HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-15-26 Public Comment - A. Sweeney - Neighborhood Associations need resourcesFrom:Alison Sweeney
To:Bozeman Goverment Study Commission
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Neighborhood Associations need resources
Date:Monday, June 15, 2026 7:49:07 AM
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Hello Commissioners,
Thank you for volunteering in this very important capacity.
Disclosure: I am currently serving on the Bozeman City Commission, but this comment
reflects only my personal views. I cannot speak for the entire commission.
I understand you have had some push back on the suggested charter language concerning thestructure of officially recognized Neighborhood Associations and the Inter-Neighborhood
Council.
Furthermore, I think you are likely to hear from certain interested parties that they areconcerned about the city being forced to give "resources" whether staffing or monetary, to the
Neighborhood Associations and INC.
If the desire is to have highly functioning inclusive Neighborhood Associations they must beresourced. If they are granted resources, the City Commission in place at any given time, may
write an ordinance detailing expectations in return for those resources.
Without resources we maintain the current system of allowing staff and elected officials todismiss the Neighborhood Associations as unrepresentative or NIMBY or whatever moniker
they feel like assigning, in order to "other" these highly engaged, volunteers, who decide toparticipate.
Recruitment is hard! And sometimes you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it
drink. Look at our Mayor who told the Inter-Neighborhood Council that he never participatedin his neighborhood association, despite knowing full well how to do that.
I see the neighborhood association infrastructure as a great vascular system for engagement
with the people who live and work in this town, but it's been on life support for too long.
Please keep the requirement for staffing or other resources for the Neighborhoods Program inthe Charter!
Thank you,
Alison B. Sweeney
Bernadette's Handmade JewelryBozeman MT
406-404-5740alison-bernadettes.com