The Billings City Council convened on November 11, 2025, to commemorate Veterans Day and the Marine Corps' 250th birthday with public courtesies and awards. The primary legislative focus was a lengthy deliberation regarding the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) grant for the redevelopment of the Old Billings Hardware Building, culminating in the unanimous approval of the grant with a new, binding condition for project completion. The Council also reviewed budget amendments, approved the consent agenda, and elected a new Deputy Mayor.
City Council. Please stand with me for the Pledge of Allegiance and remain standing for our invocation by Councilmember Boyette. I Pledge Allegiance to the flag stands. As we gather to conduct the business of this city, maybe we may we be guided by reason, empathy, and a commitment to justice. Let our work today reflect our shared values, respect for each other, care for our neighbors, and stewardship of the community we serve. Together, may we create a city that thrives through cooperation and understanding. Thank you. Tony, would you uh please call the roll? Councilmember Shaw. Uh excused. Gullich. Nice. Present. Owen here. Rogers. Here. Kennedy. Here. Aspen Leiter. Tidswell. Boyette. Rupsis. Mayor Cole. Here. Council, your first item of business are the minutes from October 27th, 2025. Councilmember Gullick pointed out a correction earlier where Northern Industrial Health should have been Northern Industrial Hygiene, and that change has already been incorporated in the minutes. So is there a motion or further uh changes to the uh minutes? Councilmember Gillick. Uh I move to approve the uh minutes from uh our October 27, 2025 meeting. Very good. Is there a second? Councilmember Rogers. Uh any discussion. Seeing none, if in favor of the motion to approve the minutes of October 27, uh please say aye. Aye. If opposed, nay. Uh motion uh passes unanimously. Um that brings us then to uh uh council courtesies. I've got several uh myself. Uh one, I just want to comment that the reason Councilmember Kennedy or Councilmember uh uh Kendra Shaw is not with us uh this evening is she's actually um I believe in New York City uh um uh making arrangements for the publication of her new book. Uh she's written a novel that has a major publisher called, and the book is called the uh pillager's guide uh to um the the pillager's guide to Arctic Pianos. So stay tuned. That's a little teaser. We'll I'm sure we'll learn uh uh more in the future. So congratulations uh to her. Um also uh this is our first meeting since the election on Tuesday night, and I just want to uh acknowledge the fine uh job that uh all the candidates um did in meeting with the voters, getting out their respective messages to the public and uh all the time while maintaining a high standard in my opinion of fairness and positivity in the election process. In my book, all the candidates deserve a lot of credit. Uh campaigning is hard work, and it takes a lot of time, emotional energy, humility, and in some cases, uh thick skin. Um, as our existing council members know, um uh who are up for election uh no better than anyone, uh campaigns require difficult juggling of other responsibilities and a lot of sacrifice, not just by the candidate, but also by their families, friends, and supporters. So thank you, council members and other candidates for having the courage to put yourselves out there in the public and the public spirit to serve your fellow citizens.