Mayor Kaaren Jacobson
I was born in Minnesota and raised on a dairy farm. I graduated from the University of Minnesota with a major in Geography. I spent 13 years in a career doing primarily research analysis, program administration, program evaluation, legislative bill drafting, and some city planning. Three of these career years were spent in Minneapolis and the remainder in Helena. I entered Virginia Tech, Virginia's Land Grant University, and was granted a PhD in Public Administration, graduating Phi Kappa Phi in 1985. I was a member of the Political Science faculty at MSU for twenty years, where I taught and directed the graduate program in public administration. I wanted to give something back to my community and decided I could best do that by serving the City of Bozeman, and I love my new job as Mayor. My daughter Andrea is the delight of my life.

Deputy Mayor/Commissioner Jeff Krauss
Jeff Krauss is a CPA and Director of Finance and Administration at the Museum of the Rockies. He is married to Peggy (for over two decades), and they have two teenage sons, Wynn and Ryan. Jeff served as Mayor of Bozeman from 2006-2007; he is now in his second term on the City Commission and will serve as Bozeman's first directly elected Mayor in 2010-2011. Jeff previously was the Gallatin County Treasurer and Gallatin County Zoning Commission Chairman. He was president of the Montana County Treasurer's Association, graduated from Leadership Montana II, and served on the 1994-1996 Bozeman Local Government Study Commission. He graduated with honors from Montana State University, receiving the A. L. Strand Award given to those who "show concern for people through campus or community service and exemplifying leadership and scholastic achievement."

                                                          Commissioner Sean Becker
In addition to City Commission responsibilities, Sean Becker works as an economic development market analyst for one of Bozeman's many small businesses. In this capacity he has worked with hundreds of city, state, and federal agencies and enjoys bringing this perspective to the Commission table. After graduating from Denison University and working as a health care provider in Nepal, Sean moved back to complete graduate work at MSU in 1996. Sean is a former fireman, the youngest of 11 children, and an avid glider pilot, mountain biker, and telemark skier.

    
                                                                                               
                                                              Commissioner Jeff Rupp
Jeff Rupp has been married to Eileen Carpenter for the past 24 years and has four children: Annie, Katie, Tommy, and Jenny.  Rupp has been the President and Chief Executive Officer for the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) since 1981.  The HRDC is southern Montana's leading human services and community development corporation.  The Council's programs and services include community development, affordable housing, home health care, youth development, senior activities, The Gallatin Valley Food Bank, Head Start, energy conservation, and Galavan.  As CEO, Jeff is responsible for all aspects of the HRDC and its six subsidiary corporations.  Rupp is a graduate of Montana State University, attended Roosevelt University in Chicago, and most recently studied at the John F. Kennedy School of Executive Studies at Harvard University. Rupp serves on numerous state and local boards and is a member of the Bozeman Noon Rotary Club.  His hobbies include golf and more golf.
                                                                                                       All photos by Loneman Photography

Commissioner Eric Bryson (Photo will be forthcoming.)
Eric Bryson, husband of Carrie and father of Emma Bryson, is a Montana native and currently serves as the Director of Court Services for Gallatin County.  His work includes implementation and oversight of community corrections programming to include a comprehensive Pretrial Services division, electronic monitoring, Justice Council, community service placement, Misdemeanor Probation, financial oversight of the Gallatin Re Entry Facility, and the coordination of Montana's first adult drug court.  He received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Montana State University, finishing with a Master of Public Administration (MPA).  He was elected to the Bozeman School Board in 2003 and decided to continue his civic engagement on the Bozeman City Commission.  In his spare time he teaches American Democracy in the Political Science Department of Montana State University.

Contact Your City Commission: 

Mayor Kaaren Jacobson        587-5968     kjacobson@bozeman.net

Deputy Mayor/Commissioner Jeff Krauss     582-2341     jkrauss@bozeman.net 

Commissioner Jeff Rupp       586-1380    jrupp@bozeman.net
 
Commissioner Sean Becker   581-7571    sbecker@bozeman.net 
 
Commissioner Eric Bryson    582-2347     ebryson@bozeman.net

To email the City Commission as a group, please send your email to agenda@bozeman.net, and the City Clerk's Office will forward your email to the Commission.

Mailing Address:  City Commission, P.O. Box 1230, Bozeman, MT 59771-1230  
 
Fax: 582-2323   

City Clerk's Office: 582-2321, 582-2320

City Manager Chris Kukulski: 582-2306

Five Commissioners, elected with no party affiliation, make up the City Commission. They are elected to four-year overlapping terms as part-time officials.  Terms are staggered, and elections are held every two years.  For the first time in the 2007 general election, a candidate can campaign for the position of Mayor, and if elected will assume the position of Mayor during the last two years of his or her term (previously, the Commissioner candidate who received the most votes in an election became the Mayor during the last two years of his or her term).

The City Commission establishes policies governing City operations and enacts ordinances and resolutions to amend or update the Bozeman Municipal Code.  The Commission levies taxes, adopts the City's yearly budget, and appoints members to citizen advisory boards.  Decisions made by the City Commission protect the health, safety, general welfare, and future well-being of the citizens of Bozeman.

City Commission meetings are held every Monday at 6 p.m. in the Community Room located on the third floor of the Gallatin County Courthouse at 311 West Main Street.  Following a holiday, meetings are held on Tuesday at 6 p.m., usually in the City Commission Room at City Hall at 411 East Main. 

Monday City Commission meetings are televised on cable channel 20.  Reruns of the Monday City Commission meetings are aired on Wednesday and Friday at 5 p.m. and on Sunday at 1 p.m.