[0:09] >> Good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to the 8/24/2026

[0:16] billing City Council regular business meeting.

[0:19] It's a great day in the city of Billings. And I'm glad you're

[0:23] all here.

[0:24] Just a quick reminder. This is the last City Council meeting

[0:27] of the month. So for those of you who come here every Monday

[0:31] don't bother because we won't be here.

[0:36] Would you all please rise for the pledge of allegiance.

[0:44] I do.

[0:45] >> That lag.

[0:47] It's a fact.

[0:49] I which is an.

[0:58] >> Seating

[0:59] Mister putin

[1:01] states standing, please.

[1:04] >> Gracious God as we gather here tonight, we ask for your

[1:08] divine guidance as we represent the people of our community

[1:12] protect us.

[1:14] Watch over all of those who serve us from our first

[1:17] responders to the last responders

[1:20] gracious God give a short piece.

[1:23] Help us to mourn the loss of life that has occurred in our

[1:25] community

[1:27] and be with the family. The Friends of those who mourn

[1:29] these losses

[1:32] may their souls and the souls of all the departed through the

[1:34] mercy of God. Rest in peace.

[1:38] You may be seated.

[1:50] >> This bone. Would you call the roll.

[1:52] >> Yes, mayor

[1:54] councilmember Shaw here Nicholson president neas

[1:58] president and then air. Gary, you're a Kennedy

[2:02] has been lighter

[2:04] Langley air plant.

[2:06] But I do

[2:08] mayor Nelson.

[2:13] >> Alright Council. We have minutes from the meeting of

[2:16] 8/10/2026,

[2:19] are there any changes

[2:23] then I entertain a motion to accept the minutes

[2:27] Shaw.

[2:30] Mister nice. I move to approve the minutes from August 10 to

[2:33] 2026

[2:35] Mister needs seconds.

[2:37] A discussion or debate about that

[2:40] seeing none. Let's vote all those in favor of accepting the

[2:43] minutes of 8/10/2026 please indicate by saying aye aye.

[2:48] All those opposed say no.

[2:51] That is a unanimous vote

[2:54] Council courtesies

[2:58] this mayor.

[3:02] >> I would like to recognize Murray's element.

[3:05] He was born August 30th and 1919 miles city, Montana.

[3:11] He was born of the time that didn't enjoy the

[3:16] medical care that we have now. His twin sister died at birth

[3:19] and his mother died 2 days later

[3:22] through Mister or doctor Hellman's career. He worked to

[3:27] correct part of that.

[3:28] He and his team developed over 40 vaccines, including 8 that

[3:33] appear on routine. Childhood vaccinations is includes

[3:37] measles mumps hepatitis a hepatitis B chickenpox by Syria

[3:42] manager. This kept a caucus to mourn the eye office in one's.

[3:48] I personally remember having both measles and mumps.

[3:52] I've seen people die of hepatitis B,

[3:55] I remember when

[3:58] lumbar punctures spinal taps on babies or something. Residents

[4:03] and training did almost every night they were on call because

[4:08] children were suffering from streptococcus pneumonia or

[4:11] marvelous influenza meningitis. You don't have to see that.

[4:15] You know, it's often

[4:19] it's estimated that his work with these vaccines continues

[4:23] to save a million lives a year.

[4:28] I would also like to point out that

[4:31] riverstone health.

[4:33] It's having a walk-in immunization clinic

[4:39] through Thursday, August 27th 09:00AM to 01:00PM and from

[4:45] 08:00AM to noon and

[4:50] 05:00PM.

[4:51] So take advantage of the work of reason. Helmand.

[4:55] One of the Montana says saved more lives than we can imagine.

[5:00] >> Thank you. Councilmember Nicholson councilmember Aspen

[5:03] line.

[5:04] >> Yeah.

[5:07] Just wanted to thank our team, the with police fire and the

[5:12] airport for all the work that went into the air show.

[5:16] The show went off flawlessly. I mean, it was a phenomenal of

[5:20] that. There was

[5:22] thousands and thousands of people up there

[5:25] traffic moving in and out very smoothly. The event ran great

[5:29] and

[5:31] the work that was going on behind the scenes by our teams

[5:34] to support that show and to make that show go

[5:37] was was pretty phenomenal and and much appreciated by by me

[5:41] and the community

[5:44] nobody noticed and that's the goal. But the airport team did

[5:49] a phenomenal job. And and the PD and fire also in supporting

[5:53] and making sure that everybody was safe and secure. And we had

[5:56] a great event for a community that was that was phenomenal so

[6:00] kudos to to those 3 departments and the team

[6:05] read about for our community and it went off flawlessly.

[6:08] I I hope that they they come back again.

[6:12] The courtesies.

[6:16] >> Thank you to the to you. We have a proclamation as

[6:20] August 31st of this month is

[6:24] overdose awareness day.

[6:30] Whereas

[6:31] August. 31 is international overdose. Awareness day.

[6:35] A global day to remember those lost to overdose and support

[6:40] those left behind

[6:42] and whereas overdoses preventable

[6:45] and every life lost represents a family friends and the

[6:49] community for ever changed

[6:52] and whereas stigma remains one of the greatest barriers to

[6:56] people seeking treatment and recovery

[6:59] knowing that substance. It

[7:01] use disorder is a treatable medical condition and recovery

[7:05] is possible.

[7:07] And whereas communities can save lives

[7:10] by increasing awareness

[7:12] expanding access to treatment supporting recovery and making

[7:16] overdose prevention resources like

[7:19] the lack some widely available

[7:22] and whereas the city of Billings recognizes the work of

[7:26] health care providers.

[7:28] First responders, peer support specialists recovery

[7:32] organizations and community partners working every day to

[7:36] prevent overdose deaths.

[7:39] And whereas overdose awareness. Montana honors lives lost

[7:44] celebrates recovery and inspires hope through

[7:47] education, remembrance and community action.

[7:51] Now. Therefore, I Mike maze Nelson. That's me. Mike Nelson,

[7:56] mayor of Billings do hereby proclaim 8/31/2026 to be

[8:03] overdose awareness day

[8:06] in the city of Billings. And I encourage all citizens to

[8:09] learn the signs of an overdose

[8:12] carry naloxone if appropriate and support individuals and

[8:16] families affected by substance abuse disorders with compassion

[8:21] rather than judgment

[8:23] together. We can reduce overdose deaths and build a

[8:27] healthier,

[8:28] more compassionate community where everyone has the

[8:31] opportunity to recover.

[8:34] So going to sign this

[8:36] proclamation now making it official

[8:38] and we have a couple of folks who would like to come forth

[8:41] and say a few words.

[8:52] >> Mayor Nelson deputy mayor boy at thank you so much.

[8:56] Members of the City Council. We truly appreciate you

[8:58] recognizing overdose awareness day

[9:01] on August 31st. I am here with the ladies who not only run but

[9:05] sounded overdose awareness day Montana.

[9:08] Each one of us has suffered something very personal to want

[9:11] to bring this to our community. And this event to our

[9:15] community. Our mission is simple. But incredibly

[9:18] important to raise awareness about substance, use and

[9:20] overdose in our community to offer support and hope to

[9:23] people struggling with addiction and to honor without

[9:26] stigma or shame to people who've lost their lives to drug

[9:29] load related deaths and the families who continue to carry

[9:32] their grief.

[9:33] That last part matters behind every overdoses. A person

[9:36] someone's child, someone's parent. Someone sibling spouse

[9:40] friend co-worker neighbor. Their life cannot and should

[9:43] not be reduced to the way they died and not as well. Mission

[9:46] is simple important.

[9:48] I have Kim edinger who is the CEO of overdose awareness.

[9:52] And Carol Keenan, who is the co-founder of overdose

[9:55] awareness, Montana. We're very grateful. I understand our

[9:58] event is held during regular work session of City Council.

[10:01] So we likely won't see many of you there, but we truly,

[10:04] truly appreciate your support and was grateful for for the

[10:08] recognition us tonight.

[10:12] >> Would you like to come up with the picture we would.

[10:15] And Judy may come on duty.

[10:42] >> Council member.

[10:44] 1, 2, 3, 2, 3,

[10:51] >> This

[11:13] are there any Council reports

[11:17] yesterday's budget meeting will be this Wednesday at 09:00PM

[11:22] here in studio.

[11:23] He said again, I didn't hear that.

[11:26] But the meeting will be here Wednesday. This is a little bit

[11:28] low

[11:30] Wednesday here at City Hall. 9 o'clock, 9 o'clock, AM

[11:36] anything else. Anyone else.

[11:40] >> So the legislative committee, Matt, we didn't have

[11:42] a qorum, but we are putting together all of the priorities

[11:45] for the coming session. I emailed out to the council.

[11:48] If you got a chance to look at what our priorities and where

[11:51] we're at House money says only one that I know has responded

[11:55] so far with some additions possibly. But the sooner you

[11:58] can get it. We want to nail this down so we can get

[12:00] something in for the council to approve as a marching orders

[12:04] going forward. So thank you.

[12:06] >> Thank you, Mister quit

[12:08] and just a reminder. The operations committee is meeting

[12:11] Thursday at 10 o'clock. There's a 10 o'clock.

[12:18] >> Mister Flynn administrator report. Thanks, mayor. And

[12:22] Council have a few things for you tonight number want to do

[12:24] want to acknowledge that banana ball is here in town this

[12:27] weekend and the business speeding prior to this Council

[12:30] approved a some extra additional met bus routes being

[12:33] paid for by the downtown urban renewal district and we had

[12:37] over 1700. Right. So we're taking advantage of during that

[12:41] free time and that time span when those extra routes were

[12:44] added.

[12:45] I also want to announce and went out this afternoon that

[12:48] Jennifer Robinette has been selected as our new public

[12:51] works director and she will start on October 1st. So she's

[12:54] excited to get here and get involved in the public works

[12:58] department. And as the mayor said, there is no meeting next

[13:02] Monday, August 31st as it is a bye week.

[13:05] There is the strategic planning survey that is out there.

[13:09] So council members have not taken that. Please log on and

[13:13] take that and then Juliet would really appreciate it. Have.

[13:16] We can get a council for road on either October 12th through

[13:19] October 26. So if you could respond or her on a date that

[13:23] would work there that would be appreciative. And lastly,

[13:26] there's no ex parte Communications received after

[13:29] 03:08PM, today for the mayor and Council concerning items on

[13:32] the agenda tonight.

[13:34] >> Great. Thank, you know, move to the public comment portion

[13:38] of our meeting. This will be public comment on the agenda,

[13:41] on the agenda item. One only

[13:45] public comment on the agenda item one. So if you're here to

[13:48] speak, please make sure you signed in.

[13:51] Tell us your name and where you live and take you 3 minutes.

[13:59] >> Good evening, mayor and City Council members. My name is

[14:02] Jeff kettle Senate within the 5th Ward.

[14:05] Yes, this weekend was absolutely wonderful.

[14:09] Our military definitely can put on the show.

[14:12] Hope the next time they come. They praying the stumps from 29

[14:16] palms, California

[14:18] here. That's a great show, too.

[14:22] Tonight. I'd like to speak about one. Now

[14:26] it's calling for the public. So ups storm and sewer revenue

[14:30] refunding bonds

[14:33] approximately 6 weeks ago. Councilmember S and later told

[14:36] us that

[14:38] that

[14:41] system development, these and we didn't have impact fees

[14:46] and he told us that

[14:48] councilmember nice was going to look into

[14:51] impact fees for the site here. Storm sewer revenue.

[14:56] It's $11.11 million dollar bond.

[15:00] So I think you missed that Mister has been minor.

[15:04] But I'm sure that councilmember nice is working on it like he's

[15:07] been for the last 25 years.

[15:12] You see citizens

[15:15] here in Billings.

[15:16] It's controlled by the builders developers,

[15:20] real estate companies, infrastructure companies

[15:24] to not controlled by you. These people don't represent

[15:27] you.

[15:29] That's who they represent.

[15:31] So

[15:32] take a look at one now, that's 11 million bucks

[15:37] that should be paid by impact fees.

