The office of Montana State Coordinator of Indian Affairs was created by the legislature in 1951. The Coordinator was appointed by the governor from a list of five persons agreed upon by the tribal councils of the Indian tribes of Montana for a four-year term at a salary of one dollar per annum. The Coordinator, based in Helena, was to foster a program designed to establish and place Indian citizens in a position "whereby they will be able to take their rightful place in society and assume the rights, duties, and privileges of full citizenship." The Coordinator was to accomplish this goal by soliciting rehabilitation loans "for the purpose of enabling deserving Indians to become self sufficient," to be disbursed through Indian loan associations; by promoting the welfare of Indians, especially adequate housing; by acquainting himself with the problems confronting Montana Indians and advising the legislature and the executive branch of such problems and making recommendations for the alleviation thereof; and by serving the Montana delegation in the U.S. Congress as an advisor and intermediary in Indian affairs. The Coordinator was to cooperate with federal and state agencies and "make quarterly reports to the governor concerning the physical and moral well being of Montana Indians" and make a similar report to each legislative assembly. In 1967 a law was passed stipulating that the Coordinator's salary was to be specified by the legislature. In 1969 several changes were made in the Coordinator's duties. In addition to soliciting rehabilitation loans, he was to solicit educational, economic, health, and housing funds, which were to be disbursed through various federal programs. He was also charged with the duty of promoting sanitation for Indians whether or not they resided on reservations, and was empowered to act, upon request, as spokesman for representative Indian organizations and groups. The Coordinator's report requirement was changed to a yearly report to the governor. Knute W. Bergan, formerly school principal in Browning for many years, was appointed State Coordinator in 1951. He served until his death in 1968 when he was replaced by Harold J. Boyd.