HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-20-25 Public Comment - N. Ross - Response to Comment on Bogert Place SID 778From:Nicholas Ross
To:mark.campanelli@gmail.com
Cc:Bozeman Public Comment; Chuck Winn
Subject:Response to Comment on Bogert Place SID 778
Date:Friday, June 20, 2025 12:39:03 PM
Hi Mark,
I’m sorry to hear your disappointment expressed in public comment on the design of Bogert
Place. I feel you deserve a response from me and an apology for not being clear in my
interactions since I believe they may be what you’re referencing.
To be clear, the city’s decision for placement of sidewalk was explicitly in response to robust,
continued public interest in protection of mature trees and respect for the Bozeman Creek
watercourse. Locating the sidewalk on the creek-side of Bogert would have required removal
of mature trees and placed the sidewalk directly within the Bozeman Creek watercourse
setback. In spite of your implication this was done because staff “knows best”, the decision
was a direct action to express that we’re listening to what we hear from the community. Staff
are often put in a position of making decisions on matters for which the public does not agree
with one another, as we clearly see here, and I’ll ask for your trust that this is not a reflection of
some top-down impulse.
Further, City staff met with residents under the SID twice during the design and creation of the
SID and to my knowledge did not receive any significant concerns over the design. It was only
after design was complete and the project was being bid that issues were raised during on-site
meetings, primarily by yourself. I intended to respect the opinions of those I met with but did
not mean to imply the project would be redesigned, thus delaying the bid. Doing so risked
pushing the project back a construction season at a time when bid price inflation was
significant, and my decision was made in the interest of not further burdening those paying the
SID. We’ve also since received positive feedback on the design and construction of the
project, so it appears there may again be a difference of opinion that goes beyond an
implication of the city knowing best. I apologize if you feel misled by our interaction.
I appreciate your recommendation to include broader neighborhood input in local street
reconstruction projects, however, the city historically has followed a process of working with
those within the SID and not the greater community due to those within the SID bearing the
cost. We’ve not felt it to be representative of their interests to include costs for which those
making the suggestions would not bear. Good news is the staff and Commission are seeking to
revamp our Local Street Reconstruction funding in a manner that spreads cost further than
those along the street being reconstructed, which may resolve this conflict and support your
suggestion.
In the future, I welcome you to reach out to staff directly before making conspiratorial
accusations which are unhealthy to public discourse. You are welcomed to disagree with
decisions made, however, accurate history and intention is vitally important to the broader
relationship between city and public.
-Nick
Nicholas Ross, P.E.
Director | Transportation and Engineering
City of Bozeman
C: 406-595-3437
O: 406-582-2315
nross@bozeman.net