[0:11] Hey, I was looking for

[0:19] » Are we all Are we good? >> What are you thankful for?

[0:23] » Being hot. >> You're thankful for being hot.

[0:25] » Better than being too cold.

[0:29] I'm going to go ahead and call to order the city council business meeting of

[0:34] Tuesday, August 11th. If you would start by joining me in a pledge of allegiance,

[0:40] I would appreciate it.

[0:44] » I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the

[0:49] republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and

[0:56] justice for all. Thank you,

[1:03] » Lonnie. Can I get a roll call, please? >> Here.

[1:06] » Here. >> Daniel here.

[1:08] » Yes. >> Yes.

[1:10] » Rude >> here. Cuben,

[1:11] » yes. >> All right. Thank you. Um, just a

[1:16] reminder if if everybody has not had an opportunity to put their phones on mute

[1:22] um or silence, if you would please do that. Um

[1:26] we will go ahead and commence with the meeting. Jeremy, just a heads up, I um

[1:32] have the script for qualifying a board that we use um for

[1:38] planning board. Um and I am not seeing it right here on top. So if you have

[1:43] that readily accessible just where we qualify the board and state that it's a

[1:48] quasi judicial matter, um it'd be helpful if you can find that. Otherwise,

[1:52] we'll wing it and do it best as we can. Um, I will entertain a motion to adopt

[1:59] the agenda as presented. >> I move to adopt the agenda as presented.

[2:04] » Second. >> Motion from council member Ronnie,

[2:07] second from council member Daniels. Discussion at the table.

[2:12] Hearing none. Can I go ahead and get a roll call, please?

[2:15] » Yes. >> Daniel, yes. Steven,

[2:17] » yes. >> Yes.

[2:19] » Yes. >> Yes.

[2:22] All right, 6. The motion carries. I'll entertain a motion to approve the

[2:27] minutes of July 28th. >> I move to approve the minutes of July

[2:30] 28th, 2026. >> Second.

[2:33] » Motion from council member Ronnie, second from council member Battles, I

[2:37] believe. That's where I heard that from. Uh, discussion at the table.

[2:43] Hearing none. Can I get a roll call? >> Battles?

[2:45] » Yes. >> Daniel?

[2:46] » Yes. >> David? Yes. Ronnie?

[2:48] » Yes. >> Ruth?

[2:50] Um, yes. Shining. Yes. 6. Motion passes.

[2:58] » Entertain a motion for warrants payable. >> I move to approve warrants payable in

[3:02] the amount of 1,726,740.93.

[3:09] » I'll second. >> Have a motion from council member

[3:12] Ronnie, a second from council member Tupin.

[3:14] » Discussion at the table, please. Um it is so high because there were um

[3:21] $755,120.92

[3:25] cents was paid out of water and that was for uh cops construction. Most of that

[3:30] was >> yes for the water

[3:32] » for the water project. Um and then we had the EDA grant. They paid out

[3:36] $57,510.98.

[3:40] And then we also paid for the comprehensive insurance um $146,630.50

[3:49] and um we also, you know, then the rest were just normal um payments. Um so but

[3:58] that that made up the majority of it. Solid waste we paid with public services

[4:02] 50,000 as usual. So that's that's most of it.

[4:08] Other comments at the table

[4:12] hearing? None. Can I get a roll call, please?

[4:15] » Yes. >> Yes.

[4:18] » Yes. >> Yes.

[4:20] » Yes. >> All right. 60. Motion carries.

[4:26] Um, mayor's business. Um, I have a few notes to get through. Um, the first one

[4:32] we'll start is with Bears. I'm sure as everyone knows, this has been a bad

[4:36] year. Um it's been bad all over the state, but you throw into that that Red

[4:41] Lodge is built in a riparian zone um right along a creek where bears love to

[4:46] walk. Um and we have grizzlies and black bears both in there. Um Daniel with uh

[4:54] FWP was able to be here tonight. Um he will also be at the bear meeting

[4:59] tomorrow. Um I'll I'll mention that again later, but that's at 2 o'clock at

[5:04] the library. um the the guidance that we have thus

[5:08] far and again I think it's important to note that bears are not put down just

[5:12] because of trash. They're they're put down um when they become a public safety

[5:18] issue. So when they're breaking into homes, breaking into cars, um chasing

[5:23] people, those are all behaviors that ends up putting a bear down. And I'd

[5:26] like to think that none of us like to see that. Um and so it's kind of uh the

[5:31] protect yourself, protect the bear. Um some ideas that they had to put out is

[5:35] they have asked to the extent possible if you have the ability to keep your can

[5:40] inside please do so. Um and then just put it out the morning that it's there.

[5:45] I know that's really difficult because sometimes Republic is a little

[5:48] unpredictable and comes really really early um earlier than normal. Um I will

[5:53] say uh and then actually before I go there also consider bringing bird

[5:58] feeders in. I know in town there's a lot of people who say, "I have bird feeders

[6:02] out and they just bring them in every night." Um, this year we are seeing

[6:06] bears every part of town walking down the street in the middle of the day. Um,

[6:12] so so consider bringing um the bird feeders in for the remainder of the

[6:17] season. Um, and then the other thing just from a public safety standpoint,

[6:21] um, if you're walking around town, anywhere in town really, uh, please

[6:26] consider carrying bear spray, especially if you're at night. Um, I I I don't

[6:31] think it's safe for people to be walking around um out at night, you know,

[6:34] walking dogs or or various things. And again, if you're a worker in Red Lodge

[6:38] and and um you don't have bear spray, um the bear group got a grant and working

[6:44] with uh YWS, the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary, they actually have some bear

[6:49] spray training and they have vouchers for those city workers who are working

[6:54] in our businesses and may not have bear spray. They can go down and get a

[6:57] voucher and get a can of bear spray, too. We still um the the latest count is

[7:02] still seven in Red Lodge, but we still have three or four bears um actively

[7:08] walking down the streets every night in in in town and and quite frankly during

[7:12] the day. Um if you see a bear, if it is a grizzly or

[7:20] if it is a human safety issue, please call dispatch. Um that's 4064461234.

[7:26] Hopefully everybody in town already has that number. saved in their phone. Um, I

[7:31] did see a hand. >> Council member Tupin,

[7:33] » just a question on bird feeders. I didn't think that those were permitted

[7:37] in city limits. I thought that was not allowed. They are.

[7:39] » No, they they they are permitted. What is not permitted is feeding of game

[7:44] animals. So, turkey, deer, anything that can be hunted. Yeah.

[7:48] » Um is not um the the public health and safety has taking under adisement and is

[7:54] looking at wondering about making bird feeders not legal within city limits,

[8:00] but it's it's a slippery slope, but at this point in time, they are legal, but

[8:04] they're just asking people not. >> So, you can make them not legal from May

[8:08] to like October. >> Your council, you can do whatever you'd

[8:12] like. >> No, I know. But in other cities, that's

[8:15] that's what other cities have done. So, let's let's let's not dive down that,

[8:19] but that'll be that's one of those things that is under consideration and

[8:22] discussion. Um, so call dispatch if you see a grizzly or if you have something

[8:27] that's a a human concern. Um, you can call them on general sightings. They

[8:32] they just probably won't get a response. Um, dispatch is really good at weeding

[8:36] through those calls. um and and has the hotlines for all of our um law

[8:42] enforcement and and they're still working like like the police and FWP

[8:45] will go down at night and run the bears off out of the alleys. And I will say

[8:49] from a community standpoint, if there's if there's things we can do um to make

[8:54] the bears uncomfortable, I know we all like cute pictures. Um but I was really

[8:58] quite pleased. I had some neighbors the other day that said, you know, they they

[9:01] ran at it and hollered and screamed and waved their arms and and the bear ran

[9:05] off. And as long as the bears are doing that, they will live to see another day.

[9:09] If they start to be unfased by humans, get to the point that they're breaking

[9:13] into garages or breaking into vehicles or chasing people, um then it doesn't

[9:18] end well for the bear. And sadly, that's where they go if they start getting too

[9:21] comfortable around people with trash and bird feeders and that sort of thing. Um

[9:26] tomorrow, for those who are interested, at 2:00 at the library is our bear

[9:30] meeting. Um we generally have 20 people or so. Um, the county is planning on

[9:35] attending tomorrow and I've extended an invitation to Ryan. Um, so I don't I

[9:39] haven't heard back from him. I don't know if he'll be able to make that or

[9:42] not. Um, but for anybody who's interested in being part of the

[9:44] solution, uh, we welcome you to those meetings and that'll be at 2:00 uh,

[9:49] tomorrow. And then hot off the presses on August 24th, which is the Monday

[9:56] before our next city council meeting at the senior center, um FWP is going to

[10:01] have their they generally do a couple of bear meetings a year. Um and generally

[10:06] they kind of wait until after the season. Um as active as it has been this

[10:10] year and with many things going on, um they have reached to have that. So

[10:15] that'll be August 24th, 6:30 at the senior center.

[10:20] um we may want to consider um for the Monday meeting that we have at staff

[10:24] meeting at 5:30 um whether we want to shorten that or maybe consider having

[10:28] that earlier um to help make sure otherwise they set it at 6:30 so we can

[10:32] leave right from here and go directly to that. Any questions about bears before

[10:37] we move on from the board from the table?

[10:41] All right. Um in the packet next time and and our our

[10:47] chief is on vacation. Um so council, you all have the complete um CFS report for

[10:54] the month with those numbers. Um with that, I kind of want to throw out an

[10:58] apology. Um we threw out uh we had a oneweek period of of numbers um that we

[11:06] threw in the packet because we didn't have the other yet. Um I failed to catch

[11:10] that that was identified or that had the title of an event on it. um and and

[11:16] apologies and and that was again it's a it's a time period so it's not

[11:19] everything even tight to that event per se. Um but the complete numbers are out

[11:23] in front of you and we'll make sure those are in the packet for everybody

[11:26] next time. Um the ice rink kickoff meeting is going

[11:32] to be this Thursday here um in city hall at 1:00. Um reminder that that is in

[11:39] essence a staff meeting. Um due to the high-profile nature of the conversation,

[11:44] uh it was determined that that will be open to the public uh to observe.

[11:48] However, I want to make sure that people understand that is not the public

[11:52] meeting um where public input will be sought. That will be a follow-up meeting

[11:56] and it's not an opportunity to add or change uh the requirements that council

[12:01] laid out by resolution. So, it's basically um the opportunity for staff

[12:06] and and representatives from council to be there to make sure that they

[12:10] understand what the ask is and just to clarify. So, that'll be a kickoff

[12:14] meeting here. >> What's the date and time?

[12:17] » That is Thursday, August 13th at 100 p.m.

[12:21] » They must know that's when I play bridge.

[12:24] » They planned the whole thing around.

[12:28] » Will they be? here

[12:31] » and it will be here. >> Will that be hosted online as well?

[12:34] » Um, not >> I don't I don't know that there's a plan

[12:37] to host it online. Um, and I for the record may not be there. I have I have

[12:42] plans that may have me out of town. I'm I'm presuming that you will be there not

[12:46] heard contrary >> um to that.

[12:49] » Um yeah, day after tomorrow. >> Okay.

[12:53] » Um so anyway, so there >> council member Davis. So that's just the

[12:58] ice rink meeting or is it the grant committee meeting?

[13:01] » No, no, this is this is just the kickoff meeting. This is hi, you're doing this

[13:06] report for us. We just want to answer any questions. If you read what the

[13:10] report is, if you have any questions about what our requests are and there

[13:14] was a meeting where they sat down and went through the resolution and spelled

[13:17] out exactly the the the goal of this report is for council to have the

[13:21] information they need to make a decision. We we literally gave them the

[13:25] resolution with the ask in the resolution that council wanted and those

[13:29] are you know if they're not going to be in the engineering report they have to

[13:32] be presented some you know before we make a decision those in that resolution

[13:37] had >> and my understanding is that that's

[13:38] pretty much what the engineering report is

[13:40] » that's what the it's supposed to be included within that engineering report

[13:43] the P >> and we don't have anything preliminary

[13:46] now everything's presented to that meeting because this meeting is strictly

[13:50] for to run through that resolution and to make sure that they know ahead of

[13:55] time all of the items that need to be presented within that report and that

[13:59] the the citizens have the ability to understand that we are requesting that

[14:03] information >> and if they have a question what do you

[14:06] mean by number three so this isn't the resolution that's passed then they can

[14:10] ask and get that clarification at that meeting.

[14:12] » Okay, great. Thank you. >> Okay.

[14:16] Um All right. um the water >> pool operations. We are nearing the end.

[14:23] In fact, we're getting to the point where it starts to become very very

[14:26] difficult to staff the pool. Um with with kids going off to college and

[14:30] getting in. Um August 23rd is going to be the final full day of operations,

[14:37] meaning open swim and lap swim. Um they are going to extend that for another

[14:42] week um from 24th to 28th, weather permitting. They are going to have um

[14:48] the lap swims and the aerobics from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00. They're also doing some

[14:52] additional work with the high school and the and the PE classes to get in there.

[14:57] Um the on the August 29th and 30th, they are going to open up on the weekend and

[15:02] have recreational swim. So, that'll be kind of the normal hours. Um right now,

[15:06] the plan is that um and then from the 31st to September 3rd, they're basically

[15:12] keeping it open until Labor Day weekend, weather permitting. Um, and then

[15:17] aerobics will be up until the 3. On the 3 will be the dog swim evening. That was

[15:23] really fun. Last year there was probably I I want to say 25 to 30 dogs. I

[15:28] actually took pictures and counted. >> Did you go?

