Overview of the Bitterroot Valley Community College District Organization Election

The official results of the May 8, 2007 Bitterroot Valley Community College (BVCC) District organization election show the community college district organization proposition to have passed by 197 votes. District-wide voter turnout for the May 8 election was calculated as 23 percent, with 52 percent of the voters favoring the establishment of a community college district and 48 percent of the voters opposing the establishment of a community college district. The following table provides the vote breakdown by local school district:

Bitterroot Valley Community College District
May 8, 2007 Election Results and Statistics

Also on the May 8 ballot was the election of the first BVCC Board of Trustees. Twenty trustee candidates were on the ballot, with the top seven vote recipients earning a seat on the board. Of the seven candidates with the most votes, the three highest vote recipients earned three-year terms on the board, the next two highest vote recipients earned two-year terms on the board, and the final two highest vote recipients earned a one-year term on the board. The following table provides the vote breakdown for trustee candidates overall and by school district:

Bitterroot Valley Community College Trustee Election
May 8, 2007 Election Results by School District

After the Local Election – What Happens Next?

It is important to keep in mind that although the BVCC District organization proposition passed at the local polls and college trustees have been chosen by the electorate, the newly proposed BVCC District still has several hurdles to overcome before the district is legally recognized and the Trustees-elect are officially seated.

First, the Montana State Board of Regents of Higher Education, which supervises and coordinates Montana's public community colleges, must make a recommendation with regard to the establishment of the proposed BVCC District. While the regents' recommendation is non-binding (opinion of Montana Attorney General Mike McGrath, January 2007), it is a necessary step before the process moves to the final round, namely a vote before the Montana State Legislature. Notably, as the next regular session of the Montana legislature is not scheduled until 2009, it is likely that the BVCC District will not have legal standing until 2009. However, as special sessions of the legislature have not been uncommon in the past few years, it is possible that if the governor calls a special session in the interim between 2007 and 2009 that the organization of the BVCC District could be on a special session agenda. Such is entirely at the discretion of the governor.

All of the above procedures, from the local vote, to the regents' recommendation, to the legislative vote are governed by state statute. For the specific and pertinent statute language, see: Montana Code Annotated 2005, Chapter 20, Title 15, Part 2.

Who Will Advocate for the BVCC before the Regents and the Legislature?

Following the May 8 vote, the BVCC Exploratory Committee—the local citizens' group which spearheaded the BVCC petition drive and election effort—reorganized under a new name with a new mission:

• The BVCC-EC is now the Bitterroot Valley Community College Steering Committee (BVCC-SC).
• The mission of the BVCC-SC is to see the establishment of the BVCC District through to legal status, which occurs when the regents, following a favorable vote of the state legislature, "make an order declaring the community college district organized and cause a copy thereof to be recorded in the office of the county clerk and recorder in each county in which a portion of such new district is located" (Montana Code Annotated 2005, 20-15-209).
  

The primary activities of the BVCC-SC will involve:

• advocating for the organization of the BVCC District before the Board of Regents
• advocating for the organization of the BVCC District before the state legislature
• secondary but critical activities of the BVCC-SC will involve:
  • initiating the establishment of the Bitterroot Valley Community College Foundation
    • the purpose of the new foundation will be to support the establishment and continuance of the Bitterroot Valley Community College
    • initial activities of the foundation will be to establish an endowment fund and to investigate and pursue grant opportunities for a comprehensive needs assessment and the creation of a library/media center
  • assisting and supporting the BVCC Trustees-elect in any and all manner as the BVCC Trustees-elect see fit

Victoria Clark will be the point person for the BVCC-SC. Anyone who is interested in being involved with BVCC-SC activities—either as an advocate or in conjunction with the BVCC Foundation—please contact Victoria via telephone at 406-821-1682 or via e-mail at

The BVCC Trustees-elect – Will They Be Active Prior to Being Officially Seated?

The BVCC Trustees-elect have agreed to meet on a regular basis in order to:

• educate themselves on what their duties are as elected trustees of a public community college in Montana
• open dialogue with potential community partners in order to facilitate the delivery of local adult education services

If an individual or a group would like to attend a BVCC Trustees-elect meeting or would like to be on a BVCC Trustees Elect meeting agenda, please notify BVCC Trustees-elect Chair Deborah Rogala via telephone (406) 821-4631 or e-mail OR BVCC Trustees-elect Vice Chair Patricia Furniss via telephone (406) 531-0538 or e-mail .

For more information call (406) 821-4631 or e-mail us at

BVCC Trustees-elect
P.O. Box 435
Hamilton, Montana 59840

© 2006 Jeannette Neaves. All rights reserved.