Following the vote by the City Council on Monday, July 27, 2026, the attached resolution is submitted for approval in support of the elimination of the Citizen Police Advisory Board.

It is further recommended that information regarding the methods by which citizens can submit a comment, complaint, or feedback related to the Billings Police Department, or individual employees thereof, be posted clearly on the current City of Billings Police Department website and/or the City of Billings website to which individuals can be referred regarding the range of options available to notify or inform the City of Billings of law enforcement professional actions.

The City Council approves the attached resolution to dissolve the Citizen Police Advisory Board as approved on July 27, 2026.

Council Member O’Donnell made a motion during the City Council meeting on February 9, 2026, to place on a future Work Session agenda the possibility of creating an Ad-Hoc Council Subcommittee to review all boards and commissions, their purposes and scope and determine whether they are statutorily required or whether some can be disbanded. The motion was unanimously approved. It was later determined this work would be done by the Council Operations Committee, beginning with the meeting on April 6, 2026. Below is the schedule of dates on which the Council Operations Committee met with representatives of each of the current City advisory boards, commissions, and committees.
 

Board, Commission, Committee	Disposition vote on July 27, 2026
Animal Control Advisory Board	voted to be eliminated by 9-2
Aviation and Transit Advisory Board	voted to be eliminated by 7-4 when the new airport authority takes over operation of the Billings Logan International Airport later in 2026; in the interim, the board will continue to meet to work on the transition and selection for appointment of the new airport authority board at which time the current board will be dissolved; a final resolution will be brought before City Council at such time
Board of Adjustment	voted to be eliminated according to state statue by 11-0
Citizen Police Advisory Board	voted to be eliminated by 6-5
Energy and Conservation Advisory Commission	voted to be eliminated [not extended after ending of the commission on December 31, 2025] by 7-4
Zoning Commission	voted to be eliminated according to state statue by 11-0

The fiscal effects of approving this resolution will require minimal activity by City of Billings staff.

The stakeholders include the leadership of the affected board: Police Chief Rich St. John

The Council may choose to approve this resolution. Letters communicating this change will be sent to all current members of the affected board. Content on the website, in written communication, and in official records will be updated to identify September 28, 2026 as the date of dissolution (or as such time as these resolution are signed by Mayor Nelson).

The Council may choose to reject this resolution and the board will automatically expire at the end of four (4) years or when the Board members determine by majority vote that their work has been completed, whichever comes first according to Resolution 21-11013 which created the Citizens Police Advisory Board on September 27, 2021.