HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-20-23 Public Comment - L. Semones - Letter of Support For Angela Kociolek,, Open City Commisison positionFrom:Linda Semones
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Subject:[EXTERNAL]Letter of Support For Angela Kociolek,, Open City Commisison position
Date:Monday, November 20, 2023 9:50:41 AM
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November 20, 2023
Dear Mayor Andrus and Commissioners Cunningham, Coburn and Madgic,
I am writing to encourage you to appoint Angela Kociolek to fill the City Commission
position left vacant with the resignation of I-Ho Pomeroy. I am a member of the Historic
Preservation Advisory Board, but I am obviously writing as a private citizen.
There are many reasons for appointing Ms. Kociolek, but the first and most important is that
she will passionately work for sustainability and the environment. Our city is facing
challenges in the face of a looming water shortage. As the city grows, we also witness the
displacement of wildlife as their environment is removed to allow for development and
sprawl. Urban trees that cool our city and support a plethora of insects, birds and other
wildlife are cut down to allow for buildings that cover lots from edge to edge with minimal
setbacks. Ms. Kociolek has a Master of Science Degree in Conservation Biology, a knowledge
set that can only enhance the many skills on our City Commission. This is a knowledge set that
we desperately need to support sustainability and to create a balance between development
and conservation on the City Commission. Without planning for sustainability in the face of
climate change and the influx of residents to an area with a limited water supply, there is no
logic to allowing massive development.
Another very important reason to appoint Ms. Kociolek is that she is a citizen activist. She
has voluntarily given her time to the City of Bozeman as a member of the Parks and
Recreation Board, and she is currently the Chair of the Urban Parks and Forestry Board. She
worked with others to review, amend and recommend the Parks, Recreation and Active
Transportation Plan for the city. She is well informed on how the City of Bozeman is organized
and how it makes decisions. As do all citizens who perform these volunteer duties, her
motivation is to contribute to the community without any expectation of adulation or
remuneration of any kind. This kind of work springs from the desire to work for the benefit of
others and for the future of our children.
Finally, Ms. Kociolek will bring philosophical balance to the City Commission. Ms. Kociolek
knows how to listen and how to work with those who may have differing opinions than
herself. She is well versed in the challenges upcoming with the changes to the UDC and can
be counted on to make decisions based on the needs of the community as a whole. As she
says so well in her application for this position, “My vision for Bozeman is a welcoming place
for all that puts climate resiliency built on stewardship first and follows with thoughtful
development that values existing neighborhoods and upholds our collective right to a clean
and healthful environment for present and future generations.”
I ask you to appoint Angela Kociolek to the vacancy on the City Commission so that she can
put her dedication and expertise to work for us all.
Sincerely,
Linda Semones 404 S. Church Ave. Bozeman MT 59715