[0:05] I'll call the Belgrade City Council meeting to order and please stand and follow me in the

[0:10] pledge.

[0:14] The pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which

[0:20] it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

[0:31] roll call, please.

[0:33] Jason Guckie.

[0:35] Jim Simon.

[0:37] Jim Simon.

[0:38] Christine Mancucci.

[0:43] We have everybody here tonight.

[0:49] Moving on to the public forum.

[0:51] Before starting your comments, please state your name and address.

[0:54] A notable tone of voice for the record.

[0:56] This is a time for individuals to comment on matters falling within the purview of the

[1:02] that are not already on the agenda.

[1:04] There will be an opportunity and conjunction with each agenda item for comments pertaining to that item.

[1:10] Please note that the council may not engage in discussion or respond to questions during this time.

[1:15] However, at the mayor's discretion, the city manager may be asked to provide clarification on existing policy.

[1:21] Please limit your comments to three minutes.

[1:24] So first call for public form,

[1:29] second call for public form,

[1:34] third and final call for public form.

[1:38] Seeing none, I'll close the public forum and move it on to our consent agenda.

[1:50] I move to, I'm sorry, to approve all the consent items as submitted.

[1:59] Second.

[2:00] Let's move by Council Member Minon Kuchi, seconded by Council Member Simon.

[2:05] Is there any discussion?

[2:06] Is there any discussion?

[2:08] Is there any discussion?

[2:10] All those in favour? Say aye.

[2:13] Aye.

[2:14] All those opposed? Same sign. Passes unanimously.

[2:19] All right.

[2:20] Into our public hearing. So first up is discuss and consider altering the method of assessment

[2:26] for the city's forestry assessment.

[2:29] Mr. Green.

[2:31] Good evening, may or members of the City Council, Jordan Green, Director of Parks and Recreation.

[2:36] If you'll recall a few council workshops ago, we discussed some amendments to the forestry

[2:41] assessment.

[2:42] And there was some consensus among the council as to the path we wanted to take.

[2:48] Mainly looking at the graduated scale based on lot size with a cap for certain size lots

[2:55] at around $70 per year.

[2:59] You can see in your packet a summary that kind of shows that information.

[3:04] Unfortunately, while the finance department was looking at the numbers and starting to

[3:09] plug them into our tax software to do some quality analysis, they noticed some discrepancies

[3:14] in some of the numbers and some of the parcel numbers.

[3:18] And so we're having to take a closer look at some of those just to make sure the data is

[3:26] perfect before it's presented.

[3:28] And so the numbers in that summary might change very slightly from the final numbers that are presented.

[3:35] As such, we notice another public hearing to extend this conversation to the September 1st meeting where we'll take a look at it then.

[3:46] I'm happy to answer any questions about that in the meantime, but yeah, I'll keep it quick tonight, but we are looking at making a few small changes to that.

[3:57] So Mayor tonight, what we're really needing the council to consider in their motion is

[4:03] a motion to continue this item to the next council meeting which is the Camille, the

[4:12] first.

[4:13] Thank you.

[4:14] Thank you.

[4:15] Is there any questions for Mr. Green at this time?

[4:18] I

[4:21] asked about page 15, line 9 and 28.

[4:30] Aren't we starting at six and it's still on Monday, it's not Tuesday.

[4:37] That will be the first one that is Tuesday because it's September, we're going to start

[4:43] in September.

[4:44] Okay.

[4:45] Sorry.

[4:46] I thought September 1st was on Monday.

[4:54] Before we have a motion, I'll seek for public comment on this item.

[5:00] I would seek a motion to open up the public hearing.

[5:05] So moved.

[5:07] Second.

[5:07] Moved by Deputy Mayor Mademois, seconded by Council Member Simon, all those in favor say aye.

[5:13] Aye.

[5:13] All right.

[5:14] All those opposed?

[5:15] Same sign.

[5:16] Passes unanimously.

[5:17] All right, at this time, I'll open up for public comment on our public hearing, considering the method of assessment for the city's forestry assessment.

[5:27] So first call for public comment,

[5:32] second call for public comment,

[5:37] third and final call for public comment.

[5:41] Seeing none, I'll seek a motion to close the public hearing.

[5:45] Sound moved.

[5:46] Second.

[5:48] So

[5:52] I would seek a motion to continue the public hearing until all the next council meeting

[5:58] on September 1st.

[6:00] Yes, amended, so moved.

[6:02] Second.

[6:03] Move out.

[6:04] Deputy Mayor Manmo, seconded by Council Member Simon.

[6:08] Is there any discussion?

