HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-09-24 Public Comment - B. Noelle - Encouragement and supportFrom:babs noelle
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Encouragement and support
Date:Thursday, February 8, 2024 4:44:33 PM
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Dear Mayor Cunningham, Deputy Mayor Morrison, and Commissioners Coburn,
Fischer, and Madjic:
I write today to encourage all of you to "make real" the departure of Jeff
Mihelich. I imagine you're receiving a lot of flak for putting Mr. Mihelich on paid
administrative leave, but I understand that move--I'm sure it's to avoid inviting
a lawsuit. Along with that encouragement to be brave comes my support for doing
so.
I am torn on Ms. Bentley: on the one hand, her sycophancy is craven...but perhaps
being a sycophant is something Mr. Mihelich demands/encourages. I trust you all
to get to the bottom of it, and to determine if her seeming agreement with him
on various and sundry topics makes her no longer a "fit" for her position, which
puts her in charge of many of the things that make Bozemanites concerned and
nervous.
And here's an important additional thought to put in the hopper: it will indeed be
very difficult to get Bozemanites to have pride and trust in their city-level
government, although I understand that is one of Mayor Cunningham's goals.
As a long-standing (20 years) volunteer board member (DBA), I can tell you that
the "trimming down" of the previous system of volunteer boards to just three or
so "Super Boards" was the wrong way to go. Now is an opportunity to right that
wrong.
If the problem was too many required meetings for Commissioners and City
Staff as liaisons associated with all the boards, then that is what should be
addressed. Perhaps only quarterly attendance be required by a Commissioner or
City Staffer...?? As it stands, the "Super Boards" require so much time
commitment from board members that very few people are capable of being a
board member. This assures less and less involvement by the community. And it is
that involvement that is precisely needed to repair trust and pride in our city
government. I realize this is not a small ask, since restructuring is painful...but
dealing with citizens who feel more and more disenfranchised ain't no picnic,
either.
Furthermore, I believe Mr. Mihelich's "Chinese Wall" approach that prevented
any persons outside of him to talk to staff, while perhaps "more efficient" at
first blush, was counter-productive. Less input, less trust, less free flow of
information can't be a recipe for success.
On a personal note, I have experienced Mr. Mihelich's bullying. When I found out
that Ellie Staley (Downtown Partnership) was scheduled to meet with him and
two other men from City Staff, and she had already been on the receiving end of
Jeff's brusqueness and "my way or the highway" approach to issues regarding
Downtown, I volunteered to attend the meeting with her, if for no other reason
than to quell her nerves and diminish some of the power imbalance in the room.
She was told in no uncertain terms that I was not welcome in the meeting,
despite being the longest-standing member of the Downtown Partnership
Management Committee (overseeing URD, BID, DBA). Not only was this
insensitive to Ellie, but unwelcoming to someone that the people in the room
should bother to get to know.
Assuming you have legality on your side, I again wholeheartedly support that you,
as a group, see your way clear to see "Bozeman's way clear" of Jeff Mihelich.
While it may not be a comfortable things to do, it is necessary. Please be
courageous.
Thank you for your service,
Babs Noelle
--
babs noelle
>>>ringleader<<<
2011 Winner of the American Art Awards, Jewelry Division
and 2013 Prospera Woman Entrepreneur of the Year
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