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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-08-20 City Commission Packet Materials - A1. Discussion of Documents Related to Public Records Requests Supplemental DM Andrus Comments 116 'A a" This is a very sad day. �'U' � � ��rt C`r` I have served on the city commission with Mayor Mehl since I was appointed in 2010. Over the years he has contributed to much of what makes Bozeman such a great place to live. He has been a devoted elected official for many years now. He is unflagging in his energy. He has contributed a large number of good ideas to the governance of this city. But he has also, over those years exhibited behavior that is unprofessional, intimidating and unacceptable as public official. Mayor Mehl, it is your actions that have brought us here today. I have seen, heard and been subjected to bullying and intimidating behavior since I joined the city commission in 2010. My original interpretation was that this is how it goes in politics. I was very aware, through my husband's political service that politics can attract some difficult personalities, that this is how some people play the game, I just needed to grow a thicker skin and by doing so I could perhaps change this behavior. But even after 11 years, it has not changed. Facts that would help our community understand this situation and why we are here today. The Bozeman City charter was proposed by the City of Bozeman Local Government study Commission and approved by the voters on November 7 2007. The charter defines the powers, structures,privileges,rights and duties of its local government and sets forth any limitations,otherwise prohibited in state law. There are 3 prohibitions in the charter and the one that specifically addresses some of the issues we are reviewing today is section C Interference with administration- Except for the purposes of inquiries and investigation 2.09 the commission or its members shall deal with city officers and employees who are subject to the direction and supervision of the city manager solely through the city manager and neither the commission nor its members shall give orders to any such officer or employee either publicly or privately. The documents we are reviewing contain pages and pages of examples of CR. Meh s interferenc i administration. mac.- VWkA-,� tAO "4u-"- �� � oGt�e� � And then there is the topic of bullying, harassment and intimidation. Bully "a person who habitually seeks to harm or intimidate those whom they perceive as vulnerable" Intimidate:frighten or overawe(someone)in order to make them do what one wants, overawe impress so much they become silent or inhibited As I mentioned I have seen this behavior since 2010 Despite that, I have made a choice to run for election three times. In essence, I am a volunteer not a victim. There are many people associated with the city government don't get to make that choice. They are constrained by any number of reasons to put up with this, to be bullied, to be intimidated, to be micromanaged and humiliated. These documents we are reviewing today reveal that we lost one city manager and nearly lost another due to the interference of administration and behavior of Mayor Mehl. I am also aware of at least one city employee who left in part due to CR Mehls' bullying behavior. After giving a presentation to the commission where the employee was the subject of unprofessional behavior and intimidation by the Deputy Mehl, the employee left in tears and soon left the city's employment. In 2013 1 was asked by then CR Mehl if I would to join him in a meeting. The meeting was requested by an attorney, due to the treatment ,by then CR Mehl, of professional women presenting to a public meeting. _ .. The meeting was attended by the woman who made-the public presentation, her attorney who requested the meeting, CR Mehl and myself,�At the time, I was still rather new to my commission position and looked at this particular incident as "one off' or that he was having a '� bad night to the extent that I told the attorney and her client that their judgement of the occurrence was incorrect. Looking back now, I see a pattern of behavior that has gone on for years. I have witnessed countless occasions where this bullying and intimidating behavior has occurred. As mayor, I had numerous conversations with City Manager Surratt about her concems with Deputy Mayor Mehl's behavior and violations of the charter. When I finally called a meeting to address "Our Norms", and the Charter in December of 2019, it was too late. She was leaving he was the reason. I called that Norms meeting in part to address his actions and behavior without calling him out. I had hoped he would see how his actions resulted in the loss of the city manager. It was also an opportunity for the commission to agree that moving forward we were all clear on the expectations in the charter around our behavior. We are not authorized to direct city staff, period. We passed the resolution unanimously. (read email) Unfortunately, the behavior by Mayor Mehl has continued as noted in the documents by Interim City Manager Dennis Taylor. He repeatedly interfered with the duties and the responsibility of the CM undermining his authority and making his job more challenging. "He tends to bully staff and is especially abrasive, hostile and intimidating to many of our female staff." He goes on to say that he did not comply with the norms established by the commission. In my words, he willfully chose to ignore what we all voted on in December(except for CR Wallner, not yet a CR). Unfortunately, the package of documents before us is comprehensive. It is convincing evidence that Mayor Mehl has interfered in the administration of this city government, in violation of our city charter. Our form of organization is quite clear and has never been in Question. We have a city manager who is the chief executive officer of the city governmen . embers of the commission, and the Mayor, set policy. The city manager carries out that policy, and every city employee ultimately reports to the city manager, not to us. Mayor Mehl has a long pattern interfering in administration, as noted by two former city managers, by giving orders to city staff beyond his authority as commissioner or mayor; and by consistently berating, bullying, intimidating, and humiliating city staff. These documents we are reviewing tonight indicate that Mayor Mehl simply does not respect our agreed upon norms of behavior. This is not a collection of wild assertions. This is careful documentation of repeated, purposeful, ongoing interference in the administration of this city government, along with an ongoing pattern of bullying and intimidating behavior. Considering how long I have witnessed this behavior; I have lost faith that this behavior will change. This is not simply a difficult personality at work. This is moving the city backwards, dr ing off talented and dedicated employees, and causing huge discomfort among some city contractors. p-« pl-�k <f-+�A N- These events have now developed a life of their own. Forces external to the city government have caused us to collate this record, and now to confront it. The decision of what to do next is cause for careful deliberation ® �U I believe another meeting is order to determine the next steps. I believe Mayor Mehl could also take steps on his own to solve this issue and move the commission forward....