[6:11] All those in favour?

[6:13] Say aye.

[6:14] Aye.

[6:15] All those opposed same sign?

[6:19] We are continued on the sign.

[6:23] Next up on our discussion agenda is to discuss and consider recommendations to various boards.

[6:36] So first up about seeking a replacement on the urban transportation board that talk with

[6:49] our city manager and we reached out to Sunshine to see if that could actually be a staff member as well.

[6:58] I know that that is one meeting that is kind of difficult to hit and it is quite a time commitment as well.

[7:07] So if there was no any additional interest for that one, I would consider that the city manager or

[7:17] for his appointee for that board position.

[7:21] Yeah, I, that's what I was thinking.

[7:25] It's, it's what, two and a half hours, sometimes three hours on that board.

[7:31] Yeah.

[7:32] And more than one meeting.

[7:34] I mean, there's several of you on a committee and metal testify of that.

[7:41] And they make decisions that really we aren't in on.

[7:46] And

[7:51] then for the impact fee board, I do recommend Spencer Draper and Annie Hamilton on that, which will fill two of those seats, which two will still remain open.

[8:06] Council

[8:13] have any questions for me before I seek public comment.

[8:21] At this time, I'll open up for public comment on recommendations to the various boards.

[8:28] So first call for public comment,

[8:32] second call for public comment,

[8:37] third and final call for public comment.

[8:41] Seeing none, I'll close the public comment and bring it back to the council.

[8:46] Council.

[8:49] I move to adopt the mayor's recommendation to the various boards as discussed.

[8:54] Seconded.

[8:55] Move by Deputy Mayor Mademois, seconded by Council Member McGee.

[8:59] Is there any discussion?

[9:01] Is there any discussion?

[9:04] Is there any discussion?

[9:06] All those in favor say aye.

[9:08] Aye.

[9:09] All those opposed same sign passes unanimously.

[9:14] All right.

[9:14] Moving on to reports, one item just one of the bring up for awareness is a stream line on Thursday down at their office downtown Bozeman at the HRBC building is having a little lunch celebration for 20 years and a 20 year anniversary so I'll be attending that and so encourage any goes that can make it to come out and

[9:43] and shows support for our local bus services there.

[9:47] So, and that's all I had.

[9:50] Look to our city attorney.

[9:52] I have nothing to report.

[9:53] Thank you.

[9:54] And our city manager.

[9:56] Thank you, Mayor.

[9:58] First off is that the Mayfair Meadows pump track construction

[10:03] is slated to start on August 31st.

[10:06] And I'll be the first phase of that full project

[10:09] We're excited to see that get moving and progress there.

[10:14] The next one is that another reminder is that our parks department is hosting a 20th anniversary of the Splash Pad this Wednesday, August 19th from 12 to 2 p.m.

[10:28] And there will be free ice cream available to those who was to attend and they've dug up some cool pictures from when the Splash Pad was first started 20 years ago.

[10:39] to go. And in connection with that, I want to point out that our communications manager

[10:47] has put out a really cute little tick-tock video that we've also shared on other platforms

[10:54] trying to connect with our community and the various demographics they're in. And we've

[11:00] got a lot of good response from that, including the most commented comment. It's that the

[11:06] We're commented comment, we'll go with that, it's Monday, is that in conjunction with our parks director pointing out that we're studying what's the next phases of this flash pad is everybody would like to see a pool and I have to admit my first thought when I heard that is does anybody remember what we went through four years ago with the pool conversation, but yeah, it's been that long, but it's nice to see that our community

[11:36] community is engaging and sharing their thoughts and feedback on that front.

[11:40] So, we continue the progress forward of studying what's next for the splash pad area.

[11:45] I'm sure those comments will be taken into consideration.

[11:52] We've got a, there's a lot of construction going on because, you know, to count some member

[11:57] Minikuchi's point, it's either winter construction season and we've had a really long construction

[12:02] season this year.

[12:03] So just everybody be mindful and pay attention out there as progress is moving forward.

[12:10] And also want to thank the mayor for stepping in and taking some interviews this last week in regards to the Belgrade Lounge and its demolition progress.

[12:20] Looking forward to there, and then we are continuing to work with BNSF and their partners on getting a lease put together for the parking lot there.

[12:29] And staff would be very remiss if I didn't correct myself, because there was a huge debate on whether or not several or multiple hundreds.

[12:40] I don't remember what words I used, but I wanted to offer our correction that it is around 200 parking spots.

[12:50] Give or take is what would be in that parking lot and trying to set the record straight.

