// ARC MOU: GET THE QUACK ATTACK BACK!

This is the last Billings City Council meeting of 2024. And if you go to City Hall you'll miss it because it's being held at the Billings Public Library. This is also the last Billings City Council Bulletin we will write until May-ish of 2025. Starting next year, we will transition our weekly newsletter to cover the 2025 Legislative Session. With our Legislative Update you can expect a similar mix of content—a topic of interest, upcoming bill hearings, and information on how you can make your voice heard. Like the Council Bulletin the Legislative Update will hit your inbox on Monday mornings giving you a look at the week ahead. We get you that information early in the week with the hope that you'll get engaged, lending your business perspective and feedback to lawmakers—or us! 

Until then we wish you the best, however you celebrate the holidays. Whether you display an aluminum pole, Christmas tree, or Hanukkah menorah at home, we wish you: Happy Festivus! Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! And a very Happy New Year to all!

(design concepts from a previous SBURA presentation)

City Council is poised to take the next step, or more appropriately the next skating stride, toward a public-private partnership (PPP) of a two-sheet ice facility as part of the Amend Recreational Campus (ARC), a proposal conceived by local businesses and the South Billings Urban Renewal Area (SBURA) to enhance Billings' recreational opportunities in the wake of the failed 2023 Parks & Recreation Bond. The Yellowstone Ice Foundation, a local non-profit with seed money from Signal Peak Energy, is working with the City of Billings on this mutually beneficial proposal.

Signal Peak Energy, whose mine in Roundup provides over 250 well-paid jobs and over $200 million in Montana tax revenue, wants to invest $6 million through the Yellowstone Ice Foundation and toward construction of two sheets of ice in Montana's City.

For the City's part, tax increment finance (TIF) money would provide the infrastructure and parking necessary for the facility. Absent a partnership between the City and Yellowstone Ice Foundation, there are no plans for the City to construct an ice facility.

Earlier this year the Billings Chamber facilitated a meeting between numerous local partners to get the ice facility concept on-track.

Tonight, Council will consider a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Yellowstone Ice Foundation, officially establishing the commitment between the parties. While a critical step toward eventual construction of an ice facility, there is still work to be done before breaking ground. In an effort to ensure the process isn't unnecessarily delayed, the MOU outlines a commitment from the City to accept permit applications before a lease agreement is signed. Hopefully, that will help get all the ducks in a row—or a "V"—and construction can begin ASAP ... so we can get that Quack Attack back!!!

• Dec 2024 — MOU Signed
• Mar 2025 — Lease Agreement 
• Spring 2025 — Site Plan Completed
• Spring 2025 — Construction (?)

// BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA - 5:30 p.m. - BILLINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY

In this section, we will include the meeting agenda for you to view. Clicking on the items will take you to more information. No need to read it all, but if something catches your eye, be sure to check it out.

PROCLAMATIONS:  Healthcare for the Homeless Memorial Day - December 20, 2024 

COUNCIL REPORTS: 

ADMINISTRATOR REPORTS - CHRIS KUKULSKI 

PUBLIC COMMENT on “NON-PUBLIC HEARING” Agenda Items: 1, 2 and 3 ONLY. Comments are limited to three (3) minutes or as set by the Mayor.

1. CONSENT AGENDA -- Separations: 

A. Bid Awards: NONE 

B. Professional Engineering Services Contract with DOWL for W.O. 25-01, Contract 1: 2025 Water Main Replacement. 

C. Professional Engineering Services Contract with Morrison-Maierle, Inc. for W.O. 25-01, Contract 3: Rosemont Water Main Replacement. 

D. Billings Urban Fire Service Area (BUFSA) Agreement with Yellowstone County. 

E. INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 

F. Amendment No. 3, to Airport Automobile Parking Concession Agreement with SP Plus, formerly known as Standard Parking. 

G. Amendment No. 3, to the Purchase and Sale Agreement (PSA) for City Hall building at 210 N. 27th Street, with Honaker Realty, LLC and JWT Capital, LLC. 

H. Change Order No. 3, to General Contractor/Construction Manager Construction Services Contract with Dick Anderson Construction, Inc. for W.O. 19-12: West End Reservoir Project. 

