HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-16-26 Public Comment - M. Rolquin - Filling Vacancies on our City CommissionFrom:jeffandmaryus@gmail.com
To:Bozeman Goverment Study Commission
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Filling Vacancies on our City Commission
Date:Monday, February 16, 2026 7:17:39 PM
Importance:High
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I respectfully ask the Bozeman City Commission to consider my voice in their meeting
on February 18th:
1. Mandatory Special Elections: If 12 or more months remain in a term, the seat must
be filled by the voters, not an appointment.
2. Appointee Ineligibility: Anyone appointed to a short-term vacancy (less than 12
months) should be prohibited from running in the next election to eliminate the
“Instant Incumbent” advantage.
3. Representation Over “Savings”: A one-time “savings” of $100,000 is a negligible
fraction of Bozeman’s multi-million dollar budget and should never be traded for
our fundamental right to elect our leaders. This isn’t about how we “want” to
spend taxpayer money; it is about utilizing the opportunity created by the Local
Government Study to make Bozeman’s government as representative of ALL
residents as possible.
The public has spoken with an almost unanimous voice in favor of special elections.
Please follow the wishes of the community.
Respectfully,
Mary Rolquin