[15:29] » Um, bait your dogs before they come. >> Um, and then on the fourth they'll be

[15:34] shutting down the pool and going from there.

[15:36] » So, and and I'll just give a public shout out. um the the folks who have

[15:40] worked down the pool this year um have done a really good job of just stepping

[15:44] up and doing what it took to keep it running and and the feedback has been

[15:48] really good. Um approved events. Uh we had one new

[15:53] request on Lion's Park on August 16th. So that's this coming Sunday. There's an

[15:58] event called Church in the Park. It's actually multiple churches that have

[16:01] just reserved the park um for a few hours that day that will be in the park.

[16:05] Thank you. Um, from a public works standpoint,

[16:12] um, if all goes according to plan, and we're halfway through one of two very

[16:17] breatholding days, >> um, a lot of surprises showed up today,

[16:21] but they were able to deal with them real time, but by the end of day

[16:24] tomorrow, they should be done with all of the water tie-ins for the water

[16:28] portion of the project that's done. >> I'll have water

[16:31] » after Yeah. So, we've got one more day to go through that. After that, it'll be

[16:35] clean up and then and then working toward um pavement. Um so, uh that's

[16:40] going to start on the week of the 24th and and and the way it works is they

[16:44] come in and they lay the concrete in the curbs and this kind of pertains to the

[16:47] EDA stuff as well. Um most of the concrete, there's some of it they do for

[16:52] the ADA corners that they do after the paving. So, there's concrete, get it

[16:56] ready, then they pave, and then they'll come back in and clean that up. Um but

[17:01] that should be done um by the end of this month and actually even be a little

[17:07] sooner than that. Sewer is going to start Tuesday.

[17:11] Um there is going to be some impact. Um they're trying to get to the school done

[17:16] before school starts so that they're not impacting sewers on the first day of

[17:20] school. Um,

[17:23] » how nice that blue. >> And then I said the north end of town is

[17:27] ADA on and and it's folks down on Hower, you'll see them come in and doing the

[17:31] sidewalk and the curb and then they'll come back in and do the pavement and

[17:34] then come back and and do the finalization on the sidewalks after

[17:37] that. >> So for Hower when

[17:41] » that so Hower taking advant um that's something else there. Uh I want to say

[17:47] the end of this month check online for the latest dates. We do keep it posted

[17:50] and that's up there. But we are on on the closing and and that my my favorite

[17:55] feedback and it's feedback we've heard several times um is someone will come in

[17:59] and say it's absolutely wonderful. They're doing great. They're fantastic.

[18:03] Yes, period. And we're so looking forward to them being done and gone. So

[18:06] that that's a that's part of a statement as well.

[18:09] » They last um on the street project they will start paving on the west side next

[18:15] Monday if >> so that's that's kind of your question

[18:19] there. >> Yeah.

[18:20] » Okay. Thank you. >> Soon. Very soon.

[18:25] » Um and and there have been a couple of questions or comments that have come up.

[18:29] I think there was one contractor that did not understand that that the city

[18:34] and aka the contractors are respons are responsible for restoration when they

[18:39] work on those projects and that includes in the boulevard and grass and

[18:43] sprinklers and all that sort of stuff. Rest assured that the city is aware and

[18:46] the contractors are aware. Um but I am aware of of one or two um workers that

[18:52] may not have been aware that that that is part of the project. So that is being

[18:56] addressed.

[19:02] um

[19:06] Rocky Bank Fort Construction. I'll just throw out um we are working very hard to

[19:10] make sure that is done by the 30th. Um there's two problems with that. Um the

[19:16] the the FEMA would have to extend it beyond

[19:19] that, but more importantly, we're not sure we can get fish wildlife parks on

[19:23] board. There was a question about how to do it with willows and they found that

[19:26] what they can do is get the willows and they don't have to wait for the dormant.

[19:30] They just have to transplant them within 48 hours when they get them in. So, we

[19:34] are still working to have that done. I will throw out that we are going to have

[19:38] FEMA is coming to town next Wednesday. Um if you see folks around or down

[19:43] looking at the site, um they are coming to basically collect success stories and

[19:48] and look at the Rocky Fork. Um, but the secondary motive is we're going to make

[19:54] sure they get a really thorough tour of Eagle's Nest. This is the people that

[19:58] So, we're continuing to work our way up the line to make sure that the people

[20:01] who are approving that project are on board and and happy with that.

[20:06] I think that did Can you think of anything else from the public works that

[20:09] I needed to address? >> No, I think that's about it.

[20:13] » Council member Davis, you had something? >> No, not from public works. Okay. It's

[20:17] about the um 50/50 sidewalk that there's been lots of applications and a lot of

[20:22] So it's great people are taking >> I understand there's one block down

[20:25] there from 5th to six that pretty much the whole block is taking advantage of

[20:28] it. >> Half the block

[20:31] » half of one side of the block half

[20:37] » and and then um council member RDE uh I have a note that there's a

[20:41] sustainability fair September 10th at the Roosevelt from 2 to 7. Do you want

[20:46] to give us some more information on that?

[20:47] » Uh, I'm not sustainability board anymore, but it's from 2:00 to 7:00 and

[20:52] Stephanie Nofall is arranging it and there'll be vendors and such from 2 to 7

[20:58] on the grounds at Roosevelt. That's a Thursday.

[21:01] » The parks board is also up. >> Oh, parks board.

[21:03] » They're Yeah, >> they haven't asked me anything, but um

[21:06] » yeah, >> but Stephanie's in charge. Yeah. So, but

[21:09] anyway, I think there's going to be music and vendors and

[21:13] » the bear guy maybe and >> inside.

[21:16] » No, just I think just in a yard. >> In a nice new yard.

[21:20] » All right. >> Thank you, Jody, for adding to that for

[21:23] me. >> That's what I have for any other

[21:26] homework assignments to address during this stage of the meeting.

[21:31] » All hearing none. And I did your yours something for later.

[21:33] » I'm good. Thank you. >> All right. Having do that, um, what

[21:36] we're going to do is we're going to move on to public comment. So, this is the

[21:41] first of a couple of different options for public comment. We always start the

[21:46] meeting with public comment, which is the opportunity for the council to hear

[21:50] any comments within the council's purview. Um, and then when we have

[21:54] action items, there's always an opportunity uh for public comment on

[21:58] those. Uh, during the public comment, you'll have three minutes. um you uh

[22:03] direct your comments to me, please. Um and again, it's it's it's comments. It's

[22:07] not a it's not a back and forth conversation or dialogue. Um but we will

[22:12] go ahead and open the meeting for public comment.

[22:21] » Go ahead. So, come come on up to the >> Y come up to the

[22:28] » That way they can hear it. I I realize you're just stalling while I get to my

[22:31] three minutes, so I appreciate that. >> Um, actually, I just wanted to

[22:35] compliment COP construction. I happen to be on a block that they've torn up and

[22:42] put back together 106 times. It seems like they haven't, but um,

[22:48] » can I get your name for the record? I forgot to say state your name for the

[22:51] record. >> I'm Sheri McCully.

[22:53] » Okay. And uh anyway, they dug a hole to put in a fire hydrant

[23:00] and then they of course to connect the my water line and then it rained and

[23:06] those holes just sunk, sunk, sunk and they came back and filled them up and

[23:12] put top soil over them. They marked my underground sprinklers. They were

[23:18] wonderful to work with. That's just my public comment.

[23:22] » Thank you, Sherry. All right. Any other public comment?

[23:26] Looking to the room. Seeing none in the room, let me look

[23:30] online and see if there's any public comment. I'm looking for cameras turned

[23:34] on or I'm looking for mics off, not on mute. Anna, I see an unmuted mic. Did

[23:40] you wish to make a public comment?

[23:46] All right. I'm not hearing anything. So, I'm assuming that was not intentional.

[23:50] And she's there and now it's not muted. All right.

[23:54] Public comment going once. Public comment going twice.

[24:00] » Hey, this is Jeff Wise. Hang on a second.

[24:03] » Go ahead, Jeff. You have the floor for three minutes.

[24:06] » I don't need that much. Uh, this goes to the Rocky Fork Bank uh project. Um, a

[24:12] while back I took some pictures of big chunks of concrete and um, you know,

[24:18] luck from the flood and asphalt over there by the historical uh, information

[24:23] signs. Uh, are they going to be addressing any of that stuff that's

[24:26] still in the creek? That's my question. Okay. Thanks.

[24:32] » All right. Thank Thank you for your comment, Jeff.

[24:37] Any other public comment?

[24:41] All right, third time we'll go ahead and close public comment. Um I I will take

[24:49] uh my my option to just respond briefly. Um the bank stabilization does not

[24:56] address the stuff in the creek. That's a whole bunch of additional permits and

[25:01] flooding and they and and the the county is aware of that which is actually their

[25:05] jurisdiction. And so we will continue to look for opportunities to clean up some

[25:09] of the junk that's been in there for years and years and certainly not

[25:12] improved by the flood. Um but to my understanding that is not part of this

[25:15] project. All right, with that we will um bring it

[25:20] back to the table. Um Jeremy, were you able to find the script that I'm looking

[25:25] for for for parks board where we qualify the board and clarify that this is a

[25:30] this n this is quasi judicial in nature or am I going to have to do it from

[25:34] memory? Uh, I don't Jeff had that list. So, uh,

[25:39] he uses that the planning board meetings for the public hearings. I don't have

[25:42] that, but >> Okay. Thank you. And I and I I have

[25:46] that, too. Um, but I just don't know where I said I'm looking down one more

[25:52] time and and we have another one next week and I'll I'll find it and bring it

[25:56] to that. Um but at this point what we will do um our our our loan action item

[26:02] is actually a variance request which is for the board of adjustments which is

[26:08] clarified as our city council. >> So there are certain things um that come

[26:14] directly to the board of adjustments and bypass planning. This is one of those

[26:18] and I'll let um let um Jeremy speak to that in just a moment. Um and then there

[26:24] are sometimes when things go to planning board and if they wish to appeal a

[26:27] decision from planning board then that also comes to the board of adjustments

[26:31] aka city council. So there will be uh an appeal request that comes in two weeks

[26:38] just FYI so that you know. Um and with that what I'm going to do is I'm going

[26:42] to turn the time over to uh Jeremy. We've got that pen. So he's he's the

[26:46] little head up on top there. Um Jeremy, do you want to go through the the

[26:50] process and describe um the boundaries and what we're here to do tonight?

[26:56] » Sure. Thanks, Dave. Uh thanks, council members. Um appreciate your time

[27:00] tonight. Um this uh application is for 524 Grant Avenue South. Uh it's a

[27:07] sideyard setback variance request uh made by Cheryl McCully um who you just

[27:14] heard from earlier. Um I did prepare a staff report for this. Um I will say

[27:21] that variance requests have to be or or any quasi judicial matter in front of

[27:27] either the planning board or the city council has to be reviewed based on the

[27:33] merits of the application submitted. Um and that's based on the criteria that's

[27:38] outlined in the zoning regulations or whatever regulation that you're

[27:42] reviewing under. uh whether it be zoning or subdivision or whatever. Um so in

[27:48] this case the staff report was prepared based on uh the application submitted

[27:54] information provided by the applicant and the specific impacts or

[28:00] circumstances of this particular request.

[28:04] uh we do not review uh for potential impacts uh on future applications that

[28:13] may come in to the city for variance requests. Um that that that future

[28:19] variance request is based on that application at that time, right? And

[28:24] that specific those specific circumstances and those specific

[28:28] impacts. Um so based on uh hopefully all of you have had a chance to review the

[28:34] staff report that was prepared for this uh this variance application. Um I'm

[28:39] just going to briefly go through it since um hopefully you've all had a

[28:44] chance to review it. I don't want to read the entire thing uh because I do

[28:47] want to get to the applicants uh presentation or comments on on on their

[28:53] application and then to public comment and your discussion and questions.

[28:58] Uh so as I stated um the uh variance is for 524 Grant Avenue South which is uh

[29:05] legally described as lots 15 and 16 of block 39 of the BLheimimer edition. Um I

[29:13] will make a mention that throughout the staff report I did notice tonight um as

[29:18] I was reviewing going back through the staff report preparing for the meeting

[29:22] that it does incorrectly reference it that it borders 15th Street. It should

[29:28] that is incorrect. It borders 17th Street. So, I do want to make that

[29:32] clarification and I apologize for that. Um, that was my fault for just

[29:40] getting that through the entire staff report. But, um, where 15th Street right

[29:45] away is, it should be 17th Street. Just just I want to It doesn't change the

[29:49] staff report. It doesn't change the findings. Um, it's just a reference to

[29:53] the adjacent street and right ofway. Uh >> Jeremy, when we when there's a motion to

[29:58] accept the staff report, do we want there to be a motion just to amend all

[30:02] references of 15th to 17th just to include that in the record?