[15:40] But it's not

[15:41] because this body

[15:44] and previous bodies have made the decision

[15:48] and his decision and is

[15:50] take your money,

[15:51] give it to people

[15:53] that you don't even know

[15:58] councilmember Nicholson

[16:01] a couple of meetings ago you spoke about impact fees for the

[16:04] Fire Department and the Police Department.

[16:09] I haven't heard anything about that since then.

[16:12] So ask you tonight to stand up and take take the bull by the

[16:16] rains.

[16:17] Maybe stand up for the citizens.

[16:20] Maybe try and get it done before another 11 million

[16:22] dollars comes before this board

[16:26] make the citizens pay for

[16:30] enough is enough.

[16:33] You see

[16:35] put a stop to that Angeles

[16:38] and was cast lighting of the Citizens

[16:41] for the special interests, people that you represent

[16:47] and a side note, I'm happy that Mister Esper councilmember

[16:51] escalators being removed from the budget Committee.

[16:54] Not sure that the one we're guns any better.

[17:05] >> Any further public comment

[17:13] seeing none. We'll close that part of the meeting and we will

[17:16] move to the consent agenda

[17:19] before us for separations. Are there any

[17:23] questions? We are getting a specific guidance.

[17:27] Mister nice,

[17:28] thank you, mayor. I did have a question regarding one e

[17:33] I guess Evan, the rainiest at Stratus is that individuals are

[17:38] as a person here. Her back is coming. Okay.

[17:41] Mac. But as I look through this, it looks like they they

[17:44] did quite a bit of work to get the same prepared. And I was

[17:48] wondering if

[17:51] if the county actually went out to like a third-party company

[17:55] to see if they were actually maintain the street light

[17:57] instead of the city. You know, if they did that and what that

[17:59] cost would have been.

[18:01] >> A council memories that I don't know the answer.

[18:03] Actually.

[18:06] Yeah. I don't I don't know that. Okay. It seems like they

[18:09] were going to support this at our cost, which is below a

[18:13] $1700 a year to maintain that light is fair. It seems pretty

[18:17] low to maintaining that light for all year long and they're

[18:20] going to pay a lot of the maintenance and the and

[18:22] whatever needs to be done.

[18:24] But it it just pulls our crew outside the city

[18:29] and even in the bus. So when they fire go out, the the pay a

[18:32] premium for that. So was there any premium put into this for

[18:37] me confirmation or is it strictly cost.

[18:40] >> Councilmember niece Marion Council. A couple couple items

[18:43] there. There's there's kind of 2 pieces to that. We kind of

[18:45] looked at. I'm talking with our student traffic. What's what's

[18:49] kind of the annual cost. You have to do their bones to

[18:51] make sure the thing is operation on that. That's kind

[18:54] of that 1700. Now that also includes what I call a burden

[18:58] overhead. So that's labor costs plus benefits, et cetera.

[19:03] So that's a

[19:04] and that that 0 cost and then on top of that, let's say

[19:09] something happens out there. We need to go fix something.

[19:12] Then there's a a sort of unlimited plan to materials but

[19:16] think it's run into once a week. We have to go fix

[19:18] something in. There's a time and materials element in

[19:21] addition to the base cost.

[19:23] >> Okay. But those are at at our city cost. Correct

[19:27] the city costs that would include, you know, labor direct

[19:31] labor and see. I mean, this is where it then I think this is

[19:35] where I think I'm going to separate vote against this is

[19:37] because

[19:38] when we look at our our public works Department and the

[19:42] and the the landfill, the county residents are paying a

[19:47] premium 50% more

[19:49] when we look at the bus, but they're paying a premium to

[19:52] have our Fire Department out there and now they're asking us

[19:55] to have public works department go out and work in County

[19:57] County, infrastructure. And I think if they're going to do

[20:01] that, they need to pay a premium. And so

[20:04] I appreciate the information. I just want to see if I was

[20:06] going to be just cost or if it was going to have a premium on

[20:09] it appears it's not having a premium on it.

[20:12] And so I unless re one of the less we can if illegal canned

[20:17] answer the question now, if we can do a premium on this.

[20:20] This contract now or we can. Those are just separated out

[20:25] and vote against it. So thank you. Thank you.

[20:31] I was just going to respond to that. We've been

[20:35] that partnership has been around since the 90's that

[20:39] we've worked with the county

[20:41] on maintaining we also work on the state,

[20:48] the

[20:50] signals and stuff on this on the state areas to. So

[20:54] that's been around for a while.

[20:57] But that's not my comment. Yeah. Okay. Thank you.

[21:03] On item, 2 on our item. One on the words on optimist Park

[21:08] lighting project.

[21:10] Thank you for getting now going that's very important

[21:14] and that will lighten up to the park area. When will that be

[21:19] finished.

[21:22] >> Mayor and Council customer Kennedy. It sent us to be

[21:24] finished next. Probably 60 to 60 to 80 days. Okay.

[21:30] So we can expect

[21:31] that the lights will be there

[21:33] by the time we start to get dark

[21:36] whether to, OK, thank you.

[21:41] >> Any other questions Mister o'dell.

[21:44] >> On item. I.

[21:48] >> I have a question about that. General question

[21:52] represented by Laura. I don't know of

[21:54] who would we represent? A cage

[21:59] is a Reed is a nation of the Billings MPO and other changes.

[22:06] Is this in any way

[22:09] IM in ish the

[22:11] prior to the authority of this Council. I yield to get to some

[22:16] other

[22:17] other

[22:18] regional organization.

[22:20] >> Thank you, mayor and Council councilman o'donnell know it is

[22:23] not what it does is the policy coordinating committee which

[22:27] this designate is still going to be made up of the mayor.

[22:30] The county commissioner MDT to make the final policy decision

[22:34] on MPO projects. However, the MPO will still be just as

[22:38] active and involved with the council and the county as we

[22:41] are now. When we bring projects forward. So whatever the mayor

[22:43] brings forward for the MPO as far as the City Council is

[22:46] concerned, it will have been through City Council and

[22:50] discussed in given his direction.

[22:54] >> All right. The questions regarding the

[22:56] Mister Boyett them is shot and Mister Nicholson,

[23:00] thank you, mayor. One J. We always want to apply

[23:03] donations to the city

[23:05] in this case for the Billings Police Department canine

[23:08] program. Their controls of Billings probably read covid

[23:12] each empire heating and cooling and Northwest pipe and fittings

[23:16] donated money for a total of $2100. Thank you. Thank you.

[23:19] Thank you.

[23:22] Michaud says that's

[23:24] you stole her thunder, Mister where it. All right. The doctor

[23:27] Nicholson

[23:29] a few things.

[23:31] >> I like to recognize and Bill cool

[23:35] for their generous donation for the sculpture. A hockey player

[23:38] at the human recreation campus, very generous donation.

[23:44] We also have a comment or a question on

[23:47] one F

[23:48] purchase of traffic controller equipment.

[23:53] I was wondering how many intersections that would serve

[23:56] for how long. I have some questions about the camera

[23:59] capabilities.

[24:03] >> Councilmember Nicholson their counsel

[24:06] so that will do about 15 intersections. What we're doing

[24:09] is we're going through

[24:10] brought to Italy, proactively selecting once controlling the

[24:14] upgrading the controllers and then the camera. Some of the

[24:17] cameras are still in good shape. Sorter leaving those.

[24:20] But the controllers processors are not being supported

[24:22] anymore. We kept Stone. And so we're getting those replaced

[24:26] with a new upgraded controllers.

[24:28] >> The other question I had is up

[24:30] the cameras

[24:33] do what are the safeguards we have in place to keep those

[24:37] from being used for illegal or otherwise improper purposes.

[24:43] >> So right now we don't do any recording for those. The camera

[24:46] simply that act does own. So when a car pulls up into its

[24:50] own set of Q and in the process or decides whether to extend

[24:54] that time or shorten the time to keep traffic flowing

[24:57] preparation. We actually just get back a picture. It's still

[25:01] picture after still picture, not an actual video recorder.

[25:06] >> Any other questions regarding Senate agenda.

[25:09] All right. That will move to ask for separations.

[25:14] But Mister Kennedy,

[25:18] I would ask to separate segregate place.

[25:24] Thank you. Miss anybody else Mister nice item when he

[25:34] anything else. Mister would go ahead. And the mayor of like to

[25:37] make a motion to approve the consent agenda items except for

[25:40] one. Ian 01:00AM second

[25:43] seconded by

[25:45] Mister Pittman.

[25:47] Any discussion regarding the motion. Mister Boyett

[25:51] anybody else.

[25:52] All those in favor of the motion, please indicate by

[25:56] saying aye aye. All those opposed. Please say no,

[26:01] that passes unanimously

[26:03] will now take up item.

[26:05] The student alphabetical order. Mister neices separation.

[26:08] One e

[26:10] parents separated that out to vote against that. I will say

[26:13] that they believe that. But the city needs to reevaluate the

[26:16] policy for their there maintaining city or State

[26:20] Street lights. I can understand the state roads where it's it's

[26:24] amputations for the city too

[26:27] maintain those light so we can because the state may take a

[26:29] little longer. But I think the county County should have a

[26:33] responsibility that where we should follow what we're doing

[26:37] in other areas of the city where the using our Reza where

[26:40] our services for premium. So I only separated vote

[26:43] against this bill that someone else make a motion to approve.

[26:46] We have a motion. Mister Boyett.

[26:48] >> Thank you, mayor. I move to approve number. I began to

[26:51] item. Number one, he.

[26:54] >> Thank you. Do have a second.

[26:56] This Geary.

[27:00] All right. Mister Boyd, anything about your

[27:03] >> this is the 48th and what central that's going to be in

[27:05] the city within very short period of time. We do have

[27:08] working relationships with the county on items. We shouldn't

[27:12] be making profit on there.

[27:14] We should be our costs.

[27:16] I can see that this is $1700 as you want to be 18 or 2000 and

[27:21] make a difference. So I think we should approve this and move

[27:24] forward.

[27:26] Further discussion regarding the motion.

[27:29] >> All right. We'll move to a vote in all those in favor of

[27:34] motion regarding item. One e please indicate by saying aye

[27:38] all those opposed nay.

[27:41] So it looks like the council members Nicholson and knees.

[27:45] Our nose

[27:47] 92

[27:49] item. Then Mister Kennedy. 01:00AM

[27:54] I segregated am because I voted against it. A no vote against

[27:58] him.

[28:01] We have a motion that Mister he's

[28:05] is Jennifer here tonight. Yeah. But mayor make a motion

[28:08] to approve item one. And and then I'll make a amendment 2

[28:13] afterwards after its a second.

[28:19] Mister Linley seconded it.

[28:21] All right. Go ahead, Mister. Thank you. Mary spoke with

[28:26] Jennifer on this and also conferred with legal I I'm I'm

[28:29] recommending we make a change and I think Jennifer can bring

[28:32] that up and show it's a minor change to do some clarification

[28:35] and the number of cards

[28:37] and and residential cards as well as the ability as far as

[28:44] making sure that they when the staff does see multiple carts.

[28:48] There's going to be room enough for those carts there. So if

[28:50] you look at the screen,

[28:52] there's the recommended change. It's more of a clarification.

[28:57] Zpid public works is already doing this now.

[29:00] And and and they only pay for one card in the residential

[29:03] service. It appeared to kind of imply that they were going to

[29:07] get 2 cards. So the specifies one car to get more carts

[29:10] available at a fee.

[29:13] I would make a motion to adopt this minor amendment to the

[29:20] motion has shown.

[29:23] So you you're going to amend your motion to adopt that

[29:28] as it with the adoptions. Is that correct.

[29:31] And make an amendment to the motion said and it was second

[29:35] Mister Linley. All right. Let's vote on that. And unless

[29:38] there's further discussion.

[29:41] Okay.

[29:43] Those in favor of the mystery says motion. Please indicate by

[29:47] saying I I those opposed please say no, no,

[29:53] we need to then I guess we don't need to vote on the

[29:55] original motion. We're good.

[29:57] All right. So let's vote on the original motion nice

[30:01] the amended motion,

[30:04] OK. Thank you

[30:06] all those in favor of the amended motion. Please indicate

[30:09] by saying aye. I

[30:11] all those opposed. Please say no, no,

[30:14] Mister Aspen later, Mister Kennedy and doctor Nicholson

[30:18] Arnaud's 8 to 3.

