History: What We Did In Year Two

September 2005 - August 2006

  • Analyzed the twenty pages of legal memo documentation received from Kaleczyc and Lambert and prioritized legal issues.
  • Received first mapping detail from DTM.
  • Prepared our first "Summary of Progress" update for the community.
  • Developed Data Gathering Plan to identify needed information.
  • Identified Typical Functions of Local Government.
  • Began meeting with local community groups for input.
  • Visited Three Forks and West Yellowstone. Met with local officials and received detailed budgets.
  • Mapped property valuation data in three hypothetical boundary ranges: large, medium, small.
  • Began exploration of the resort tax questions.
  • Met with Alec Hansen, Executive Director of the Montana League of Cities & Towns.

Year Two Conclusions:

Continuing growth warrants consideration of the formal voice that incorporation brings to a community.
Working within state law, Big Sky can meet Montana's requirements for incorporation.

New legislation is required to permit a municipality to span two counties, or to permit non-resident voting. Given the political difficulty both in Helena, and locally, to enact such legislation, we do not intend to pursue it.