Preparing for a new century : preliminary recommendations

72 Pages·1994·2 MB·English

by  Montana. Governor's Task Force to Renew Montana Government

S Montana*
350.003 Governor's Task
Glpnc Force to Renew
1994 Montana Government
Preparing for a
new century
3WW* UUU5I303 U
The Governor's Task Force
to
Renevs^ Montana Government
PREPARING
NEWTENTURY
Preliminary Recommendations September 994
1
STATE DCCUf^EUTS COLLECTION
NOV 7Z 1994
JV1CNTANA STATE LIBRARY.
HELEN1A51,5MEO.N6TtAhNAAVE5.9620
AFP. 1 1 "^-^^
PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS OF
THE GOVERNOR'S TASK FORCE TO
RENEW MONTANA GOVERNMENT
September 1994
Introduction
As 1994 began, GovernorMarc Racicot asked 16 Montanans from widely
diversebackgrounds to change the way governmentoperates. By forming
the Governor'sTaskForce to Renew MontanaGovernment, the governor
askedthis group to provide the leadership fora thorough examination of
government operations. TheTaskForce organized into three committees and
expanded themto include additional Montanans withexpertise inthe areas
ofstate government, localgovernmentandeducation. This report is divided
into these three areas ofinquiry.
Working as aprivately funded group, theTaskForcehas spentthe lastnine
months scouring Montana forideas onhow these three majorgovernment
sectors canbe made more cost-effective and fair.Aftervolunteeringhours of
theirtime toheartestimony andevaluateproposals, theTaskForce—is sub-
mitting the following preliminary recommendations to Montanans recom-
mendations ranging from combining the offices ofthe lieutenantgovemor
and secretary ofstate, to requiring regularelections onlocal school district
consolidation. Specific recommendations oftheTask Force appear in
bold type.
These preliminary recommendationspotentially impact the lives ofevery
Montanan. Themembers oftheTask Force invite yourconsideration and
comments.

GOVERNOR'S TASK FORCE TO RENEW MONTANA GOVERNMENT
Members of the Task Force
GaryBuchanan,Chairman PeggyJerrel
JohnJ."Jack"Burke,ViceChairman JohnLawton
Rep. ShiellAnderson Dr.JoeMcDonald
MartinBurke KathyMcGowan
Dr.PaulaButterfield GloriaPaladichuk
DaveDitzel LindaVaughey
KarenBarclayFagg WarrenVaughan
EricFeaver Sen.JeffWeldon
Members of the State Government Committee
MartinBurke,*Chairman EdJasmin
KarenBarclayFagg,*ViceChair KathyMcGowan*
Rep.ShieUAnderson* ButchOtt
VemBass JanReagor
RobertA.Davidson SusanSpurgeon
JohnDenson SandiStash
DaveDitzel* BobVisscher
Rep.DuaneGrimes MarkWatson
BeverlyHall Sen.JeffWeldon*
Sen.MikeHalligan
Members of the Local Government Committee
JohnLawton,*Chairman RussRitter
GloriaPaladichuk* PeggyJerrel*
TorliefAasheim MaeNanEllingson
MarkKennedy ChuckO'Reilly
DonPeoples KathyOgren
StanHughes AndyWhiteman
JimWysocki
Members of the Education Committee
LindaVaughey,*Chair GaryGriffith
Dr.PaulaButterfield,*ViceChair Rep.JohnJohnson
StorrsBishop DorothyLaird
Jacob(Jake)Block SharonLincoln
Sen.BobBrown Dr.JoeMcDonald*
Rep.JohnBohlinger AlanNicholson
GaryCarlson Dr.DonaldRobson
EricFeaver* LloydWolery
Richard(Ric)Floren
*ThesecommitteemembersarealsomembersoftheTaskForce.

COMMONLYABBREVIATEDAGENCIES INTHIS REPORT
DepartmentofAdministration(DOA)
DepartmentofCommerce(DOC)
DepartmentofCorrectionsandHumanServices(DCHS)
DepartmentofFamilyServices(DFS)
DepartmentofFish,Wildlife&Parks(FWP)
DepartmentofHealth&EnvironmentalSciences(DHES)
MontanaHistoricalSociety(MHS)
DepartmentofLabor&Industry(DOL)
DepartmentofNaturalResources&Conservation(DNRC)
OfficeofPublicInstruction(OPI)
DepartmentofRevenue(DOR)
DepartmentofSocial&RehabilitationServices(SRS)
DepartmentofStateLands(DSL)
DepartmentofTransportation(DOT)

.
Contents
STATEGOVERNMENT 1
EXECUTIVEBRANCHREORGANIZATION 1
LEGISLATIVEREFORM 9
THEJUDICIARY 9
OTHERRECOAAMENDATIONS 10
EDUCATION 14
SCHOOLGOVERNANCE 14
COUNTYSUPERINTENDENTOFSCHOOLS 15
SCHOOLDISTRiaREORGANIZATION 17
COUNTYTREASURERS 19
TRUSTEETRAINING 20
EQUITYINHIGHSCHOOLATHLETICS 21
SCHOOLCHaCE 22
LOCALGOVERNMENT 23
SELF-GOVERNINGPOVv^RS 23
FINANCIALADMINISTRATION 25
DEBT 26
BOARDSANDCOMMISSIONS 29
GENERALSTATUTORYCLEAN-UP 30
STATEMANDATES 30
MUNICIPALUTILITYRATES 32
INTERGOVERNMENTALCOOPERATION 34
LOCALGOVERNMENTREVIEW 35
Appendices
1 Professional&OccupaHonalLicensingBoardModelLegislaHon 36
2.Professional&OccupationalLicensingBoardMennbershipProposal 37
3.MilkSurvey 43
4.EducationGovernanceStructure
Governor'sTaskForcePreliminaryRecommendation 45
CurrentModel 47