[30:06] » Yes. >> Yep. You you took the words right out of

[30:08] my mouth. So um but yeah uh so this uh uh the this

[30:14] public hearing was noticed uh in the paper uh uh 15 calendar days or minimum

[30:21] of 15 calendar days prior to the meeting and we sent uh joining landowner letters

[30:27] um to all adjacent land owners uh around the property on July 16th

[30:33] um or sorry uh the week of July 20th and the applicant was notified on July 16th

[30:40] of this hearing. Um the app the request is for a reduction in the east side

[30:48] required 6-foot uh sideyard setback. Um the zoning regulations require a 6ft

[30:55] sideyard setback for structures uh within the R2 zoning district. Um the

[31:02] request is to reduce that down to.7 ft um instead of the 6 ft on the east

[31:09] property boundary adjacent to 17th Street. Um in this area currently there

[31:14] is a deck um that deck would be removed uh and replaced with the addition. Um

[31:21] there is uh approximately 10 ft uh uh or so of

[31:28] um you know pavement area and and from the proposed addition to the edge of

[31:35] pavement.

[31:38] See so the the addition does not uh is not going right up against the uh the

[31:44] existing road surfacing. It is just close to the existing right-of-way line

[31:49] or property boundary for the prop for the property.

[31:54] Um let's see.

[31:59] So our our overall the the applicant's proposal meets uh the sub the zoning

[32:07] regulations for Rad Lodge for the R2 district as far as purpose uh

[32:13] residential parents and um surrounding uh context. The dimensional standard for

[32:19] the sixoot sideyard setback is the only request within this uh application.

[32:25] staff recommendation um is approval with conditions. Um we

[32:31] are proposing 11 conditions um essentially that the

[32:38] approval is limited to the requested variance. So it's only limited to that

[32:42] sideyard setback. So no other variance is requested. So there's no height

[32:46] variance requested. No other no other variances are requested at this time. So

[32:50] the variance is restricted to that. um must be in compliance with the plans.

[32:55] The property owner must verify the property line before construction. Uh

[33:00] they cannot encroach any of the project within the uh street ride ofway

[33:06] including eaves or any other uh any other portions of the structure. Um

[33:12] drainage and snow management shall be uh consistent with current drainage

[33:17] patterns uh that are on the property and cannot substantially be altered. Um need

[33:24] to get a building uh building permit for the uh for the structure. Um

[33:32] any utility easements or or utilities or easements should be protected. So those

[33:38] will need to be marked and protected uh during construction.

[33:42] Any other permits that are required will be required. Uh the

[33:48] addition has to maintain the residential appearance which according to the plans

[33:52] will um no expansion other than what's approved in the variance can be done um

[33:59] without a future uh application and additional approvals. And then this

[34:04] expires within one year if they do not uh pursue the uh building permit pro

[34:11] building permits or construction.

[34:16] So the review criteria we have seven review criteria within the zoning

[34:22] regulations that we have to review for. We have special conditions uh not result

[34:27] of the applicant's uh anything that the applicant has done uh strict application

[34:34] uh of the uh regulations is unreasonable necessary to provide reasonable use of

[34:40] the property minimum variance required and not injuries

[34:46] um inconsistent with the regulations. Well, based on uh the analysis that we

[34:52] have done, I'm not going to read through every single one of these. Um but staff

[34:57] has staff has determined that um this request does meet all of these

[35:02] requirements. Um and again, I I will just reiterate

[35:07] staff does recommend approval of the variance um to reduce that required six

[35:12] foot south uh sideyard setback to approximately 7 feet. Um, and then I

[35:20] will just finish up by saying if the board of adjustment uh chooses to go a

[35:27] different direction as in denial of the variance then you need to make a

[35:32] specific finding as to why you are denying the variance in conjunction with

[35:37] those seven criteria. So it it has to be that you you do not consider that they

[35:44] have a special condition and why or you you you do not feel that um it's it's or

[35:53] you feel it is injurious to the neighborhood or detrit to public welfare

[35:57] and why right so you need to make findings as to why you are denying the

[36:02] the the variance application when you make your uh um when you make your

[36:07] motion. With that, I will turn it back over to

[36:11] you, Dave.

[36:14] » All right. So, at this point, what we'll do is we will open up to questions to

[36:20] Jeremy on the stack report from the table. So, if you have any questions

[36:24] about anything in here and what it means or if you want to dig or pry into some

[36:29] of the findings, this is your opportunity for the table to directly

[36:33] ask questions and have Jeremy answer those questions. After that, by the way,

[36:37] what we will then do is we will then go to the applicant who will who will be

[36:40] able to address comments and that's part of the reason we're doing kind of the

[36:44] questions first. That gives them a feel for where things are going. Um, and then

[36:48] we'll bring it back and and do a public hearing before we make our final action.

[36:52] So, at this time, um, um, Council Member Davis, go ahead.

[36:56] » Um, I was just thinking earlier, and I may have missed it in the paperwork, but

[37:00] so no neighbors need to be involved in any of this because it's just our two

[37:05] zones. Jeremy, do you want to speak to that please?

[37:09] » The question was, do the neighbors need to be involved in this discussion? Is

[37:13] that what you said? >> Notification notified.

[37:18] » Whatification is required? What was done? Thank you.

[37:21] » We we sent uh notification of this public hearing to all adjoin adjacent

[37:26] land owners, even the land owners across the street rights of way so they could

[37:30] participate in this public hearing and or provide written public comment to the

[37:34] board of adjustment. >> Okay, great. Thank you.

[37:38] » And did you receive any feedback in written?

[37:41] » I did not. >> Other questions from the table looking

[37:46] for hands? That was my question is if there had been any other feedback

[37:50] negative or positive from neighbors.

[37:55] » I have only one question. Is there any concern of this building like the

[38:01] extension of it creating any sort of hazard with view uh on an intersection?

[38:06] That would be the only thing that I have on it.

[38:08] » Jim Ray, would you like to speak to that please?

[38:10] » Yep. I did look at that and the addition is well back from the uh from the

[38:14] intersection and I don't have any concerns with site vision triangle.

[38:19] » Perfect. Thank you. >> I I will share that um the information

[38:24] was also relayed on to the building inspector and fire and that was a

[38:29] specific uh issue that was looked at and considered.

[38:34] » Yep. >> Any other further questions from the um

[38:37] council member Davis? Um, just a note on page seven of seven under public

[38:43] comment, it just says no public comment has be received. So,

[38:47] » I don't know if it's official document, but

[38:48] » it it is. I just want to validate. We haven't heard anything since then as

[38:51] well. >> Been received is what she was trying to

[38:54] say. >> Yeah.

[38:56] » Okay. Typo on seven. >> Seven months ago.

[38:59] » Okay. We can we can do that without we can do that without an edit.

[39:02] » Yeah. >> He received.

[39:03] » All right. Sorry, I'm slow. >> No. No.

[39:06] » All right. Any other questions from staff before we give the applicant an

[39:11] opportunity to speak to council? Seeing none, if you would like to come

[39:16] speak to council, this is not a timed activity. Um, so so I'll I'll cut you

[39:21] off if you get carried away, but but please point for keeping it short. No,

[39:28] » my name is Sheri McCully. I live at 524 Grant Avenue South. I have lived there

[39:33] for 38 years. My husband and I are in our seven days.

[39:40] My husband is handicapped. He has a walker.

[39:45] And uh I went through every every hoop. I had my land surveyed. I'm on a corner

[39:52] lot. I had my land surveyed. And of course, the home was built in 1925. So,

[39:57] as you can imagine, my neighbor lives in my yard on on my

[40:04] north side, which of course created the six-foot setback on the south side. Um,

[40:12] when I started my remodel project, all I'm trying to do is move my laundry and

[40:20] a handicap bathroom accessible so we can remain there the rest of our lives. Um,

[40:28] it doesn't affect I mean, if you look up and down the street, my project is not

[40:33] going to stick out any further than my neighbor's garage. My garage,

[40:38] you know, it's just the timing of the beast.

[40:42] » If I had have known that I was going to stay here for all these years, I'd

[40:46] probably I couldn't afford it before. Anyway, the goal is to to make my home

[40:52] habitable so my husband and I can remain there until we can't.

[40:57] » Perfect. >> May I ask this question? Can I have you

[40:59] speak to one of the requirements they give us

[41:02] » is is an an undue hardship. Can you speak

[41:06] about some other alternatives or plans you kind of looked out on the layout in

[41:10] the land and and why you selected this one?

[41:12] » Just the way that my home is laid out. The only economically

[41:19] feasible approach is to go south. If I were to go um I would definitely have to

[41:26] admit if I were to go to the the west that would increase my dining room and

[41:33] give me but it's not going to do me any good. I

[41:37] don't need a bigger dining room. I need a bathroom. If I were to go to the east,

[41:44] um, that would connect to my bedroom, but I would have to change the entire

[41:49] roof line. Um, it's not economically feasible.

[41:55] » Um, can I ask does where you're putting the bathroom, does it share a wall with

[42:00] other water and sewer right there, too? So, it's

[42:03] » Yes. So because that's I know that is a huge expense if you have to create a

[42:07] whole new water plumbing another section of the house.

[42:10] » Mark checker here my >> my contractor and moral support. I mean

[42:16] we've looked at it from every angle we possibly can.

[42:21] And um yeah if I had a bazillion dollars first off I wouldn't need a variance.

[42:25] I'd buy a new house. So you know we tried to look at it from the shortest

[42:30] distance between two points >> that we could afford.

[42:34] And that's what it is. >> Any other questions from the table for

[42:38] the applicant? >> I just want to say that Sherry, I drove

[42:41] by the other day and I think it's great and I salute you. We're going to hear

[42:46] from a lot of people who want to live in their homes for a long time and and

[42:50] you're doing the right thing. So, >> talk to people at the Roosevelt Center

[42:53] and I mean they're always trying to look for ways to find senior living. You

[43:00] know, I have it. Just help me. Help me make I I'll tell you how desperate we

[43:05] were. I switched We've been married 40 years. I switched sides of bed with him

[43:12] so he could get Yeah, that's been exactly.

[43:17] » Yeah. So, there you have it. Don't tell me I didn't try.

[43:21] I didn't sleep for a month. >> Any any other questions for the

[43:25] applicant from the table? >> All right. Hearing none, thank you. We

[43:30] reserve the right to call you back, but go ahead and have a seat.

[43:33] » Thank you. >> Um

[43:36] Jeremy, please correct me if I'm wrong on the procedure here, but I believe we

[43:39] do go to public comment at this point. >> Yes, you would open up to public

[43:44] comment. >> All right. So, I'm going to go ahead and

[43:46] open this at public comment. The same rules apply. If you will direct your

[43:49] comments to me, you will be limited to three minutes. Please start your

[43:53] comments by identifying yourself for the record and we'll go from there. Open

[43:58] public comment. And I'll start by looking to the room.

[44:02] Seeing none, I'm looking online. Public comment going once.

[44:09] Public comment going twice. Public Oh, go ahead. Uh Jeff, I see

[44:16] you're unmuted mic. You have the floor for three minutes.

[44:19] » Yeah. Yeah. I just I guess I just kind of wanted to raise this Jeff.

[44:25] » Identify yourself. Yeah, >> Jeff Debenadetto, 317, uh, South Hagen.

[44:30] Um, also chair of the Red Lodge Planning Board. And I just kind of wanted to just

[44:37] raise the issue about setting precedent. Um, and and two two things that kind of

[44:45] struck out to me. One was was whether whether this was really meeting the

[44:52] conditions for strict act application um is is unreasonable. a strict

[45:00] application of the of the zoning is unreasonable and and I think um it's

[45:07] hard to see where where this would be the situation would be any different

[45:12] than than any other residence within town within town. It's basically

[45:17] adhering to the existing uh layout of of the plat and lot layout of of the city

[45:25] throughout. And I my concern is that if you follow kind of the logic in the

[45:31] staff report, um anybody any resident in town could apply for a variance to

[45:38] setbacks and and it doesn't seem didn't seem like that really met this criteria.

[45:45] The the la the other comment I'd like to make is the 7 leaving 10.7

[45:52] ft of space between the proposed addition and the city rightway. And I

[45:59] guess it has to do with the future um construction of of gutter and sidewalk

[46:07] and curb. Um, this block doesn't have existing

[46:12] sidewalks, but the block to the west and the block to the east does. And I'm kind

[46:19] of just I just kind of wonder with it being so tight, what sort of constraints

[46:24] are going to entail when the city does come through and install curb and

[46:29] sutter, gutter, and sidewalk. um with only 7/10 of a of a foot of space

[46:35] between uh the rideway and the proposed addition. Um those are just basically

[46:42] the two comments I had. Thank you, Jeff. Any other public

[46:48] comment? We'd already done a public comment going

[46:52] twice, so I'll make this public comment going three times.

[46:57] See, no additional public comment. I will go ahead and bring it back to the

[47:00] table. Um Jeremy, could I get you to speak just to for a moment to the

[47:05] comments we've heard uh during public comment?

