HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-12-24 Public Comment - C. Brooks-Hops - Consider these thingsFrom:Collette Paintbox
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Consider these things
Date:Sunday, February 11, 2024 8:33:20 PM
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Dear Commissioners,
I am sure everyone is in an uproar about the leaked video. It was a devastating look into a
private conversation and personalities of two officials. I would like to ask that you allconsider the ramifications of having such people serve on the commission for their own gain
and not representing the people of this town. Bozeman is going through a lot of change that isnot necessarily good for the people or the area. If people like these are running our town, trust
and confidence in you will be lost.
When are we going to just say “no” to untethered development and to the folks who think thatit is such a good thing for Bozeman? I watch as small business move away from downtown
and see them replaced by art galleries, luxury hotels, high end restaurants and brewery’s. Whoare going to serve the wealthy in this town
when the middle class folks can no longer afford to live here??? I find myself saying “thankyou” to people who are working in the grocery stores as I realize the hardship they must face
in order to live here.
Why is growth held up to be the gold standard? This growth has brought Bozeman to its kneesand at the mercy of outside developers who do not carry the heart of this town but only see
increased revenue. I see the "Montana wave" being replaced by aggressive drivers tailgatingme on icy roads. I see my friend's well drying up after new housing developments go in. I
notice fewer friendly faces in the market and am aghast at the roads lined with urban camperswith no place to put their trash. Etc, etc, etc. We are building ourselves away from what makes
this place special.
It feels like we are becoming a bandaid town sinking into a morass of problems with no viablesolution.
When are we going to consider the availability of water in this area? Outrageous ideas like
piping water from Canyon Ferry smacks of the Owen’s Valley fiasco in California with a pricetag of driving decent and hardworking folks away from their homes. Nobody gains and
everyone looses when vision is restricted from seeing the broader perspective. Availability ofwater is the great equalizer. Why do we ignore this fact?
The book “Collapse", by Jarod Diamond, explains in detail how societies choose to fail or
succeed. The first chapter is about the Bitterroot Valley in Montana. The rest is about creatinga society of extreme wealth and the loss of the middle class to support it. We are doing that
right here in Bozeman. What is it about this fact can the city planners not see?
Why are we choosing this?
Thanks for listening to my concerns. I’m asking you to do the right thing.
Sincerely,
Collette Brooks-HopsBozeman, MT