Title 7, Title 7

(1) In municipalities having three commissioners, two commissioners shall constitute a quorum and the affirmative vote of two commissioners shall be necessary to adopt or reject any motion, resolution, or ordinance or pass any measure unless a greater number is provided for in th…

(1) Each proposed ordinance or resolution must be introduced in written or printed form and may not contain more than one subject, which must be clearly stated in the title; however, general appropriation ordinances may contain the various subjects and accounts for which money is…

(1) All ordinances are effective 30 days after the date of their passage by the commission except as otherwise provided in this part or part 44. (2) All resolutions are immediately effective unless a delayed effective date is specified in the resolution. (3) The commission may, b…

(1) An emergency measure is an ordinance or resolution for the immediate preservation of the public peace, property, health, or safety or providing for the usual daily operation of a municipal department, in which the emergency is set forth and defined in a preamble thereto. Ordi…

(1) Any proposed ordinance may be submitted to the commission by petition signed by at least 15% of the total number of electors registered at the last general municipal election. All petition papers circulated with respect to any proposed ordinance must be uniform in character a…

A law enforcement officer, who may be called the sheriff: (1) may be elected; (2) may be appointed by the local government commission; (3) may be appointed by the presiding officer of the local government commission; (4) may be selected as provided by ordinance; (5) may at the di…

A clerk and recorder: (1) may be elected; (2) may be appointed by the local government commission; (3) may be appointed by the presiding officer of the local government commission; (4) may be selected as provided by ordinance; (5) may at the discretion of the commission be select…

A clerk of district court: (1) may be elected; (2) may be appointed by the local government commission; (3) may be appointed by the presiding officer of the local government commission; (4) may be selected as provided by ordinance; (5) may at the discretion of the commission be s…

A treasurer: (1) may be elected; (2) may be appointed by the local government commission; (3) may be appointed by the presiding officer of the local government commission; (4) may be selected as provided by ordinance; (5) may at the discretion of the commission be selected as pro…

The commission shall appoint a city manager. The manager must be appointed without regard to political beliefs and may or may not be a resident of the municipality when appointed. The manager holds office at the will of the commission.

The city manager shall be the administrative head of the municipal government and shall be responsible for the efficient administration of all departments.

(1) The powers and duties of the city manager are: (a) to see that the laws and ordinances are enforced; (b) to appoint and, except as provided in this part, remove all directors of departments and all subordinate officers and employees in the departments in both the classified a…

The city manager shall receive such salary as may be fixed by ordinance of the commission, but such salary shall not be decreased during the term of office that the city manager is appointed for.

(1) The commission or any committee of the commission authorized by the commission to do so may investigate the financial transactions of any office or department of the municipal government and the official acts of any municipal official and by similar investigations may secure …

The city manager may, without notice, cause the affairs of any department or the conduct of any officer or employee to be examined. Any person appointed by the city manager to examine the affairs of any department or the conduct of any officer or employee has the same power to co…

(1) Commissioners and other officers and employees may not be interested in the profits or emoluments of any contract, job, work, or service for the municipality and may not hold any partisan political office or employment. Any commissioner who ceases to possess any of the qualif…

In all cities operating under the commission-manager form in Montana, the mayor is hereby designated as the proper officer to execute conveyances of real property; however, a majority of the commission may designate the city manager to execute a conveyance. In either case, the au…

Property within the corporate limits of the municipality may be appropriated for any public or municipal purpose, and to the full extent of the authority granted by the constitution of the state, such appropriation shall be made as herein provided. By such appropriation, the muni…

A surveyor: (1) may be elected; (2) may be appointed by the local government commission; (3) may be appointed by the presiding officer of the local government commission; (4) may be selected as provided by ordinance; (5) may at the discretion of the commission be selected as prov…

Whenever any city organized under this part and part 44 includes the county seat of the county in which it is situated, any unused space in the county buildings in such city may be rented to the city commissioners for municipal use by the board of county commissioners for such re…

All public advertising or publication mentioned as being necessary under the provisions of this part or part 44 shall be in a daily newspaper of general circulation within the municipality if there be such; otherwise, in a weekly newspaper published therein, and shall be done by …

A superintendent of schools: (1) may be elected; (2) may be appointed by the local government commission; (3) may be appointed by the presiding officer of the local government commission; (4) may be selected as provided by ordinance; (5) may at the discretion of the commission be…

An assessor: (1) may be elected; (2) may be appointed by the local government commission; (3) may be appointed by the presiding officer of the local government commission; (4) may be selected as provided by ordinance; (5) may at the discretion of the commission be selected as pro…

A coroner: (1) may be elected; (2) may be appointed by the local government commission; (3) may be appointed by the presiding officer of the local government commission; (4) may be selected as provided by ordinance; (5) may at the discretion of the commission be selected as provi…

(1) The following administrative departments are hereby established: (a) department of law; (b) department of public service; (c) department of public welfare; (d) department of public safety; (e) department of finance. (2) The commission may by ordinance discontinue any or sever…

The city manager shall appoint a director for each department, as specified in this part or as specified by ordinance of the commission, who shall serve until removed by the city manager or until the director's successor is appointed and has qualified.

