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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-7-14 Wilson Bozeman's Lenco Stacy Ulmen From: Pat Wilson [ptwilson@bigsky.net] Sent: Monday, October 06, 2014 7:17 PM To: Agenda Subject: Bozeman's Lenco BearCat G3 Attachments: Bozeman Bearcat3 Comments.docx Thank you for your time and attention in considering my comments in the attached document. Respectfully, Patrick (Pat)J. Wilson I Please consider my comments on the city's recent purchase through a federal grant of a Lenco BearCat G3 armored personnel carrier. While I am not a resident of the city of Bozeman, my wife and I own property within the city limits, and pay city taxes on that property. First of all, it is my opinion that the City of Bozeman does not need a heavily armored vehicle. The justification used in the grant application simply isn't reality to my knowledge. If it is,would you please provide specific documentable examples of"anti-government and/or radical groups such as militia groups, environmental groups, outlaw motorcycle gangs, religious and racial hate groups"that have taken up residence in southwest Montana, and more specifically in Gallatin County and within the Bozeman city limits? It is interesting to see letters of support from the Gallatin County Sheriffs Department, Montana State University Police, Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, City of West Yellowstone, Livingston Police Department, and Park County Sheriffs Office. Could you please provide me with interdepartmental agreements that would allow the Bozeman Police Department BearCat G3 to respond to all of these jurisdictions? They all claim it would be a valuable asset,what support,financial or otherwise, are they providing to have this service available? Or are the tax paying citizens of Bozeman footing the entire bill for this vehicle's availability? The biggest part of this problem is the unilateral handling of this grant application by city manager Chris Kukulski, Chief of Police Ron Price, and Deputy Chief of Police Rich McLane. Their handling of this issue without informing the city commissioners and mayor is not a situation where it is better to "ask for forgiveness than permission". It is a situation where these three individuals should be held fully accountable for operating without the city commission and mayor's knowledge. Personnel actions should be taken against these three individuals up to and including termination of employment. City Manager Kukulski's Administrative Order No. 2014-01, dated 30 September, 2014,appears to be an after the fact attempt to placate and defuse this issue. In his memo to the city commission and mayor dated 6 October, 2014, Kukulski states: "This policy discussion, regarding the Homeland Security grant and Bearcat vehicle purchase, should have taken place in 2013. 1 apologize for failing Chief Price, the City Commission and our community by signing the grant acceptance without proper authorization. It is my responsibility to ensure that the Commission is properly involved.This was not intentional, rather an oversight on my part. I assumed the grant contract had been, or was in process to be, authorized by the City Commission through our normal procedures. In reviewing emails containing the word "Bearcat," staff found a weekly"Happening This Week" report from August 21, 2014, which included an update regarding training on the Bearcat addressed to the City Commission and department directors(see attached).The report incorrectly assumes the Commissioners had foreknowledge of the Bearcat vehicle." So he knows he was wrong, as he apologizes for"signing the grant authorization without proper authorization". He must be held accountable for knowingly acting without proper authorization and oversight.