Belgrade City Council Meeting - September 8, 2025

The Belgrade City Council met on September 8, 2025, to discuss several major agenda items including the award of 2026-2027 Transportation Alternative (TA) grants, the final draft of the Safe Streets for All Safety Action Plan, alley maintenance and nuisance code enforcement, downtown parking for events, and the process for filling a Ward One vacancy. The meeting began with a roll call and a motion to excuse Councilmember Simon, which carried unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar items were noted in the transcript.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during the public forum portion of the workshop session.

Discussion Items

• Award of 2026-2027 Transportation Alternative (TA) Grants: Kemery Yulia, Director of Public Works, presented two successful grant applications. The first project, Hoffman Street (Main to Cameron), is estimated at $3.1 million with a maximum TA grant of $1.5 million. The second, Helen Hoffman Sidewalk Improvements, is a $1.7 million project with just under $1.5 million in TA funding. She noted that out of $9.1 million available statewide, the city secured about a third of the funds. The awards are expected to be authorized by the Transportation Commission in October 2025, with design starting in spring 2026 and construction in spring 2028. Councilmembers expressed excitement and asked about the competitive edge, with staff citing a thorough debrief from MDT and support letters from the community.
• Safety Action Plan Results: Joe Houck, City Engineer, provided an overview of the final draft of the Safe Streets for All Safety Action Plan. The plan aims to eliminate fatal and serious injury crashes by 2045 through a safe system approach. Key interim goals include a 50% reduction in such crashes by 2030 and a 75% reduction by 2045. Four emphasis areas were identified: walking/biking crashes, impaired driving, intersection crashes, and nighttime crashes. The plan also includes a pedestrian and biking facility selection guide, a potential traffic calming program, and results from a demonstration project on Main Street. Staff noted that the demonstration project significantly increased pedestrian yield rates and crosswalk usage, and that the plan opens up implementation grant opportunities. Council discussed e-bikes, funding for permanent improvements, and targeting the Jack Rabbit Corridor for future safety projects.
• Alleys and Nuisance Codes: Code Enforcement and Public Works reported on efforts to improve and enforce nuisance codes in alleys. After 30+ years of minimal maintenance, staff surveyed and improved many alleys, with over 90% of encroachment issues resolved voluntarily. Remaining cases involve code enforcement. Council expressed support for the work, highlighting fire safety and emergency access concerns. They discussed the need for consistent enforcement and the challenges of utility easements. Staff noted that the current enforcement is reactive due to limited resources, but the process is yielding positive results.
• Downtown Parking for Events and Parking Zones: Legal and City Administration sought council opinion on downtown event parking, focusing on the three-day notice requirement for towing vehicles. Councilmember Guffey, a downtown business owner, emphasized that the three-day signage discourages customers and negatively impacts business. Suggestions included establishing overnight parking restrictions (e.g., 3-6 a.m.) in the downtown core to allow same-day event parking enforcement. Staff mentioned options such as a downtown parking district, better signage, and education campaigns. The council agreed to continue the discussion in a future workshop, with staff to bring detailed proposals.
• Process for Filling Ward One Vacancy: Mayor-elect Mees and staff reviewed the appointment process for the Ward One vacancy. The council favored a consistent approach: publicize the vacancy, accept applications, hold interviews at a workshop before Thanksgiving (November 2025), and officially appoint on the first meeting in January 2026. The outgoing mayor noted that the last city council meeting in December 2025 will be a celebration of his 22 years of service.

Key Outcomes

• Councilmember Simon was excused and the motion carried unanimously.
• The TA grants were discussed favorably; next step is authorization by the Transportation Commission in October 2025.
• The Safety Action Plan is expected to be adopted at the next regular council meeting (September 15, 2025).
• Alley enforcement will continue with a focus on consistency and voluntary compliance.
• Downtown parking discussion will be revisited; staff will develop specific options including overnight parking restrictions and a parking district.
• The process for filling Ward One vacancy was set: advertisements starting in mid-September, applications due by late October, interviews at the November workshop, and appointment at the first January 2026 meeting.
• No formal actions were taken on discussed items as this was a workshop session.