Can Commissioners please check in?

Oh no where Commissioner Walker went.

Oh, Commissioner Walker Gray.

Okay.

Yeah, no, I just wanted to make sure you got back up here.

I'd like to call the Butte Silver Bowl Council of Commissioners regular meeting for Wednesday, March 4th, 2026.

Clerk, could we please have a roll call?

Eleven present, one absent.

Eleven present, one absent.

Please note that Commissioner Morgan is absent from tonight's agenda.

Um Commissioner Walker, could you lead us in the prayer on the pledge?

One nation under God, invisible with liberty and justice for all.

Next we'll move on to any public comment on any item on tonight's agenda.

If you'd like to speak on any item on the agenda, please state your name, your address, and what item you'd like to speak on.

So this is for the record.

And would you just give us your address?

And it expresses how much it would help for her clients to have the paratransport.

So I don't know how much more you need, but uh do I have to do that.

Thank you very much.

Hi, Cassie Wick, uh 820 West Mercury Street.

Um I'm here on behalf of Ability Montana just to thank you to first support of expanding the paratransit route.

I have served on the paratransit committee for many years, and this has been a constant issue.

Um and it's people are just outside that boundary line, and we can't provide transportation for people to get to really important appointments.

Their health changes dramatically, and I think we're doing an incredible service to our community by approving this.

And I am so grateful to these advocates that I just met that push this forward.

You know, I I didn't know we could question that federal line, and they did.

And I think it's really important to just remember that like just because something says it's the answer doesn't mean it is the answer.

And so kudos to these girls, and thank you for supporting paratransit.

Thank you.

Is there any other public comment on tonight's agenda?

Seeing none, we'll move on to the approval of the minutes from the February 18th regular meeting.

Commissioner Thatcher.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

At this time, I'd like to make a motion to approve the minutes from February 18, 2026 regular meeting.

We have a motion and a second to approve the minutes from February 18, 2026 regular meeting.

Is there anything on the question?

Could Commissioners please vote?

And would anyone like to change their vote?

Clerk, please record the vote.

11 yay, 0 nay.

11 yay, 0 nay.

Motion passes.

Moving on to items not addressed on the agenda.

We do have one tonight.

We have a suspension of the rules.

Commissioner Thatcher.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

In accordance with the provisions of Rule 7 of the rules of business of the Council of Commissioners of the City and County of Buttes Verbo, State of Montana.

The council hereby finds that emergencies and condition exists, which requires that council rules be suspended to allow for communication number 2026-128 to be added to the agenda.

The reason for the suspension is as follows.

Communication number 2026-128 is a communication from Karen Burns, Community Development Director, requesting Chief Executive Gallagher to sign a subgrant agreement between Headwaters R C and D and BSB for the purpose of performing abatement work identified through a previously completed Brownsfield assessment.

This communication was not submitted by the deadline for items to be placed on the March 4th, 2026 regular meeting agenda, which was received by Karen Burns yesterday, and has a deadline of March 16th, 2026.

Based upon the foregoing and to allow this matter to be acted upon, the council hereby finds that an emergency exists, which requires a suspension of the council's rules to add communication number 2026-128 to the agenda for the March 4th, 2026 regular meeting.

This time I'd like to make a motion to approve the suspension of the rules to add communication number 2026-128 to the regular meeting agenda.

We have a motion and a second to um to place communication number 2026-128 on tonight's agenda.

Is there anything on the question?

Commissioner Fisher.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

I will be opposing this simply because it's the basic Creek House, and I think adding more money to that facility is kind of crazy.

I won't move on to it right now, but it's a symbolic vote.

I don't want no one to deny this to communication, but another ninety-five thousand dollars for that dead horse out there is crazy.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Fisher.

Is there any other um comments by commissioners?

Seeing none, could Commissioners please vote.

And would anyone like to change their vote?

Clerk, please record the vote.

8Y 2 nay.

Would it be nine?

9, yay, 2 nay.

9 yay, 2 nay motion passes.

Um moving on to the chief executive's report.

Um I need to um acknowledge that we lost another um journalist in our community as Jim Larson from the Butte News passed away over this last week as well.

Um it seems like uh the tragedy just continues to happen within our community.

Jim was a an amazing man, just a gentleman any time if you ever got an interview with him and and just talk to him, he was just a gentleman.

It's you know, I it's crazy to think that we keep losing these people.

Um I'd also like to say I I want to you know acknowledge and have prayers for our troops.

