Boards & Committees

Welcome to the City of Bismarck's Boards & Committees page, where you can explore the vital roles and responsibilities of our diverse range of advisory and decision-making bodies. These boards and committees are integral to shaping our community, offering guidance on policies, initiatives and projects that impact the daily lives of our residents. Comprised of dedicated community members, each group brings expertise and a commitment to the public good, ensuring that Bismarck continues to grow and thrive with thoughtful, informed governance. Discover how these groups function, their leadership, and how you can get involved.

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Bismarck Boards & Committees

  • Bismarck City Commission
    • The City of Bismarck’s City Commission has four City Commissioners, and one President of the Commission, the Mayor. Once elected, the board represents the City while exercising legislative and executive powers to govern the City of Bismarck.
  • Bismarck Animal Advisory Board
    • The Animal Advisory Board advises the Bismarck Police Department on companion animal policies, promotes collaboration between the City and private citizens, institutions, and agencies interested in or conducting activities relating to companion animals in the city, and identifies proactive, creative approaches to engage and facilitate communication and education within the companion animal community while fostering and the development of companion animal programs in the community.
  • Bismarck Event Center Authority Board
    • The purpose of the Bismarck Event Center Authority Board is to give the Board of City Commissioners and the Bismarck Event Center management ongoing governance and oversight over the third-party operator, community-based guidance, recommendations regarding operations and policies, ensure community representation, input regarding long-term planning, fiduciary oversight, develop and implement capital improvement plans to the facilities, and a method for public accountability
  • Bismarck Planning & Zoning Commission
    • The Bismarck Planning and Zoning Commission hears requests for major and minor subdivision plats, zoning changes, zoning ordinance text amendments, annexations, special use permits and rural lot splits.
  • Board of Adjustment
    • The Board of Adjustment is a six-member board appointed by the Bismarck City Commission to decide appeals from an order, requirement or determination made by an administrative official of the City of Bismarck. The Board of Adjustment is empowered to make interpretations and grant variances related to zoning regulations.
  • Board of Equalization
    • The Board of Equalization consists of the Mayor and City Commissioners as prescribed by North Dakota Century Code 57-11-01. At this meeting, the board of equalization shall proceed to equalize and correct the assessment roll. Appeals of the current year's real property valuation are made to the board during the annual meeting. The board may adjust valuation it deems just. 
  • Burleigh-Morton Behavioral Health Coalition
    • The Burleigh-Morton Behavioral Health Coalition consists of a diverse group of caring and committed individuals who have a vision to create change and make an impact on the current substance abuse and behavioral health issues affecting the local population. 
  • CenCom Board of Directors & Executive Committee
    • The CenCom Board of Directors oversees the administration, planning and operation of CenCom. The CenCom Executive Committee provides direction and oversight of the operations of CenCom subject to the policy and budget limitations established by the Board of Directors.
  • Civil Service Commission
    • This commission aims to ensure that all employees of the City of Bismarck receive fair and equal treatment.  The Civil Service Commission hears appeals on disciplinary cases and other personnel matters and makes investigations on complaints and other personnel matters associated with the Civil Service matters. 
  • Committee for People with Disabilities
    • The Bismarck-Mandan Mayors’ Committee for People with Disabilities works to educate the public and initiate projects. The goal of their work is to establish a receptive climate for the involvement of people with disabilities in all aspects of life within the communities of Bismarck-Mandan.
  • Community Development Advisory Committee
    • The Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) is a focus group made up of local community members who represent various economic, ethnic and social service interests within the City of Bismarck. The CDAC focus group is a cross-section representation of the people in Bismarck. They serve as a voice for the community and act in an advisory capacity on the current needs of the community. The committee does not have independent duties or authority to take actions that will bind the Community Development Department. The group is led by a staff member from the Bismarck Community Development Department and makes recommendations on application requests for federal grant funds allocated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). They also encourage community involvement in the development and review of the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan. The Mayor appoints up to 8 community members to serve three-year terms with the expectation that the CDAC will meet on an as-needed basis, at least once a year for the selection of grant subrecipients, as needed in the event additional grant funds come available and to review associated Plans.
  • Forestry Advisory Board
    • The Forestry Advisory Board advises and assists the City Forester in tree management on streets, in parks and other public property in the city, as well as advises and assists in the enforcement of the Forestry Ordinance. 
  • Historic Preservation Commission
    • The Historic Preservation Commission advises on matters related to nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, promotes and educates about the City's history and heritage and serves as a local historic resources for citizens and other City boards. 
  • Human Relations Committee
    • The Bismarck Human Relations Committee creates an atmosphere of inclusion, equality and accessibility through education and outreach to recognize the value of a diverse community. 
  • Library Board
    • The Library Board determines polices for the management of the library and oversees expenditures and management regarding library property, contracts to furnish library service and hires and supervises the Library Director. 
  • Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board
    • The Bismarck-Mandan MPO consists of the cities of Bismarck, Mandan, Lincoln, and portions of Burleigh and Morton Counties. The Policy Board represents the member cities/counties and is the decision-making body of the MPO.
  • Metropolitan Planning Organization Technical Advisory Committee
    • The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of the Bismarck-Mandan MPO represents the member cities/counties, North Dakota Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and the local transit authority. This group is responsible for facilitating the recommendations to assist the Policy Board in the transportation planning decision making process for the MPO study area. 
  • Renaissance Zone Authority
    • The Renaissance Zone Authority is an advisory board that makes recommendations on requests for designation as a Renaissance Zone project. The Renaissance Zone Authority also provides guidance on Downtown Design Review and other activities impacting the core of the community.
  • Special Assessment Commission
    • The Special Assessment Commission’s job is to make sure assessments are spread fairly among properties, not whether the work should be done. 
  • Vision Fund Committee
    • The Vision Fund is intended to provide assistance to businesses that desire to expand or locate in the Bismarck Region. The primary purpose of this fund is to encourage and assist in the development of employment within the region by creating new jobs; expanding the regional tax base; increasing capital investment; improving the entrepreneurial climate of the region; and generally expanding the financial base of the region.