HomeMy WebLinkAboutSarah OrrTo the Bozeman City Commissioners, Please accept this statement from me, Sarah D. Orr, as the preliminary step required for consideration for an appointment to the Bozeman City Commission. Thirty-five years ago, my mom, stepdad, brother, two cats, and four dogs
made our way cross-country to a little Montana town in the Bitterroot
Valley. My stepdad had completed his farrier program at Montana State
University (MSU) and so it was time for us to head West to pursue our
dreams. Due to my parents’ grit and willingness to live on less than $20,000
a year, my brother and I got to experience all the wonder and beauty the mountains, rivers, and wildlife provide. We proudly remain here today. However, I now fear that my family’s journey will no longer be a journey that other middle- and working-class families will be able to experience. Not only will these families not be able to afford to create a life in Bozeman, but this community will experience great difficulty in retaining this demographic.
Without this essential population, Bozeman will continue to see small
businesses unable to thrive due to exorbitant overhead costs and larger
companies will face the challenge of retaining employees due to the cost of
living.
We will continue to see a greater division between the haves and the have nots and this divide will inevitably continue to lead to increasing tensions within the community. Teachers, police officers, nurses, city personnel, mechanics, plumbers, pharmacists, etc. will continue to have to relocate to more affordable areas.
We have created an incredibly precarious situation we now have to face as
these are the folks that are required for a healthy and vibrant city. These are
the people that provide essential services and build the necessary
infrastructure that allows Bozeman to grow.
It is because of these issues and these challenges that I am throwing my hat into the ring to be considered for a position with the City Commission. I received my Master’s degree from MSU in Educational Leadership and for a time I was the Headmaster for a prominent local non-profit elementary school in Bozeman. For the past 9 years, I have made my living in the trades and I most definitely fall into the working class demographic. I can say with
confidence that I am as comfortable on the floor of one of Bozeman’s local
manufacturing facilities (or an independent woodshop by the airport) as I am
in a board meeting, due to a good amount of experience in both settings.
I know I will be up against candidates who provide statements in which they showcase fancy backgrounds and white color positions but rather than feeling intimidated I feel empowered because these candidates won’t be able to truly relate to the struggles so many of our citizens are facing. A large population of this community feel forgotten, literally left behind. These folks spend 50+ hours a week grinding only to then have to cut back
on groceries because their rent or mortgage increases are so severe. A
quarter of their earnings go to taxes, but they are now dealing with traffic
that is problematic to the point it is becoming dangerous. When this sector of
constituents does get time to spend with family and friends, they no longer
can spontaneously plan a float or camping trip because they didn’t make a reservation or pull a permit 8 months ago allowing them to do so. Additionally, many of these community members facing these challenges have been born and raised in Bozeman or at least have resided here for many years. What is going to happen when these people get tired of feeling as though they are being placated or simply ignored and they leave? Who will be left to carry on the spirit of this town? Bozeman will be just like any other
upper-crust vacation destination and where is the soul in that?
Too many of Bozeman’s residents feel as though they have been sold out,
they do not trust this city’s local government. In the past I have attempted to
rally friends and coworkers in joining me for Commission meetings and I repeatedly get this response, “What’s the point, they don’t listen to folks like us-it’d be just a waste of time”. Well, as much as I can empathize with those sentiments my heart tells me that if something I care about is broken it is my duty to roll up my sleeves and get to work fixing the problem. My presence on the Commission will give the citizens of Bozeman proof
that their local government is working earnestly to represent all, not just the
wealthy or influential. Essentially, I will bring the street cred (and the heart)-
I will talk the talk and walk the walk that so many of the residents in our
community are yearning for.