[47:10] » Sure. Um I yeah I mean as to precedent uh again I

[47:16] I every application has to be reviewed on

[47:21] the merits of that application not what the effects of that will be on other

[47:28] properties within the city because every piece of property in the city is

[47:32] developed differently and has different circumstances. And so I would caution

[47:37] against uh precedent. Um again we we review for for these seven criteria on

[47:45] every application. Technically any lot in the city can apply for a variance of

[47:50] any development standard in the zoning regulations at any time. So, we as a

[47:55] city or staff cannot prevent somebody from requesting a variance if they

[48:00] choose to go through that process and come before the board of adjustment um

[48:05] and make their case. Um they can do that. Um, there are situations where

[48:10] I've had in the past in other jurisdictions where I have recommended

[48:13] denial of variances because they had uh clear other alternatives to their

[48:18] project or the impact was too great on an adjacent property that I felt it

[48:26] didn't warrant granting a variance. And so in this case, I don't have those

[48:31] concerns. I I will say if they had proposed this addition to the north uh

[48:38] towards the adjacent property uh uh owner um and they were proposed to be.7

[48:44] ft from the adjacent property to the north, I would have recommended denial

[48:49] because they their impact on that property owner would have been uh would

[48:54] have been something that could not be mitigated. Okay. But because this is

[48:58] going towards the street rightway um and it's outside the site vision triangle

[49:02] and all of the proposal is within the limits of the property um and the other

[49:09] reasons outlined in the staff I felt that this uh my recommendation for

[49:14] approval was warranted. Um as for development within the city rideway uh

[49:20] again this this is within the property boundaries. So typically sidewalk is 1

[49:26] ft off of the property boundary. It's not right on the property boundary. So

[49:30] this addition would in theory be a foot and a half well just shy of 2 feet from

[49:35] any edge of sidewalk uh if a future sidewalk went through here. Um and then

[49:40] I the other thing I would point out is that in other in other zoning districts

[49:46] we have zero lot line setbacks and sidewalks are right up next to those

[49:50] those buildings as well. So, I guess I did don't find that a concern in in in

[49:55] in my analysis, but um and I'll just leave it at that.

[50:01] » Right. Thank you, Jeremy. Is there any other questions from the table before we

[50:05] proceed? >> Um I do have one question in terms of

[50:10] the uh qualifiers because I don't remember them all off the top of my

[50:16] head, but >> they're in staff report. No, I mean the

[50:19] the qualifications of the board of >> ad. Yep. And I'm going to do that in

[50:23] just a second. Okay. >> So, do you have that?

[50:25] » I I I don't, but I do remember it somewhat. So, we're to test my memory.

[50:28] » Okay. >> So, that is our next step.

[50:30] » Okay. Perfect. And I will wait for that because if I recall, there is something

[50:33] about correspondence. >> Yep. So, that's the first question. All

[50:37] right. Hearing no other Oh, go ahead. Uh, council member Daniels question.

[50:42] just to ensure that I'm actually like I pulled up an image of Google Maps just

[50:48] to verify that I'm actually looking at the right section. So it's it's the

[50:54] going old school here. If you're facing the old dead like it's that that

[51:02] » old school >> I like I remember

[51:06] » back in the summer of hawk six. >> Okay. Hey plunge.

[51:10] » The old plunge. The old plunge. I got to >> Yep. All right.

[51:14] » I've been I've lived here since the old son because that's how long I've been.

[51:17] » Okay. I also remember when you and Dennis were getting married, so that

[51:21] can't be that long ago. I don't agree to that. Um, and then there's I I am

[51:26] noticing that there is a sidewalk on the adjacent side of the road. So,

[51:30] » that one's already Okay. Sorry. >> Are we done? Just thinking out loud.

[51:34] That's okay. You're at the table. That's allowed.

[51:35] » Thank you. >> All right.

[51:37] » Oh, glory. So now we're now we're going to test my four years of my memory from

[51:41] four years on the planning board. So the nature before us is quasi judicial in

[51:48] nature which basically means that you are not acting in a legislative

[51:51] capacity. You are acting in a quasi judicial capacity.

[51:55] As such uh what we do is we start by qualifying the board. Is there anyone at

[52:00] the table who has any exparte communications they wish slash need to

[52:06] disclose at this point of time? That would be any conversations with the

[52:09] applicants or anybody that's involved that the board would need to be aware of

[52:13] that you have those communications. Council member Tupin,

[52:16] » I have had a conversation with Sher I think like two years ago about this

[52:21] » and just >> she must have been on a board that I

[52:24] thought I at this for two years.

[52:27] » Yeah, she's been at it for a minute. So again, she did bring up that this was

[52:30] something that she was looking at doing. She wasn't like bribing me or making any

[52:36] any threats or anything. Just more so letting me know of the nature of it. And

[52:41] I think just knowing that I'm involved in real estate and have education in

[52:46] this is kind of looking for direction. So I just want to make that clear

[52:49] » and and that's that's exactly what that opportunity is for is to make sure that

[52:52] if there's any exparte communication, it's out in the open and everybody's on

[52:56] board with it. >> Any other exparte communication anyone

[53:00] wishes to share? All right. Is there any reason that any board member feels that

[53:06] they have a conflict of interest or need to recuse themselves from this

[53:09] situation? >> No.

[53:13] » All right. Hearing none, let the record show that the board has been qualified.

[53:18] The matter before us is quasi duditionial in nature. And at this

[53:22] point, what I'm looking at is a series of motions that are on page three,

[53:27] halfway down the staff report. Um there's a move to adopt the staff

[53:30] report. Uh we've heard with amendments and then there's separately a move to

[53:34] approve or deny the variance. I will entertain motion at this time.

[53:39] » Uh I move to adopt the staff report VAR-2026-01

[53:46] as the board of adjustment findings of facts and conclusions.

[53:51] Do you wish that to include any amendments like

[53:54] » uh as amended to or to amend with the amendment uh to change any instance of

[53:59] 15th Street to 17th Street? >> I have a second.

[54:02] » I have a motion from council member Tupin, a second from council member

[54:06] Ronnie. Any discussion at the table?

[54:11] » All right, hearing none and fully expecting Jeremy to jump in or Ronnie to

[54:15] jump in if I misstep at all. Um, I will go ahead and have a roll call on the

[54:20] motion to adopt. >> Yes.

[54:22] » Daniel, >> yes.

[54:23] » David, >> yes.

[54:24] » Ronnie, >> yes.

[54:25] » Rude, >> yes.

[54:26] » Tupin, >> yes.

[54:29] » All right. 6. Motion to adopt carries. I'll entertain a motion on the variance.

[54:35] I move to approve variance BR202601

[54:42] to reduce the required southside yard setback from 6 ft to approximately 0.7

[54:50] ft for the residential addition at 524 Grant Avenue South bordering 17th Street

[54:59] subject to the conditions stated in this staff report.

[55:03] » I will second. I have a motion from council member RDE, a second from

[55:06] council member Ronnie. Discussion at the table.

[55:13] Hearing none. Can I get a roll call, please?

[55:15] » Madd, >> yes.

[55:16] » Daniel, >> yes.

[55:17] » David, >> yes. Ronnie,

[55:18] » yes. >> Rude,

[55:19] » yes. >> Yes.

[55:21] » 6. The motion passes. Thank you for your time and good luck on

[55:27] your project. >> Good luck you guys.

[55:29] » Thank you everyone. Thank you, Jeremy.

[55:34] » All right. Uh, thank you, Jeremy. If if you wish to go at this point, uh, thank

[55:38] you. Your time is is very much appreciated. And go have a lovely

[55:41] evening, and we'll look forward to non-billable evening from here on out.

[55:47] » All right. >> You always got to throw that in there,

[55:49] don't you, Dave? >> I just want to make sure you stop the

[55:53] clock on the way out. >> All right.

[55:55] » Thank you for being here. >> Thanks, everyone. Bye.

[56:00] All right, with that we will go ahead and close the action portion of our

[56:03] meeting and uh we will bring it back to the table. For those who have not had

[56:08] the opportunity to um join council meetings in the past, the second half of

[56:13] our council meetings are basically a work session. This is where we talk

[56:17] about the stuff that is coming up and give cha council a chance to talk

[56:22] amongst themselves outside of just the standing committees and to um make sure

[56:28] that we're ready for action in future meetings. We will start with the admin

[56:34] and finance standing committee and for that I will look to committee chair

[56:38] Ronning to lead us through that discussion.

[56:41] » Okay. Well, up first is our budget review and that takes up the majority of

[56:46] our packet today. Um, first up in the packet was the draft resolution um that

[56:54] we we will be passing will be at our next meeting um for to adopt the 2627

[57:01] budget. And um it's broken down into our different categories. Um general, comp

[57:07] insurance, health insurance, PERS, police, retire, all the way down

[57:11] including solid waste, water, sewer, operating. And as you can see um our

[57:16] property tax revenue is $919,168.

[57:23] Our um non-t tax resources are 27,543,922.

[57:30] and our total requirement for that budget is 28,463,090.

[57:37] And then after that, it gets into the weeds of what's behind all of those

[57:43] numbers. Um, first up is our revenue side. Um, the spreadsheet in there. Um,

[57:51] the value of the mill, as we figured, went up considerably. Um so what we will

[57:58] actually be assessing or allowed to access um is 63.02 mills. Um 49

[58:07] of that will be part of our general fund. The other goes towards the comp

[58:14] insurance health you know all all of that police retirement and that's broken

[58:19] down in that resolution how that's that is. So 686,339

[58:24] is what's going into our general fund. So that that is our

[58:32] revenue side. Um if you go to the second page, it breaks down our non-levied

[58:38] funds. So that's not property taxes. That's where we get our water, our sewer

[58:43] fees, our solid waste, our recycling. Um it also includes um our resort tax. Um

[58:51] and if you look at that um it has what we currently have um cash available plus

[58:58] what we're estimating to collect um which begin you know then we have our

[59:03] total resources. So that's what we are estimating we can spend um if we need

[59:09] to. Um does anybody have any questions on those revenue sides?

[59:15] Please speak up. I want everyone to understand this when you vote on it and

[59:20] Um, >> Council Member Davis, go ahead.

[59:24] » Um, thank you for letting me ask questions. Um, how does this compare

[59:28] from last year? What went into the general fund from the mill?

[59:34] » A lot less. >> Not a lot less. So, so we only get a

[59:37] certain amount of like money and then the money is determined on the mill.

[59:42] » So, so yeah. And and and we'll and I'll I'll address again I'll I'll bring the

[59:46] the kind of the special presentation. So there's almost a twostep process is how

[59:54] we get to this. So people always think about oh my prop my property got

[59:58] evaluated and the property went up this much in value therefore my taxes are

[1:00:01] going to go up. And if you read actually as those and I interestingly enough I

[1:00:05] just read minded um that that came out this week and one of the things it calls

[1:00:09] out is your property taxes are not going to go up by the same amount necessarily.

[1:00:13] So what happens is the amount that the city is allowed to collect in property

[1:00:19] taxes is set by the legislature. Last year they modified it for the 25

[1:00:28] years prior to that. It was allowed to go up 1/2 the average rate of inflation

[1:00:34] over the last 3 years. So take last year's amount, figure out what the

[1:00:38] average rate of inflation was, and that's how much we get to go up. So

[1:00:43] that's step one and and it has still done that other than they now said we

[1:00:47] can use the actual rate of inflation and Lonnie I apologize I looked at the form

[1:00:51] you sent and I couldn't see the number on there

[1:00:53] » it's like 2 it's like the second line in that formula

[1:00:57] » so so it's like it's like 2x% so whatever we got last year we get that

[1:01:02] plus new development plus 2x% so then the second part of that equation

[1:01:09] is how many mills does it take to get to that amount of

[1:01:14] money. >> Okay?

[1:01:16] » And so that's where your property taxes come in because a mill by definition is

[1:01:21] 1 1,000th of 1% of the entire value of the city.

[1:01:27] So what happens is if property values go up, the value of the city goes up.

[1:01:35] Therefore, the value of 1/ 10,000 goes up.

[1:01:40] And therefore, it takes less of those to get to the dollar amount that we

[1:01:44] established in step one. >> The value of the mill went up to

[1:01:48] $14,615. >> And so last the biggest difference

[1:01:53] you'll see if you compare these to last year is last year rather than 63 meals,

[1:01:59] we had 90 Jeremy, do you remember off the top of

[1:02:02] your head? 92 point something. >> Yeah. So we went from 92 or 93 ms down

[1:02:08] to 63 m. So you think, oh no, we only got we got a third less. No, we got 2.x%

[1:02:15] more, but how many frog skins did we have to collect to get there? 63 versus

[1:02:21] 93.

[1:02:24] » So the previous year was 2.11% for the current year inflation adjustment. This

[1:02:29] year it's 2.97%. >> So So we got 2.97 over last year.

[1:02:35] » Okay. Thank you. And and if anybody is listening and has any questions, you are

[1:02:40] welcome to to call the city. Um you can you can call and speak to the clerk. You

[1:02:45] can call and speak to me and I will do my very best. Um hopefully you should be

[1:02:49] able to call and speak to to um your council members and they will pull any

[1:02:53] of us in to help if if they need it. But I appreciate the fact that people are

[1:02:57] asking questions. That's that the the most the more we can do to help people

[1:03:01] apply that the better it is. Now, one of the things that is worth noting um and

[1:03:07] this will we'll hopefully we'll have uh this all finalized um by the time we

[1:03:12] adopt the budget. We have some obligations.

[1:03:17] Most specifically um our obligation, we outsource our fire

[1:03:22] protection services >> to the Red Lodge Fire District. That's

[1:03:26] not actually a city service. And our current contract is that we pay them 28

[1:03:31] mills. 28 ms is a lot bigger share of 63 mills

[1:03:37] than it is of 93 mills. And in the past when we've broken that out, we we saw it

[1:03:43] go from 20% of our property tax general budget to 30%. This

[1:03:51] year we're pushing up close to 50. The good news is that we have been and are

[1:03:56] in the process of finalizing uh negotiations with the fire district to

[1:04:02] change away from that millsbased contract in the negotiations. So we we

[1:04:07] saw this coming and we've been working at it for a couple of years quite

[1:04:10] frankly um in anticipation of what we saw in our crystal balls foggy as they

[1:04:16] may be. Um, and so, uh, I I I feel very happy and comfortable with that and glad

[1:04:23] we were able to get that addressed. Um, so that's the most significant. With

[1:04:27] that, I'll shut up and turn things back over to Council President Ronnie, who

[1:04:30] happens to be the the committee chair, too.

