Hired consultants seek community perspectives, will deliver fact-finding study in June 2025
By Jack Reaney SENIOR EDITOR
On Tuesday, Sept. 24, the public is invited to a meeting to offer thoughts and visions on Big Sky’s future, and to hear an update on an ongoing study to explore incorporation as a municipality among other potential local governance options.
The public meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. at The Wilson Hotel, providing a “crucial opportunity” to engage with the study—approved and funded in May by the Big Sky Resort Area District. The study will identify facts regarding local governance options for Big Sky, according to a Sept. 9 press release from WGM Group, the firm leading the study.
The study will evaluate a range of possibilities for Big Sky’s future, “from establishing a municipal government to considering other forms of governmental change, as well as the option to maintain the current status quo,” the release stated.
The study team aims to work closely with the community and listen to all perspectives, and the Sept. 24 meeting will be the first opportunity for locals to chime in. Future public meetings are planned for January and March of 2025.
Dylan Pipinich, WGM land planner, will lead the project team and help facilitate public engagement events.
“Many Montana communities were founded around industry, while Big Sky was developed around recreation and a strong sense of place,” Pipinich stated in the release. “Over the years Big Sky has been innovative in fostering that sense of place. Our objective is to understand and convey the facts about governance in this distinctive community, enabling residents to make informed decisions that will guide Big Sky’s future.”
The meeting will include a project overview and introduction of the project team, answers to frequently asked questions about the study and its potential impact, and an introduction to the project website and online resources. Attendees will have the chance to ask questions and give feedback.
WGM Group will conduct the study with support from consulting firms ECOnorthwest and M2O Group. Both firms claim experience in helping communities navigate challenges and opportunities.
Lee Ann Ryan, senior project manager for ECOnorthwest, expressed gratitude in advance to the Big Sky community for engaging with the study.
“Our team recognizes and understands the unique dynamics resort communities often face today, but perhaps none are as unique or complex as Big Sky. We’re committed to leveraging our economic expertise to provide residents with clear, data-driven insights into their governance options,” Ryan stated.
In addition to public meetings, the study team will engage community groups, including fiscal stakeholders and nonprofits, through one-on-one meetings and open house meetings, according to a follow-up email to EBS.
“As a long-time resident of Big Sky, I am deeply committed to the outreach process and look forward to listening and learning from the community,” stated Meg O’Leary, president of M2O Group. “Together we have a bright future.”
The latest effort to explore governance options for Big Sky has been picking up momentum for well over a year, and local leaders believe they’re taking a fresh approach by finding facts that will enable residents to make informed decisions impacting Big Sky’s future.