I. Donation to Parks and Recreation Department from Partners for Parks for reimbursement of Patriot Run expenses. 

J. Fish, Wildlife and Parks Recreational Trails Program Grant for repair and improvements to the Arnold Drain Trail in Lillis Park. 

K. Montana Main Street Adaptive Reuse and Mixed-Use Grant for redevelopment of the Billings Masonic Lodge. 

L. Bills for the Week of: 

1. November 18, 2024 

REGULAR AGENDA: 

2. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT with A&E Design, Inc. for design services for Amend Recreation Campus. Staff recommends approval. 

3. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) between the City and Yellowstone Ice Foundation to establish the parties’ commitment to enter into a contract to build an ice facility and necessary infrastructure at Amend Park. Staff recommends approval.

PUBLIC COMMENT on “NON-AGENDA ITEMS”. Comments are limited to 3 minutes or as set by the Mayor.

COUNCIL INITIATIVES: 

ADJOURN:

// WATCH THE MEETING ON COMMUNITY 7 TELEVISION

// CITY ADMINISTRATOR WEEKLY REPORT

City Administrator Chris Kukulski began the routine of sending a weekly report every Friday to City Council and department heads with the intent to, "communicate the highlights of the past week and any critical issues coming up." The most recent CA Report includes updates on:

• Parks Director, Mike Pigg, Announces Retirement
• SBURA Expansion Update
• And much more...

// GET MORE INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Below are some additional public meetings being held this week, along with information about when and where to attend, and what's on the agenda (if one is available).

Tuesday, December 17th

Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board

8:30 - 10:00 am, Moss Mansion, 914 Division St.

Agenda here.

Pioneer Park Task Force

6:00 - 7:00 pm, Black Dog Coffee, 3115 19th Ave N.

West End Neighborhood Task Force

7:00 - 8:30 pm, Connections Church, 56th & Grand Ave.

Thursday, December 19th

Southside Neighborhood Task Force

6:30 - 8:00 pm, Family Church, 501 S. 29th St.

Billings Central Terry Task Force

7:00 - 8:30 am, Topline Hair, 1331 Central Ave.

// THE SQUEAKY WHEEL

// BOARD & COMMISSION OPENINGS

The Mayor's Office is accepting letters of interest to fill the vacancies listed on the city website. For more information on each specific board, visit the city website. City Boards and Commissions are appointed by the Mayor, confirmed by City Council, are advisory only, and members serve without compensation.

Submit applications to: Mayor's Office, PO Box 1178, Billings, MT 59103-1178.

The DEADLINE for applications is ASAP.

BOARD OPENING (SEATS)

N/A

REQUIREMENTS

N/A

// IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

The most recent Center for Public Safety and Management (CPSM) Report is out, offering 27 recommendations for organizational modification at the Billings Police Department. The new report follows a 2021 report that offered 102 recommendations.

The "Rule of 60" (from page 32 of the 2024 report)

The second part of the “Rule of 60” examines workload and discretionary time and suggests that no more than 60 percent of time should be committed to calls for service and self-initiated arrests, etc. In other words, CPSM suggests that no more than 60 percent of available patrol officer time be spent responding to the service demands in the community. The remaining 40 percent of the time is the “discretionary time” for officers to be available to address community problems and be available for serious emergencies. This Rule of 60 for patrol deployment does not mean the remaining 40 percent of time is downtime or break time. It is simply a reflection of the point at which patrol officer time is “saturated” by CFS.

It is CPSM’s contention that patrol staffing is optimally deployed when the [Saturation Index] SI is below the 60 percent range. An SI greater than 60 percent indicates that the patrol manpower is largely reactive and overburdened with CFS and workload demands. An SI of somewhat less than 60 percent indicates that patrol manpower is optimally staffed. SI levels significantly lower than 60 percent, however, indicate patrol resources may be underutilized, and may signal an opportunity for a reduction in patrol resources or reallocation of police personnel.

In the graphs below, you can see how the Saturation Index of Billings patrol officers has changed between 2019 and 2023, edging downward, closer to the 60% threshold advised by CPSM.

// ADDITIONAL BILLINGS CHAMBER RESOURCES

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