Um we are in war, and this is no joke of time that we're in right now, and um I have uh son and a daughter-in-law that are in the service.

One's in Japan, the other one is in San Antonio, but um, you know, when they take that oath of of um uh or take their oath to to serve in the United States military.

Um you know you know it could happen, but it's just it's it's the real thing, and so I just want to pray for all of our troops and and people that are being impacted by the war.

And uh it's it's one of those times that is transformational um during our lifetimes, and so um our thoughts and prayers are for all of our troops.

Um I'd also uh just like to say to the to the um council up here, we do need one member on the fire advisory council, and so I'd like somebody um from the uh council to volunteer to step up to be a part of that if they see fit.

Um we do need one more, and and uh you can see me or you could you could see the chairman O'Neill um on that and we'll get you put on there, but we do need to do that, or I'm going to probably have to appoint somebody on there or have the uh chairman appoint somebody on there from the I I think the chairman would be more appropriate to do that.

So um other things are going on.

I think that the it was just published that the state of Montana is gonna lose 114 million dollars of funding from the federal government, and so um we can anticipate that the this next legislative session is going to be um different.

Um the state of Montana is going to be looking at different uh um financial situation um going into that, and so I uh I really advise this uh council to to think about priorities that we need to really be advocating for, and again, as we talked about in the in the past, I think that we'll probably do some um pre-meetings before the legislative session goes so that we can kind of gather our thoughts of what our priorities are gonna be in the local government as the legislative session moves forward.

So um with that being said, we are starting our budget time.

And so as um I met with the directors and managers and and start talking about budgets.

Um we always talk about wants versus needs and what we really need to do to serve the public here and make sure that we are uh providing all the services necessary uh for the community, but again, there's uncertain times of what that's gonna look like, and so we're gonna be uh very diligent and uh and as we move forward with the budget, and so we'll be working through that um with the finance and budget director, and we'll be having meetings with all of our directors and and uh departments to to set up the budget for that.

And so with that, um I just um uh again seems strange to be up here talking about that we're in a wartime, and so I just it it it hit me hard.

I I you know I took the oath, but during the time that I served, nothing was going on.

You know, I never had to worry about really going to war and stuff, and now it hits home when you have kids that are a part of this and and family members.

So um again, just want to again keep everybody in our thoughts.

So with that, I'm gonna close out the chief executive's report and I'm going to move on to section one bid openings, public hearings, and or presentations.

We have one public hearing.

Uh County Attorney Anruth, do we have proof of publication?

Chief Executive Gallagher Council, we have proof of publication for both the public hearing and the presentation.

Yeah.

Thank you, County Attorney Ann Ruth.

Um first item number one, communication number 2026-63, Mark Neary, Public Works Director requesting council of commissioners permission to schedule a public hearing on March 4th, 2026 for the purpose of soliciting comments on the final drought management plan.

A resolution will be submitted uh after the public hearing.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher Commissioners.

Uh for the record, public works director Mark Neary.

We had this presentation on the 11th of February.

This is just the next step um as part of the process.

I don't know if anybody has any questions.

Okay.

Seeing no questions, I will open the public hearing.

First call for proponents.

Um I really like the uh the drought management plan.

I think all of the uh topics outlined and what they want us to do as a city-county are really good things, and then they'll benefit us in the long run.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Frost.

Second call for proponents.

Third and final call for proponents.

Next I'll call for opponents.

First call for opponents.

Second call for opponents.

Third and final call for opponents.

I'll close public hearing.

Next we'll move on to presentations item number two, communication number 2026-18, Kelly Sullivan, BLDC executive director, request and council of the commissioners' permission to schedule a presentation on March 4th, 2026 regarding the BLDC's recently completed five-year strategic plan.

Welcome, Miss Sullivan.

Thank you, Chief Executive.

Good evening, members of council.

As you know, I am the executive director of the Butte Local Development Corporation, and I'm here tonight to talk about our five-year strategic plan, which was recently completed.

The plan was developed with the assistance of Stone Rock Business Solutions.

We held numerous community events where folks could come and share their thoughts.

We did a survey that had over 225 responses, and we did a number of one-on-ones.

I think I have a presentation here, yeah.

Okay, maybe that's not going to work for me.

Okay.

The mission of the BLDC is to build a vibrant economic environment to recruit, retain, and support businesses for the benefit of our community.

Our vision is to provide essential programs and services that empower businesses to launch, grow, and thrive.

The values of the BLDC include community integrity, innovation, and investment.

