HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-04-25 Public Comment - M. Brown - H.2 Ordinance 2025- Ethics Opinions and Complaint ProceduresFrom:Marilee Brown
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]H.2 Ordinance 2025- Ethics Opinions and Complaint Procedures
Date:Tuesday, February 4, 2025 11:04:56 AM
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Greetings Commissioners,
This ordinance will make it very burdensome for a whistle blower or an individual to report (or test the waters) on a
situation without retaliation due to the requirement to formally report an issue in writing and share it with the
abuser. An individual that has to continue to do business with staff members that have become abusive can’t even
enquire if a situation is an ethics violation without that staff member being notified in writing. This could lead to
more retaliation.
Requiring all complaints to be in writing might require an attorney. This would be onerous since attorney
availability is very limited.
There is no method or protection for someone that wants to make a quiet inquiry to see if a violation should be
pursued.
There is no remedy to fix an abusive situation from recurring.
No individual in their right mind would report a potential ethics violation unless they are a corporation that wants to
pursue a suit against the City. This means that the City staff will never have an opportunity to reduce misconduct
towards the general public even in a general staff training.
Please require a way to report issues quietly without potential retaliation so they can be remedied.
Thank you,
Marilee Brown