[1:04:34] » Um, so I guess, you know, the revenue side, um, if you just go down through

[1:04:39] those funds, it includes, you know, number one, the urban renewal tip

[1:04:44] district. Um we have not spent any money out of that yet. Um any requests for

[1:04:49] that money will go to council for approval. Um the resort tax um we have

[1:04:56] currently 1.5 million in cash available and we pick

[1:05:04] we put 2 million 2 million in for collections and that's the 3% and we do

[1:05:10] put that high. We don't budget all of that because we have to collect it to

[1:05:16] spend it. Um, so that's why there's a cash reserve of $691,000.

[1:05:22] Um, because we did not budget the whole $2 million.

[1:05:26] » May I add just one little thing to that? >> Yes, please.

[1:05:28] » We The flip side of that is we cannot spend it if we did not budget for it.

[1:05:35] So, for the past several years, ever since when I was on council and we got

[1:05:39] bit one year, um we collected more resort tax than anticipated and the city

[1:05:46] was not able to utilize that. So, as you look at the resort tax budget, um since

[1:05:50] that point in time, you will generally see a pretty large budget line item uh

[1:05:56] along the lines of pay off the pool early, for instance.

[1:06:00] um you don't have to pay off the pool early, but if for some reason we have a

[1:06:04] stellar year in resort tax, it gives us the ability to utilize it for that,

[1:06:10] » but we have to have we have to have accommodated it within the budget in

[1:06:15] order for us to have that benefit. >> Yes.

[1:06:19] » Um next is library. Um, and the majority of the library budget is actually paid

[1:06:26] through the county. It's a separate line item on your property taxes, but the

[1:06:31] city >> that's not the that's their special

[1:06:34] account. >> Oh, okay. I'm sorry.

[1:06:36] » In the general fund. >> Oh, okay.

[1:06:38] » So, that the library has their own their own.

[1:06:42] » You're thinking the other that one right there is all of your

[1:06:46] funds that are not >> right. So, it's a library levy. This is

[1:06:50] just the city stuff though, >> correct? The library falls under general

[1:06:54] fund. >> This is general I mean this

[1:06:57] » where's the general fund on here then? >> It's not because there's two separate

[1:07:00] sheets. So you have your non- ley funds which is like the funds that are only

[1:07:05] sustained by what is that the big one. >> Okay.

[1:07:09] » The other one is the nonederal funds.

[1:07:13] » Oh so yeah they are the income then >> yes. So like the library what they get

[1:07:19] from the county is in the non- tax revenue. Okay. So I apologize then.

[1:07:24] Okay. So so we don't have that itemized out.

[1:07:28] » Okay. Perfect. Okay. Thank you. >> It is it does show on the revenues on

[1:07:33] the other sheets the all the >> right. Yeah because we do have expenses

[1:07:38] and revenues here itemized. So yeah. So

[1:07:42] » you were just assuming what this was summarizing.

[1:07:45] » I apologize. Yes. Okay. So yes, so these are non-levied funds. I apologize. So um

[1:07:51] and this is revenue coming in. Um and you'll also notice building code

[1:07:55] enforcement. They all of those are the building code fees. Um those most of

[1:08:00] these are what we call enterprise funds. Their income can only be used for that

[1:08:05] department. Um specifically um you know that would be building codes, water,

[1:08:11] sewer, solid waste, recycling. Um, you know, we don't co-mingle those at all.

[1:08:17] » We're we're allowed to put money into them, but money does not come out,

[1:08:20] » right? >> And we don't put money in because we

[1:08:22] don't have money to put in. >> You can do transfers from fund like

[1:08:26] inter inner fund transfers and stuff, but they have to be budgeted just like

[1:08:31] we did with >> storm water. Um,

[1:08:34] » right. >> I think they we transferred money from

[1:08:37] storm water last year into the EDA to help with that project.

[1:08:42] » Okay. So that's kind of >> Okay.

[1:08:44] » But that was that was within the scopes of what that was could be used for

[1:08:47] specifically, >> right? Okay.

[1:08:48] » But but but but your your water bill money cannot be used to help pay for

[1:08:54] fire or anything else, >> right? So anyway, so those are all kind

[1:08:59] of um laid out there. If anybody has any questions, let us know. Um go ahead.

[1:09:07] » Um the disaster emergency fund and the non-money fund. Okay. Where does that

[1:09:12] come from? >> That's FEMA money. So that will be the

[1:09:15] bank stabilization. Okay. So that that's coming from like dees and the money that

[1:09:21] comes in for there. So that's your tag for for that. It's just called a

[1:09:26] disaster fund. >> Yeah.

[1:09:27] » Okay. I didn't know if it was able to be used for anything else like the

[1:09:31] » No, no, it has to be the the expenses for that stuff is paid out of there and

[1:09:38] then when we get reimbursement, we have to file for reimbursement. Okay.

[1:09:42] » It goes back. >> Yeah. Do we have

[1:09:45] » Go ahead. No. Oh, do do we have what's our other disaster emergency fund for

[1:09:52] community use? Do we have anything? >> No, that was created when the flood

[1:09:56] happened. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you.

[1:09:58] » So, so the part of the the budget that we get a lot of say in, which is why

[1:10:02] that's where a lot of the conversation in the budget meetings have to do have

[1:10:06] to do with that those those tax revenues come from the department because that's

[1:10:09] the money that we can use for >> other things at at our as we direct.

[1:10:14] » Okay. Thank you. And and you'll notice that a lot of the a couple of these

[1:10:18] funds don't have any income going into them because they're we're just saying,

[1:10:23] you know, we have this fund set aside, but we there's no more money going into

[1:10:27] it. So, >> so you just cash

[1:10:31] which I'll mention to you the cash. So these the spreadsheets will change

[1:10:37] before the final budget in two weeks because the cash available because some

[1:10:41] of those claims you guys approved came out of June last year. So that will

[1:10:47] affect that cash available because you have to take it

[1:10:50] » out of and I am still continuing to to work with department heads and review

[1:10:55] budget. So, like I said, this is this is where we are now, but I anticipate I I

[1:11:00] will I will bet a whole dollar and those of you don't I don't go over it. I will

[1:11:04] bet a dollar this will absolutely be different in two weeks, but we'll also

[1:11:08] be able to explain it. >> Not a huge change.

[1:11:10] » No, it's not going to be significant. We're not going to pull any surprises.

[1:11:14] » We're we're we're we're trying to seep out what's what's available to the

[1:11:17] public. Yes. >> Um but but we continue to monitor and

[1:11:21] edit it. So on the next part of the budget, the first um is the revenue and

[1:11:27] we did not have this at our last meeting and this because we do now know

[1:11:33] » expenditures before revenue just so you know in the packet. So you might have

[1:11:36] rearranged yours. >> I might have

[1:11:40] but there's two sections expenditures and revenues.

[1:11:42] » Yes. So the expenditures and we'll do expenditures first. That's fine. Um I

[1:11:47] don't think much has changed since our last budget. So, um it since the last

[1:11:52] time it was in the packet, um the only thing that may is the fire department

[1:11:58] correct taking it once that is settled. >> We we we we've got that pretty close to

[1:12:03] what set. There's still a discussion about whether um it's 240 or whether

[1:12:07] it's 240 plus 2.9%. That discussion. So, yeah, I I I hear you.

[1:12:15] Um and then um the other would be the the 10% out of the resort tax,

[1:12:20] » which I did look at that after meeting yesterday. So it would be 149,000

[1:12:28] um instead of 147. So that's >> that like there's going to be some small

[1:12:33] changes here. There there's there's and again that's just because we are we are

[1:12:37] making sure that the numbers are all and and and it's worth mentioning that

[1:12:41] sometimes in fact every year there is some post-budget activity that's needing

[1:12:46] that is a that is a a a budget what's the word I'm looking for

[1:12:52] » adjustment >> audit

[1:12:54] » a budget amendment that also comes to council

[1:12:58] » to to to shift things from around so >> and and like we said last time um the

[1:13:03] first thing I always look for is if there's any changes over last year that

[1:13:07] that percent in that last column, you know, it's if it's 100% of last time,

[1:13:12] then it's the same. There's no increase in it.

[1:13:15] » So, it's always worth noting, you know, if all of a sudden it's 500% higher,

[1:13:18] it's like why what are we doing? You know, then we ask questions. But you are

[1:13:23] welcome to please review it line by line. Each page um is a different fund.

[1:13:29] Um not each page, but each section there. The first one is the general fund

[1:13:34] and it lists everything um that's paid out of the general fund and that takes

[1:13:39] up it looks like four five six seven pages of general fund. So there's a lot

[1:13:48] of money that that comes out of that general fund. Um and um but there's a

[1:13:53] lot more um money that goes into the general fund rather than just our

[1:13:58] property taxes that we collect. >> Fortunately.

[1:14:01] » Fortunately. Yes, unfortunately. So, um you know that please review that so you

[1:14:06] understand it. If you have any questions, um be sure to let me know or

[1:14:10] anyone on admin and finance. Next is urban renewal tiff district. Um as I

[1:14:16] said, there's been no money spent out of that, but it does show their um you know

[1:14:21] that they're budgeting I guess the full amount that's in there in case someone

[1:14:25] is that right? >> The only thing we're studying out of

[1:14:27] there is the software that the county uses.

[1:14:30] » Okay. That's what we have to pay for. >> And and I think there was actually some

[1:14:33] trip they paid some expenses I think for for the the conference that they had out

[1:14:38] there. Okay. I remember there being a discussion about doing that and and

[1:14:43] getting a determination that it could be but if they haven't turned in receipts

[1:14:45] then it didn't get done for the software.

[1:14:48] » Yeah. >> So um but we are this is the expense

[1:14:51] side of it. Our preliminary budget is the entire budget in case we need to in

[1:14:56] case a project comes up. >> Yes. It doesn't mean that we're going to

[1:14:59] spend 614,000. It just means that

[1:15:02] » that's how much is in the savings account.

[1:15:04] » Yeah. But we do budget for I mean this is saying it's budgeted in case we want

[1:15:08] to use it. >> Okay. Um resort tax. Um this is very

[1:15:14] similar to what was um presented by the resort tax

[1:15:19] committee. Did you make any changes to it compared to that? So that that's all

[1:15:25] there. Um and then we have the insurance

[1:15:32] comprehensive insurance liability insurance

[1:15:35] » which includes um our property insurance and our liability insurance. So that's

[1:15:41] the combination >> that's what we pay pretty much.

[1:15:44] though. >> I'm sorry. That's county.

[1:15:47] » Sorry, wrong one. >> Okay. So, okay. And then, um, we have

[1:15:52] the library. Here is their expenses that we, um, it looks like

[1:15:58] » that's their separate fund. >> Okay.

[1:16:02] And so, that's not what we give the library. Is this

[1:16:06] » No, that's a whole separate fund that it's a um they created a long time ago,

[1:16:12] but it's strictly for >> Okay.

[1:16:14] » certain library services. >> Okay. So, and then we have disaster,

[1:16:20] it says. Um and that's where the repair and maintenance bank stabilization is

[1:16:27] at. >> Yep.

[1:16:28] » Okay. Sorry, I'll try to hurry up. group health insurance.

[1:16:32] » And and by the way, this this budget is available just inside the door. Um as

[1:16:37] well as being online electronically in the packet, there's a hard copy here. Um

[1:16:40] and the public is welcome to stop by the chat and go through line by line.

[1:16:44] » Yes, please. So, it's it's all here. If you have any questions, I don't really

[1:16:48] want to read through it line by line, but we will if we need to.

[1:16:50] » I have an idea. >> This is what I do because I don't

[1:16:54] understand this. I go to YouTube and they're wonderful people making

[1:17:01] vid videos to explain every one of because every municipality in this world

[1:17:05] is doing what we're doing and they are very helpful to me because

[1:17:10] » sometimes they even make me laugh. But I'm just saying there if you have if

[1:17:14] you're get hung up on something go to YouTube and AI is very patient with me.

[1:17:19] » Yes. Uh I just wanted to make a note that one

[1:17:23] thing that's worth noting is some things are paid out of multiple funds.

[1:17:28] » So you may see additional line items where

[1:17:32] » 80% >> Yeah. And that I just think is very

[1:17:35] valuable to note that you know there's some things that are being paid out

[1:17:40] additional places. >> AB absolutely and and that's especially

[1:17:43] true with um salaries. >> Yeah. Yep. So not the police department,

[1:17:47] police is the police, but definitely >> caps the caps.

[1:17:51] » I tried to note pretty much all of the like the things that are separated the

[1:17:56] percentage of >> and and just to just to reiterate um a

[1:18:00] point that that uh committee chair Ronnie made earlier. If you go through

[1:18:04] this line by line um and have something you have a question about or a change or

[1:18:08] a recommendation or some something you just want to understand, please identify

[1:18:12] that within the next week so that we have a time to do it. that that when

[1:18:16] when when we're passing it at this time, it's not not a time to be reinventing.

[1:18:20] » Um, so, >> right. And then the next section is the

[1:18:23] revenue. And once again, it just goes by section by section. So, if it's easier

[1:18:28] for you to take and, you know, put put the general fund by the general fund.