Through the process with extensive community engagement and planning, we identified the following target sectors for strategic investment and economic strategic investment and recruitment over the next five years.

Those include manufacturing, tech adjacent and engineering services, retail and services, family-friendly entertainment, outdoor recreation support businesses, and entrepreneurial startups.

We have outlined seven strategic goals to guide our economic development efforts through 2030.

Each goal reflects a high-level priorities supported by actionable strategies and milestones.

Together, these will position us to attract investment, strengthen local businesses, and enhance the overall quality of life.

And I'll touch on each of these goals briefly for you.

I did also email all of you a copy of this.

Just a reminder that you do have a copy in your email.

The first goal is to strengthen BLDC governance and capacity.

To lead economic development efforts effectively, we must continuously evaluate our organizational structure, our governance model, and our internal operations.

Some of the key actions for this goal include separating our business recruitment and communications functions into distinct roles.

One of the things we'll be looking to do is have a dedicated business recruitment position within the BLDC that can focus their time entirely on business recruitment.

We'll formalize succession planning and subcommittee assignments, improve board participation, and identify and align with partners in existing local plans, such as the Uptown Butte Master Plan.

A few milestones include the recruitment of that new position.

We hope completed by the fiscal year 2028, and then joint venture alignment joint venture alignment strategy completed and our brand clarified.

Sometimes there's a little confusion between our two organizations.

We are BLDC and headwaters.

Folks don't always know exactly what that means.

So we do we'll be doing some brand work to clarify that a little better.

This goal will focus on delivering meaningful benefits to our members, expanding their participation, and increasing our visibility in the community.

A few key actions, including launching a member onboarding process that includes an annual orientation event, and introducing events, workshops, and other events tailored to member interests and industries.

A milestone under this would include our membership doubled by fiscal year 2030 through targeted recruitment and value-added services.

Goal number three of the strategic plan is to recruit, retain, and expand targeted businesses.

A strong and diverse business base is essential to our economic success.

This goal will focus on targeted recruitment, support for local expansion, and the retention of our existing employers.

Some key actions include developing industry-specific recruitment strategies and continuing our partnership with Butte Silverbow's community development team, creating a business expansion and retention toolkit that supports local business, partnering with Montana Technological University and Highlands College, and other institutions such as the Headwaters Tech Hub to identify and cultivate high potential industries.

We'll conduct regular business outreach visits and listening sessions, and we'll support retail and services business attraction to reduce sales leakage to other communities in our state.

We want to keep those shoppers here.

Goal four is to expand our entrepreneurial ecosystem support.

Entrepreneurs and small businesses are the lifeblood of Butte's economy.

This goal will focus on building a strong pipeline of support for startup scale-ups and legacy businesses, and a key component of this thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem is access to capital.

You're all aware that we have a loan department.

We have a very healthy loan portfolio, and we want to be able to get more funding out to more business people in the coming years.

Key actions include launching a local accelerator or virtual support program for startups and early stage businesses.

To that end, we recently were awarded a grant from the Montana Department of Commerce in partnership with Montana Tech and Butte Silver Bow, and we will have a feasibility study done to decide where and when and whether a business accelerator makes sense for our community.

This would focus very much on the talent coming out of Montana Tech.

We see a lot of engineers coming out and leaving our community.

We want to stop that brain drain and have more of them stay here and start businesses of their own.

We'll continue to partner with local banks.

We'll grow our loan capital availability and highlight local business success stories.

Goal five is to promote community revitalization and infrastructure investment, and this is something we'll do in tandem with Butte's Community Development Department.

We'll support a business corridor beautification through grant opportunities when available.

We'll work in conjunction with the Butte's Urban Revitalization Agency to promote facade upgrades and potential streetscape solutions, and we'll continue to participate on the Uptown Master Plan Implation Team.

A milestone under this would include completing an alignment review with Butte Silverbow's planning documents by the end of fiscal year 26 and implement potential additional strategies.

Goal six is to enhance workforce development and employer support.

Butte's continued economic growth relies heavily on a skilled adaptable workforce and employers committed to providing competitive inclusive work environments.

We'll launch a good employer program that promotes best practices in recruitment, retention, and workplace culture, host employer roundtables to share workforce data, trends and needs, and promote Headwaters R C and D, Montana Tech, and Highlands College through shared branding and outreach.

Milestones include the Good Employer Recognition Program launched by the end of 2027, two employer round tables hosted annually starting in 2026, and five businesses supported annually at a minimum in implementing workforce best practices.