[30:22] That brings us to

[30:25] our regular agenda item number 2, the public hearing for land

[30:29] use contra. I'm sorry. This Bowman I stole your thunder.

[30:33] Would you read item number 2.

[30:36] >> Public hearing for land use contrary to zoning for an

[30:40] electric and electronic message display EMT while sign at

[30:45] Highland elementary school located at 7.29 parkhill know

[30:51] Council action is necessary.

[30:56] >> All right. Good evening, mayor and Council. I'm pinching

[31:00] today. So thank you for bearing with me today. We have a land

[31:04] use country to zoning for Highland elementary school,

[31:07] which is located at 7.29 Park Hill drive. This is to allow an

[31:11] electronic message. You can displace which is basically a

[31:15] sign in p to district, which is our public civic and

[31:19] institutional district. So with the land use contrary to

[31:22] zoning. You do not have a vote on this. You hold a public

[31:26] hearing and then you can make suggestions to the applicant or

[31:29] their agent. So here we have a picture of the school as an

[31:34] aerial view.

[31:38] This is the proposed EMT sign

[31:42] one of their options that they're considering.

[31:46] This is another option that they're considering

[31:50] and this is what the signed currently looks like. It's a

[31:53] static messaging display sign. So with this, the applicant

[31:58] would still have to go through a signed permitting process and

[32:01] they would still be subject to our sign regulations which

[32:04] include Deming features as well as not having flashing as

[32:09] transitions have to be for 3 seconds. You have to stay on a

[32:12] permanent

[32:13] sine message. So just various other things that they would

[32:16] still be subject to.

[32:19] And with that, I will keep this short and sweet. That's all I

[32:22] have for you.

[32:23] >> Thank you very much.

[32:26] Yes, comments time is now. So Mister Kennedy,

[32:30] I would support this.

[32:32] This sign is kind of ugly up there now a new sign, a look

[32:36] nice and I'm a block away. Thank you,

[32:40] Mister Pruitt.

[32:42] I'm just curious to see anybody from Highland elementary school

[32:44] is here to talk about it

[32:51] looks like that's a

[32:55] oh yes. I Highland elementary school.

[32:59] It was New York.

[33:00] >> Just not principle Highland elementary. I'm so he's looking

[33:04] at updating our sign.

[33:07] I agree it's little outdated. And we're just

[33:11] it's also a little unsafe, Maya, so to ask you the latter

[33:14] out and chains assigned manually. So during the winter

[33:17] months, which is the wet or snowy. But he's out there

[33:21] trying to place a ladder in. So also be a little safer for

[33:25] us. Just trying to keep up with some of the other schools and

[33:29] I'm making things look nice and stay updated. So

[33:33] appreciate any that support and any feedback you have on.

[33:38] Thank you.

[33:39] >> Thank you for coming to hold on to say do we have any

[33:41] questions for principle.

[33:45] >> We we can't vote on this one way or another. But there are

[33:48] some regulations on the city's far as when you condemn the

[33:51] lights, you can't have strobe lights moment. I just want to

[33:54] make sure that you're going to follow those rules. Absolutely.

[33:57] >> Thank you. Thank you.

[34:00] >> Thank you very much.

[34:02] And moves on to item. Number 3.

[34:07] We do have to have a public hearing. Yes.

[34:10] So we're going to open it up for a public hearing. I'm sorry

[34:13] I only had that highlighted in green. So I didn't see it.

[34:16] Are there any public comment regarding the sign Island

[34:19] school.

[34:26] >> My name is land or sea. I'm here with the Billings

[34:28] Alliance for immigrant rights.

[34:32] You can talk about schools, but you can't talk about that in

[34:34] the sanctuary city on the agenda. 9 year-old girl.

[34:38] Authorities naps ice 9 year-old girl was kidnapped by nice.

[34:42] And you still will.

[35:07] >> Mister Dorsey

[35:10] Mister Dorsey

[35:13] to Dorsey.

[35:15] We've talked before about

[35:17] what is effective.

[35:19] I'm following our rules. And you've done well up to now

[35:22] all

[35:23] and you're going to have to continue to follow EU our

[35:25] rules. If you want to stay in here.

[35:32] People either

[35:34] you're going to need

[35:36] to follow our rules. If you want to stay in here.

[35:39] I'm sorry, but everybody else does.

[35:42] That's how we protect free speech here and that's how we

[35:46] protect people's right to participate in government is by

[35:49] following the rules.

[35:51] So please sit down.

[35:52] We're going to have to ask you to leave

[35:56] your choice,

[35:59] mayor. I make a motion to recess.

[36:02] I second that

[36:04] we're going to take a recess. Go ahead, folks. You can take a

[36:06] step

[43:14] seeing none. We'll move to item number 3.

[43:20] >> Public hearing a resolution creating the Billings airport

[43:24] authority

[43:25] and board of commissioners staff recommends approval.

[43:34] >> Spencer July with Stephen Baldwin Associates. I'm just

[43:37] here to say a few words about the proposed resolution before

[43:41] the public hearing. So this is the work out for before you

[43:46] following the May 2620 26 meeting for the creation of the

[43:53] Billings airport authority and a proposed governance structure

[43:57] thereof.

[43:58] So we worked with the airport governor's transition. Steering

[44:01] committee Council man has been lighter as well as councilman

[44:05] needs for both on that committee and helping form this

[44:09] resolution before you

[44:10] and I'm happy to answer any questions that anyone has on a

[44:17] but ultimately this is providing all the powers in

[44:20] accordance with state law for the creation of the airport

[44:23] authority

[44:26] I would like to

[44:27] and that there is one proposed

[44:31] change here for section 2.4

[44:35] and this is after some consultation with one of our

[44:39] committee members as well as legal counsel.

[44:44] I think we know holding up here momentarily.

[44:57] Okay. So I believe it's up on the screen now for everyone to

[45:00] see. So this is a section for removal for cause. So in item

[45:04] one, we're going to be proposing the addition of

[45:08] language that says or becomes physically or mentally

[45:11] incapacitated. So really the member ceasing to meet the

[45:14] qualifications for appointment or becomes physically or

[45:17] mentally incapacitated.

[45:22] Other than that, there are no proposed changes to the

[45:26] resolution.

[45:27] >> Thank you. Miss Roche evening. Guests. Mayor us City

[45:31] Council. Thank you.

[45:32] This was a great effort by the

[45:35] steering committee to put this together and a lot of work went

[45:39] into this lottery view

[45:41] and definitely encouraged to

[45:43] approval of this resolution to move this continue to move this

[45:47] process forward by establishing the board structure.

[45:52] >> Thank you. All right. Thank you. Anything else from

[45:54] either want to be.

[45:56] We have questions for prisoners

[45:59] Mister o'donnell and

[46:04] the giving Mister o'donnell, go ahead.

[46:06] >> Thank you. So in that conversation went back and

[46:10] forth by email and the agreement on the very last

[46:15] lines of the agreement.

[46:17] This section number H

[46:20] article 8.

[46:22] It says any changes made to this resolution shall be by an

[46:26] affirmative vote of the majority of the billing City

[46:29] Council diet dash elect.

[46:32] I would like to point out that by the that that that is a

[46:35] legal term City Council elected and city councils like is a

[46:41] City Council that has not been sworn in. They have no

[46:44] authority. Whatever.

[46:45] So I think that we corrected by just removing the everything.

[46:52] After the word Council.

[46:55] >> We go with that.

[46:59] >> Yes, yes. I'm sort of getting a question here from

[47:02] Mister Roach. That's that's correct. Council council,

[47:06] member o'donnell generally, when you have high intellect

[47:10] after counselor councilmember that's generally during the

[47:14] your time when something's been elected. But yet that has not

[47:16] yet taken office,

[47:18] counselor o'donnell's correct that that

[47:21] term would essentially referred to a council that cannot act.

[47:24] So I would agree that that would be inappropriate and it

[47:28] to remove hyphen elect.

[47:34] Thank you. I have one other

[47:36] one that I'm trying to find right here,

[47:39] councilman boy, it may help me into banking term

[47:46] and I'm trying to find it right here in view that the word is.

[47:52] >> I believe that you referred to banking. It's going to be in

[47:55] the section related to finances. So probably 5.1.

[48:00] >> It says such a positive shall be supported by bank

[48:03] pledges as prescribed under state statute. Never heard of

[48:08] the term bank pledges before that sounds like it's

[48:12] not not official non-binding.

[48:15] Just very curious phrase. Can you help us with that.

[48:19] >> Yes. So I'd be somewhere like being securities. So in

[48:23] for a municipality or government agency to want to

[48:25] have some type of security or pledged thereof

[48:29] or the funds of the airport authority already. So this is

[48:33] as a protection of the funds that you would have with a

[48:35] bank.

[48:37] >> So, yeah, there's FDIC up to a $350,000 and then a pledge is

[48:44] the bank is ensuring is guaranteeing all of that money

[48:49] up to whatever amount that they have been on their own.

[48:53] Yeah. And as such the bank to cut to cover that.

[48:58] >> The correct. There would be some form of security related

[49:01] to it that they would be pledging it as a holding of the

[49:05] funds for the authority. And this is common. This is

[49:08] common. I would imagine your city and so far it has

[49:11] something in place for the finances. The city. Thank you,

[49:16] Mister do it.

[49:18] >> Yes. Are in the banking businesses happens quite a bit

[49:20] because you know that or you have multiple checking account

[49:23] or savings accounts that so they don't exceed that. But

[49:26] these are the bank will take Treasury bills or Treasury

[49:28] notes to guarantee the difference in cases of thank

[49:31] you. This is a common practice.

[49:35] >> Mister nice, thank you, mayor. I would say they could

[49:38] be in a committee. I think Spencer and his team has done a

[49:42] great job answering my questions and the rest of the

[49:44] community questions.

[49:46] This resolution was a look at pretty pretty rigorously bias,

[49:50] all maybe a little more by me with Spencer nigh on the phone

[49:53] later. But I appreciate the information they have. This is

[49:57] this does then turned the report over to the board

[49:59] eventually once we get them seated. But this is a good

[50:01] process. I think it's it's it's as a growing city.

[50:06] >> I think we're looking is the next step of this beam coming.

[50:09] So I look forward to this board eventually getting establishing

[50:13] this authority.

[50:14] >> It getting out there to see how they develop that whole

[50:17] airport now outside of the city control. So while we still have

[50:23] a little bit of the strings appointment of stuff. It is.

[50:26] It's going to be up to Jeff and his team moved this forward.

[50:29] So thank you again, Jeff worked with this. Bring this to a

[50:32] sitting council member asked fire if you were instrumental

[50:34] in that too. So appreciate that

[50:38] any other questions or comments.

[50:40] All right.

[50:43] I would. I do for a stall. So are you recommending that

[50:46] last word in section 9

[50:49] bash cool, a high from the left.

[50:54] Yes, mayor. I think that would be appropriate to have a couple

[50:57] of changes suggested. Can we just throw them into the

[50:59] original motion, then could somebody for the motion.

[51:04] We've got to do public hearing.

[51:07] Okay. So and opened a meeting up to public hearing regarding

[51:11] the Billings airport authority board item number 3

[51:14] for anybody who wants to speak to that.

[51:18] >> Mister mayor members City Councilman John Brewer,

[51:20] president CEO the Billings Chamber of Commerce on behalf

[51:23] of the chamber and visit buildings. We have the

[51:24] privilege of serving on the 7 month assessment and very much

[51:29] appreciate the process and the thoroughness and we

[51:31] wholeheartedly support the resolution. Thank you.

[51:37] >> Any other public comments regarding item number 3.

[51:44] All right. Seeing none.

[51:47] Now we would entertain them.

[51:50] But mistress Linares.

[51:51] I think that did a public hearing.

[51:53] Consider written and spoken public testimony. A move to

[51:56] approve.

[51:57] >> A resolution creating the Billings airport authority and

[52:00] board of commissioners as recommended by staff with the

[52:03] proposed to changes noted.

