OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Billings City Council Meeting Summary - November 11, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, November 11, 2025
BodyBillings, Montana
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, November 11, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:20:28

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

City Council.

0:01

Please stand with me for the Pledge of Allegiance and remain standing for our invocation by Councilmember Boyette.

0:08

I Pledge Allegiance to the flag stands.

0:25

As we gather to conduct the business of this city, maybe we may we be guided by reason, empathy, and a commitment to justice.

0:35

Let our work today reflect our shared values, respect for each other, care for our neighbors, and stewardship of the community we serve.

0:43

Together, may we create a city that thrives through cooperation and understanding.

0:48

Thank you.

0:54

Tony, would you uh please call the roll?

0:57

Councilmember Shaw.

0:59

Uh excused.

1:00

Gullich.

1:02

Nice.

1:03

Present.

1:04

Owen here.

1:05

Rogers.

1:06

Here.

1:07

Kennedy.

1:08

Here.

1:08

Aspen Leiter.

1:10

Tidswell.

1:11

Boyette.

1:12

Rupsis.

1:14

Mayor Cole.

1:15

Here.

1:16

Council, your first item of business are the minutes from October 27th, 2025.

1:21

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.

1:33

So is there a motion or further uh changes to the uh minutes?

1:37

Councilmember Gillick.

1:39

Uh I move to approve the uh minutes from uh our October 27, 2025 meeting.

1:45

Very good.

1:46

Is there a second?

1:46

Councilmember Rogers.

1:48

Uh any discussion.

1:50

Seeing none, if in favor of the motion to approve the minutes of October 27, uh please say aye.

1:56

Aye.

1:57

If opposed, nay.

1:58

Uh motion uh passes unanimously.

2:01

Um that brings us then to uh uh council courtesies.

2:05

I've got several uh myself.

2:06

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.

2:23

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.

2:37

So stay tuned.

2:38

That's a little teaser.

2:39

We'll I'm sure we'll learn uh uh more in the future.

2:42

So congratulations uh to her.

2:44

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.

3:06

In my book, all the candidates deserve a lot of credit.

3:09

Uh campaigning is hard work, and it takes a lot of time, emotional energy, humility, and in some cases, uh thick skin.

3:17

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.

3:33

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.

3:45

You deserve a lot of credit for not just sitting back and um engaging on social media, but really getting into the arena and fighting for what you believe in.

3:54

So uh congratulations to you all.

3:56

Um also uh uh I want to remind everyone that tomorrow, uh November 11th is uh Veterans Day, and even though our city employees do not have the day off, it's important to remember the sacrifice and service of all of our veterans and their families that they've made uh for our country over the last 250 years.

4:15

Um more than 10 percent of Montanans are veterans or active duty military, a number that is roughly twice uh the national average.

4:24

And many of our city, county, state, and school district employees are also veterans, and every day they use the skills, discipline, and character that they developed in the armed forces to better serve our citizens.

4:38

Um but before we uh get to tomorrow, uh today is also a very special day in our nation's history.

4:46

And to tell us more about that, I'd like to uh hand the floor over to Councilmember uh TJ Rogers, who, in addition to being an active duty military mother, uh formerly served for many years as a volunteer with Billings Young Marines.

5:01

So, Councilmember Rogers.

5:03

Thank you.

5:04

Today we celebrate a really big deal in American history, the 250th birthday of the United States Marine Corps.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Economic Development██████████████████18%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████████18%
Public Safety██████████████14%
Procedural███████████11%
Public Engagement██████████10%
Fiscal Sustainability████████8%
Budget Equity Analysis██████6%
Community Engagement█████5%
Zoning And Land Use█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Billings City Council Meeting Summary - November 11, 2025

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.

