HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-04-24 Public Comment - N. Gracey - City Commission AppointmentFrom:Nathan Gracey
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]City Commission Appointment
Date:Tuesday, June 4, 2024 11:34:42 AM
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Commissioners, Mayor and Deputy Mayor,
My name is Nathan Gracey. My address is 1169 Forestglen Drive, Bozeman, MT. I sit on the
sustainability advisory board but I write this comment on my own behalf.
I would encourage the commission to appoint either Alison Sweeney or Emma Bode to the vacant seat on the city
commission.
I have had the pleasure of working with Alison and have been continually impressed by her dedication to Bozemanand its residents. She has a desire to serve the community that is unmatched. I have consistently seen her atcommission meetings, sustainability board meetings and other community events. She has a massive depth ofknowledge regarding city code and how it works. She knows the loopholes that developers have used to drive up ourhousing prices and transform our neighborhoods into luxury areas that are no longer affordable to families andstudents. I know for a fact she is capable of coming up with creative solutions to the issues the commission faces. Ithink the most impressive quality about Alison is her compassion. She has a love for Bozeman and its residents thatis unmatched.
I have had the pleasure of being on the sustainability board with Emma and I am continually impressed by herdedication to the environment and how she communicates and works together with others to find solutions. Emma isknowledgeable and well versed in how the city functions. She has dedicated massive amounts of time byvolunteering on the sustainability board. Emma is a natural leader and communicator. Her participation in writingthe Bozeman Climate Plan has shown how capable she is when facing problems that are so comprehensive they maychange the very structure of how we live. I am extremely confident in Emma's ability to make Bozeman asustainable community, she knows exactly what needs to be done to ensure we reach the goals of our climate plan.
Both of these candidates have the qualities I would look for in commissioners. They’re both compassionate,intelligent, great communicators, and have a deep care for the environment and the community they live in. They areboth beyond capable of helping improve the state of housing and sustainability in Bozeman.
I would strongly encourage the commission to appoint Emma or Alison. I strongly encourage the commission toNOT appoint any candidate that has ties to development, who would only be serving in their special interest.
I know this is a hard choice the commission faces, but I am confident that you will choose someone who isdedicated to the residents and environment of Bozeman.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Nathan Gracey