[52:07] >> Mister new seconds and

[52:10] clarification. This Trestman lighter. The proposed

[52:13] changes would be to add or becomes physically or mentally

[52:17] incapacitated item 2.4

[52:20] and to strike counsel act to strike the word elect article 8

[52:29] any comment or debate. Mister putin.

[52:32] >> Yeah. Mayor Council. I would just ask the the airport staff

[52:36] that may be holed some more meetings kind of explaining

[52:39] especially is as we take this step. What what the impact is

[52:42] to to the employees up at the airport when I was at the air

[52:46] show. I got a ride from one of the firefighters and I asked

[52:49] him what they thought of this whole thing and they said that

[52:52] they're still very confused and not sure. And uncertain as to

[52:56] how this unfolds and how this ends up affecting their job.

[52:59] So I would just encourage the airport administrator to to

[53:04] make sure that we hold a couple more meetings may be smaller

[53:08] with separating out different groups of the airport and

[53:11] educating them on on how this proceeds. I'm not sure where

[53:14] we're at an impasse. I'm thinking we're about halfway

[53:16] through.

[53:18] Is that correct.

[53:27] I know this is a significant step in the process. I think it

[53:31] kind of usher's as we go forward that we're moving

[53:34] forward and in this direction.

[53:37] >> Yes. So what would be happy to host more unemployed town

[53:41] halls. We did have the opportunity to host to what we

[53:44] can certainly host more or as we go forward and to the

[53:48] schedule we are on schedule right now and the anticipated

[53:51] transition timeline. It's going to be in June or beginning of

[53:56] July to correspond with the fiscal years. But our target is

[54:00] right now for the overall transition. So between now and

[54:04] then we're going to be working on standing up the authority

[54:07] next thing that will come to this Council will be the

[54:11] appointment of the commissioners and we have

[54:13] outlined a process for that. And then there will be several

[54:16] several agreements here this fall as well. We'll be working

[54:19] on and bringing forward to the council.

[54:24] >> The questions or discussion

[54:28] seeing none. We'll move on to move to a vote on the Mister

[54:31] escalators motion

[54:33] all those in favor, please indicate by saying aye aye.

[54:37] All those opposed say no. That is unanimous vote.

[54:48] >> He cleared Pullman going to move to item for public hearing

[54:51] in resolution setting annual road maintenance district

[54:55] number 6 assessments for fiscal year 2027 staff recommends

[55:00] approval.

[55:07] >> Good evening, mayor and City Council.

[55:13] >> This first item is rather small, but we have a lot of

[55:15] assessments.

[55:17] This is kind of the other side of the budget. Largely this

[55:20] evening. You take an actual a few items already setting

[55:23] revenue from this current fiscal year.

[55:26] The city of Billings has a it's the Briarwood emergency access

[55:31] road was built in 2015 to provide a secondary emergency

[55:38] access to Briarwood part of establishing that road. The

[55:44] road rmd 6 was created there. 51 properties that are assessed

[55:51] $55 a year to help maintain that gravel road for emergency

[55:56] access. This

[56:00] action would

[56:01] set the FY 27 assessment again at $55.28

[56:07] her property.

[56:09] That's all I have. Mayor. This is a public hearing

[56:12] and I am available for any questions.

[56:15] >> Thanks for the reminder about the hearing this drizzle

[56:17] or a Mister go yet.

[56:21] >> So Andy, I've been on this road before. It doesn't get any

[56:23] news. What what is $2800. What do you do with that mean.

[56:28] Is that 1, 2, or 3 piles of rock or what do you mean it's

[56:31] not towns. Like us lot of money.

[56:33] >> I suspect the annual maintenance on this is quite

[56:35] limited to weed spring in. I believe occasionally it will

[56:39] wash out from a storm. It's have to go catch an area.

[56:42] So they just accumulate funds over time.

[56:48] >> Anything else for Mister Zoeller.

[56:50] I will move to a public hearing and regarding item number for

[56:54] anyone wants to speak to item. Number 4, please come forward

[57:03] seeing none. We'll close the public hearing and

[57:07] to the motion phase of this.

[57:10] Mister do it.

[57:12] Thank you, mayor having conducted a public hearing

[57:15] considered written and spoken public testimony. A move to

[57:18] approve the resolution setting and a road maintenance. A

[57:21] district number 6 assessments for fiscal year 2, 0, 2,

[57:25] 7, as recommended by staff.

[57:28] Mister nice. Second

[57:29] Mister needs seconds.

[57:32] Mister Boyd any discussions your motion.

[57:35] Anybody have any questions debate or discussion

[57:39] seeing none. Let's move to a vote. All those in favor of

[57:42] Mister Boyce motion, please indicate by saying aye aye.

[57:47] All those opposed say no.

[57:49] That is unanimous.

[57:54] Alright MS Bowman. We are ready for item. 5.

[57:57] >> Of the caring resolution setting annual Park maintenance

[58:01] district and D assessments for fiscal year 2027 staff

[58:06] recommends approval.

[58:10] >> Good evening, mayor and City Council

[58:12] this resolution before you would establish assessments for

[58:16] the fiscal year 27 Park maintenance districts. There

[58:19] are 36 PM tease across the city. Each varying sizes and

[58:25] different levels of service provided

[58:29] these that there's about 6500 properties that are in within a

[58:33] pnd. So not every property in Billings.

[58:38] The total annual Sussman says just under 1.7 million. This is

[58:42] slightly less than last year. Additionally, it slightly less.

[58:45] We had anticipated

[58:47] during budget discussions show you in the next slide. The

[58:51] breakdown is also in your staff memo. The reason for these

[58:53] reductions are every year we look at cash balances estimate

[58:58] future the next year's expenses and try to

[59:03] my stomach was a shun there. So we're not expecting too much

[59:06] and also collecting enough. Additionally in ironwood.

[59:10] There were some changes made with future plans for their

[59:13] entry way sign. So you'll see a huge drop at ironwood relative

[59:17] to prior years. But it's specifically related to how the

[59:21] H.O.A. wanted

[59:22] to fund the replacement of that future sign

[59:26] average annual charge right onto and $75 for the

[59:32] of those 6500 properties.

[59:35] So this slide shows the change from fiscal year 26 to fiscal

[59:39] year 27. That's total revenue per

[59:43] pmd and you'll see ironwood over there on the right in

[59:48] about the middle with the $43,000 reduction in its annual

[59:52] charge again, that's too that sign

[59:55] the change there

[59:57] with that mayor. This also is a public hearing but staff

[1:00:02] available to answer questions.

[1:00:04] >> Thank you. Any questions for our presenter.

[1:00:08] Okay. I will open the meeting up to a public hearing

[1:00:12] regarding item. Number 5.

[1:00:22] >> Good evening, mayor and City Council members. My name is

[1:00:24] Jeff couple summit with the 5th Ward.

[1:00:29] We're going to set the rates for everybody's

[1:00:32] and the city for the park district for the maintenance.

[1:00:36] I'd like to from the citizens of something that very

[1:00:39] interesting one on

[1:00:41] the June turned Park district board meeting

[1:00:45] a gentleman in Rick,

[1:00:47] the 4

[1:00:49] talked about

[1:00:51] reinstituting a tax

[1:00:54] and the citizens. It's an opt out tax

[1:00:58] currently this. This tax was instituted

[1:01:02] years and years and years ago.

[1:01:04] And then the state passed a law

[1:01:07] that basically got rid of it.

[1:01:09] It was a sneaky way of increasing your property tax so

[1:01:13] you don't get the vote on it. They just added to it

[1:01:27] anyways

[1:01:33] at the meeting. At the meeting. He talked about reinstituting

[1:01:36] the stacks and our

[1:01:37] director Calvin

[1:01:40] he supported that the supported it. But what was really

[1:01:42] interesting that the meeting was like I lived in bizarro and

[1:01:46] per second,

[1:01:47] we don't have enough money to.

[1:01:49] We don't have enough money to maintain our parks is basically

[1:01:52] what it is.

[1:01:54] At the same meeting

[1:01:56] this lady gets up

[1:02:00] and she's

[1:02:01] I think her name is Jackie of the buildings kind Association

[1:02:05] and she has a proposal about giving citizens money

[1:02:10] to build a new tennis court that the amend recreation area.

[1:02:16] It was like, wait a second.

[1:02:18] We don't have enough money to maintain our parks. But we're

[1:02:20] going to give this lady millions and millions of

[1:02:21] dollars.

[1:02:23] I didn't understand this. It was like it was really

[1:02:26] bizarre land

[1:02:29] anyways.

[1:02:31] What I'm trying to make errors see again. Here is another

[1:02:35] another example.

[1:02:38] Make you pay and give

[1:02:40] our money away to nonprofits that we don't get any benefit

[1:02:44] for him.

[1:02:47] So many ways when when through this this

[1:02:50] Levy or whatever it is.

[1:02:54] Think about what's coming down the pike

[1:02:57] and maybe, maybe just maybe stand up a little bit for

[1:03:00] yourself.

[1:03:01] Come here and tell him to make a quick given where money

[1:03:05] maintain our own equipment maintain our parks.

[1:03:09] Think about our kids.

[1:03:12] This kind of speech,

[1:03:13] just kind of things, not even going to be open to the public.

[1:03:16] You're going to have to pay for it.

[1:03:18] It's it's it's it's bizarre when anyways. Thank you.

[1:03:22] Have a great day.

[1:03:25] >> Any other public comment regarding item. Number 5

[1:03:31] seeing none. We'll close the public hearing portion

[1:03:35] and come back.

[1:03:37] Mister Zoeller.

[1:03:39] I guess we would entertain a motion.

[1:03:45] >> Having conducted a public hearing consider written and

[1:03:48] spoken public testimony. I move to approve a resolution

[1:03:51] setting annual Park maintenance district assessments for fiscal

[1:03:53] year 2027 as recommended by staff. Second.

[1:03:57] >> This trip in seconds.

[1:04:00] Any discussion, the shot,

[1:04:03] anybody else have any discussion or debate regarding

[1:04:06] the ocean.

[1:04:09] All right. Time to vote, folks. All those in favor of the

[1:04:11] motion, please indicate by saying aye aye. All those

[1:04:15] opposed say no.

[1:04:17] That's the unanimous

[1:04:20] item. Number 6.

[1:04:24] >> We can resolution establishing general transit

[1:04:29] library and public safety funds mill levies for fiscal year

[1:04:33] 2027 staff recommends approval.

[1:04:39] >> Good evening, mayor and City Council. This would set this

[1:04:42] resolution before you will set the number of Mills for the

[1:04:45] entire city for fiscal year 27 and a few things to go through

[1:04:52] the try to address all of this in the staff memo. There's

[1:04:56] couple Dist

[1:04:57] questions that are has to me earlier today. So about a few

[1:05:00] things that was not we're not including a staff memo

[1:05:04] as well. So overall,

[1:05:08] as you may be aware every year the city get certified value

[1:05:11] from the state of Montana and says you're taxing jurisdiction

[1:05:14] is worth this this year. The value, the taxable value

[1:05:18] increase from the city of Billings by 7.6% that took the

[1:05:22] value of one mill for about 233,000 to 250,000

[1:05:30] the increase in taxable value is made up of 2 things. One is

[1:05:34] new construction. You know, its annexation new buildings.

[1:05:38] The other one is appreciation or changes in tax law this

[1:05:42] year. A large portion of art taxable value increases related

[1:05:46] to the changes in the tax law

[1:05:51] with respect to tax revenue, though that doesn't necessarily

[1:05:54] follow the increase in taxable value. We knew they would

[1:05:58] during the budget process. As you recall, that we would

[1:06:02] realize inflationary increase of 2.9 5%. That's very

[1:06:05] formulaic. We didn't know is what value. The new

[1:06:08] construction would bring at that time combined with the

[1:06:13] inflation out. The

[1:06:18] Mills would be it would. It would generate 4.2% in

[1:06:21] additional revenue.

[1:06:25] This chart here shows with the Mills would be in fiscal 27

[1:06:30] relative to fiscal 26. This is a decrease in total number of

[1:06:35] Mills. Yeah. An increase in

[1:06:41] total tax revenue.

