HomeMy WebLinkAboutKelly PohlFrom:webadmin@bozeman.net
To:Agenda
Subject:Citizen Advisory Board Application
Date:Wednesday, September 29, 2021 8:50:12 AM
A new entry to a form/survey has been submitted.
Form Name:Citizen Advisory Board Application
Date & Time:09/29/2021 8:50 AM
Response #:40
Submitter ID:44119
IP address:71.15.214.107
Time to complete:27 min. , 11 sec.
Survey Details
Page 1
WELCOME
Thank you for your interest in joining a Citizen Advisory Board. The City of Bozeman elected officials
and staff believe in the value of public participation and local governance in the decision-making
process and encourage all interested members of our community to apply. As set forth in Resolution
5323, the City is committed to building Advisory Boards that advance the City’s goals of increasing
diversity, equity, and inclusion. Because of this goal, the City is actively working to achieve
membership that reflects, at the least, the demographics of our community. Women, minorities,
individuals with disabilities, veterans, and other underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.
CONTACT INFORMATION
The City will need to communicate with all board members via email for a number of annual
communications, so a valid email address is required for all applicants. Please notify the City Clerk's
Office if your email address changes for any reason.
The City will need to communicate with all board members via email for a number of annual
communications, so a valid email address is required for all applicants. Please notify the City Clerk's
Office if your email address changes for any reason.
Please note that your application will become public information. All required fields are marked with a
red asterisk *.
STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
Each official and employee serving on a multimember agency is expected to devote the time and
effort necessary to ensure the successful functioning of such agency (Bozeman Municipal Code, Section
2.03.490.C.). Additional standards of conduct and norms are included in Resolution 5323.
Applicant Information
First Name Kelly
Last Name Pohl
Physical Address 860 Rogers Way
PO Box (if different from
physical address)
Not answered
City Bozeman
State Montana
Zip Code 59718
Primary Phone (406) 599-7841
Additional Phone Not answered
Current Occupation Associate Director
Employer Headwaters Economics
Email kellycanyon@gmail.com
Which position are you applying for?
(○) Transportation Board
Do You Live in the City Limits? (Some positions do require you live within Bozeman city limits while
others do not.)
(○) Yes
How long have you lived in the Bozeman Area?
(○) 11 years or more
Have you ever served on a City or County Board or Commission?
(○) Yes (If Yes, where and how long?)
Bozeman Parking Commission, 2 years
Please describe your professional and personal experiences, interest, and qualifications that make you
a good fit for this board.
As a transportation geek, data analyst, economic geographer, and multi-modal commuter, I believe my
skills and experiences would help the Transportation Board, especially during the transition following board
consolidation.
I have been a Bozeman Parking Commissioner since January 2020. During that time, the Bozeman Parking
Commission took great leaps toward modernizing our parking policies, spearheading a new Parking Benefit
District and recommending the reduction of code-based parking minimums. This summer and fall I chaired
a subcommittee that examined parking capacity in Bozeman, digging into opportunities for new transit,
bike parking, and vehicle parking. My time on the Parking Commission has enabled me to gain a deep
understanding of the complexities of parking systems, policies, and community goals.
My professional experiences also make me uniquely qualified for the Transportation Board. I am Associate
Director at Headwaters Economics, a Bozeman-based independent, nonprofit research organization that
works to improve community development and land management decisions. Our work includes economic
development research and analyzing complex socioeconomic data. My analytic skills and understanding of
local government policy are directly relevant to the work of the Transportation Board.
Previously, I spent a decade as Associate Director at the Gallatin Valley Land Trust where I helped design,
fund, and implement trail projects. I led dozens of efforts integral to a better-connected bicycle and
pedestrian network, including the Path to the M, the Front Street Connector, and safety improvements to
the West Side Trail. In addition to giving me an intimate knowledge of Bozeman’s multimodal
transportation network, my work at GVLT also gave me experience working closely with city and county
advisory boards. I was a regular participant in meetings of the Pedestrian Traffic Safety Committee,
Bozeman Area Bicycle Advisory Board, and the Transportation Coordinating Committee.
On a personal level, I use all forms of transportation to move through my community. I have commuted by
car, bike, and Streamline from my home on the west side of town to offices near campus and downtown. I
grew up in Bozeman’s core, walking everywhere I went. Over the last decade, I have pedaled my kids via
cargo bike to their favorite places all over town. I now follow behind them as they power their own bicycles
and navigate our neighborhood on foot, which has given me a new perspective on bicycle and pedestrian
access and safety.
Having grown up in Bozeman, I know first-hand the enormous change our community has experienced in
recent years, and the pressures rapid growth puts on all our interconnected systems—often coming to a
head around issues of transportation. But transportation is not just how we get around. It has an outsized
influence on our community goals for economic development, housing affordability, climate, sustainability,
and land use. Transportation policy profoundly impacts the look, function, and safety of our community. I
would be honored to support our community goals as a volunteer on the Transportation Board.
The City of Bozeman strongly values diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Describe any efforts you have
engaged in to expand your understanding of DEI.
I continually strive to deepen my understanding of DEI; it is necessary and important. In my professional
life, I have taken multiple trainings and worked with a DEI coach to create a more inclusive workplace and
confront my own biases. I am proud of the equity-related research we have conducted at Headwaters
Economics, including research on the unequal impacts of climate-related disasters, the changing race and
ethnicity of rural communities, and the growing income inequality in the U.S.
I was a single mother until I met my husband a decade ago. I am also a woman in a historically male-
dominated field. Although these have been challenging experiences and taught me much about inequality, I
do not have the lived experience of oppression. I am a white, straight, cis woman. My spouse and I own our
home and are lucky to have good-paying jobs. I am privileged. I am working to better understand the effect
this has on my life—and to learn about the experiences of other people—through the conversations I have,
the books I read, and the media I consume. I am committed to continuing this work.
References: Please provide name, phone, and email contact information for two references.
Reference 1
Deputy Mayor Terry Cunningham
City of Bozeman
406-595-3295
tcunningham@mcn.net
Reference 2
Sara Savage
Associate Director, HRDC
406-589-5123
ssavage@thehrdc.org
The Bozeman City Charter, voted in by the citizens of Bozeman in 2008, requires annual ethics training.
If appointed, do you understand you will be expected to take online and in person ethics training?
(○) Yes
How did you hear about this board or vacancy?
city commission meetings, board meetings, social media
Is there any other information that you feel we need to know?
I applaud the city’s efforts to consolidate boards and bring new, diverse volunteers to community
engagement. I would be happy to be appointed for a shorter, staggered term to help provide continuity as
a previous parking commissioner during the transition. I would also be happy to step aside and make room
for new voices.
If you have a disability that requires assistance or need accommodations, please contact our ADA
Coordinator, Mike Gray, at 582-3232 (TDD 582-2301).
Please note that for most Citizen Advisory Boards, materials are distributed electronically for each
meeting.
Your application and all information submitted is considered a public record. All applications are
included in the City Commission’s Meeting materials for consideration which are electronically
archived and available to the public.
Thank you,
City Of Bozeman
This is an automated message generated by Granicus. Please do not reply directly to this email.