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In this section we re-visit last week's meeting, providing:
- an AI summary (YouTube transcript analyzed by Claude's Sonnet 4.5)
- links to the Community 7 video
We'll revise and edit when necessary for clarity, brevity, and to avoid inaccuracies, which are sure to happen on occasion. And, considering the difficulty Council has had with audio feeds, it's likely that some comments or segments of the meeting will be missed in the video transcript.
BILLINGS CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING - NOVEMBER 10, 2025
Overview
The City Council met on November 10, 2025, for a meeting that lasted approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes. The Council began with extensive courtesies honoring first responders and citizens who saved lives at Lake Elmo, recognized the 250th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps, and acknowledged Veterans Day. The meeting proceeded to address several significant items including board appointments, FY2026 budget amendments totaling $4.2 million, a tax increment financing (TIF) application for the Old Billings Hardware building that sparked extensive debate about project timelines and accountability, and the election of a new deputy mayor. Council Member Kendra Shaw was absent, attending to publication arrangements for her upcoming novel.
Actions and Votes Taken
Notable Consent Agenda Item 1P - South Billings Boulevard Urban Renewal District Expansion (56:56)
- Motion by Council Member Gulick (seconded by CM Kennedy) to approve second/final reading ordinance expanding SBBURD boundaries
- Vote: Passed with Council Members Rupsis and Neese voting in opposition. All other council members voted in favor.
Item 2 - FY2026 Budget Amendments (1:05:06)
- Motion by Council Member Boyett (seconded by CM Gulick): "Having conducted a public hearing, considered written and spoken testimony, I move to approve the resolution approving and adopting a resolution for the FY2026 budget amendments as recommended by staff"
- Vote: Passed unanimously
Item 3 - Old Billings Hardware TIF Application (2:11:00)
- Motion by Council Member Rupsis (seconded by Mayor Cole): to conditionally approve tax increment financing assistance up to $745,000 for Old Billings Hardware Development Venture, LP at 2802 Montana Avenue
- Amendment by Council Member Kennedy (seconded by CM Aspenlieder) to require 80% completion by March 30, 2027
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Vote on amendment: Passed unanimously except for CM Gulick abstaining (his firm is the architect).
- Vote on amended main motion: Passed unanimously except for CM Gulick abstaining (his firm is the architect).
Item 4 - Deputy Mayor Election (2:13:22)
- Nomination by Council Member Aspenlieder: Council Member Mike Boyett for Deputy Mayor
- No other nominations—Elected by acclamation
Notable Quotables from Council Members
Council Member TJ Rogers on Marine Corps birthday (5:09): "Today, we celebrate a really big deal in American history, the 250th birthday of the United States Marine Corps... I'm especially grateful for the Marines from our own community, including my son, who is currently deployed, for the honor and commitment they bring to everything they do, as well as the fact that all the other branches of the service need heroes."
Mayor Cole on past airport land decisions (44:06): "About 15 years ago, the city had the opportunity to acquire all the land to the west of the airport, which is very important because the airport's land locked... based on that appraisal, they offered the owners of this 40 or 60 acres I think it was less than half a million dollars. The owners said, 'Well, give us about a million.' And the city said, 'No, thank you.'... So I think that will go down in history as one of the worst mistakes that the city has made."
Council Member Aspenlieder on TIF project (1:20:49): "I'm trying to find a way to get to yes. And I'm trying to find a way to say, 'Hey, if you can't get this moving and 25% of your capital spent by the next 8 months, 10 months, whatever that date is, then this goes away and we're done talking about it because we're always kicking the can down the road on this.'"
Council Member Tom Rupsis on TIF project merit (1:39:49): "If this project were to come to us today... we would be jumping up and down. So excited as we were in 2022 to have this project that was going to be renovating, restoring a historic building right in the core of our downtown... I would hope that we're able to kind of put our frustrations on what has happened over the last 5 years aside tonight, look at this fresh and say, 'Yes, the developer is ready to go. They're in a position where almost no TIF applications ever come to us.'"
Mayor Cole on the Billings Hardware project (1:44:26): "The Billings Hardware project really is in the heart of downtown. It sat empty for, I understand, close to 30 years... it's right in the middle of our downtown. And so the LaFevers have a proven track record of getting things done. They're clearly committed to the project. They've done a great job on the Monty. So I think it's got great promise."
Council Member Jennifer Owen expressing concerns (1:51:35): "I'm not feeling the kind of urgency to get this project done in a way that will inject the energy into the downtown that we need... I'm concerned that if we continue to sort of twist and find ways to make this work that we start to look like we're giving preferential treatment... I'm not hearing a willingness to commit to any deadline."
Public Comment
Cori LaFever-Thielen - Old Billings Hardware Project (22:18): "I have several customers and employees at the Monty who want to live downtown but they are unable to due to lack of options or they are unable to afford what units are available."
Allison LaFever - Old Billings Hardware Project (24:22): "After 13 years in New York City, last year I quit my job doing historic facade restoration, moved back to Billings. One of the primary reasons was so that I could have more time to focus on the design and construction of this project."
Mike Schaer - Computers Unlimited (27:50): Addressed concerns about railroad noise: "everybody seems to think that locating next to a railroad is noisy, but it's really not. Trains come through, went down the tracks, they're quiet, they don't blow their whistles, and it's never been an issue."
Meeting Statistics
Duration: Approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes
Attendance:
- Present: Mayor Cole, Council Members Gulick, Neese, Owen, Rogers, Kennedy, Aspenlieder, Tidswell, Boyett, Rupsis
- Absent: Council Member Kendra Shaw (excused - in New York City for book publication arrangements)
Awards and Recognitions:
- The meeting began with recognition of citizens and Billings Police and Fire Department award recipients, for actions taken to save lives.
Public Comment Speakers: 5 individuals addressed the council
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