[1:18:33] You can see the revenue coming in versus what we're spending to spend. But that's

[1:18:38] also where the spreadsheet comes in, you know, the summary of it,

[1:18:42] » the summary. So, and then our resolution will be a summary of that. So, that

[1:18:47] that's how it's broken down. Um, but is there any other questions, guys? I don't

[1:18:51] really want to go all through the revenue side, please.

[1:18:55] » Unless you want to be here till 10:00. >> No. All right.

[1:19:00] » All right. Thank you. >> And and by the way, I would I love I by

[1:19:03] all indications, sound is working, video is working. So, if you have anybody who

[1:19:07] reaches out and have questions about the budget, I think this has been a fairly

[1:19:10] good discussion on it. And so folks are welcome to review that.

[1:19:13] » Yes. >> All right. Your next item.

[1:19:15] » Oh, my next item. Okay. City administrator position update on that

[1:19:20] please. >> Oh, that so so we have signed the

[1:19:23] agreement with Proffman. Um they will be coming to the they will be attending via

[1:19:30] Zoom um the uh admin meeting in a couple of weeks. Um, prior to that point in

[1:19:39] time, they are actually reaching out and conducting interviews um with with some

[1:19:45] council members, with some staff, um with some community members as we refine

[1:19:52] um that job description. Uh when we're done, basically council's going to sign

[1:19:56] off and define what that job position looks like and what its rules and

[1:19:59] parameters are. Um which is why they'll be coming back in in a couple of weeks.

[1:20:04] Um so that process has started and they have a map. I don't have it but it it's

[1:20:09] like November. Um but by the time that process is complete and and if we don't

[1:20:16] find a suitable candidate we will start over. We will we will revisit that's

[1:20:21] part of our contract uh to go through and you know you don't plan for failure

[1:20:25] but um if you hire the wrong person that's planning for failure. So we won't

[1:20:30] do that. Anything else you wanted on that?

[1:20:34] » Quite um what was the timeline that we had set for initial review

[1:20:40] um to hire somebody or this whole process the interview with staff and

[1:20:44] » I I don't have that that whole timeline with me. I'm happy to give it to you but

[1:20:48] but we will the the initial is in two weeks they're going to come back with a

[1:20:53] draft of the job description >> and so that's that's that's that's what

[1:20:56] the admin they they'll bring it back at that point in time.

[1:20:59] » Okay. Is the goal like to have a city administrator within a year or

[1:21:03] » Oh, by the end of the year. By the end of the year to have a city

[1:21:06] administrator. Yeah, that that's the November I was talking about.

[1:21:09] » Okay. By the end of this calendar year. By Novemberish.

[1:21:12] » Thank you. >> I have a friend behind you.

[1:21:18] » All right. Any other questions on that? >> Committee chair.

[1:21:22] » Okay. Um and then next we had um rural fire department contract. Um, for the

[1:21:28] mayor, it is still being worked on. >> That's that's the attorneys working

[1:21:33] together on that basically. >> Okay. And and just for clarification on

[1:21:37] the budget, is it budgeted at the 28 mills currently and then No,

[1:21:41] » it is it is budgeted on 240 and and 10%. Okay. Perfect. Okay. So,

[1:21:46] » and that that's what Lonnie was referring to earlier. One of those

[1:21:48] numbers changed slightly from that. >> Council member Tupin. So, if this

[1:21:53] contract isn't finalized by the time we have to approve this, we

[1:21:57] » we can still approve the budget and and but hopefully we don't end up having to

[1:22:02] go through a massive budget amendment, but it is my goal that we will have it

[1:22:05] next time. Okay? >> And it's worth me I mean, we've talked

[1:22:07] about it and we've viewed it, but my goal is it'll actually be on the agenda

[1:22:12] next time with a funky little X on it. And if we do that, we'll do that before

[1:22:16] the budget just so we all sleep better. Is there a way that we can have the

[1:22:19] preliminary contract out that we're not getting it with the asterisks?

[1:22:24] » You you Well, >> well, it's going to be you you have the

[1:22:29] preliminary. It's been multiple times. >> We changed much.

[1:22:32] » It it has not changed much, but but what what is so there's two things that we

[1:22:36] need in order to be done. One is >> a legal opinion that says yes, we can

[1:22:42] use this for emergency services. And then what does the contract need to say

[1:22:49] for that legal opinion to exist? >> So that that's that's what the attorneys

[1:22:54] are working through. >> I'm sorry. It's it's the existing

[1:22:58] contract. We're amending the contract. >> All we're doing is changing it from 28

[1:23:04] mills to 240,000 out of general fund and 10% of last year's resort.

[1:23:09] » My big concern is we don't have a draft budget for if this doesn't go through.

[1:23:16] And even though we did request that several weeks ago, we I remember

[1:23:21] specifically asking for two different versions.

[1:23:25] » We had the version last week up until this is the first one that includes the

[1:23:29] 240. Yeah, the last one is based on the 28 ms. This is the first version of the

[1:23:34] budget that doesn't have the 28 ms. So if you go back one time, that's based on

[1:23:39] 28. >> I did not know what the value of the

[1:23:41] mill would be. >> Right? That's my big concern is I just

[1:23:44] don't want to be getting a last minute >> and I can plug in different numbers.

[1:23:48] Yeah. I mean it I can >> general fund based on the 28 mill.

[1:23:52] » Okay. >> And all the numbers I it's

[1:23:55] » okay. So it's it is doable and that again that's my big concern because I

[1:23:59] know it's just a lot and it's a big difference in price. But I guess it's

[1:24:03] not that big of a difference. We would >> it's a difference of where it comes from

[1:24:06] more so than anything. It's about a $30,000 difference I think is what we

[1:24:10] figured out. >> Was it or 23

[1:24:13] » where we so it as far as the current 240 to the 28 mil.

[1:24:18] » Well, so in the in No, no, no. Not in the general fund, it's higher, but but

[1:24:22] in the overall budget, it's within >> it's $22,000 difference

[1:24:26] » and I think it's now 20. >> So So So if they were to get 28 million

[1:24:31] 409,000. So the way that it's currently budgeted is 240 out of general and then

[1:24:37] 149 out of the tax. So it would be a total of three.

[1:24:45] » So we'd be taking other things out of resort tax.

[1:24:49] » So it'd be 240 >> to cover the general fund.

[1:24:52] » No, >> no, no, no. We would adjust the general

[1:24:54] fund >> by the limits of what we had in the

[1:24:57] general fund to do. >> Okay.

[1:24:59] » So it's 24049.

[1:25:02] » So that's 389,000 and is what we would be paying them with

[1:25:07] the new content. Yeah. >> 20,000 less.

[1:25:10] than the 28 mill. >> Council member Rude,

[1:25:16] » I am curious. >> Okay.

[1:25:18] » Who is representing the fire department? >> Um, their attorney is Ray Huns,

[1:25:25] » of course. >> And their fire chief is And actually, so

[1:25:28] they have a board that they're going to as well.

[1:25:31] » A board of lawyers. >> No, no, they have a board.

[1:25:35] » No, they have. >> So, the Rayco is representing his

[1:25:37] brother. That is a true Ray Coons represents the fire department. He is

[1:25:41] who they have hired as their attorney. >> Another something for me to look up next

[1:25:44] week this week. Okay. >> Oh, good. I was hope I was afraid you

[1:25:47] were not going to have anything to look up.

[1:25:48] » Oh, I got stuff to look up. I've got more about that later.

[1:25:52] » And and I know that every time we we've tal when Tom has come to these meetings,

[1:25:56] he's he said this is what I personally would like, but he's like I haven't

[1:26:00] board to answer to. So So >> that's that was my understanding.

[1:26:06] Everything has to be approved by their board.

[1:26:09] » Your your your point that we live in assault to you and everybody knows

[1:26:12] everybody or is related to everybody is well taken.

[1:26:16] » So, >> okay. All right. All I have

[1:26:17] » council council member Davis. >> Um will someone besides myself be at the

[1:26:23] rural fire district to talk about this agreement or we just waiting for the

[1:26:28] lawyers to come to the table? >> At at this point it's minor edits and

[1:26:32] we're waiting for the attorneys to to finish it. you you don't have to talk

[1:26:36] you don't have to talk about it >> and and and my so my understanding is

[1:26:39] their board has actually already approved their budget okay

[1:26:42] » based on the agreement okay so the amounts what's what's changing in the

[1:26:46] agreement is not the amounts or anything like that what's changing in the

[1:26:49] agreement is the paper tracking system that works for both the city and for the

[1:26:54] fire district okay >> that's what's currently under discussion

[1:26:57] » is how do they track capital assets I just want to be prepared if they have

[1:27:01] questions and I do not feel comfortable >> Oh no You you you you you won't you

[1:27:05] won't need to answer those questions. >> Okay. Thank you.

[1:27:07] » You'll get to witness them answering. >> Okay. We need to keep going cuz we got

[1:27:10] to get out of here. Well, we got a meeting to do here because we put it all

[1:27:14] off last year. So, >> um like and it's kind of important stuff

[1:27:18] because we didn't talk about it last year.

[1:27:20] » A lot of superficial stuff going on. >> Okay.

[1:27:24] » Okay. Um so, are we are we good with the are we done with the fire?

[1:27:28] » Yeah. I think I said that when when we get that done, we'll bring it back and

[1:27:31] as quickly as I get it, I will send it out so that council has a chance to look

[1:27:35] at it. But but again, the it may be that there's zero edits to that contract or

[1:27:40] maybe that there are edits added to the contract for the tracking purposes.

[1:27:44] » Okay. All right. So, lo and behold, we have the airport interlocal agreement on

[1:27:50] um on the agenda. Um, we have met, um,

[1:27:56] Jeremy and I met with, uh, Mike Naples and the county commissioner, Bill

[1:28:01] Bullock. Um, we had some suggestions. Some of them didn't really work. Um, I

[1:28:07] went to the airport board meeting um, with, um, the council president from

[1:28:13] Bridger was there, Mark Duter, um, trying to get find out what Bridger's

[1:28:17] concerns were with approving it. Um, I think we've got that um, ironed out and

[1:28:22] settled. I will say that when you're reading through this document, there is

[1:28:27] an error on this one that got put in the packet. That's not the one that we've

[1:28:31] been using. Um, the main error is that the city will not be putting in um, an

[1:28:36] additional 10,000 that has been stricken. Um, it will just be our one

[1:28:41] mill that we it's one mill from the US, one mill from the county, and one mill

[1:28:45] from the jerk. >> And just to clarify, it's equal share.

[1:28:48] So if the county pulls a half a mill, then we put in half. Correct. So So we

[1:28:52] we match an equal share >> and and that's why we have not been

[1:28:55] paying a mill over the last couple years because the county has not been

[1:28:59] contributing a whole mill. So that's why if you ever look at that question it

[1:29:02] like I did. Um, so with this, um, back in when I was on council with, um, Jen

[1:29:12] Battles and Terry Durban, we worked out the majority of this interlocal

[1:29:18] agreement and it had been approved by that council. It had never been signed

[1:29:22] off on by the county commissioners. So, we've been working under the old

[1:29:26] agreement this entire time. Um, so I am very hopefully thankful that um

[1:29:34] hopefully they will sign this um the it does have what council wanted um

[1:29:41] the equal representation on the board of 33 and three. Um it has that we will get

[1:29:46] a copy of the budget. Um and the county's best date to have that is uh is

[1:29:51] in September because they're like us. They don't get their budget done until

[1:29:55] then. Um, it also has that the dissolution of the board must go to um

[1:30:02] that body like county commissioners, they would have to vote on it and say

[1:30:06] they want out. Um, if Red Lodge wants out, it would have to go to the city

[1:30:10] council. If Bridger wants out, it would have to go to their city council. So,

[1:30:15] um, you know, not just one single person can say, "We're done." Um, it has to go

[1:30:20] to those governing bodies. Um and um what oh and the other thing that we kind

[1:30:28] of hashed out at that meeting was um we will have a list of those assets that

[1:30:34] are jointly held um so that if there is a ter and it'll be updated every year so

[1:30:40] that if there is a termination each entity will know exactly what they

[1:30:45] have to pay to get out of the agreement. So we don't get a bill for you know $5

[1:30:48] million. Um and it's so and it has to be um you know actual you know what they

[1:30:56] what they paid or what they have into it not some blown up number. I don't know

[1:31:02] how else to explain that. >> So um Jeremy do you have any more

[1:31:05] comments on that because you worked on it with me as well.

[1:31:08] » Um the only modification was didn't Bridger ask if they could send a proxy

[1:31:14] as >> and that's actually added in the that's

[1:31:17] in the line four. >> Yeah. And I forgot about that. And

[1:31:19] that's mainly becau and and also because we said up to three. They were kind of

[1:31:23] worried that they might not get three people able to go all the time to the

[1:31:27] meeting. So they would have three appointed, but if one of them could, you

[1:31:32] know, they could do a proxy vote if necessary. So

[1:31:35] » and a quorum does have to consist of at least one person from each.

[1:31:38] » Correct. Yeah. So that's good. So you always get that equal representation

[1:31:43] type of thing. So, we are hopeful that um we will have this up for a vote soon.

[1:31:49] Um county, it's next week. I mean, next meeting.

[1:31:52] » It could be the next meeting with the with that correction in there.