Goal number seven of our plan includes strengthening partnerships and regional alignment.

Strong regional collaboration ensures that we can lead effectively while aligning with broader economic and community goals.

We will clarify and communicate the distinct roles of BLDC and Headwaters R C and D, especially in business recruitment and funding.

And we'll support state level efforts related to broadband child care and transportation.

Milestones under this goal include biannual alignment meetings held with Butte Silverbow planning, housing, and public work starting in 2026, and establishing legislative and government affairs calendars in 2027.

How will our goals be accomplished?

As the executive director, I'll oversee day-to-day plan management, supported by our board's executive committee and our joint venture committee between BLDC and Headwaters.

The development of an implementation roadmap means the success of this plan will depend on effective accountable implementation.

Each of our seven strategic goals outlined in the plan will be executed through defined actions, measurable milestones, and coordinated leadership.

Our milestones will be reviewed semi-annually with status reports delivered to the board and the community.

A public summary will be shared twice a year, once in April at our annual dinner, and once in October.

This will ensure accountability.

This is just a small portion of the plan.

It's about a 100-page document, but I just wanted to give you all a little overview tonight.

And in closing, I want to thank the Council of Commissioners and Chief Executive Gallagher and his team for your continued support of our organization.

And does anyone have questions for me?

Thank you, Ms.

Sullivan.

So is there any questions of any of the commissioners here?

Commissioner Shea.

Thank you, Mr.

Chief Executive.

Okay.

So if you could resend it.

I will find another way to send it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I I should have sent you an email.

I thought it was just me.

That's okay.

No, I'll resend.

Okay, thank you so much.

Can you can you talk a little bit about first of all?

I think you guys do a great job.

Thank you.

I think that the collaboration between between BLDC, Headwaters, and Butte Silverbow and the Chamber, all of the people that are involved.

I think I think that collaboration is really functional, and I think it's really, really important to the community.

So thank you for for being good stewards in the community.

Appreciate that.

Could you tell me a little bit about I just want to hear a little bit about since it's on our agenda tonight?

Can you talk about the DEQ Brownsfields, Brownfields money, and then the what is it?

The Brown Fields, the EPA, the supplemental cooperation agreement.

Yes.

Commissioner Shea, Ms.

Sullivan.

Thank you.

Chief Executive Gallagher, Commissioner Shea.

I can touch on that a little bit.

I should have kept Melissa here with me.

She was here earlier talking about Brownfields.

But she's putting in for a 1.5 million dollar grant that is due on March 16th.

I think she did not realize that she needed some permissions from this body to submit that.

And so that's why that was the emergency addition to your agenda this evening.

Okay.

All right.

Any other questions of commissioners?

Um seeing none, I will say that it is a pleasure being on the board, seeing how the interaction with the business community and the and BLDC, and then you know, as you said, BLDC and Headwaters, they're two distinct different organizations, but worked, you know, pretty hand in hand together on the recruitment and business development of the community, and it's under your leadership has really been functioning well and the collaboration has been great with Beauty Silver Bowl.

So just thank you for that and thank you for the presentation.

Thank you.

Thanks, everyone.

All right.

All right, moving on.

We're moving to section two consent agenda, A1 through four and B one through 29.

Uh, Commissioner Thatcher, any friendly amendments and/or segregations.

Thank you, Chief Executive Chief Executive Gallagher.

I would like to uh make a friendly amendment to number eight, communication number 2026-106.

I believe Mr.

Osborne Fire Service Director would like the presentation to be March 11th, 2026, not March 25th.

So if we could just uh note that date change on that.

And then I would like to segregate item number 27, communication number 2026-125.

Okay, that's item number 27.

Um communication number 2026-125, and on item number eight, just change the date to March 11th.

Okay.

Commissioner O'Leary.

Thank you, Mr.

Chief Executive.

Um, I would like to segregate number 20, 2026-118, and 29, 2026-127.

So that's segregating item number 20, communication number 2026-118, and item number 29, communication number 2026-127.

Are there any other friendly amendments under segregations?

Commissioner Shea.

Thank you, Mr.

Chief Executive.

Um, I don't not really a friendly amendment, but regarding item 18, um, my appointment to the ADA board, um, advisory board.

That is um at the request of my employer, so I will be on that board in the capacity of an employer as an employee of Black Tail Health.

Okay.

So we just want to note that on there.

So that would be a friendly amendment just to the communication, the appointment of Michelle Shea representing Blacktail Health as a member of the ADA board.

Okay.

