BOZEMAN — Tuesday night, Bozeman city leaders will once again appoint a new commissioner, this time to replace Commissioner Chris Coburn, who announced in March he was resigning his seat effective May 7, 2024. City leaders now look to fill the second appointment in less than one year.
“This has been an unusual couple of years. If you look back on the history of the commission, it has not happened as frequently as it has happened recently,” says Bozeman Mayor Terry Cunningham.
City leaders have 30 days from Coburn's departure date to appoint a new commissioner. Whoever is appointed on Tuesday night will be sworn in right away. Eleven people applied for the position by the deadline.
“They will start their tenure tonight, which is a pretty abrupt beginning,” says Cunningham.
Douglas Fisher was the last appointed commissioner in November 2023, after I-Ho Pomeroy resigned due to health reasons. She later passed away in March 2024.
Whoever is appointed commissioner on Tuesday will fill out the remainder of the open seat until it's up for election again in December 2025.