After 18 months of deliberation by a government study commission, the City of Columbia Falls will pose the question to voters on whether the city should have self-governing powers.

Self-governing powers allow cities in Montana to pass laws as long as they are not contrary to state and federal law.

While that may seem like a broad scope, in reality the state Legislature over the years has greatly curtailed cities ability to pass laws outside of state statute.

Still, with artificial intelligence looming and other rapidly-changing issues facing the city, the study commission recently voted to send the question to voters.

The city council last week adopted a resolution to place the question before voters this November. The vote, however, was largely symbolic. Under state law, the commission’s decision could not be overturned by council.

The question of self-governing powers has brought little public response. A June public hearing drew just two people and neither one of them lived in the city limits. One man was from Polson.

Self-governing powers have historically been useful for some cities, noted Ashley Kent of the Local Government Center last month.

Back in the early 2000s the city of Helena banned indoor smoking, she noted. The Montana Tavern Association sued, claiming the city had no right to regulate the indoor air at a business, but the city prevailed.

The study  commission was formed under state law, which requires cities to ask voters on whether they would support a commission to study their city’s form of government. The question is asked every 10 years under the Montana Constitution.

In 2024 voters in Columbia Falls said yes and the commission was formed. While no changes to the city’s form of government were proposed, (the city has had a city manager form of government since 1994) the question of self-governing powers did arise.