HomeMy WebLinkAboutRoger BlankFrom:Roger Blank
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Application for Vacant City Commission Position
Date:Tuesday, November 14, 2023 3:59:49 PM
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Bozeman City Commission
121 North Rouse Avenue
Bozeman, Montana 59715
Re: Roger Blank / Application for vacant City Commission position
To the esteemed Members of the Bozeman City Commission:
I am uniquely qualified to serve as Bozeman City Commissioner in the seat previously occupied by I-Ho Pomeroy.
In the just-completed election cycle, I made a first-ever run for elective office in Bozeman. With no connections, no
prior name recognition, no campaign
staff and a minimal budget, I ran against an enormously popular and respected veteran opponent. I received greater
than one-fourth of all votes cast. Despite being a relative newcomer to Bozeman's city government community, my
qualification to serve hasn't gone unnoticed by the Daily Chronicle's Editorial Board, which recently remarked,
"Blank's willingness to enter the fray of municipal politics and work to better his chosen home is commendable. He
would bring a different mindset and fresh ideas to the commission."
My public positions are a matter of public record and known to most on the City Commission. Professionally, I
possess 25 years of top-tier experience and a solid record of results as an attorney working in criminal justice and
law enforcement. In past positions, I served as Assistant District Attorney in Bronx County and as a Special
Prosecutor for over 40,000 uniformed member New York City Police Department, wherein I prosecuted uniformed
police officials for corruption and official misconduct. I subsequently established a criminal defense practice
through which I advocate for and defend members of the
public, including police officials wrongly accused of criminal conduct or violations of NYPD regulations. I also
operate a civil practice, where I
pursue actions for those whose constitutional rights are violated and advise medical professionals on the
administration of their practices to ensure state
and federal compliance. I am admitted in state and federal courts, and before the United States Supreme Court.
My interest and intent in pursuing elective office and in seeking appointment to the vacant Commission seat is to
preserve and protect the Bozeman that I
found when I first relocated here, a city unlike any other, in any other place. I bring a unique perspective to a
position for which some are called to
serve, but not all are qualified to hold. While some of my views will certainly align with those of other members of
the Commission, they will always align with those I serve; the citizens of Bozeman.
My positions on both the short-term and long-term issues Bozeman presently faces have been widely reported. I
believe the UDC, Bozeman's roadmap for the next decade and beyond, is paramount and must reflect the needs and
values of the people. I applaud the Commissioners' decision to table its adoption pending expanded public
engagement and input. If appointed, public outreach will comprise a core component of my service, not only where
the UDC is concerned, but for all key issues affecting Bozeman citizens.
Concerning affordable housing, I have developed a combined market-oriented and collaborative public/private
approach to resolve this controversial and
complex issue. I presented this during the campaign and would seek to pursue through the Commission.
On the subject of downtown parking, I have proposed a solution, subsequently profiled in the Daily Chronicle, thatwill concurrently serve the interests ofour businesses, their employees and Bozeman residents, while simultaneously generating revenue for the city itself.
Perhaps most controversial, I disagree with the recently passed ordinance governing so-called 'urban campers',which resulted from a negligent andfundamentally flawed legal analysis provided by the City Attorney to the Commission. This untenable ordinancederived from the City Attorney’s negligence subjects Bozeman to substantial exposure, most notably in the form ofmultiple civil lawsuits against the city. There is, however, a middleground that can address the interests of the business community litigants, the residents whose quality of life isadversely impacted by the campers, and the urban campers themselves, who stand to benefit from a sensible, city-sponsored solution. This issue will inevitably be revisited and it is imperative thatBozeman voluntarily embrace an effective, lawful approach when it does, lest a judicial solution be forced upon thecity at considerable taxpayer expense.
A critical issue that demands realistic response is water usage. Conservation is not enough. Water capture capacitymust expand in step with Bozeman'spopulation growth. Bozeman must face the fiscal and scientific realities associated with urban growth and watersupply. To ignore it or hold to a false belief that conservation is the answer amounts to dereliction of duty in servingthe needs of the public. Additionally, under Montana law, the City’s Charter is up for review. Last revised in 2004,the City Charter is deficient and lags perilously behind two decades of economic evolution, population growth andurban expansion.
Finally, where law enforcement is concerned, in response to population growth, Bozeman must adapt its publicsafety measures relating to all categories of criminal activity, including drug interdiction, gang development,domestic violence and sexual assault. My extensive law enforcement experience is particularly relevant inaddressing this important issue.
The Commission has an obligation to fill its vacancy in a manner that best serves the needs of its citizens. Bozemancannot afford to deprive taxpayers of new ideas and innovative solutions to problems that must be addressed, normay it simply ignore or dismiss more than a quarter of the voters who spoke so clearly and unequivocally onNovember 7th in casting their ballots for me. It's important to remember that qualifications alone do not determinesuitably for holding elective office. Running for office and seeking the vote of the people is evidence that onepossesses the energy, drive and enthusiasm to do the job. My experience demonstrates I am uniquely qualified toserve as City Commissioner. My recent campaign establishes I have the requisite stamina and want to do the job.And this year’s election results are proof that greater than one-fourth of Bozeman voters have chosen me torepresent them in city government. In selecting an individual to fill this vacancy, the Commission must respect thedemocratic process. Appointing me to serve out the remainder of former Commissioner Pomeroy's term respectsthat process. To select someone with lesser credentials, who has expressed no desire to run for elective office andwho lacks the support of Bozeman voters would do nothing more than disenfranchise a substantial portion of theelectorate.
Thank you for your consideration.
Very truly yours, Roger Blank2201 Baxter Lane, Suite 10295Bozeman, Montana 59718