Any other friendly amendments or indoor segregations?

Seeing none, Commissioner Thatcher.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

I'd like to make a motion to uh approve the section two consent agenda.

Section A, committee reports one through four and section B communications one through 29, with the exception of communication number 20, 2026-118.

Ummunication number 22 or 27 2026-125, and item number 29, communication number 2026-127.

We have a motion and a second to approve tonight's consent agenda.

Is there anything on the question?

Could Commissioners please vote?

And would anyone like to change their vote?

Clerk, please record the vote.

11 yay, 0 nay.

11 Yay 0 nay motion passes.

Moving on to item number 20, communication number 2026-118.

Kyle West, Public Works Engineer Tech requesting council of commissioners authorization to have Chief Executive Gallagher sign an agreement with the stormwater management BMP maintenance for the Cornerstone Plaza and the Butte Silver Bowl Public Works Department.

I think we have Director Neary here.

So Commissioner O'Leary.

Thank you, Mr.

Chief Executive.

Uh I just the only reason I segregated this is I see we have uh communications uh 20 through 28 uh all are regarding stormwater um at various properties around Butte, and I just wanted to give the the uh public works director an opportunity to kind of give us an idea of how this came about and and what the purpose of all these these documents is.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner O'Larry, Director Neary.

Thank you, Chief Executive Chief Executive Gallagher, Commissioner O'Larry, um Kyle West, who's our um engineering tech, he handles all the stormwater does design reviews and and just handles all the paperwork, and I think he was waiting for everything to come in.

So when they submit their stormwater plan, we send it out for review, it gets approved, and then it gets constructed.

Well then by the time the the businesses are open and running by the time we get the as bills back, he I think he just kind of stockpiles all of them up and then sends them all through at one time.

It isn't it was I don't think this has happened very often before, but that's he told me we'll have nine on the agenda tonight.

So that's all it is, is that's how it all came to come in one night.

Okay.

Thank you.

Follow-up, Commissioner O'Larry.

No follow-up.

Uh that's satisfactory to me, so I'll just make a motion to uh concur, place on file 2026-118.

We have a motion a second to concur in place on file communication number 2026-118.

Is there anything on the question?

Could Commissioners please vote?

And would anyone like to change their vote?

Clerk, please record the vote.

11 yay zero nay.

1180 nay motion passes.

Moving on to item number 27, communication number 2026-125, Cal West, Public Works Engineer Tech requesting Council Commissioners authorization to have Chief Executive Gallagher sign an agreement with Stormwater Management, BMP, maintenance for Cornerstone Plaza and Public Works Department, Commissioner Thatcher.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

Uh thank you, Director Near.

I don't really have actually any questions.

I just believe that um item number 27 is the same one as night item number 20.

So just since that was on here twice, I'd like to make a motion to note in place on file communication number 2026-125.

We have a motion and a second to note in place on file uh item number 27, communication number 2026-126.

Or one two five.

Commissioner Fisher.

Thank you, Chief Executive.

Uh, could we get Director Neary to confirm that is a duplicate and not two separate storm drains out there not to be Commissioner Fisher?

Uh Director Neary.

Uh Chief Executive Gallagher, Commissioner Fisher, it was a duplicate.

It was marked on my notes that it was duplicated.

So yes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Could Commissioners please vote?

And would anyone like to change their vote?

Clerk, please record the vote.

11, yay, 0 nay.

11 yay, 0 nay.

Motion passes.

Moving on to item number 29, communication number 2026-127.

Mark Nerry Public Works Director requesting council of commissioners to approve the updated silver bowl paratransit handbook, which includes the uh transit passenger rules and code of conduct.

Commissioner O'Leary.

Thank you, Mr.

Chief Executive.

Uh I I guess I wanted to start off by saying that uh I appreciate all the work that Corey Johns put in on on getting this uh done.

This uh expansion mostly affects uh my district and Commissioner Callahan's district, and there's a lot of folks that are you know that pay transit on their on their tax bills every year, just like the rest of us, and uh this is a a really good thing for for those folks.

So I appreciate that.

Uh also just wanted to thank all the folks who came up and and uh you know said their piece and and brought up signatures and stuff.

I know this is gonna be helpful for a lot of folks.

So thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner O'Larry.

Is there any other comments or questions of commissioners?

Seeing oh, yeah, you might want to make a motion.

Commissioner O'Leary.

At this time, I'd like to make a motion to concurrent place on file 2026 uh dash one two seven.