Each director shall conduct the affairs of the director's department in accordance with the rules made by the city manager and is responsible for the conduct of the officers and employees of that department, for the performance of its business, and for the custody and preservatio…

The commission may appoint a municipal plan board and, upon the request of the city manager, shall appoint advisory boards. The members of such boards shall serve without compensation, and their duty shall be to consult and advise with the various departments. The duties and powe…

(1) The commission may appoint three electors of the municipality as a civil service board, with one to serve for 2 years, one for 4 years, and one for 6 years, and to take office on January 1 after the municipality comes under the provisions of part 43 and this part or as soon a…

Immediately after appointment, the board shall organize by electing one of its members presiding officer. The board shall appoint a chief examiner, who shall also act as secretary. The board may appoint other subordinates as may be provided for by appropriation.

(1) The civil service of a municipality is hereby divided into the unclassified and the classified service. (2) The unclassified service shall include: (a) all officers elected by the people; (b) the city manager; (c) the heads of departments and heads of divisions of departments…

(1) The board, subject to the approval of the commission, shall adopt, amend, and enforce a code of rules providing for appointment and employment in all positions in the classified service, based on merit, efficiency, character, and industry, which shall have the force and effec…

The chief examiner is the employment officer of all municipal employees coming under the classified service. The chief examiner shall provide examinations in accordance with the regulations of the board and maintain lists of eligibles for each class of the service of those meetin…

A public administrator: (1) may be elected; (2) may be appointed by the local government commission; (3) may be appointed by the presiding officer of the local government commission; (4) may be selected as provided by ordinance; (5) may at the discretion of the commission be sele…

An appointment or promotion shall not be deemed complete until a period of probation, not to exceed 6 months, has elapsed; and a probationer may be discharged or reduced at any time within the period of 6 months upon the recommendation of the head of the department in which said …

(1) An employee may not be discharged or reduced in rank or compensation until the employee has been presented with the reasons for discharge or reduction, specifically stated in writing, and has been given an opportunity to be heard in the employee's own defense. The reason for …

Any person in the employ of a municipality holding a position in the classified service at the time that the municipality comes under the provisions of part 43 and this part shall, unless the person's position is abolished, retain the same position until discharged, reduced, prom…

The director of finance or other public disbursing officer shall not pay any salary or compensation for services to any person holding a position in the classified service unless the payroll or account for such salary or compensation shall bear the certificate of the board, by it…

In any investigation conducted by the board, it shall have the power to subpoena and require the attendance of witnesses and the production thereby of books and papers pertinent to the investigation and to administer oaths to such witnesses.

No person in the classified service or seeking admission thereto may be appointed, reduced, removed, or in any way favored or discriminated against because of political opinions or affiliations or because of race, color, creed, or religion.

The board, subject to the approval of the commission, shall by ordinance determine the penalties for the violation of the civil service provisions of this part.

(1) The commission shall fix, by annual salary ordinance, the salary or compensation of the city manager, the heads of the departments, and its own employees. (2) The city manager shall fix the number and salaries or compensation of all other officers and employees. (3) In cities…

The commission shall have the power to provide by ordinance that on any public work carried on by the municipality, whether done by contract or otherwise, not to exceed 8 hours shall constitute a day's work.

An auditor: (1) may be elected; (2) may be appointed by the local government commission; (3) may be appointed by the presiding officer of the local government commission; (4) may be selected as provided by ordinance; (5) may at the discretion of the commission be selected as prov…

(1) The duties of the director of finance include: (a) the keeping and supervision of all accounts and the custody of all public money of the municipality; (b) the purchase, storage, and distribution of supplies needed by the various departments; (c) the making and collection of …

Accounting procedures must be devised and maintained for the municipality that are adequate to record in detail all transactions affecting the acquisition, custodianship, and disposition of values, including cash receipts and disbursements. The accounting procedures must conform …