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'Coffee with a Commissioner' seeks to build Bozeman community relations

The first coffee with a commissioner event at Mukai Coffeehouse in Bozeman on January 31, 2025.
Ruth Eddy
The first coffee with a commissioner event at Mukai Coffeehouse in Bozeman on January 31, 2025.

As the population rises in Bozeman, so does tension surrounding city politics. Often opinions on controversial topics are shared with commissioners during public comment at meetings that can last up to six hours. Now the city is adding a conversational approach to public engagement.

On the last Friday in January at a coffee shop on Bozeman’s West end, about a dozen residents gathered around a large table.

Bozeman City Commissioners Emma Bode and Joey Morisson sat alongside residents for the first “Coffee with a Commissioner” event.

Residents came and went as they pleased and the meeting carried on alongside the hum of an ordinary morning at a cafe. The meeting had no agenda , and topics ranged from the plastic ordinance ban, development, representation in Helena and public safety.

Last year, Bozeman City Commission adopted a list of priorities that included a goal fostering and building public trust.

Mayor Terry Cunningham in a press release said, “The commission meeting environment can be intimidating and doesn't allow for a back-and forth discussion.”

The new format aims to break the down formality of public meetings and allow more conversation with commissioners and community members.

The series will continue on the last Friday of each month at different locations throughout the city.