[1:31:55] » Yeah. If everyone's okay to vote on this, anybody have any questions on

[1:31:59] this? Um it's been a long time coming. Really, you know, I'm very hopeful that

[1:32:05] hope fingers crossed that I >> I'm a little concerned that Mr. Bullock

[1:32:10] said at least we'll have a visual proof that we're working on this. didn't seem

[1:32:14] very sincere. I mean, it looks makes it look like we're doing something. I mean,

[1:32:19] I I thought it was a little uh set aside.

[1:32:24] Flip it. Let's flip it to me. >> Well, it's been going on for years.

[1:32:28] Four, five, >> five, three.

[1:32:31] » I think we want to move on. >> Well, that's what I'm saying.

[1:32:36] » I will I will say that that that So, there was there was a couple of things

[1:32:40] and and I apologize that that last line. So what happened is there was a version

[1:32:43] of this document we went I I went through and fixed the numbering on

[1:32:46] because we had like three number ones and skip number two and blah blah blah

[1:32:50] and there was a version this this version that had the city of lodge will

[1:32:54] contribute an additional $10,000 there was a change that had happened after

[1:32:59] that basically that had come to me and I was like I'm not saying you can't pass

[1:33:03] that but you're going to have to pass it twice that to me is was problematic um

[1:33:07] and so we got rid of that but the biggest the biggest dispute is still

[1:33:10] over that representation I think the county still wants um 32 and two. Um the

[1:33:16] other municipality, as near as I can tell, is on board with with with the 3,

[1:33:20] three, and three. And I think all three all three municipalities are trying to

[1:33:24] get this passed in the near future, but I said this we we always bring things

[1:33:29] for a discussion before they're up for action. So,

[1:33:32] » and in a 322 situation, who would break the tie?

[1:33:36] » Well, it's a board of ex members. So in the 322 there were three county

[1:33:42] commissioners and two from each municipality.

[1:33:44] » So that's seven. So there would be no tie break.

[1:33:47] » 322. >> Yeah.

[1:33:48] » Is seven. >> Oh god. Add up to eight. Okay. Got it.

[1:33:52] » I'm tired. Just go. I'm sorry. >> So what we're going to we'll be voting

[1:33:57] on it then at our next city council meeting if everyone's okay with that.

[1:34:00] And um if we pass it, Bridger passes it, you know, maybe that'll be enough for

[1:34:05] the county to say we're okay and pass it. Fingers crossed.

[1:34:09] And that's all I have unless uh Jeremy or Chelsea have anything.

[1:34:13] » Cause for celebration. >> I think it's a good agreement.

[1:34:16] » Thank you. >> Good luck.

[1:34:19] » All right. Anything else from admin and finance?

[1:34:22] » No. >> Anything for admin and finance?

[1:34:28] » All right. Hearing none. Um let's go next to land use and planning. And with

[1:34:35] that, we will go to committee chair Tupin.

[1:34:40] » Hi everybody. Um, sorry I figured that just an

[1:34:45] introduction. Um, so this first off the U tennis or not the tennis, we'll get to

[1:34:51] that next. Uh, the O'Neal Trail. Um, right now Mike Maples is in the process

[1:34:57] of getting all of the additional reporting done and engineering,

[1:35:04] sustainability. There's three specific reports.

[1:35:07] » Engineering, >> um, environmental

[1:35:12] » Thank you. Um, so getting those done. Uh, been having some issues with the

[1:35:18] flags, but been putting those in. the bench has gone in and then once there is

[1:35:24] um all those reports back we will be

[1:35:27] getting a staff report for review here at council for the final approval to

[1:35:32] make sure and then also just making sure that all the conditions are met in

[1:35:35] thatou um that is currently what is going on there then let's see next on

[1:35:43] the list can I say can I ask a question about O'Neal uh I went up there today

[1:35:48] and the uh despite uh uh a neighbor's um request to have

[1:35:54] this postponed. It has been installed >> and I am not an artist. I am very

[1:35:59] rational, but um someone tell me this what didn't fall off the back of the

[1:36:04] truck. Um there is a crack right through here. Um but and it's sharp edges on the

[1:36:10] this end, but it's there. It's been in place and I think the parks board

[1:36:16] thought they would have a say in this. But um go up there and sit at it and uh

[1:36:22] but someone tell me if we didn't get a dud from uh that fell off the back of a

[1:36:27] truck. >> Who picked that? Who

[1:36:29] » arts? >> I don't know.

[1:36:31] » I guess there's art, but I'm not an artist. I'm just saying it's worth going

[1:36:35] up to look at. >> And there was there was a copy of that

[1:36:39] uh letter was actually handed out to >> tonight.

[1:36:42] » Yeah, I I don't believe it was in the packet. um it was wasn't requested in

[1:36:46] there, but but like I said, we can we can put that in there. Uh

[1:36:50] » and to address the concerns of our neighbor as well as um kind of the

[1:36:57] process of why the bench was put in place before advisory board reviews and

[1:37:02] council approvals and all of those types of pieces is as we have been looking

[1:37:08] through and we'll get into this next uh the change of use of city-owned land. Uh

[1:37:14] we do feel that city staff is competent enough to make decisions for benches, uh

[1:37:22] smaller placements, specifically things that can be reversed. That's the biggest

[1:37:26] piece. And we know that it's a big bench, but when we asked Mike Maples his

[1:37:31] comfort level for being able to move it, he's like, "If I need to move it, I can

[1:37:35] move it." >> So, yep. So, specifically, we want to

[1:37:38] give him some benefit of the doubt and his placement. Um, if the parks board

[1:37:43] wants to come through and say, "We hate this. This is the worst. Mike Maples,

[1:37:47] please move it." I imagine he would be pretty amendable to that. Um, but again,

[1:37:52] with how we have our current process in place, um, one, I know that they were

[1:37:58] aware of the fact that there would be a bench put in, so if they had feedback,

[1:38:02] they probably could have provided it. Um, and also I know that they were aware

[1:38:06] of the trail system. Again, I'm not saying that maybe they were taken aback

[1:38:10] by the timing of it because I also did not know when it was going in. I don't

[1:38:14] think many did, but again, it's not something that we really have up on the

[1:38:18] high scale radar of this needs full approval.

[1:38:22] » And I will add that the process that said benches down in that lower category

[1:38:28] approved actually did go through the parks board and they signed off on that

[1:38:31] as well. So they they said these are the things that don't need to come to us,

[1:38:35] » right? And and it does have that in the application. Type a minor and

[1:38:38] administrative temporary or reversible projects.

[1:38:41] » Be that as may look at it and see if we got a bum bench that fell off the back

[1:38:46] of a truck. >> Well, hopefully it's bum enough that

[1:38:48] it'll deteriorate in five years and we'll never have to worry.

[1:38:52] » My bum again. End of the day, if we feel that

[1:38:56] it's an atrocity to the city, then I'm sure that we could file some complaints

[1:39:02] with public works. But I I really truly don't feel that this isn't something

[1:39:07] that public works is capable of handling.

[1:39:11] » Um at a certain point we do have to trust our adviserss and our our staff uh

[1:39:17] to do a good job and if we don't then that's a bigger conversation. Um okay

[1:39:23] onwards the next thing to piss people off

[1:39:29] so specifically tennis courts. Uh I don't think we're actually I think we're

[1:39:33] just upsetting people with taking too much time. The reverse problems. Um so

[1:39:37] we have received an application for the use of city-owned land from the tennis

[1:39:44] courts. We are still awaiting a um a staff report from Jeremy and um most all

[1:39:53] of the advisory work has been done. All the leg work has been done. All of that

[1:39:58] part of the process is completed. So, we're just waiting for that report,

[1:40:01] which then can come to council and a 30-day hearing period can take place.

[1:40:06] Um, I was expecting that report for this week, but I I think Jeremy was also out

[1:40:12] of town. >> So, there's likely that was a big part

[1:40:16] of that issue. I know that it is on his radar now. So, hopefully we will have

[1:40:20] this and be able to move forward in >> and just to clarify, my understanding

[1:40:24] was that if we get the staff report, we can go ahead and run the ad in the

[1:40:28] paper. Y >> even prior to council reviewing the

[1:40:32] stack report to start that 30-day countdown.

[1:40:34] » Yeah, send also your flowchart. >> I have requested uh Lonnie print several

[1:40:40] copies that we can hand to the room at the end of the meeting.

[1:40:43] » I sent you an email like during this >> we will we will we will we will we will

[1:40:50] forward it on to council. So, specifically, um, one thing that we

[1:40:55] had been working on and I was having a hell of a time finding yesterday was

[1:40:59] our, uh, process and kind of a flowchart to help understand because we've been

[1:41:04] working on not just the application, but the process and procedure of what these

[1:41:09] are going to look like. Um, I had tried after our previous land use and planning

[1:41:15] meeting to put together a flowchart that kind of breaks it down and makes it a

[1:41:18] little bit easier to understand when the timelines will be, what the expectations

[1:41:24] should be for city staff as well as for the applicants. Um, so I think it does

[1:41:30] break it down nicely and I did find that. So, I will um again hopefully I'll

[1:41:35] get a copy printed for you guys if you want to wait till the end of the meeting

[1:41:38] and then we'll get that in next week's packet uh preferably. Um but it it still

[1:41:43] has some highlighted pieces that are action items that we'll have to work on,

[1:41:48] specifically some templates, um some motions to carry, and just some overall

[1:41:53] review that we'll have as a as a steering committee. So, that kind of

[1:41:57] ties in together. Again, hopefully we will have yours up for review at our

[1:42:01] next meeting and then we can make an action at our following meeting. That is

[1:42:06] the goal. Um, and I imagine that we should be pretty close.

[1:42:11] » I don't think the action would be at the next meeting because 30 days it can't be

[1:42:15] because 30 days hasn't started yet, >> right? And that's what I'm saying is it

[1:42:18] won't be at the next meeting. It'll be the one after.

[1:42:20] » And I'm saying no because that would only be 28 days.

[1:42:23] » Oh, well, just kidding. >> Add two weeks to that. Yeah. 30 days is

[1:42:27] is a number. >> Yep, that is a number. And one thing to

[1:42:31] clarify too, part of the reason that we are very and we understand that Barb has

[1:42:35] been very patient as well as tennis um in terms of this process because it's

[1:42:40] something that we're working through and we're trying to do it in concert with

[1:42:43] some moving pieces. One of the real reasons we're being very adamant about

[1:42:48] the 30-day review is though this has been a public discussion for the past

[1:42:52] year and there's been drawings shown, there's been uh plans discussed and all

[1:42:58] of those items until you can really see the full picture in these packets and

[1:43:03] get a chance to review it. I think it's only fair that the public has that

[1:43:07] opportunity uh and then that way they can speak to it and also hopefully

[1:43:10] understand it better. So my hope is that when we get these applications and these

[1:43:15] staff reports, it will provide clarification and truly

[1:43:20] some buyin across the board with the community. So set the precedent for all

[1:43:24] of our >> Yeah, it really does. And so we're

[1:43:26] really trying hard to do things the right way. We're trying very hard to

[1:43:31] trust our staffs and create procedures for them to review so that they can make

[1:43:37] educated decisions without holding our hands and without ever having subjective

[1:43:43] decision making taking place. That's really crucial for the whole process. Uh

[1:43:48] so again, we always appreciate everyone's patience um as we work

[1:43:52] through it. And again, there's a good example now in our applica like of an

[1:43:57] application in the packet that people can kind of review. And again, it's not

[1:44:02] done yet. So like if there's anything that people feel like this is kind of

[1:44:06] lacking, we'd rather see this that or the other. Please by all means bring

[1:44:10] that feedback because I'm we're already finding things that have gaps. like we

[1:44:14] already are seeing like oh man we really do want to have theseus ahead of time

[1:44:18] and we really do want to see this before uh having you know

[1:44:23] » reemphasized the point you made and that is that this is going to work at the

[1:44:26] speed of government um by by design is supposed to and and while I appreciate

[1:44:31] the the need to say if we can get done now and it could be done for next year's

[1:44:36] season um from from from my position we're right on schedule with what we've

[1:44:42] been projecting we would from the so the get we're not we're not behind of what

[1:44:46] we said this would take. >> Yeah. And end of the day again we're

[1:44:49] trying to do our due diligence because it's not one person's piece of land. It

[1:44:53] is all of our land and it probably be faster to buy a lot and build a tennis

[1:45:01] court. >> It would be this is a city.

[1:45:03] » Yeah. And that's exactly the the case. So again I I appreciate everyone's

[1:45:08] patience as we work through this. Uh again, Lonnie and Dave, I will I've sent

[1:45:12] you the copy of that flowchart today. Um so if anyone if we could get that in the

[1:45:18] packet, that'd be great. I know there's some typos, so again, don't don't

[1:45:21] slaughter me like we're working on it. And again, would like to have some

[1:45:26] » anything else from land use and planning.

[1:45:28] » Uh hold.

[1:45:33] » Any questions for land use and planning?

[1:45:38] » All right. um public works. >> Um well, we pretty much hit on

[1:45:45] everything except um we do have on the agenda the water rights and um

[1:45:51] » I will yeah I will just give a really high level overview. We talked to dees

[1:45:55] and the biggest thing we got was that this is not an emergency. This is not

[1:45:59] emergent something that has to be addressed. Um th this was some water

[1:46:03] rights from that were given to the city. Um and there was a proposal about

[1:46:08] selling those. Um and and but but um the short answer is we've we've we've had

[1:46:16] we've talked to the state. Um the state is going to be our attorney's going to

[1:46:19] be following up with the state and coming back to us with recommendation.