Consent Calendar

  • October 27, 2025 Minutes: Approved unanimously after a correction to "Northern Industrial Health" to "Northern Industrial Hygiene."
  • Item 1C: Agreement with Downtown Billings Partnership, Birdworks, and South Billings Urban Renewal Association approved.
  • Item 1G: Acquisition of 123 acres from the Mordled family for the airport approved with a substitute motion. Councilmember Neese voted in opposition, citing the price was 31% over appraisal, though staff confirmed the use of airport revenue and FAA reimbursement eligibility.
  • Item 1I: Donation for a bicycle pump track at Colson Park approved.
  • Item 1J & 1K: Donations to the city approved; Councilmember Owen was absent, and Councilmember Boyette recused himself.
  • Item 1L: Donation to the police department approved; Councilmember Owen was absent, and Councilmember Boyette recused himself.
  • Item 1O: Resolution allocating $10,000 for a City Hall open house and a memorial plaque approved. Councilmembers Kennedy and Leiter voted in opposition.
  • Item 1P: Expansion of the South Billings Urban Renewal District boundaries approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Corey LaFever Thielen: Expressed strong support for the Old Billings Hardware TIF grant. He stated his family's commitment to downtown and argued the project addresses a critical need for downtown housing, noting they have customers and employees who want to live in the area.
  • Alison LaFever: Expressed support for the TIF grant and described the 15-year journey of the project. She detailed the setbacks faced, including the loss of her father and the government shutdown, and emphasized the project's transformative potential for the historic building.
  • Computers Unlimited Owner: Expressed full support for the TIF grant for the development of the Old Billings Hardware building. He argued the project is necessary for downtown living and described the existing noise issues from nearby trains as non-existent if trains do not blow whistles.
  • Susan Jurovich (Human Relations Commission): Invited City Council members to attend a "Confronting Hate Together" round table on November 18th.
  • Denver Slater: Expressed strong opposition to specific actions by a Billings Transit driver, alleging child abuse and unprofessional behavior. He also expressed concern regarding city spending priorities relative to supporting the Police Department.

Discussion Items

  • Airport Land Acquisition (Item 1G): Councilmember Neese questioned the legality and necessity of paying 31% over the appraised value ($355,000 over). Airport Director Chris explained the funds are from airport-generated revenue, not the general fund, and the acquisition is critical to protect airspace from incompatible residential development and noise complaints. Councilmember Owen (absent during discussion but present for vote) acknowledged the safety necessity despite the price over appraisal. Councilmember Aspen Leiter noted the historical regret of the city previously refusing a similar opportunity.
  • Old Billings Hardware TIF Grant (Item 3): A heated discussion ensued regarding the project's long delay (since 2022) and the lack of final financing. Developer Randy Hafer stated construction is expected to begin in Q1 2026 but could not guarantee a start date or spending milestones before the vote. Councilmember Aspen Leiter and Councilmember Neese expressed concern over the lack of urgency and demanded a enforceable deadline. Councilmember Rupsis stated he would oppose the grant without a firm deadline to prevent further delays. Councilmember Kennedy proposed an amendment requiring 80% completion by March 30, 2027. Developer Hafer agreed to the 80% March 2027 milestone. Staff clarified that the development agreement already requires project completion by June 30, 2027 (end of Fiscal Year 2027) to trigger FY2028 reimbursement, with a process for extension requests.

Key Outcomes

  • Item 3 (TIF Grant): The Tax Increment Financing assistance of up to $745,000 for the Old Billings Hardware project was approved unanimously with an amended condition that the project must reach 80% completion by March 30, 2027. The underlying Development Agreement requires full completion by June 30, 2027.
  • Item 2 (Budget Amendments): The resolution adopting FY2026 budget amendments (East TIF, PMDs, Landfill Cell 6, City Hall Debt) was approved unanimously.
  • Deputy Mayor Election: Councilmember Mike Boyette was elected Deputy Mayor by acclamation following a nomination by Councilmember Aspen Leiter.
  • Veterans Day Recognition: The Council acknowledged the upcoming holiday, the Marine Corps birthday, and honored Officer Shane Schaefer (Police) and several Fire Department members and citizens for their heroism and lifesaving actions at Lake Elmo and during emergency responses earlier in the year.
  • Council Separations: Councilmember Boyette recused himself from Items 1J, 1K, and 1L. Councilmember Gullick recused herself from Items 1J and 1K. Councilmember Neese separated Items 1C, 1G, 1I, 1O, and 1P (voted against 1G, 1I, 1O, 1P). Councilmember Rupsis separated Item 1P (voted against 1P). Councilmember Owen was absent for several votes. Councilmember Kennedy recused herself from the specific agenda item regarding the downtown TIF (Item 3) as her firm was the architect, though she actively participated in the debate and vote on the grant itself. (Note: The transcript indicates Councilmember Kennedy recused herself from Item 3 as her firm is the architect, yet the final vote on the amended motion passed unanimously.)

Meeting Transcript

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.

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