HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-18-26 Public Comment - E. Fishbaugh - Public Comment for February 5From:Esther Fishbaugh
To:Bozeman Goverment Study Commission
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Public Comment for February 5
Date:Wednesday, February 18, 2026 12:06:03 PM
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Dear Commissioners:
Please support election of vacancies to commissioner seats. Do not concentrate power into the
hands of a few by going to appointments. Please implement the following criteria for replacing a
vacancy.
Here are our three non-negotiables:
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.
Thanks,
Esther M Fishbaugh
1380 Wolverine Lane
Bozeman, MT 59718
406-581-7119