Flathead County voters will decide during the June 3 primary election whether they want an independent, citizen-led review of their local governments.

The Montana Constitution requires that residents statewide get this opportunity every 10 years.

The intent of the review is to give citizens a once-in-a-decade opportunity to evaluate how effective their local governments are and whether any changes are needed.

Study commissions have broad authority to examine several aspects of local government, including its form and powers, its structure and how well it provides essential services.

The incorporated cities of Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls, along with Flathead County must pass resolutions by Monday calling for elections on the question of conducting a local government review.

Those resolutions must include the dollar amount or number of mills that will be levied to fund the study commission. Flathead County’s resolution stipulates no more than 1 mill may be spent on the study. That’s roughly $240,000, County Administrator Mike Pence said.

Any money remaining in the study commission fund after two years reverts to the county or municipality’s general fund.

If voters decide they want a local review, the process moves forward to the general election in November, when voters would choose five study commission members. City residents vote on two ballot issues — one to establish a government study commission for their city and another to vote on a study commission for the county.

Study commissions have two years to complete their reviews.

In 2004, Whitefish was the only local government where voters narrowly favored a review and accompanying levy. It passed 459 to 418. After a yearlong review, the Whitefish study commission, which included Sarah Fitzgerald, Shirley Jacobson and Norm Nelson, recommended increasing the term for mayor from two to four years, which was done. The commission also recommended City Council members be paid, but that recommendation was turned down.

Columbia Falls and Kalispell voters turned down the opportunity for a local review in 2004, and Flathead County voters overwhelmingly rejected it, voting 9,439 against and 5,755 for the study commission.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.