HomeMy WebLinkAboutAngie KociolekNovember 14, 2023
City of Bozeman
agenda@bozeman.net | 121 North Rouse Avenue | Bozeman, MT 59715
Dear Mayor Andrus, Deputy Mayor Cunningham, Commissioner Coburn, and Commissioner
Madgic,
Former Commissioner I-Ho Pomeroy once said, “I do hope … we preserve the wetlands and
trees and mountains … so not only can we enjoy them ourselves, but also for the next
generation and the next …” If appointed, I will uphold this ethic of stewardship.
I’ve served on a Citizen Advisory Board since 2019 – first, Recreation & Parks and now Urban
Parks & Forestry to which the City appointed me Chair and I-Ho served as Commission Liaison.
Our largest undertaking to date was to review, amend, and recommend the Parks, Recreation
and Active Transportation Plan. This guiding document includes Unified Development Code
(UDC) revisions to codify, amongst other recommendations, well-connected equitable access to
park elements and increased natural resource protections.
As a citizen, I’ve commented on a broad range of City issues over the years. I’ve called to
protect livelihoods of Bozeman-based homeowners and existing neighborhoods, to strengthen
and enforce environmental protection codes in new developments, and to address dog owner
non-adherence to restraint laws, to name a few.
As a woman, mother of a school-aged child, and a self-employed small business owner with a
background in ecology and holistic health, I will add a much needed, distinctly different
perspective to the Commission. Diversity comes in many forms, one of which is diversity of
opinion. We will not always agree on every issue, but the ability to reconcile diverse points of
view into sound policy makes for a robust city commission.
Strong character and a commitment to uphold diversity over agenda should move you to
consider someone like me as your appointee. I understand the fear, frustration, and trauma
represented by the outspoken backlash to the proposed UDC and associated public
engagement. I believe when people are truly given a seat at the table, engaged early and often,
it will be possible to bridge Bozeman’s needs and responsibilities in a way that matches our
shared wants and values.
Born to a WWII veteran Polish immigrant father and first generation Polish-American mother, I
was raised in New Jersey - the most densely populated state in the U.S. Our family was part of
the rich ethnically diverse fabric of Newark. My neighborhood was a mix of single-family homes,
duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes up to three stories tall with narrow alleys between
dwellings. I was one of the lucky kids with grass in my backyard. When my father couldn’t drive
any more due to early onset Alzheimer’s Disease, I took a NJ Transit bus or train to get to high
school.
I discovered the love of wildness in my twenties when I had the privilege to work as a Student
Conservation Association intern in two national parks. When I enrolled for graduate school in
Conservation Biology in Bozeman, I found a college town with all its associated vibrancy. My
shared housing included living behind a car wash and in basement apartments. I saved money
on food as a working member of the Community Food Co-op. After completing my M.Sc., I
joined the Peace Corps in Thailand. There, I befriended and worked alongside school teachers,
administrators, and an ecological researcher.
Through hard work and fortunate circumstance, my husband and I found our place in the
Northeast Neighborhood. Our roots on North Tracy are 22 years deep so far, and our
expectation has been to raise our child and live out our days here. Recent unprecedented
changes in Bozeman move me to mourn and wonder, and I keep coming back to this idea: My
home is worth fighting for.
Interest and intention are not enough. My breadth and depth of experience demonstrates my
commitment to all of Bozeman. Here’s a sampling of my skill sets and the paid and unpaid
contributions I’ve made to our community over the past 20+ years:
§ Researching and adding to the body of scientific literature on wildlife crossing structures
and their need if we are to keep wildlife populations intact
§ Educating and organizing the public and promoting coexistence with bears and other
carnivores
§ Providing holistic health services to teens, adults and seniors as a Licensed
Acupuncturist
§ Partnering with Eagle Mount and Cancer Support Community Montana to provide pro
bono acupuncture services to caregivers and those experiencing cancer
§ Coordinating Continuing Education opportunities for fellow practitioners and the Montana
Association of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine
§ Supporting the terminally ill and their loved ones through Hospice of Southwest Montana
§ Visiting confined seniors at the former Mountain View Care Center
§ Answering the Haven crisis line
§ Helping plan Moms Like Me, an event to educate the community about the perinatal
experience
§ Organizing avian surveyors to help build the case for what is now the Indreland Audubon
Wetland Preserve
§ Directing events for Big Sky Wind Drinkers - running club for all - designing Ridge Run
T-shirts, and bolstering financial support for student athletes
§ Teaching and helping in myriad ways at Hawthorne Elementary
§ Judging Speech and Debate meets at Bozeman High
§ Conversing with students of English as a second language
§ Attending Citizens Police Academy to learn about challenges our officers face every day
§ Engaging in the Northeast Neighborhood Association (NENA)
§ Advocating for increasing tree canopy as a tool for climate resiliency with the Bozeman
Tree Coalition
I’m also committed to raising our son with an expanded worldview. Planned months ago, we are
currently on an educational immersion experience in Mexico for him to learn a new language
and get to know our neighbors south of the border as fellow citizens of the world. Therefore,
until late December, I am attending meetings remotely.
My varied professional, volunteer, and personal experiences in both the public and private
sectors make me a strong, qualified candidate for City Commission. My vision for Bozeman is a
welcoming place for all that puts climate resiliency built on stewardship first, and follows with
thoughtful development that values existing neighborhoods and upholds our collective right to a
clean and healthful environment for present and future generations.
Sincerely,
Angela (Angie) Kociolek
620 N Tracy Avenue
Bozeman, MT 59715
dangie@me.com
406.209.2570