[1:06:44] So that's a decrease of 7.7 Mills broken out by type you

[1:06:47] see there

[1:06:49] on the far right

[1:06:53] there was a discussion

[1:06:55] are there was a question asked to me earlier, but over the

[1:06:58] Mills need to be in order to generate the amount of revenue

[1:07:02] that was budgeted. The next slide. Have those Mills.

[1:07:06] But I want to remind you that the FY 27 the budget was

[1:07:09] adopted using reserves

[1:07:12] with the expectation that new construction would bring in

[1:07:14] some additional revenue.

[1:07:16] So up there I have each fund's general fund public safety

[1:07:20] Library in transit

[1:07:21] showing

[1:07:23] first COLUMN there for 27 budget that was adopted with

[1:07:26] that 2.9 5% growth in tax revenue.

[1:07:30] So in the general fund, we adopted a budget using 900,000

[1:07:33] of reserves.

[1:07:35] If you realize the revenue from the newly taxable property.

[1:07:41] That would be to $250,000. So your budget use of reserves

[1:07:44] to be 6.65

[1:07:47] if you choose to levy fewer Mills the to match the

[1:07:52] budgeted amount.

[1:07:53] You're just choosing to use reserves for fiscal year 27

[1:07:56] instead of

[1:07:58] what you'll still use reserves in fiscal 27 just as more of

[1:08:01] them. If you choose to

[1:08:03] not take that newly taxable property revenue.

[1:08:08] Certainly it to you guys. I would recommend against that.

[1:08:12] The the reduction would be 3 Mills.

[1:08:19] Before I get to that, the median home. If you adopt what

[1:08:23] is presented are or recommended in the resolution, the median

[1:08:27] home and see a reduction in their city of Billings tax bill

[1:08:30] about $20 per year because of the reduction in Mills

[1:08:34] reason is there's new construction taking up that new

[1:08:36] revenue.

[1:08:38] If you want to drop to the FY 27 budgeted dollars. You need

[1:08:41] to remove 3.0. 1 Mills from what is in the resolution broke

[1:08:47] apart there for you. This would add an additional $7.90 or year

[1:08:55] for the year on the median home

[1:08:57] city of Billings tax bill or reduce it by that much.

[1:09:03] And this is a public hearing and staff does recommend

[1:09:07] approving resolution as presented but happy to answer

[1:09:10] discussion or answer questions and participate in a

[1:09:13] discussion.

[1:09:14] >> Kay questions for our presenter and Mister Kennedy's

[1:09:17] anxious to start.

[1:09:20] Andy,

[1:09:21] we discussed this last year also. And we talked about

[1:09:27] adopting until after the certified values came up.

[1:09:33] We were said no, let's let's do it in June. And so I want to

[1:09:39] bring a panel discussion that we discussed about a year ago.

[1:09:43] I'm having heartburn over because now we have the

[1:09:48] certified value

[1:09:50] and we had set this at 2.9 5%

[1:09:55] that now we're going to come back and said it at 4.2%

[1:10:00] because now we realize there's more money there.

[1:10:04] I won't do that.

[1:10:06] I'm I'm going to stay with the 2.9 5, I would hope this

[1:10:10] resolution is changed up to 2.9%,

[1:10:14] I don't care if it's $20, a $100 or $500 for household.

[1:10:20] I think the taxpayers to serve it from us that we are

[1:10:25] decreasing for them. So that's my comments us. This gets

[1:10:30] reduced. I'm not voting for. Thank you.

[1:10:34] The stress and lighter Mister Brad, a.

[1:10:38] >> Thanks Mister mayor of

[1:10:41] the sizzle or ied.

[1:10:43] We all knew the wire in transit or we're going to spend reserve

[1:10:48] that was very clear and budget presentation. I was very clear.

[1:10:50] And what we talked about. I was very clear that

[1:10:52] direction. The council work on the assumption that,

[1:10:57] you know, spending that deep in reserves was not sustainable.

[1:11:01] We're going to have to figure this out in the next budget

[1:11:05] that was the intent this time

[1:11:10] through the budget hearing and through

[1:11:12] adoption. We did know agree with that. That's what was

[1:11:16] passed and it was very clear in the conversation in the

[1:11:19] direction that that we approved budget.

[1:11:21] So to me those 2 are are off. The table were where my

[1:11:24] question comes from is

[1:11:29] use of reserves in the general fund.

[1:11:32] I don't, you know, sitting through through all of those

[1:11:36] meetings. I don't

[1:11:38] I don't recall seeing

[1:11:40] that target. Can you help me understand where

[1:11:43] that 665,010 in reserve

[1:11:48] comes from and where where did we talk about that in

[1:11:52] budget meetings. I I don't recall that at all.

[1:11:56] >> So

[1:12:00] I believe some of that is, you know, one time or infrequent

[1:12:03] spending. So I do want to say that's all operational. But

[1:12:06] I do know that my budget overview presentation as well

[1:12:10] as the like 10 page intro. We talked about use of reserves

[1:12:14] each year for public safety fund a general fund. So would

[1:12:17] have been discussed there. What specifically is driving

[1:12:21] that I don't recall offhand.

[1:12:23] I'm happy to put stuff together and send it out to you guys

[1:12:26] that really doesn't change anything for today's decision

[1:12:29] but

[1:12:30] certain that we chatted about that as part of presentation

[1:12:34] does have a slight specifically for that.

[1:12:38] >> I'm going to be with councilman Kennedy. He arrived.

[1:12:41] I'm not interested or willing to go back on what we set at a

[1:12:46] time where our constituents are are getting hammered with with

[1:12:50] taxes and fees. We're going to have

[1:12:53] the jail bond Levy on the docket.

[1:12:56] It $20 doesn't sound like a lot of $20 is a lot to some people

[1:13:00] and and fixed income Polk. And and I'm just not

[1:13:04] I'm not comfortable

[1:13:08] >> setting backwards

[1:13:10] and and taking more than what we had pledged and committed to

[1:13:13] take on the beginning. I I understand this was the true up

[1:13:17] process. And this is how we've done it in the past.

[1:13:20] But it's also the first time where we've had this kind of

[1:13:22] problem under the new tax code under the new state laws.

[1:13:26] And

[1:13:27] this might be the trigger for us to get away from

[1:13:31] from adopting the budget in June and dot doing a

[1:13:33] preliminary budget adoption so that we have a full

[1:13:36] conversation around what this looks like.

[1:13:39] I think that that's for the new budget and finance Committee.

[1:13:43] I think that's something that should be discussed at your

[1:13:46] next meeting. As a matter of fact. So I'm I'm not going to

[1:13:50] support it. And unless it's back to what we had originally

[1:13:53] sex. I just don't think that's being honest and diligent and

[1:13:55] faithful to the to the taxpayers.

[1:14:01] I'm sorry, Mister, but the new mug shot.

[1:14:05] So and the all the time you talk about reserves, there's a

[1:14:08] percentage of our that we want to keep in there. Tell us how

[1:14:12] this

[1:14:13] 6.65. How does that affect our reserves and how does that

[1:14:17] change the percentage where we had and that and what does that

[1:14:20] do for us for bonding and whatever else.

[1:14:23] >> Yes, your your general fund reserves would go down if

[1:14:26] everybody spent every dollar $920,000 if you don't

[1:14:32] Levy the newly taxable property.

[1:14:35] I guess I want to clarify one thing that I heard you say

[1:14:37] counselor asked later. Maybe I misheard

[1:14:41] as the resolutions presented before you right now that will

[1:14:44] result in a $20 reduction.

[1:14:46] If you want to

[1:14:47] go back further.

[1:14:49] It would be an additional 7.90 on top of that, we are already

[1:14:52] reducing Mills just to clarify the if I'm asserting my

[1:14:55] apologies.

[1:14:57] But

[1:14:59] when we

[1:15:00] should we ever go out for Geo bond.

[1:15:04] The general fund reserves will be and the change in that they

[1:15:08] were using it are adding to it year-over-year. That will be

[1:15:10] one of the metrics that used to determine

[1:15:13] how financially stable Billings is.

[1:15:17] And then therefore our bond rating. We do receive a bond

[1:15:20] rating every year. So as

[1:15:24] as we use reserves at times. I'm asked by Moody's the rating

[1:15:27] agency. You know what caused that? Is it operational or was

[1:15:31] this a one-time use of reserves

[1:15:35] when we're not borrowing like your credit score. If you're

[1:15:37] not looking for a loan. Your credit score is low. It may not

[1:15:40] really matter. But when you want to go pursue on you.

[1:15:43] One high credit score. So

[1:15:46] that's why I would encourage you to maintain good

[1:15:49] financial decisions which would be healthy reserves, especially

[1:15:52] the general fund. I'm using them for operating costs like

[1:15:56] in light rail. Transit is not sustainable.

[1:16:01] You certainly could adopt a budget or have adopted a budget

[1:16:05] that you could set the Mills to use 900, $20,000. You can

[1:16:09] afford that. But you cannot continue to afford that.

[1:16:13] So I again, I would recommend

[1:16:16] using the newly taxable

[1:16:19] still providing tax relief. The median home. But again,

[1:16:23] that's your your decision.

[1:16:29] >> Thank you. My question was also about reserves because I

[1:16:32] you been very good about talking to us for years about

[1:16:36] needing to be fat back up in the general fund because we

[1:16:38] depleted a lot of it

[1:16:40] building out this building.

[1:16:42] Where are we at? Are we just at the amount that we need to keep

[1:16:47] the good bond rating. Do we have any question at all.

[1:16:51] >> So we ended fiscal year 26

[1:16:54] adding to reserves. I'm going to say is right around 700 or

[1:16:57] $800,000 between public safety and general fund.

[1:17:03] We've been hovering right around. I think yours is policy

[1:17:06] right now is 33%

[1:17:08] of your general fund budget. We've been hovering right

[1:17:10] around there. So we're we're close. We're not way off it,

[1:17:14] but we're not

[1:17:16] adding to reserves by some large mountain. No basis.

[1:17:19] >> But to be clear, your advice is that we do take that

[1:17:23] seriously and continue to increase that amount.

[1:17:27] >> As our finance director. Is that accurate? Yes, it has

[1:17:30] been my advice in the past. It still this.

[1:17:32] >> Okay. Great. So I'm just I'm crystal clear. The staff

[1:17:36] proposal is a $20 reduction in the median homes,

[1:17:42] taxes, taxes just as its stance.

[1:17:46] Okay. So the debate Council is having is about $7.

[1:17:51] >> It's it would be 5th. 3 point o one Mills. 7 $1.90.

[1:17:55] Okay.

[1:17:56] >> I I guess for me. I'm I'm thinking

[1:17:59] $7 to potentially solve all number of future problems.

[1:18:04] They're going to be coming our way

[1:18:07] makes sense to me. But I again, I'm not going to go into the

[1:18:10] debates. We had during the budget because, you know,

[1:18:12] we win some votes, we lose some votes. But

[1:18:15] that's where and I'm sanaz.

[1:18:18] Mister Lee.

[1:18:21] Thanks, mayor.

[1:18:22] >> I got more reserves. Questions for and

[1:18:26] see say 33

[1:18:28] percent is that or is that the target we have.

[1:18:31] >> 33% of your general fund budget expenses and currently

[1:18:35] we're at

[1:18:37] you're right around there. That number changes each year.

[1:18:39] But it

[1:18:41] in round numbers. It's about 12 and a half million dollars.

[1:18:43] And I think you guys were

[1:18:46] probably 11.8 to 12.2 somewhere in there and you're close.

[1:18:50] Okay.

[1:18:51] >> And then councilmember shot a few questions I was going to

[1:18:55] but I will add to that

[1:18:57] last year we had 7, 8, 100,000 between public safety in

[1:19:00] general fund combined. Correct. What did the budget say at the

[1:19:05] beginning of the fiscal year ago. It was.

[1:19:07] >> Effectively 0. Everybody spent every penny it would have

[1:19:11] added or used reserves.

[1:19:13] >> And can you give me directionally that the prior

[1:19:16] fiscal year that we add to the

[1:19:19] reserves to remember.

[1:19:20] >> I don't recall. I'm like, yes, by way of some history we

[1:19:24] have been adding to reserves and

[1:19:26] used a significant portion to acquire this building.

[1:19:31] And our reserves dropped

[1:19:33] very, very largely.