[1:46:21] But all we've clarified right now is this is not an emerging issue that we

[1:46:25] have to take care of yesterday.

[1:46:31] » I think that's all I have on that. >> Okay, I'm good.

[1:46:34] » All right. Anything else? >> Public health.

[1:46:36] » I guess we should ask or Patty, do you have anything else you want to add for

[1:46:40] public works? >> Do you have anything you want to add

[1:46:42] » to public works? >> No. Okay, good. All right.

[1:46:46] » Don't want to leave you out. >> Don't worry.

[1:46:51] » Public public health and safety.

[1:46:57] » Public health and safety. I think you pretty much touched on everything in

[1:47:00] your mayor's comments um concerning the bears issue. That's most of our

[1:47:05] discussion. Um we did have Dan the Bear Man come in and

[1:47:12] kind of explain the severity of the situation um and really wants the public

[1:47:18] to be aware of how serious this matter is. Um again, they are doing something

[1:47:24] on the 24th. >> Yep. we

[1:47:28] » at 6:30 and the bear meeting is tomorrow at 2.

[1:47:30] » And then the bear meeting tomorrow too. Um yeah, that took up most of your time.

[1:47:33] And then um on our agenda for public health and safety that I have kept a

[1:47:38] safe zone and signage um and that is something that has just been on there

[1:47:43] for what I feel like forever now. But we feel that until we see signs or some

[1:47:49] sort of change, it will remain. >> Keep it up.

[1:47:55] So, um, because Dan came and spoke at public health and safety, do you think

[1:48:00] it is 100% worthwhile for people to listen or watch that meeting?

[1:48:05] » 110. Okay. >> It was alarming.

[1:48:08] » It will be on you uh it aail up on YouTube soon, probably tomorrow. So,

[1:48:15] please watch the public health and safety meeting at your

[1:48:17] » We have a very unique situation that bears like that's not really replicated

[1:48:22] anywhere in the state. Huckleberry. >> No,

[1:48:26] » it's a creek and no no no timber. So I I found it very interesting and we all

[1:48:33] need to hear the story. >> I will watch it.

[1:48:36] » All right. Anything else from public health and safety? Any questions for

[1:48:39] public health and safety? >> All right. Correspondence.

[1:48:44] » No. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I skipped I opportunity

[1:48:48] to do anything before we get to correspondence.

[1:48:50] » Okay. Um, I've got 10 minutes, so I'm I'm just going to be brief and say that

[1:48:55] maybe all this what I want to talk about will come in the future because I don't

[1:48:58] I don't think I can wrap it up in 10 minutes. But I'm um um first of all, I

[1:49:04] think it's maybe the meeting on Thursday will answer all the questions, but I

[1:49:08] will not be there um about the ice rink. I think we need an update on what's

[1:49:12] going on with the ice rink um at both locations. Um, I I don't know if

[1:49:19] anything's been going on there, but I think if it doesn't happen Thursday, I'd

[1:49:24] like it to be on the I like the ice rink people to come and update us. I think

[1:49:29] I've had a lot of questions about what's going on. And um so I that's one thing

[1:49:34] I'd like to see on a future agenda. Okay. Hey, if y'all remember two weeks

[1:49:39] ago, um

[1:49:43] I the mayor mentioned censuring him and I said I'd take care of that and I wrote

[1:49:50] a resolution and I gave it to the attorney, Mr. Steel, who said he would

[1:49:55] share it with Scott and I'm assuming he will share it with you and MMIA. But um

[1:50:01] I did what you uh suggested and um I wrote a resolution um about that. And

[1:50:08] then what I'm also concerned about is that I

[1:50:13] sometimes I get home and I get smart too late and I got home last night last week

[1:50:19] and I realized that what we talked about should have been recorded.

[1:50:24] There's very little of what we talked about was HR. It was about you and you

[1:50:28] explaining what happened prior to you terminating Dennis. None of it was

[1:50:32] recorded and I don't know what to do about that. I really don't know if we

[1:50:37] should um put it on the agenda and we talk about it again. But that that was

[1:50:42] not a private conversation. very little of it which was uh you know

[1:50:49] you fired Jennison on the 15th and this was August um I don't know when it was

[1:50:56] five weeks after he was terminated and um so it's

[1:51:03] it's not like um we're all surprised. We weren't surprised and I think it's um

[1:51:08] the fact that you did not talk to us is a breach of our contract, our charter

[1:51:12] and I I want um I I want to put that resolution on the agenda in a few weeks.

[1:51:19] » So I if you'd like to right now you can make a motion. I said council can put

[1:51:24] anything on the agenda. Steel, I talked to Skyler.

[1:51:27] » I haven't seen it yet, but you can still put it on the agenda if you want.

[1:51:30] » Skyler had to talk to Scott and then they then Skyler mentioned MMIA and

[1:51:35] maybe I'll talk to um uh Skyler, but um I u also I think even more importantly

[1:51:42] is what we talked about was not recorded and I don't know I have no idea what how

[1:51:47] to handle that. Anybody got any ideas? Well, I just have

[1:51:53] a it was a closed meeting because it was an HR sensitive

[1:51:59] meeting, part of the meeting, and I saw the email where Dennis did not wave his

[1:52:04] right to privacy. So, we had to have it be a closed meeting because we didn't

[1:52:08] know exactly what was going to come up in that meeting. So, I mean that I'm not

[1:52:13] arguing that. I'm arguing that at some point it should have been reopened when

[1:52:17] the mayor started telling us what happened on June 9th when he um and I

[1:52:22] would argue that's exactly the part that was a closed meeting. But

[1:52:26] » I mean >> but you you you told us what you should

[1:52:29] have done. There were five things I wish I'd done this. I wish I'd done that. And

[1:52:32] why isn't the public um um should hear this? But be because Dennison did not

[1:52:40] wave his right to privacy and we never know what's going to come up when it's

[1:52:45] an HR situation and as an employee he had that right to privacy and we gave

[1:52:50] that to him. >> Let me let me

[1:52:52] » it moved on. It moved on past >> and and it may have but no one moved to

[1:52:56] I mean I guess shortly that's a terrible tab

[1:53:00] » but the whole but the whole part of that meeting needed to be closed because we

[1:53:04] didn't know what we were all going to ask. We couldn't say, "Oh, wait. We need

[1:53:07] to close the meeting again." It doesn't work that way.

[1:53:10] » Let let me help a little bit or I'll try because I'll restate what I believe is

[1:53:13] referring as given a time machine. What that letter would have said that I

[1:53:18] written a letter is not that we are terminating services. It would have said

[1:53:22] we are I'm exercising the right from our contract to provide 30 days notice and

[1:53:26] your service will end on which is which in essence what it is. But the word

[1:53:31] » I read it today. You wrote it on June 15th and I wrote you on June 16th asking

[1:53:36] at the meeting to have a charter for everybody to read and the Montana law

[1:53:41] that you don't you can't you can't um terminate people

[1:53:47] requires council approval >> and it's so cool because Montana is the

[1:53:50] only state that has that and but but I have not I requested it on June 16th for

[1:53:56] the next meeting. Haven't seen anything anything I request I don't get.

[1:54:00] Everybody, >> that's why I

[1:54:03] » Is there a motion you would like to make at this point, Council Member Root, to

[1:54:06] put something on the agenda because I'm giving you the opportunity.

[1:54:08] » Well, I've got 10 days, right? >> You have as many days

[1:54:11] » I'll talk to Skyler, see what they're doing.

[1:54:14] » You can do it two weeks from now or a month from now where I want.

[1:54:16] » I want to do it now because this time is of the essence and you mentioned it. I

[1:54:21] said, "Okay, I'll I'll look into that." And I wrote a resolution. Any any other

[1:54:27] business that anybody else on council would like to bring up at this point in

[1:54:30] time?

[1:54:33] All right. Hearing none, let's go to Oh, wait. Was that a

[1:54:36] » No. >> No. Okay. Correspondence. Any

[1:54:38] correspondence that council would like to share?

[1:54:41] » Uh, I do have a couple. Um, two specifically based off of the

[1:54:47] construction projects >> that are going on. Um, one is just some

[1:54:52] concerns with citizens of where they've taken up part of the road and it hasn't

[1:54:58] been fully like cleaned up on the on the edges. Um, that's been a big concern

[1:55:04] with a few folks. And again, some of it I'm really excited about cuz it's going

[1:55:08] to be the whole bit, but there's others pieces that it's like, oh, this just

[1:55:12] keeps getting worse. >> And it will be done. That did come up.

[1:55:15] So, this the the restoration will be done. Okay. But the project is meant

[1:55:19] we're we're not we're not sweeping up the sawdust while somebody's still

[1:55:23] drilling off. >> And that's totally fine. I just wanted

[1:55:25] to make sure that it was voiced. Yes. >> Um and then the next one was damages to

[1:55:30] somebody's vehicle. >> Um specifically just based off of the

[1:55:36] height of the the ladder truck that was going on with one of the construction

[1:55:41] workers and the hole in their windshield. Well, it seems pretty

[1:55:44] apparent that that's what the cause was. They apparently tried to ask the

[1:55:50] contractor about it who then blew them off and then they tried to ask the the

[1:55:55] GM about it who also blew them off. >> So that is a concern that I have that

[1:56:00] you know I just want to make sure that that's addressed for them.

[1:56:02] » Well, what what they need to do is come to the city and file a complaint. And

[1:56:05] Lonnie, do you have the anything to share on what process they would do if

[1:56:09] somebody wants to file a complaint with the city?

[1:56:10] » If it was the contract, not the city, do they need to file a complaint? they

[1:56:15] would file a complaint against the contractor.

[1:56:17] » Well, they can let Mike be aware of it. But the process is it's if it's if the

[1:56:23] contractor did the damage then >> Yeah. And that contract though

[1:56:28] » and Well, no, but if they did it insurance

[1:56:30] » Yeah. If they did it with their vehicle >> Yeah.

[1:56:33] » and it was something on their vehicle, that's an insurance claim against that

[1:56:37] vehicle. >> And that was what I

[1:56:39] » It has nothing to do with the city. That's someone

[1:56:41] » more. So, I was hoping that the city would provide an avenue or some sort of

[1:56:46] enforcement measure of this is someone that we hired. We want to hold them

[1:56:50] accountable. >> What they need to do is they need to

[1:56:52] file a police report. >> Okay. And they did.

[1:56:54] » Okay. Okay. >> Then they should have the insurance

[1:56:56] information on that police report and then they called that insurance company

[1:57:00] directly and filed. >> Oh, the the people bailed. They did not

[1:57:03] get the insurance information for these folks. Is it was the cop the

[1:57:08] construction that's going on currently? >> So, is it KC or

[1:57:11] » Cop? >> And I I guess I would also ask were they

[1:57:16] parked in a a construction area because >> they were parked by their property which

[1:57:20] is near a construction area but not like in the zone

[1:57:24] » because I'll tell you I do not park in front of my house when those guys are in

[1:57:26] front of it. >> Period. I'm just saying like if someone

[1:57:30] damages my car, no matter where I'm at, I would like to make sure

[1:57:33] » what I heard is is that the recommendation is they need to make sure

[1:57:36] they hire a fire report. >> That has been done

[1:57:40] » and at that point what'll happen is their insurance company will chase down

[1:57:44] » the the vendor. Okay. Because that's who they have a complaint against.

[1:57:48] » Okay. >> Did I gather all of that correctly?

[1:57:52] » Yeah. It just I think it'd be beneficial that I think it's worth it to make sure

[1:57:56] that Mike knows about it. Yeah. But but at the same time if it's Yeah. So so

[1:58:02] there's there's >> the moral of the story is do not parking

[1:58:06] in front of your house if they have you know

[1:58:08] » again in front of the guy who's driving to and

[1:58:12] fro. >> Okay.

[1:58:14] » And >> that's different. Yeah.

[1:58:16] » Have you seen them back? >> And and and to be fair if somebody wants

[1:58:20] to if somebody wants to file this against the city they can. But it'll

[1:58:24] probably get dismissed because it's not us. I'm just thinking that the city

[1:58:28] should because it is our contractors potentially assist. That's all I'm

[1:58:32] saying. I'm not saying we should sue or do any of that. I'm just saying like,

[1:58:36] hey, there was a bad move here. How can we help make a resolution as a good

[1:58:41] loving city? >> We probably resolution for you,

[1:58:44] » Chelsea. Chelsea, we we probably have a certificate of insurance from them that

[1:58:49] lists their insurance company. >> See, and that's what I'm just bringing

[1:58:52] it to people who might have a certificate.

[1:58:54] » All right. Thank you. >> All right. All right, I'm going to go

[1:58:56] ahead and uh bring it back to the table here. Um I would like to open it up for

[1:59:01] public comment. This is just the last chance for the public to address the

[1:59:06] council and be heard on anything within council's curfew. Go ahead and open

[1:59:10] public comment. I'm looking to the room. I'm looking to online for cameras,

[1:59:16] unmuted mics, raised hands. Public comment going once. Public comment going

[1:59:22] twice. public comment going three times. We'll

[1:59:26] go ahead and close the public comment. With that, we have completed our uh

[1:59:30] agenda. Go ahead and >> Sorry, I Sorry. was

August 11, 2026 City Council Board Meeting

Transcript