BOZEMAN - Bozeman Mayor Chris Mehl responded to allegations that he was angry and abusive toward an interim city manager and former city manager.
The Bozeman City Commission will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, Sep. 8 to review and discuss recently released public documents concerning Mehl’s conduct toward other city employees and officials.
Mehl told MTN News that he welcomes the opportunity to share his perspective and offered an apology for his actions.
Public documents made available through a public records request show numerous email exchanges between city staff and Bozeman city commissioners.
Mayor Chris Mehl has responded to the released documents with the statement:
On Tuesday, the city commission will meet to discuss how I communicated with the previous city managers, difficulties in those relationships, and how the city is moving forward under the new city manager who started in May. I welcome the opportunity to have this meeting and share my perspective. Citizens deserve representatives who take on difficult issues and ask hard questions to make the best decisions possible. It’s important the city remain transparent; learning information and sharing it with the public.It’s become clear that my direct style doesn’t work for everyone and can be counterproductive. I deeply apologize for both my actions and results of my actions that made anyone uncomfortable. I screwed up and need to do better. I also want to be clear that I’ve never name-called or belittled anyone, nor interfered in city administration. Finally, I am encouraged to work with the new city manager, Jeff Mihelich. Things are going well. Jeff recently told the city commission he has not witnessed any problems since he arrived in May.My goal is to lock in this productive relationship going forward. It’s an honor to serve Bozeman. Thank you.”
A memo from Terry Cunnigham dated May 29 outlines a conversation between him and interim City Manager Dennis Taylor.
In Cunningham’s memo, Taylor reported: “...on at least three separate occasions, in meetings with Mayor Mehl, the Mayor became angry and abusive toward him, causing the interim city manager to be concerned for his safety and consider whether he wished to continue serving in the Interim City Manager role.”
Taylor also reported to Cunningham:“Mayor Mehl has continued to attempt to reach into the organization in violation of the adopted norms to deal directly with staff… and Mayor Mehl consumes an inordinate amount of the City Manager’s time and schedule, with emails starting as early as 5:00 am and continuing throughout the day.”
Taylor confirmed Commissioner Cunningham's summary of their conversation was accurate and added:
“I personally l like Mayor Mehl very much. He is a smart, dedicated and tireless elected official. It is some of his problematic behaviors that I find so disturbing. Mayor Mehl is frequently abusive to staff and can be overbearing. He tends to bully staff and is especially abrasive, hostile and intimidating to many of our female staff…”
Released public records also an email exchange between former City Manager Andrea Suratt and Commissioner Terry Cunningham.
In the email, she writes: “Mr. Mehl’s repeated violation of the charters prohibition clause was a key factor in my decision to accept another employment offer. I told Mr. Mehl, in a face to face conversation outside of City Council chambers after a lunch meeting about code of conduct issues in December 2019, ‘that he was the reason I needed to leave’.”