[1:19:36] And that was the year that Moody's was asking what's going

[1:19:37] on here and that's an easy explanation by building.

[1:19:41] But I'm not so easy when it's

[1:19:47] I know every department is not going to spend every dollar.

[1:19:49] I don't expect that to happen in 27. It never has happened

[1:19:52] but

[1:19:55] one adviser and good practice. No thank you.

[1:20:00] >> Any other questions for Mister is Mister Pittman.

[1:20:02] Do we have any potential GOP on need.

[1:20:07] I mean, we're say just like you're saying your credit score

[1:20:10] matters if you're actually going to be buying the carpet

[1:20:12] or we actually looking at anything that we would need to

[1:20:15] do that.

[1:20:16] >> Not that I'm aware of are currently working on that.

[1:20:19] It will be up to you guys.

[1:20:22] >> It's nice.

[1:20:23] I think you're right. I think when we can look at giving our

[1:20:27] citizens a $20 year discount

[1:20:30] reduction in their taxes and the average. I think that's I

[1:20:33] think that's a win for them.

[1:20:35] And as mentioned, we have a lot of things going out that we

[1:20:38] need in this community and this to be kind of our help to

[1:20:41] County

[1:20:42] in some respects so that we can fund that massive thing that

[1:20:46] there and have to do. And so this community needs. So I I

[1:20:50] I'm all for supporting

[1:20:54] make an amendment to change something to the to that

[1:20:57] effect. If someone makes an amendment to you do it with a

[1:21:00] $20 refund.

[1:21:05] >> Just so that we're on the same page.

[1:21:08] It's already a $20 reduction. What they're talking about is

[1:21:11] $27 reduction, right. Is that what we're talking about.

[1:21:15] So it's either too prone to giving 20 if we vote for this,

[1:21:20] if we vote if you want an amendment, you're going to say

[1:21:21] 27 instead of 20. That's the 2 options,

[1:21:25] right. And he has that when I'm I'm correct. That's the way I'm

[1:21:28] understanding it

[1:21:32] anymore. Questions for prisoner.

[1:21:35] >> Okay. It's time for public hearing on item. Number 6.

[1:21:40] Does anybody would like to speak to this item item.

[1:21:43] Number 6 on Lee. Please step forward and

[1:21:45] take you 3 minutes

[1:21:51] seeing none

[1:21:54] will close the public hearing period and has for a motion.

[1:21:57] And Mister Kennedy has a motion.

[1:22:02] But I just want to make sure that I'm correct on this.

[1:22:06] Then at this.

[1:22:11] What we have before us

[1:22:13] this resolution. Establishing

[1:22:16] is established.

[1:22:17] >> Currently at the

[1:22:21] at 2.9 5%, correct.

[1:22:25] >> The resolution that's before you if passed. Will it be 236

[1:22:29] 6, 7, Mills, which would generate 4.2%

[1:22:34] increase in tax revenue.

[1:22:36] You will need to amend the motion

[1:22:39] to let the 233.6 6 Mills. If you want to keep it that 2.9

[1:22:45] 5 effectively.

[1:22:48] >> I'm going to

[1:22:51] make a motion.

[1:22:54] The men this

[1:22:56] to be back at the 2.9 5%

[1:23:01] that we had looked down

[1:23:04] in this resolution.

[1:23:12] >> Actually Mister Kennedy. We per that the first motion

[1:23:15] needs to be just a standard motion. And then but offered a

[1:23:18] nation. So you too.

[1:23:20] You can offer an amendment at a level that you okay.

[1:23:24] And offered a motion. Mister or yes, question for Perlmutter.

[1:23:28] I

[1:23:29] miss talking

[1:23:34] make the amendment in the motion and which clearly states

[1:23:38] that we're going to assess the 233

[1:23:42] 0.6, 6 Mills.

[1:23:44] >> Emotions that are provided on your gender. Just suggested

[1:23:47] you can certainly make a different motion. And and it

[1:23:51] can deviate, you can be more specific about the Mills.

[1:23:55] One levee that it's ever.

[1:23:57] >> So Mister candidates want to make them read. It makes the

[1:24:00] ocean. All right. All right. So a scratch on Mister Kennedy.

[1:24:03] All right. Mister escalator down here. Go ahead and

[1:24:05] stressed plan.

[1:24:07] >> Having a

[1:24:10] conducted a public hearing. Consider written and spoken in

[1:24:13] public testimony to approve

[1:24:16] a resolution. Establishing general transit Library in

[1:24:19] public safety. Fun, military's for fiscal 27

[1:24:23] assessing them at the 233.6 6 Mills

[1:24:30] originally presented in our budget.

[1:24:37] >> Mister Kennedy seconds.

[1:24:42] Is there any discussion regarding the motion.

[1:24:46] All right. There any offered amendments to the motion

[1:24:54] seeing none. We'll move then too,

[1:24:57] a vote.

[1:24:59] The the motion

[1:25:02] by the is too approved. This 233.6 6 Mills for the upcoming

[1:25:09] budget year.

[1:25:11] All those in favor, please say aye aye. All those opposed

[1:25:17] this show

[1:25:19] in this turn. Nice are in a position. The motion passes

[1:25:25] that takes us to item number 7,

[1:25:28] public hearing. Go ahead. Miss Bowman. I'm sorry.

[1:25:32] >> Public hearing resolution adopting the fiscal year 2026

[1:25:36] budget amendment staff recommends approval.

[1:25:49] >> Good evening, mayor and City Council

[1:25:52] happy for you to clean up amendments for fiscal year 26

[1:25:58] state law requires we have a balanced budget

[1:26:01] and after based upon your adoption. And then after

[1:26:06] closing out the year we 2 items that were over budget.

[1:26:13] They are in the public safety fund Fire Department was a

[1:26:15] $115,000 over budget

[1:26:18] largely driven by overtime and increase costs for motor

[1:26:21] vehicle parts. Those young budget and finance. Get monthly

[1:26:24] reports. I think you may recall we were trending very closely

[1:26:28] with public safety. The fire in the fire Department. But then

[1:26:32] at the end of the year when the final assault our payments,

[1:26:36] it ended up going over

[1:26:38] additionally in municipal court. There are some

[1:26:41] reimbursable grants municipal municipal court Grant funds to

[1:26:45] clarify. There are some reimbursable costs that were

[1:26:49] over there and and budgeted for.

[1:26:53] So we are there are sufficient funds

[1:26:56] to cover these expenses so that should not be a concern.

[1:27:04] This also is a public hearing and and would encourage you to

[1:27:10] consider adopting these amendments.

[1:27:13] >> Thank you, Mister Zoeller, Mister Boyett.

[1:27:16] >> Thank you. Mayor India says in here that a 115,000 will be

[1:27:20] covered by revenues from the bus

[1:27:23] with, you know what the balances of that that I found

[1:27:25] it in the balance. Well, the buses building annually.

[1:27:28] And I believe we it.

[1:27:31] >> We calculated early for the budget process. Obviously.

[1:27:35] And then

[1:27:37] in about November will determine what the actual

[1:27:39] assessment is. And I think when we had determined the

[1:27:42] difference between the budget and the actual assessment was

[1:27:45] about a 150, $275,000 more

[1:27:48] is the actual assessments based on actual expenses and we don't

[1:27:51] know that till June 30.

[1:27:55] >> So there's the the bus. The charge is higher than what

[1:27:57] was interest only we be looking at the charges for the county

[1:28:01] in the future to see these are accurate or we shouldn't raise

[1:28:04] or lower the charges.

[1:28:06] >> We determined the buffs, the charges annually based on the

[1:28:08] formula between the agreement which is actual Fire Department

[1:28:12] annual operating costs.

[1:28:14] They pay their proportionate share relative to taxable

[1:28:17] value. So we do that every year.

[1:28:22] >> Any other questions for missus.

[1:28:28] And you you good that I'm good you. All right. So just trying

[1:28:32] to get back to the screen.

[1:28:36] A public hearing over yet

[1:28:40] to get ready and is going to be a bunch of folks freshman

[1:28:43] forward to her public comments on the public hearing on item.

[1:28:47] Number 7, only

[1:28:49] any public comment on item. Number 7.

[1:28:55] Well seeing none. We'll close that and ask for a motion

[1:29:00] best lighter.

[1:29:02] >> I think that the public hearing consider written and

[1:29:04] spoken public testimony. A move to approve a resolution

[1:29:08] adopting the fiscal year 26 budget amendment as recommended

[1:29:13] by staff. Mister Boyett

[1:29:18] stressful later, anything about your motion

[1:29:23] any discussion or debate regarding motion

[1:29:26] seeing none.

[1:29:28] >> Well that's revote in all in favor of mistress. Meyer's

[1:29:30] meant a motion, please indicate by saying aye aye. Those

[1:29:34] opposed say no.

[1:29:36] That is unanimous.

[1:29:39] Congratulations, folks. 6.59. We have finished with the items

[1:29:43] on the agenda.

[1:29:45] We are next scheduled for public comment.

[1:29:49] It may be awhile. Would you like to start with a quick

[1:29:52] recess.

[1:29:53] I will take a recess for 10 minutes

[1:40:40] and back to sport

[1:40:56] for the minutes. Please

[1:41:00] recognizing the stress and lighters had to

[1:41:04] go to another meeting. So he's you're no longer tonight.

[1:41:08] We're going to now open the

[1:41:11] the hearing up to public comment on non agenda items.

[1:41:15] Speaker sign in is required.

[1:41:19] You may speak on items, not on this pretty agenda. Comments

[1:41:23] are limited to 3 minutes. So please sign a roster.

[1:41:26] And when you come up, tell us who you are, where you live and

[1:41:30] take you 3 minutes.

[1:41:35] >> Okay. My name is Tessa and I'm a teacher and mother here

[1:41:38] in Billings and I'm asking what your last name to us Miller,

[1:41:42] thank you.

[1:41:43] And I'm asking you to consider that Billings becomes a

[1:41:45] sanctuary city or has the bare minimum. We use every lawful

[1:41:49] authority available to the city to refuse voluntary cooperation

[1:41:53] with ice. I want to be very, very clear about why

[1:41:56] feelings has a real public safety issue. We have a roughly

[1:42:01] a 122,000 people. And there's about 746 violent crimes per

[1:42:06] 100,000 residents that is going on.

[1:42:09] And I'm I'm kind of skipping around my notes here. But it's

[1:42:13] at this point

[1:42:15] we had this huge problem. But then ice comes in and now

[1:42:19] the problem is that

[1:42:20] kids are getting kidnapped at a backpack.

[1:42:24] Free backpacks and kids are getting kidnapped there

[1:42:28] also

[1:42:29] I just don't understand because now

[1:42:33] no matter how many times we've said that we wanted to me and

[1:42:35] how worried that everyone is about ice taking over and it's

[1:42:40] getting worse and worse and worse because we've seen what

[1:42:42] happens in other cities. It is going exactly happened in

[1:42:44] Billings that no one seems to care. You guys seem to just

[1:42:47] twiddling your thumbs and listen to us and latched to the

[1:42:49] side and everyone just giggles because you guys think that

[1:42:52] were problems because we're saying something and we're not.

[1:42:56] And I just really want to be clear. What are you gonna do.

[1:43:00] What are you going to do when history looks back at you guys

[1:43:03] and it's going to see that you did nothing. It absolutely

[1:43:07] nothing to help save children.

[1:43:09] You did absolutely nothing.

[1:43:12] And all of us

[1:43:14] are going to be on the right side of history. So I ask you

[1:43:16] like what side are you going to be on. Are you going to be on

[1:43:18] the side that says there's nothing we could really do

[1:43:22] or are you going to be on the side that decides that you have

[1:43:25] a chance to change laws. You have a chance to work with

[1:43:29] us. You have a chance to work with the people who do not want

[1:43:32] Billings police officers to work with ice.

[1:43:35] We've asked that at a bare minimum. We know that their

[1:43:38] sanctuary city laws, you know, in Montana that prohibit this.

[1:43:41] We're asking at the bare minimum. Can you help us make

[1:43:45] sure that Billings police officers are not cooperating

[1:43:48] with ice. That's the bare minimum thing that you could

[1:43:50] do. Again, like I said, I'm a teacher in Billings and there

[1:43:54] is a stick. My friend student who is kidnapped.

