Confrontational Town Hall Meeting Discusses Recent Updates

The Town Hall meeting was packed to capacity Thursday night, March 14th. When the Mayor opened the meeting up to Public Comments, a couple of individuals had questions as to the status of the Town Clerk.

"Can you explain what's going on with the Town Clerk position?"one of the individuals asked.

The Mayor explained that Town Clerk, Jodie Campbell, had resigned, and the city had hired the Montana League of Cities and Towns for six-hundred hours for financial advice, as the town needed to train an assistant clerk and a town clerk.

In the meantime, the League of Cities and Towns had hired Jodie to work with them.

"We had a choice to get her to train people, or someone else. I chose to get her to help us," the Mayor explained. "She's going to train the assistant clerk and after that, we'll advertise for the town clerk position, and she'll train her."

"Did the whole town council make that decision, or just you?" he was asked.

"Just me," he replied.

"Do you have that capacity, authority?"

The council explained that the Mayor did have the authority to hire; and besides, they hired the League of Cities and Towns, not Ms. Campbell.

Asked why she would be training the assistant first, rather than the town clerk, the Mayor explained that the town had to take care of the water bills, and that was the assistant's job. He further explained that, in the meantime, Jodie would be acting as Clerk.

"Is the grievance still open? If that's not solved, how do we move on?"

"The grievance has had some kind of result," responded Jodie.

The Mayor said, "I just feel we have to do what's best for the town. Jodie knows the town better than anybody."

Not liking the direction, or the tone, the meeting was taking, a gentleman stepped up and urged people to "stop hating. Let's just get together. The town can do better if we just work together."

Someone else stepped up and, in a more forceful manner,asked them to, "Back off!"

The meeting resumed without any more incident. There was no report on the container site item in the agenda as the weather had delayed the service at the container site.

On the Sheriff's report regarding deputy housing, the council decided to go with looking for a rental, rather than buying a house.

Lack of life guards applicants for the swimming pool - no one has applied. Applicants for the positions will be sought outside the school.

Resolution 2024-06: Approval of FY 23 Budget Amendments

Volunteer Policy - Tabled; Conflict of Interest Policy - Tabled

Public Hearing Policy and Procedures - All committee procedure should be consistent across the board

Extra Employee Vacation Time - Approve

Public comments on Non-Agenda items:

Jodie Campbell: "I just want to address what you guys have said. I did not leave because I do not love this community; I absolutely love this community,and everything I've ever done in this job is because of that. I don't do things personally. I've had to do a number of things, whether I agree with it or not. I love this community and I would stay in this job forever. It was the last meeting that put it over the edge. It's the unprofessionalism of board members, of committees, of public. It was out of control, out of hand. The attacks on, not just me, but each other is out of control, and i don't want to be part of that. That is why I left, not because I have anything against this community. The grievance has nothing to do with the community; it was internal, which is why it was never brought up publicly....The attacks continue; that is why. I don't need to take these attacks. I don't deserve these attacks. I've written grant after grant. I've put my heart in this community. So to be attacked like that is unnecessary, unprofessional, and really just awful behavior."