[12:57] That I also said if they wanted to sit up here and think on the fly and then nobody nobody took that up so

[13:07] So that's that's my report tonight appreciate that here

[13:10] Is

[13:14] this council have any questions for city manager like

[13:23] I'm on the water quality board and it's not meant for like four months and

[13:30] Then Matt has are there any other boards that need

[13:39] I just feel like I'm not exactly doing my part.

[13:49] Potentially, Camille and I can go back and look at the list and get back to the council on that.

[13:57] One of the things that's been a struggle and it's something that Kyla's issued an opinion on is sometimes in the past, on our advisory boards,

[14:08] that we didn't get citizens that wanted to participate, that we would have council members, staff, those as citizens, but there's concern with putting an advisory board with members of the City Council that's just going to turn around and advise themselves, again, like is that really the intent behind it, and one of those ones that we're struggling with is the impact fee advisory board, which our ordinance states that it's the city manager.

[14:37] there, one member of the development community, and I believe three citizens that need to be

[14:44] on there.

[14:45] And we've struggled at getting that to fill because it really meets once every couple

[14:51] of years when you establish and review and look at the impact fee ordinance and the review.

[15:00] After that, there's not much work for that board to do, and so we have a few others like that, but I'll look into it and get back to the council.

[15:13] Maybe to put you on the spot, or maybe put Murph on the spot. I know that did the leak detection

[15:20] in the state streets, I guess was that successful? Or it was successful in the fact that the

[15:26] the process that they used seem to work.

[15:31] We didn't locate any large substantial leaks, which is good.

[15:38] It's going to be interesting as we continue to progress.

[15:42] We talked about this, I won't put it in too depth, but there's not a lot of old sections of town where leaks would remain.

[15:49] We've got a lot of new developments that are unlikely to have them.

[15:54] And so we're going to continue that and report back.

[15:59] We're trying to, you know, get below that 30% mark in unbuild water usage.

[16:07] And that's kind of an industry standard that's out there.

[16:11] If you're hitting that mark, which are really close to it, then you're probably normal.

[16:15] Because any water utilities can have a little bit of leakage into the ground.

[16:19] So it worked, didn't find anything major in our first round.

[16:22] Any

[16:27] other questions for City Manager?

[16:31] All right. Seeing none, please take note on the scheduled meetings and events coming up, and we'll start with the Fridge. I mean, Council Member Guthie.

[16:44] I have nothing to report.

[16:46] Councilmember McGee.

[16:49] I feel like I need to make a small note as stepping aside from the UTT board.

[16:54] It was a privilege to work on the board of the UTT.

[16:57] I'm very proud of two of the bigger accomplishments that were accomplished in the very, very short time.

[17:02] I was there, which was that the bus line needed to figure out a way to get the bus to the airport.

[17:09] And they did a very good job of figuring that out.

[17:11] And actually here in the fall, we will see the pink line of the UTD.

[17:16] The streamline bus go to the airport, go around Belgrade, and

[17:19] back to the airport before heads into town, and not stopping at Walmart, but

[17:23] actually stopping at the bus depot on Main Street.

[17:25] And so I think this is a really great step for

[17:28] the streamline bus to include ridership and help serve the airport in a way that they weren't able to serve them before.

[17:35] And then a small kind of a accomplishment that I feel like I had absolutely no pardon but it was still kind of a fun thing to see during my time on the board was moving the bus shelter from behind TNC where it was probably neglected ignored and abused and moving it to the public library where it will be cherished and used on a regular basis by folks that are wanting to use the public library.

[17:59] So, in my short time on the UTD, I'm very proud of the things that they accomplished.

[18:04] And I hope that the next person who steps up to be on board in my replacement continues this kind of work to represent Belgrade on the UTD.

[18:14] My reasons are simply personal, and I was not able to keep up with the meetings and the demand, and I needed to make sure that I served what I take care of closely first before I can try to serve others.

[18:25] So thank you council member council member Simon. I don't have anything. Council member Manacucci. I have nothing.

[18:36] Council member Bell. Nothing to report. Deputy Mayor Mademois. I have nothing to report either.

[18:42] Just one more pass. Anything else for the get-of-the-order?

[18:48] All right, so we'll have another reminder that our meetings are moving to Tuesdays September 1st at 6 p.m.

[18:59] Which I just noticed the agenda on the FY still sits 7.

[19:08] See commotion to adjourn.

[19:09] Motion to adjourn.

[19:10] Second.

[19:11] Move second.

[19:12] All those in favor say aye.

[19:14] Aye.

[19:14] All those both same side, we're adjourned. Thank you

Aug 17, 2026 City Council

Transcript