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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZachary EhrhardtFrom:webadmin@bozeman.net To:Agenda Subject:Citizen Advisory Board Application Date:Wednesday, September 29, 2021 10:11:52 PM A new entry to a form/survey has been submitted. Form Name:Citizen Advisory Board Application Date & Time:09/29/2021 10:11 PM Response #:66 Submitter ID:44183 IP address:107.182.235.155 Time to complete:29 min. , 40 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 Zachary Last Name Ehrhardt Physical Address 760 MEAGHER AVE PO Box (if different from physical address) Not answered City BOZEMAN State Montana Zip Code 59718 Primary Phone (509) 981-2502 Additional Phone Not answered Current Occupation Insurance Agent Employer AAA Email zackehrhardt@gmail.com Which position are you applying for? (○) Community Development 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? (○) 6-10 years Have you ever served on a City or County Board or Commission? (○) No Please describe your professional and personal experiences, interest, and qualifications that make you a good fit for this board. Building design is my passion. I recognize right now that my career may not reflect that, but let me explain. I got my degree in Mechanical Engineering from Montana State University here in Bozeman. In that time, I learned that built environments, being homes, libraries, stores, you name it, utilize around 75% of America’s energy. I fully believe in the climate crisis, and I saw this as an amazing opportunity to reduce our national footprint. I dove into learning more about sustainable design with my degree, even spending my year long capstone learning to design a net zero archival building for Mumbai, India. Post college, I got a job utilizing those skills to design homes, but the majority of those homes we’re multi-million dollar vacation homes in Big Sky and the Yellowstone Club, as well as here in town. So after a year of this, I left. I didn’t like my knowledge being used to price me and my fellow Bozemanites out of our homes as well as contributing to the climate crisis by using up even more resources. That being said, while I was learning about building design I was forming bonds and making a community for myself in Bozeman. This is my home. I’ve been here for six years now, and I don’t see myself ever leaving. That's why I took my current job at AAA. I'm committed to staying here and helping this community become even better. So to summarize my story, I'm very familiar with Bozeman's construction regulations as well as I am a young 24 year old Bozmanite dedicated to helping his neighbors, making me a fantastic fit for this 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. For the last year I’ve been a member of Bozeman United for Racial Justice (BZNU), a group committed to bringing DEI to Bozeman through collective learning and accountability. I joined this group at its formation after the murder of George Floyd, attending all of their rallies and calls to action. Through them I learned one of the most important lessons I could learn to fuel my continued growth, “Those that are closest to the problem are closest to the solution.” From then on I’ve been reading books from “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates to “White Fragility” by Dr. Robin DiAngelo, doing my best to learn to be an ally to those who do not have the privilege that I do. That being said, I recognize that this is a task that can never fully be achieved, but that should not deter me from continuing to learn. Even before all of that, I was still very much involved in DEI. My junior year of college, 2017, I began volunteering at the VOICE Center at MSU, a crisis center for those on MSU’s campus that have been impacted by sexual assault or domestic violence. This is when I truly became immersed in the concept of intersectionality, being that each discriminatory system (like racism, sexism, ableism, etc.) impacts on another. Through challenging conversations with clients and coworkers, I grew as an ally to all of these adversely impacted communities and became dedicated to uplifting their voices in order to make Bozeman a safer community for all. References: Please provide name, phone, and email contact information for two references. Reference 1 Brian Kassar Phone: 406-570-4161 Email: bkassar@montana.edu Reference 2 T. W. Bradley Phone: 406-281-3495 Email: twbradley93@gmail.com 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? Christopher Coburn sent the info to Bozeman United Is there any other information that you feel we need to know? Not answered 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.