HomeMy WebLinkAboutNathan GraceyNathan Gracey
(530)386-5573
nathangracey@gmail.com
1169 Forestglen Drive, Unit B
Bozeman, MT
59718
11/16/2023
Statement of Interest for Bozeman Commissioner 2023
Distinguished City Commissioners,
My name is Nathan Gracey. I am a senior at Montana State University. I am majoring in
Environmental Studies. I am 22 years old. I can already feel typing this the negative feedback one in my
position would receive attempting to join the city commission. Despite my age or arguable lack of
experience, Bozeman needs representation from the younger generation. I can offer a fresh and modern
perspective that brings my experience and education to help provide my duty to the residents of
Bozeman.
I grew up in the Lake Tahoe area of the Sierra Nevada's. A small mountain community that was
extremely heavily affected by tourism. As I grew from exploring the woods to working all the common
seasonal tourist jobs to finishing high school, I witnessed a land I love to be divided between
development and communities, second homeowners and locals, and conservation groups and natural
resource interests. I saw a place change so profusely in a handful of years that it helped me learn and
understand how change and community involvement occur. I have seen and understand the different
aspects of community development and land use problems on a scale like Bozeman. I wish to lend my
hand, opinion, ear, and heart to the people of Bozeman.
One thing I’ve always disliked about politics is the extremely disproportionate representation of
young individuals. If we were fair in our choice of political positions, we would see a significant increase
in college-age individuals and even high school students being represented. What you might call my lack
of experience I would label as misrepresentation. In my eyes, experience doesn’t matter as much where
values and representing our constituents overcome it in importance. The average age of Bozeman is
below 30. The average age for the commission is well above 30. I understand I would be signing up for a
steep learning curve, but I feel well equipped for the challenge based off my coursework and work
experience in Bozeman.
I have been an intern for Montana Public Interest Research Group where I actively learned and
participated in state politics and learned significant and valuable information and skills on community
development and engagement. I spent a large portion of my recent summer on a bicycle traveling from
Canada to Mexico, where I traveled through hundreds of towns and cities and engaged and interacted
with community along the way and learned in depth issues that are common surrounding urban
transport and development. This experience helped me see similar problems faced around the west and
how they are being tackled. My most recent internship is a communications position at Cottonwood
Environmental Law Center where I have been working under John Meyer. Through this I have even
furthered my community engagement experience and have played a crucial role in the engagement and
outreach side of conservation.
Being an environmental studies major, I have taken an array of classes sitting under the major
umbrellas of public policy and environmental science. A few courses I have taken that benefit me for this
position are: Economic Way of Thinking, Urban Geography, Issues in Sustainability and Energy and
Sustainability.
In terms of policy, I think development is necessary but must be sustainable, I strongly support
social projects such as social housing and efforts to create a more walkable city. I support zoning that
allows for high density affordable housing alongside commercial businesses. I support high funding for
public transport and development. I support large measures to be taken to ensure water and energy
conservation standards are upheld and promoted. I support strong use of technology as well as new up
to date techniques and methods to communicate with residents. I have been an environmentalist for as
long as I can remember, but at heart I care for people just as much as the environment. I support
climate education and awareness for all ages. I can compromise when I don’t see eye to eye with others
and know how to manage differing opinions where conflicting arguments arise. I also understand that
politics are slow. I take inspiration from Pomeroy, “whoever wants to serve as a commissioner can do
it”.
I would finally like to express how valuable my age and lack of previous political position
holdings can be to the commission. I see from a fresh nonpartisan approach, offering creative solutions
and new ideas to existing problems. Each problem tackled by the commission has its pros and cons that
must be weighed and decided on for the better of the people. I have no special interests or ties to big
corporations or industries, which helps provide an unbiased view on issues. I can provide a significant
and strong community connection and being a novice allows me to build up and prioritize better
understanding the issues affecting individuals, which helps see issues in a new light. I would like to
leverage this as an opportunity not for me, but for the residents of Bozeman. Appointing me to
commission will greatly benefit the city with representation and transparency. I am a broke college
student about to graduate that has a burning desire to do some good for the world and support the
voices that are and are not heard.
Across the US there are trends of younger representation. I don’t only offer this but also offer a
calm, fair and just temperament. I think I offer something the commission is missing, a more in touch
relation with Bozeman residents. I wish to join the commission to enforce and support sustainable
practices and help see eye to eye with the public as we move into the future together.
Nathan Gracey