By Carli Johnson STAFF WRITER
At City Hall’s weekly City Commission meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 6, Mayor Terry Cunningham gracefully welcomed a crowded room to his final meeting as mayor.
After spending his last day in office celebrating the Montana State University Bobcats National Championship win in Nashville, Tennessee, Cunningham reflected on his time as mayor serving the city of Bozeman.
“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve this city,” he stated in his outgoing remarks. Thanking his wife Laura Cunningham, Bozeman city staff and the residents of Bozeman for their support and input through his eight years of service as both mayor and commissioner.
While in office, Cunningham proudly accomplished projects like the expansion of Story Mill Park, creating the first municipal composting service in Montana, and constructing Fire Station Number Two, expanding emergency services throughout Bozeman.
In his departure, the deputy mayor and commissioners sincerely thanked Cunningham for his mentorship, professionalism and ever-present sense of humor to bring people together.
“Mayor Cunningham, you have been a tremendous support to this community, you will be missed,” Commissioner Jennifer Madgic said.
With a standing ovation in his departure, former Mayor Cunningham stepped down from the dais to take a seat next to his wife.
In continued celebration, City Manager Chuck Winn swore in Joey Morrison, the winner of the 2023 mayoral election, as Bozeman’s new mayor. Morrison previously served two years as deputy mayor, as required under Bozeman’s city charter, which mandates that the mayoral election winner first serve a term in that role.
Douglas Fischer was sworn in as deputy mayor, while Emma Bode was sworn in for another term as commissioner and Alison Sweeney was sworn in for her first term as commissioner.