[1:43:58] I'm not saying that lightly. These are people who use

[1:44:01] aggressive forced to take these children away. We can't just

[1:44:05] wait until it gets worse and worse and worse like it is in

[1:44:07] other cities and know that you guys can have side

[1:44:09] conversations and not pay attention to. What I'm saying

[1:44:11] is you don't give a s***, which is fine. But this is actually

[1:44:15] serious. And you know, this is not a laughing matter. This is

[1:44:19] not the only cause problems. This is a serious thing that we

[1:44:22] need you guys to help us with this because when history looks

[1:44:26] back and they see the Gestapo officers as ice agents.

[1:44:30] What are you going to do. Because I know history. I'm a

[1:44:34] teacher. I know that this is exactly 1939 Germany again.

[1:44:38] So I just want to be very clear. I need to know you guys

[1:44:41] are going to to help us because we will work with you and I

[1:44:44] wasn't this before, but I'm p***** now because you guys are

[1:44:46] acting like its opinions. It's not.

[1:44:53] >> Mayor. I'm going ask people can't come up

[1:44:57] and just talk.

[1:44:59] And if they have to raise our voices and start pointing

[1:45:03] fingers or whatever.

[1:45:06] We shouldn't be sitting here listening.

[1:45:09] So I would just ask that we do have a cordial speaking

[1:45:15] to the council.

[1:45:17] If not,

[1:45:20] I'm not going to stay around for. Thank you.

[1:45:29] >> We have the rules here. This is time for public

[1:45:31] comment. If you'd like to speak, you're more than welcome

[1:45:33] to come up to the podium.

[1:45:37] Fortunately and with respect,

[1:45:39] we'd love to hear. We have to say

[1:45:42] there are any other public comment.

[1:45:47] >> Good evening. City Council members. My name is Jennifer

[1:45:49] strong. I live in Ward 3.

[1:45:51] >> I want to thank you for following our state laws

[1:45:54] allowing a law enforcement officers to do their jobs.

[1:45:57] The sovereign nations within our state already struggle with

[1:46:00] drugs and human trafficking in large part because our federal

[1:46:03] law enforcement has no jurisdiction. There are very

[1:46:06] little making Billings a sanctuary city would make us

[1:46:09] know better.

[1:46:10] I want to thank you for not engaging with Marxists. It will

[1:46:13] be said that the for us is not a Communist organization and

[1:46:17] that may be technically true.

[1:46:19] But that is only because their stated goal is communism by way

[1:46:22] of the means of socialism. According to Karl Marx in com

[1:46:26] this manifesto, communism and socialism. Really our only

[1:46:29] stops on the road to communism.

[1:46:32] Personally. I believe that the very concept of race is a straw

[1:46:35] man and a social construct is used utilized to divide

[1:46:39] manipulate and control people.

[1:46:41] That is exactly what the frs and it's representatives are

[1:46:44] trying to do

[1:46:45] from the frs website about us page under what is frs a state

[1:46:50] frs is a national organization of revolutionaries fighting for

[1:46:55] socialism in the United States. We're organizing the United

[1:46:58] Front against monopoly capitalism.

[1:47:00] It marks the spot

[1:47:02] Sino in Marxist thought. Capitalism can be defined as

[1:47:05] private property

[1:47:07] with the strategic alliance, the multinational working class

[1:47:10] and the press nationality movement at its core. This is

[1:47:14] our general strategy for revolution in the U.S.

[1:47:18] for us is recruiting and building toward the creation.

[1:47:21] The new Communist Party. This is from their website

[1:47:25] based on marxist-leninist, on furthermore on their statements

[1:47:28] page. There is an article entitled frs salutes, the

[1:47:32] Communist Party of China on the 105th anniversary of its

[1:47:36] founding.

[1:47:37] It goes on to sing the praises of a murderous dictator Mao

[1:47:40] Zedong,

[1:47:43] I think you've heard enough.

[1:47:45] Thank you. Have a nice evening.

[1:47:52] >> Any of the public comment.

[1:47:58] >> Good evening. Mayor Nelson and council members. I'm not a

[1:48:02] member of the frs. I'm not sure if that's relevant to our

[1:48:06] purposes here tonight. Speaking to you,

[1:48:09] I'm personally. I speak in support your name and where you

[1:48:12] live.

[1:48:13] My name is Katherine. Sure. Let's I live here in Billings.

[1:48:16] I believe in Ward one.

[1:48:18] I'm here with the Billings Alliance for immigrant rights,

[1:48:21] specifically

[1:48:23] requesting

[1:48:25] and agenda item for a sanctuary state here in Billings. I'm

[1:48:30] particularly in the wake of the recent attainment of a father,

[1:48:34] a drea de la Cruz and his 9 year-old daughter. I think as

[1:48:37] was mentioned at a school supply drive.

[1:48:41] The girl and father were taken to have her and then recently

[1:48:44] released from detention has it was federally

[1:48:47] ruled that it was an illegal search and seizure arrest and

[1:48:52] detainment.

[1:48:54] I'm concerned about the illegal nature of

[1:48:58] ice agents conduct as we've seen the precedent in

[1:49:01] Minneapolis before they act extra digit judicially.

[1:49:05] They don't act in the best interest of their community.

[1:49:08] I think later tonight we'll hear some comments going beyond

[1:49:11] the legal and the moral and even the economic the

[1:49:14] ramifications of the presence of ice in our city.

[1:49:17] I don't think it's something that's

[1:49:20] was in any way to try to sweep aside, to not include on our

[1:49:24] agenda. I think this is something that the public is

[1:49:26] interested and even beyond the numbers we've been able to

[1:49:29] right here tonight.

[1:49:31] And I'd like to speak on behalf of the members of our community

[1:49:33] who are afraid of being targeted by the presence of

[1:49:36] ice.

[1:49:40] And if I have a little time left.

[1:49:46] I'd like to remind us all of a palm. I think maybe we've heard

[1:49:49] before.

[1:49:50] First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because

[1:49:53] I was not a ju

[1:49:54] and they came for the Marxists and I did not speak out because

[1:49:57] I was not a Marxist.

[1:49:59] Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak

[1:50:02] out because I was not a trade unionist and then they came for

[1:50:04] me and there's no one left to speak for me.

[1:50:08] Thank you for your time.

[1:50:19] Hello. My name is Maisie jam and I live about 3 blocks away.

[1:50:24] >> And I and the scene with the bear alliance as well.

[1:50:31] And it's hard to think about what to say when

[1:50:35] there's the fear of losing families and children. Then

[1:50:40] it's a hard thing to compile your thoughts and the 3 minutes

[1:50:43] of speaking. But if we didn't come up here and exercise our

[1:50:48] rights to speak to you all. Then it wouldn't be worth our

[1:50:51] time.

[1:50:52] I do believe that there should be no ice in our city. I do

[1:50:56] believe and support the idea of a sanctuary state.

[1:51:04] The most recent incident of the ice is dealing with children

[1:51:08] who are getting ready for the new school year.

[1:51:12] And there are going with their families, too.

[1:51:17] Get school supplies and get ready for their their new

[1:51:20] beginning and have it.

[1:51:22] He's ripped away from them and to be prepared to

[1:51:28] go back to school with your friends and just have the joy

[1:51:30] immediately taken away from you

[1:51:34] and to to be separated from your family. And even if that

[1:51:38] they're both abducted. At the same time there,

[1:51:41] they're not kept together. And

[1:51:45] and I think that

[1:51:47] there's already enough orders

[1:51:50] of school.

[1:51:52] He's

[1:51:54] at minimum. There's just anxiety about going to school

[1:51:57] and be in a public place like that. But then

[1:52:00] the factors of all the school shootings in

[1:52:05] there has to be a place where children feel safe.

[1:52:10] And if it's not with your tag, you want to get a backpack

[1:52:14] to go to school,

[1:52:16] then where is it can be

[1:52:18] if we let people like this

[1:52:21] and the ice agents in to our city too.

[1:52:26] This place what

[1:52:29] but success we can give these children.

[1:52:35] That's our future. We have to give them as much support

[1:52:37] instability as we can. And I do not believe that ice is that we

[1:52:42] that we do that.

[1:52:44] Thank you for your time.

[1:52:53] >> Further public comment.

[1:53:04] >> Hello, my name is Lane Dorsey. I am a member of the

[1:53:08] freedom road socialist organization. And I'm here with

[1:53:11] the Billings Alliance for immigrant rights to demand a

[1:53:13] said. You please tell us where you live. I live in Billings.

[1:53:17] I'm I'm here to demand a sanctuary city and ice out of

[1:53:21] Billings.

[1:53:24] There's a lot of talk about the courtroom

[1:53:26] and cordiality

[1:53:29] and we have

[1:53:31] cordial. We've come up here and we've spoken to you

[1:53:34] impassioned,

[1:53:36] but we were cordial.

[1:53:37] We've reached out through the proper forms. I believe I was a

[1:53:41] mark Nicholson who said that we could e-mail and ask for it out

[1:53:45] for a meeting.

[1:53:47] >> We reached out 5 times but never happened. And

[1:53:52] >> you can roll your eyes. You can fall asleep at your

[1:53:54] seat. I see that Scott Aspen minor left early. But we're

[1:53:59] going to keep coming back.

[1:54:01] We don't see this as a one-time thing.

[1:54:04] We see this as we're in it for the long haul.

[1:54:08] This will not be the last you hear of us.

[1:54:11] We are here to demand. We're not asking or telling.

[1:54:16] We're demanding a sanctuary city so that everybody in the

[1:54:19] city of Billings is safe from ice and Border Patrol terror,

[1:54:23] especially children.

[1:54:27] They got picked up

[1:54:29] at a backpack drives.

[1:54:31] Does that mean anything to you

[1:54:37] tonight bill Kennedy.

[1:54:38] So

[1:54:40] it's just it's just really shameful that we come here and

[1:54:43] we we we have

[1:54:47] I was just being nice and it's hit our community and it hit

[1:54:52] our state. Just just a couple months ago

[1:54:55] in Bozeman 100 people

[1:54:58] kidnapped by Isis and Bill Kennedy doesn't care. He's

[1:55:01] walking out just like Scott asked might or dead. That's

[1:55:03] shameful

[1:55:06] Mike Nelson.

[1:55:08] When we asked if you would meet with us, you said no, because

[1:55:11] you knew our demands. So you don't agree with our demands.

[1:55:17] You got nothing to say. You have plenty to say you've had

[1:55:19] plenty to say when it comes to trying to shut down our freedom

[1:55:23] of speech.

[1:55:26] You got nothing to say about a sanctuary city.

[1:55:29] All these people came here asking for the same thing

[1:55:32] demanding the same thing

[1:55:34] and you got nothing to say.

[1:55:36] Does anybody have anything to say,

[1:55:39] but a sanctuary city.

[1:55:40] How do you feel about a 9 year-old girl being kidnapped

[1:55:43] by ice and taken to a concentration tap camp and

[1:55:46] Havre Montana. How do you feel about that.

[1:55:48] Anybody want to

[1:55:50] give any kind of response.

[1:55:54] So you have plenty to say about when it comes to shutting down

[1:55:57] our freedom of speech and you've got plenty to say about

[1:56:00] our signs. You have absolutely nothing to say about a

[1:56:04] sanctuary city.

[1:56:06] >> Shame on you.

[1:56:16] >> Good evening, mayor. Good evening. Council. My name is

[1:56:18] Tony. Sure that some of the 2031 country Manor Boulevard.

[1:56:22] I'm not here is a rabble-rouser and I'm not a revolutionary and

[1:56:24] I'm certainly not a Marxist or Communist like those accused of

[1:56:27] earlier. I'm a mom of a child who used to be so excited to go

[1:56:30] shopping for her school supplies.

[1:56:33] So I come here today in response to a child and her

[1:56:35] father being taken by ice at United way school supply event.

[1:56:38] We cannot allow ice to intimidate our neighbors.

