The Billings City Council convened on November 25, 2025, to recognize the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, review routine consent agenda items, and deliberate on two major land use proposals in the West End area. The meeting focused heavily on a joint public hearing regarding the annexation of Barber Farm (Item 4A) and a concurrent zone change (Item 4B). Following extensive public testimony regarding traffic, school capacity, and neighborhood character, the developer requested a withdrawal of the applications to refile with modifications.
Note: A discrepancy was noted between Councilmember Boyette's inquiry and staff clarification regarding Item 5 (Ward Boundary), which was identified as Ward 4, not Ward 5, and corrected in the record.
Proclamation this evening, which is in recognition of 16 days of activism against gender violence. And I believe we probably have some representatives from the Zonta Club with us. If you'd like to comment, please come forward while I read the proclamation. The proclamation reads as follows. Whereas we as citizens of Billings, Montana recognize the worldwide problem of violence against women, it occurs everywhere, even in our community. And whereas gender violence is traumatic to the body, mind, and spirit, and can prevent people from being fully active participants at home and in the world. And whereas the health of uh parents and caregivers is critical to the overall health and well-being of their families and the larger community. And whereas we only have to look to our newspapers or watch a television newscast to see the unfortunate truth, that domestic violence has yet been or uh has not yet been eliminated here or elsewhere around the world. And whereas we, the citizens of Billings support efforts of individuals and joint organizations such as the Zonta Club of Billings to raise awareness, stimulate discussions, and advocate for statewide solutions that will curb gender violence. And whereas the citizens of Billings join thousands of others from around the world to affirm that the right of women and men to be free of violence is a fundamental human right. Now, therefore, I, William Cole, mayor of the city of Billings, do hereby proclaim the 16 days between the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women on November 25th and International Human Rights Day on December 10th, as 16 days of activism against gender violence during and during those uh days, encourage all Billings residents to support efforts to end gender violence and to eliminate the detrimental consequences that gender violence has on the well-being of our city. And um Debbie, Renee, somebody want to uh uh chime in, you're welcome to do so. Renee. Renee Kopic, uh, Zonta Club of Billings. Thank you for allowing us to speak tonight. I know your agenda is really packed. Um, the Zonta Club of Billings wants to address what is a very pressing issue in our city, as Mayor Cole said, gender-based violence, particularly intimate partner violence. While this isn't a new problem, recent data underscores that it remains a serious and urgent concern, one that demands ongoing attention, resources, and leadership. Unfortunately, gender-based violence in Billings is a stark reality. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 37.2% of Montana women experience intimate partner violence and or stalking in their life lifetimes. 33% experience rape. That's more than one in three women in our state touched by this cycle of violence. For indigenous women in Montana, the rate rises to 47%, a deeply alarming disparity. Since tracking began in 2000, at least 248 Montanans have died as a result of intimate partner homicide. In the reviewed cases, firearms were involved in 58% of gender-based violence related deaths, highlighting how lethal access to guns dramatically raises the stakes the Billings Police Department reports that they respond to more than 600 non-aggravated partner or family member assaults per year. In 2018 to 2023, the BPS averaged 1,059 domestic violence incidents per year compared to about 712 for all other crime types. These aren't just statistics. They represent real people in our community. Mothers, grandmothers, daughters, and friends. People who may be in danger right now. Lives are at stake. It weakens the fabric of community safety. We can all take action. First, we must publicly admit there's a problem, which the proclamation does, and that's uh why we are asking you to sign the proclamation. As a community, we need to support local shelters and advocacy services. As Zontians, we will advocate for better policies and laws around firearm access for known abusers, because every life matters in our city. We all need to encourage bystander intervention and community education to break the silence and the stigma. We all must also consider budget allocations to support shelters, transitional housing, and legal services, such as those found at the Northern Lights Family Justice Center. We are really lucky to have that in Billings. Billings is on the right track. We are improving and facilitating partnerships between law enforcement, legal aid, social services, shelters, and behavioral health providers. But we can't stop here. We can't sweep these dire statistics under the rug because agenda-based violence is not a problem that will solve itself. Yes, in billings, we have the numbers, and they tell us that while we have made some progress, we still have a long way to go. These statistics should drive us to compassion, action, and lasting change. Let us commit today to supporting survivors, holding abusers accountable, and building a safer, much more safe community and just community for everyone. Thank you. Thank you. That's it. Okay, very good.