HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-18-26 Public Comment - S. Guenther - Positive Impact of Neighborhood Associations on Public EngagementFrom:Sara Guenther
To:Bozeman Goverment Study Commission
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Positive Impact of Neighborhood Associations on Public Engagement
Date:Monday, May 18, 2026 1:46:31 PM
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Dear Bozeman Government Study Commission,
I just wanted to share my perspective and experience as a busy parent and working
professional living in Bozeman. I've found great value in the Neighborhood Associations andthe Inter-Neighborhood Council (INC). These organizations solve one of the biggest
challenges of community engagement in local government, which is the inequity of resourcesand capacity across different populations living in Bozeman that affect participation. While
there are many barriers to attending/watching town meetings in person or online (yes, evenonline), many of us do interact with our neighbors nearly every day.
The Neighborhood Associations and the Inter-Neighborhood Council have significantly and
dramatically improved my ability to keep up with policies and issues that affect me, myfamily, my friends, my neighbors, our community, and our city. The neighborhood
associations need the formalization of Article VII in the charter to maintain access andlegitimacy in their interactions with city government.
Our neighborhood has already seen the impact of a neighborhood designation in just a few
years! Same neighbors, same concerns, but new designation, new access, new channel forinformation dissemination. We have a new stop sign that improves safety and gives me peace
of mind as my children walk or bike through an increasingly busy intersection. Ourassociation shares INC minutes with us via email, shares upcoming issues and engagement
opportunities, and organizes occasional meetings in our neighborhood inviting guest speakersfrom the city, MSU, police department, etc. Bringing decision-makers to us helps make it
possible to engage with them; but this would not work without the legitimacy Article VIIprovides. Article VII has been critical in lowering the bar for community engagement and
expanding access to local decision-making for many Bozeman citizens, including hard-to-engage populations like working parents and others.
Thank you for your time and attention, and for your work reviewing the details of our charter.
Warmly,
Sara Guenther
2916 Westridge Dr