[1:56:41] So I'm asking you respectfully for the following

[1:56:43] protect our local resources. I like to ask the council to

[1:56:47] prohibit city personnel, local police and city owned or leased

[1:56:50] facilities to be used as staging areas are holding zones

[1:56:53] for federal immigration enforcement.

[1:56:56] I'm asking that we require judicial warrants. I'm urging

[1:57:00] you to pass policies. Requiring ice agents to present a warrant

[1:57:03] signed by an actual judge, not just an administrative ice

[1:57:06] warrant before accessing nonpublic city property units,

[1:57:09] municipal buildings.

[1:57:12] I'm asking for community trust in public safety to be restored

[1:57:15] when immigrant residents live in fear of local collaboration

[1:57:17] with federal agencies. They stop reporting crimes. They

[1:57:20] stop acting as witnesses. They stop seeking emergency

[1:57:23] medical care and they stop sending their children to

[1:57:25] school.

[1:57:27] I'm asking for you to think of our economic and social

[1:57:29] well-being families in fear face disrupted daily routines

[1:57:32] affecting their children affecting our schools, our

[1:57:35] teachers and you ultimately

[1:57:37] and I am asking that you consider establishing believes

[1:57:40] as Billings excuse me, as a sanctuary city and de-escalate

[1:57:43] the tension that is building in our community.

[1:57:47] Catherine, still my poem. So I will end by asking you to

[1:57:49] demonstrate your humanity and tap into that part of you that

[1:57:52] believes in family values and help us keep families together.

[1:57:55] But keeping ice, at least if not off our streets at least

[1:57:58] within controls that you can put in place to keep everybody

[1:58:01] safe. I thank you for your time tonight.

[1:58:20] >> Hi, my name is Angela debary. I live in the county

[1:58:24] just out on the creek Road.

[1:58:28] >> I'm here with support for the Billings Alliance for

[1:58:32] immigrant rights

[1:58:34] and I oppose ice with

[1:58:37] every fiber of my being.

[1:58:39] It is horrifying to see kids

[1:58:42] being put into detention camps

[1:58:45] with no worries. These kids have done nothing wrong.

[1:58:48] They're separated from their parents who have also most of

[1:58:51] them have done nothing wrong.

[1:58:53] It is deplorable. We shouldn't be supporting that.

[1:58:57] I'm sure you've all seen videos of Philly with all of those

[1:59:01] children screaming inside.

[1:59:04] That's for affirming. I do not want that here and you should

[1:59:07] not want that here either.

[1:59:11] I just I

[1:59:12] plead with you to do everything that you can in your power

[1:59:17] to make sure the ice

[1:59:19] is actually following the rules that they're supposed to do.

[1:59:22] If you allow them here, if you agree to work with them

[1:59:26] actually keep them in check because a lot of them by their

[1:59:30] own rules. They are not following the law.

[1:59:33] And if you are going to allow them to be here, then you need

[1:59:37] to hold them accountable.

[1:59:39] We can't be letting them

[1:59:42] murder. People in that people like they're doing across the

[1:59:45] United States. It is horrifying to see that. And I would hate

[1:59:48] to see it come to our city.

[2:00:07] >> Hello. My name is Lillian e from Billings Montana

[2:00:11] and I stand in support of the Billings Alliance for him to

[2:00:14] get rights for a sanctuary city

[2:00:17] just because that just because the government is doing it

[2:00:20] doesn't mean human trafficking is okay. Isis trafficking

[2:00:23] humans all over this nation to concentration camps.

[2:00:44] My name is Brooke bigler.

[2:00:48] I live here in Billings and I stand in support of the

[2:00:52] Billings Alliance for immigrant rights demands for sanctuary

[2:00:55] city.

[2:00:56] I'm a mother and my heart goes out to all the families

[2:00:59] affected by ice. My biggest fear is losing my son.

[2:01:03] I grew up thinking our government and public servants

[2:01:06] would be there to protect us and especially our children of

[2:01:09] all

[2:01:10] that's not sure anymore. And it's terrifying. I will do

[2:01:13] whatever it is to protect to protect our children. We were

[2:01:16] not. We will never stop fighting protect our community

[2:01:19] and immigrant families. We cannot just ignore the terror

[2:01:22] and injustice. Justice is happening here in our country.

[2:01:26] And I fear the ones who do support or ignore the domestic

[2:01:29] terrorism going on in our country have no moral compass

[2:01:33] or backbone. Thank you.

[2:01:45] >> My name is Andrea Wulf. And I live here in Billings and

[2:01:49] I as well and the mother and then.

[2:01:52] >> A member of this community then on the pga's and

[2:01:56] volunteered for years and

[2:01:59] the woman that said that, you know, we don't want predators,

[2:02:02] meaning immigrants are predators somehow when in fact

[2:02:05] we have 404 active sexual assault. People on in Billings

[2:02:10] alone. And guess what, they were

[2:02:14] white men

[2:02:17] and then also on the interactive at it now. And now

[2:02:20] a size or an outsider

[2:02:23] and wiser excuse me really nervous United States

[2:02:27] sentencing Commission is 70% white men that or the sexual

[2:02:32] assault.

[2:02:34] You know the predators

[2:02:36] we're we're focusing and where we're worried that they're

[2:02:39] predators,

[2:02:40] they're the people that you are funding

[2:02:43] the to all of

[2:02:45] Oliver infrastructures building houses. Who's going to do that

[2:02:48] for me.

[2:02:50] We bring in all sorts of produce from Mexico. I'm a

[2:02:53] produce

[2:02:55] manager and take care of the produce department in so much

[2:02:59] of it is coming in from Mexico. How many of you have gone to

[2:03:01] Mexico lately.

[2:03:03] You go into their country for vacation. You don't want them

[2:03:06] here. Why are they coming here?

[2:03:08] Why are they coming here

[2:03:09] to escape persecution and oppression and

[2:03:12] violence in their own countries. We are founded on

[2:03:16] bringing in the grants us. Should they do it legally?

[2:03:18] Of course, the cheetah legally. But if you are running away

[2:03:22] from criminals and and violence in your own country and you

[2:03:26] needed to get away and take care of your children. What

[2:03:28] would you want people to open their doors.

[2:03:34] I think you guys are just plain. Absolutely plank and

[2:03:37] heart us. It feels it's scary

[2:03:40] and it does feel like not see Germany.

[2:03:44] I'm terrified

[2:03:46] cream. Ice to speak.

[2:03:49] Thank you for my kids future. Why don't why are you worried

[2:03:52] about your kids future. What's going to look like.

[2:03:55] We've got data center screen to come in here. It's poisoning.

[2:03:57] Our environment, ruining our environment, our water system.

[2:04:02] We've got

[2:04:05] FOX. We need more surveillance. We don't need or surveillance

[2:04:08] city. We need is a sanctuary city.

[2:04:11] What has happened to everybody? What is literally happen if you

[2:04:14] are all Christians. I am up shocked. If you're Christians.

[2:04:19] Absolutely shocked because you are to invite

[2:04:23] the foreign in your to sit at that table with him and break

[2:04:26] bread with them and

[2:04:29] share your your wealth, not hoard your wealth

[2:04:33] and not to exclude

[2:04:36] she that's absolutely disgusting. What is going on to

[2:04:40] know that there are children committing suicide because

[2:04:43] there are so terrified they're going to be arrested and

[2:04:47] separated from their families.

[2:04:51] I I just cannot even understand any.

[2:05:11] Thank you. Just one 2nd.

[2:05:29] >> Hello. I'm

[2:05:31] there we go. At my name is 8 and a black Island in Billings,

[2:05:35] Montana.

[2:05:36] >> And I am a 4th generation American on my father's side

[2:05:41] and on my mother's side, I have been here. My family lives been

[2:05:44] here for about 250 years. I the first member of my family

[2:05:48] emigrated here from Scotland

[2:05:51] and not only was was he a working member of our country

[2:05:56] fun. But he with George Washington. He fought on the

[2:06:00] Delaware. He fought to make this country what it is.

[2:06:04] And while it's flawed,

[2:06:06] I think he would be appalled that there were at I think

[2:06:08] every founding father would be

[2:06:11] because if you go back in history,

[2:06:14] everyone came here

[2:06:16] from somewhere else. Legally illegally facing prosecution or

[2:06:20] not. They came here because they wanted to create a

[2:06:23] different opportunity, a different life for themselves

[2:06:25] and their families

[2:06:27] and

[2:06:28] Montana. I see so many signs him. And this is the last great

[2:06:31] place. Be kept this place as natural and free and safe for

[2:06:36] people.

[2:06:38] And now more and more people are trying to come here and

[2:06:40] stir homes. They want to work.

[2:06:43] They want to have land. They want to be a part of our

[2:06:47] communities. And instead of helping them.

[2:06:51] All you're doing is turning a blind eye and letting them go

[2:06:55] missing.

[2:06:57] So many people vanish year and no one. Here's you might see a

[2:07:02] missing child poster if that when it comes to the matter of

[2:07:06] ice detention. Where did those kids go? Are they ever reunited

[2:07:10] with their families,

[2:07:12] their families in the U.S. their families in Mexico

[2:07:15] wherever the f*** become missing from

[2:07:18] the vanish and no one seems to care.

[2:07:22] And at the end of the day, someone has to

[2:07:25] you guys. Sit here with the ability to create safety

[2:07:28] measures to genuinely keep people safe. I think people go

[2:07:31] on a scene doesn't make them safe.

[2:07:34] Creating better access for housing, for schooling, for

[2:07:38] people to get their citizenship

[2:07:40] to learn different languages. That's how you keep people

[2:07:43] safe.

[2:07:47] And frankly,

[2:07:49] we are at a plant in history. Just as it always is for things

[2:07:53] are chaotic and terrifying and you're for. They spent all

[2:07:57] these moral dilemmas in. You're asked what are you going

[2:07:59] to do about it.

[2:08:01] It's easy to turn off your phone. It's easy to say I don't

[2:08:04] care. I have other things to worry about. But at the end of

[2:08:07] the day, this is that what you have to do to sleep at night to

[2:08:10] avoid yourself of your basic humanity.

[2:08:13] If people go looking for your family, for your friends and

[2:08:18] no one can find them only find out they were detained by ice.

[2:08:22] What will you do. What will you do? Want to goes beyond

[2:08:25] immigrants, but will it do when it comes to literally everyone

[2:08:27] who is that what the president believes. He won through this

[2:08:30] country.

[2:08:30] [MUSIC]

[2:08:36] >> You know the rules. We know there's no applause here.

[2:08:39] There's not even snapping

[2:08:41] K. It's a First Amendment issue.

[2:08:44] You might make other people uncomfortable. I've explained

[2:08:47] that before.

[2:08:48] And I really don't think that I should have to explain it

[2:08:51] again. Is there further public comment.

[2:08:55] All right. Seeing none. We'll close that part of the meeting

[2:09:01] and open it up to Council initiatives. Are there any

[2:09:04] Mister Pittman?

[2:09:05] >> Yeah, Marin County. I'm not sure if this needs to be a

[2:09:07] council initiative or if I can just work with staff. But what

[2:09:11] I would like to do is add a disclaimer at the public

[2:09:14] comment on non agenda items that explains why we sit here

[2:09:18] in don't engage that it's that there is a notice issue.

[2:09:22] So we're not standing sitting up here just like looking.

[2:09:26] We can't answer your questions. And so I would like to put some

[2:09:29] kind of a disclaimer. So the public understands what's going

[2:09:32] on protocol behind it, that it's their time to speak.

[2:09:35] It's our time to listen to and that we can to engage back and

[2:09:38] forth. And so that the allegations that we just sit

[2:09:41] here. What blank faces is because we cannot respond to at

[2:09:45] a public meeting. So I don't know if that needs to be an

[2:09:48] initiative or I guessed illegal. Can we just work on

[2:09:52] some disclaimers is kind of explaining to the public,

[2:09:54] the protocol and and some of the parameters on around which

[2:09:59] we do public comment.

[2:10:01] >> Councilmember Goodman staff would be happy to look at that.

[2:10:04] And thank you. Thank you.

[2:10:14] >> Is there any thing else for the council.

[2:10:17] Is there any objection to adjourning

[2:10:21] seeing none. We are adjourned.

Billings City Council Regular Meeting

Agenda

Transcript