HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-22-26 Public Comment - R. Brey - City Meeting accessibilityFrom:Ron Brey
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]City Meeting accessibility
Date:Tuesday, January 13, 2026 5:12:24 PM
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Hello Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Commissioners, I understand that under the banner of making meetings more
efficient, the idea of placing further limitations on public testimony was introduced. Let me make another
suggestion. Commissioners and the mayor should consider whether the answers to their questions will affect their
decision on the matter at hand. Examples of questions that are a waste of commission, staff, and public time are
questions introduced with the phrase “I am curious to know “. How about replacing that with “I need to know “ and
many of those questions will be obviously irrelevant to the decision at hand.
Keep to the subject of the hearing. The hospital master plan update was important but fairly routine. Questions like”
this fits in with the hospital’s wellness program doesn’t it?” Prompted a conversation completely irrelevant to the
Commission’s decision. That hearing took about two hours and didn’t warrant a quarter of that time.
Finally, and most importantly, stop lecturing the public. The chief perpetrator is gone but the practice should be
curtailed. Check out the MCA definition of “public hearing”. Your job is to listen not lecture. State your reasoning
when you vote but don’t endeavor to discourage the public from offering opposing views by lecturing before public
testimony. And for Pete’s sake, look at the audience when you explain the basis for your decision. Reading it off
your tablet implies that it was prepared prior to public testimony.
You have a hard job and the meetings can be complicated and lengthy. Go ahead and request that redundant
testimony simply be acknowledged rather than restated but look at the opportunity the commission has to expedite
things with no loss of relevant information or discussion.
Thanks. I am grateful for your service
Ron Brey
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