MACo’s Resolutions & Legislative Committee reviews all resolutions that go through our legislative process and assigns them to committees for initial membership vetting. This committee also focuses on elections, administration, and other important functions required to effectively manage the services counties provide.
MACo’s Resolutions & Legislative Committee reviews all resolutions that go through our legislative process and assigns them to committees for initial membership vetting. This committee also focuses on elections, administration, and other important functions required to effectively manage the services counties provide.
Regarding Policy Statements . . .
Committee policy statements are a compilation of various issues/beliefs that members have identified as major concerns and goals of county government. A “policy statement” provides guidance to staff, legislators, and the public on MACo’s position regarding possible legislation and/or issues that may arise during a legislative session and the Interim.
Resolutions & Legislative Committee Policy Statements
MACo’s basic objective is to strengthen county government in order to effectively manage the services they provide. County government is a subdivision of the state government with legislative, judicial, and administrative powers. Counties have the specific responsibility to protect the health, safety, and welfare of county citizens through programs and services funded and provided at the local level. Such essential services must be controlled at the local level to fit the needs unique to each county.
- MACo believes that cooperation and coordination among various agencies and branches of government is essential.
- MACo supports efforts to coordinate services and develop methods to jointly administer programs. Counties must participate in the decision-making process whenever state mandates are proposed.
- MACo supports legislation to fund the ongoing maintenance of the voter database system and/or election equipment funded through the Secretary of State either from the Montana general fund or federal pass-through funds.
- MACo supports efforts to adopt a statewide system of vote-by-mail elections and allowing counties to conduct federal elections by mail ballot.
- MACo supports requiring ballots be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
- MACo believes that county government authority under state law should be liberally construed, with county government having the authority to perform activities not specifically prohibited under state law for the purpose of protecting the health, welfare and safety of county residents.
- MACo encourages legislation that would provide for the creative use of contracting for services as a way to provide selected programs at the local level.
- MACo opposes any legislative consideration to mandate county reorganization and/or consolidation in light of existing statutory authority for local citizens to undertake, by petition, county reorganization and/or consolidation.
- MACo supports the inclusion of county election administrators, clerk & recorders, and local government officials in reviewing and choosing new elections equipment and voter database systems.
- MACo supports county governments being able to use cooperative purchasing contracts let by a public procurement unit or joint or multiparty contracts between public procurement units.
Committee Members
MACo’s Resolutions & Legislative Committee typically comprises of MACo Leadership as well as the Chairs from each committee. The committee convenes prior to a legislative session in even-numbered years to conduct the initial review of proposed resolutions and assign them to committees and/or the full membership for further vetting.
Presidential Appointments for 2023
- Roman Zylawy, Chair, MACo President, Mineral County Commissioner
- Ross Butcher, Vice Chair, MACo 1st Vice President, Fergus County Commissioner
- Joette Woods, MACo 2nd Vice President, Liberty County Commissioner
- Jason Strouf, MACo Immediate Past President, Custer County Commissioner
- Mike McGinley, MACo Fiscal Officer & TBF Chair, Beaverhead County Commissioner
- Randy Brodehl, MACo Urban Counties Rep. & JPS Chair, Flathead County Commissioner
- Joe Briggs, CEDL Chair, Cascade County Commissioner
- Jeff Burrows, LUPD Chair, Ravalli County Commissioner
- Greg Chilcott, Public Lands Chair, Ravalli County Commissioner
- Shane Gorder, Energy Chair, Richland County Commissioner
- Larry Hendrickson, Agriculture Chair, Liberty County Commissioner
- John Ostlund, Transportation Chair, Yellowstone County Commissioner
- Carl Seilstad, HHS Chair, Fergus County Commissioner
Regarding Policy Statements . . .
Committee policy statements are a compilation of various issues/beliefs that members have identified as major concerns and goals of county government. A “policy statement” provides guidance to staff, legislators, and the public on MACo’s position regarding possible legislation and/or issues that may arise during a legislative session and the Interim.
Resolutions & Legislative Committee Policy Statements
MACo’s basic objective is to strengthen county government in order to effectively manage the services they provide. County government is a subdivision of the state government with legislative, judicial, and administrative powers. Counties have the specific responsibility to protect the health, safety, and welfare of county citizens through programs and services funded and provided at the local level. Such essential services must be controlled at the local level to fit the needs unique to each county.
- MACo believes that cooperation and coordination among various agencies and branches of government is essential.
- MACo supports efforts to coordinate services and develop methods to jointly administer programs. Counties must participate in the decision-making process whenever state mandates are proposed.
- MACo supports legislation to fund the ongoing maintenance of the voter database system and/or election equipment funded through the Secretary of State either from the Montana general fund or federal pass-through funds.
- MACo supports efforts to adopt a statewide system of vote-by-mail elections and allowing counties to conduct federal elections by mail ballot.
- MACo supports requiring ballots be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
- MACo believes that county government authority under state law should be liberally construed, with county government having the authority to perform activities not specifically prohibited under state law for the purpose of protecting the health, welfare and safety of county residents.
- MACo encourages legislation that would provide for the creative use of contracting for services as a way to provide selected programs at the local level.
- MACo opposes any legislative consideration to mandate county reorganization and/or consolidation in light of existing statutory authority for local citizens to undertake, by petition, county reorganization and/or consolidation.
- MACo supports the inclusion of county election administrators, clerk & recorders, and local government officials in reviewing and choosing new elections equipment and voter database systems.
- MACo supports county governments being able to use cooperative purchasing contracts let by a public procurement unit or joint or multiparty contracts between public procurement units.
Committee Members
MACo’s Resolutions & Legislative Committee typically comprises of MACo Leadership as well as the Chairs from each committee. The committee convenes prior to a legislative session in even-numbered years to conduct the initial review of proposed resolutions and assign them to committees and/or the full membership for further vetting.
Presidential Appointments for 2023
- Roman Zylawy, Chair, MACo President, Mineral County Commissioner
- Ross Butcher, Vice Chair, MACo 1st Vice President, Fergus County Commissioner
- Joette Woods, MACo 2nd Vice President, Liberty County Commissioner
- Jason Strouf, MACo Immediate Past President, Custer County Commissioner
- Mike McGinley, MACo Fiscal Officer & TBF Chair, Beaverhead County Commissioner
- Randy Brodehl, MACo Urban Counties Rep. & JPS Chair, Flathead County Commissioner
- Joe Briggs, CEDL Chair, Cascade County Commissioner
- Jeff Burrows, LUPD Chair, Ravalli County Commissioner
- Greg Chilcott, Public Lands Chair, Ravalli County Commissioner
- Shane Gorder, Energy Chair, Richland County Commissioner
- Larry Hendrickson, Agriculture Chair, Liberty County Commissioner
- John Ostlund, Transportation Chair, Yellowstone County Commissioner
- Carl Seilstad, HHS Chair, Fergus County Commissioner