
The zoom link disconnected me right after the introduction. Tried 10 times to link back up. Failed. It asked for passwords. Not a good start
24 September, 2024
Anonymous says:
To understand what the budget would look like for a municipality, what the boundary would/could be, and the costs to current residents.
Big Sky Gov Study Virtual Office Hours
Book time to talk virtually with Meg from M2O Group about your concerns, questions, and ideas HERE.
Big Sky Service Boundaries
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
An incorporated municipality in Montana is a legally established city or town that has gone through the process of incorporation under state law. Incorporation provides the municipality with the authority to govern itself through local ordinances, manage local services, levy taxes, and oversee land use planning within its boundaries.
Currently, both Madison and Gallatin counties govern the Big Sky area; that can remain status quo. However, there are some changes that could also happen to the county government structure, such as the addition of a community council, districting county commissioners, or the addition of self-governing powers via a charter. These are just a few options, and there are many more.
Both Gallatin and Madison counties elected to create a study commission to review the county government structures in June 2024. While this may sound closely related, the study commission will be evaluating and possibly recommending changes to the county's government structure and not necessarily the creation of an incorporated municipality in Big Sky. However, county governance is very important and we encourage participation in this endeavor as well.
The final report will be a fact-based document that lists the existing conditions in Big Sky, state forecasted community needs, and will evaluate three scenarios for governance in Big Sky. It will state facts regarding policy, legal constraints, and fiscal analysis to ensure that the Big Sky community can make informed decisions on ballot initiatives such as incorporation or any other governance changes.