We have a motion and a second to concur in place on file communication number 2026-127.

Is there anything on the question?

Could Commissioners please vote?

And would anyone like to change their vote?

Clerk, please record the vote.

11 yay zero nay.

11 yay zero nay motion passes.

Moving on to section four resolutions and ordinances or oh, we do have to do the suspension of the rules, Michael.

Yes.

Um we have one suspension of the rules on tonight's agenda.

Yes, thank you.

Chief Executive Gallagher, as we touched on this is for um a subgrant agreement between Headwaters, RC and D and Butsuerbo for performing abatement work.

Um so at this time I'd like to make a motion to concur in place on file communication number 2026-128.

We have a motion and a second to concur in place on file communication number 2026-128.

Is there anything on the question?

Commissioner Fisher.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

Um, I don't know if everyone read through this, but this is for uh removing vermerculite or zone light.

It's an installation that's counts across the substance.

And with the RMAP program being countywide in Viet Silverbow, I kind of wondered a little bit why we're getting a grant for 95,000 instead of having our RMAP program pay for this.

That was one question.

Another question is is uh shouldn't have this work been done prior to having all them people out there volunteering and working in this house and them conditions.

I mean this is uh substance that living Montana.

I mean, this is a big deal, this zone lighter uh vermiculite, what they call.

I mean, I worked in the lumber yards for years when I was younger, and this is stuff that causes a lot of lung disease and things like that.

So I'm wondering if we didn't put the cart before the horse by putting in the windows and hiring that firm from Deer Lodge, and you know, just keep throwing money at this basin creek house out there, and now we're finally going to go in and have to take out all this insulation and put it back in there.

And I think if I'm not mistaken, that the the grant was somewhere near 95,000 dollars.

So and as you know, Mr.

Chief Executive, that was uh on the agenda prior to you.

You can probably be on public so as I say, I'm not looking for anyone to deny this because I know it's a grant, but it's just something that's been um on this agenda since I've been here 13 years.

And it just amazes me that bathrooms in the courthouse were done long before the House on Basin case.

So I will be uh voting no on this, but I appreciate all your service and uh it's something we have to do.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Fisher.

Any other comment?

Commissioner O'Leary.

Thank you, Mr.

Chief Executive.

Uh when we were talking about this earlier, I I saw Director Burns shaking her head no.

I just wanted to clarify the uh reasoning behind this, so if she would.

Commissioner O'Leary, Director Burns.

Uh thank you, Commissioner O'Larry, uh, Chief Executive Gallagher.

Um so I wanted to clarify um Miss Sullivan was a little confused in terms of the order of things.

Um we are applying for a 1.5 million dollar coalition grant with Brownsfield um with Melissa Wanamaker leading the charge on that.

And that coalition grant is in the process of being applied for.

Um we already submitted a letter to this body saying we want to be a part of this coalition.

It includes Powell County, um, some property in Anaconda Deer Lodge, I believe, maybe that was a question mark, and Butte Silverbow Um and Headwaters applying for this additional funding.

And I think that's what she thought we were referring to.

Um this communication that I apologize had to be brought to you under an emergency suspension of the rules.

This is for the subgrantum between Headwaters and Butte Silver Bow for work to be done at the Basin Creek House.

Um the Brownsfield program had already funded an assessment, a phase one assessment of the Basin Creek House to determine if um grant funds from Brownsfield could be used on the house.

Were there items in the house that needed to be cleaned up under the Brownsfield program?

That assessment was complete, and they did find the conditions that you see in this subgrant agreement that Commissioner Fisher was um referring to.

Um now they want to start the work.

Um and they want they're kind of it was kind of like it takes forever for the assessment to get done, those results to get back, and then you have to, you know, work through all the agencies to get it out to bid.

Um the thing is is none of these funds flow directly to Beatles Superbow.

We are the beneficiary of these funds, um, and all of the bills will be paid for through the Brownsfield program and headwaters R C and D.

Um and so we feel like I know it takes forever.

I agree with Commissioner Fisher, it takes a long time to get these projects done.

But we feel like um funding is coming into this project, and I feel it's coming into the project in the right order now.

We did receive a historic preservation grant to do the windows, um, and and we got those done.

And so those are those are complete.

But there is the next phase of this project to actually get that house in an inhabitable condition.

And before we can do that, we need to clean it up.

And so this would that's what these funds are going to do, and we are actively applying for other funding sources to actually put systems into the house, um, get the water back on, get the electricity back on, and so that's what we're working towards.

So this is the first step in that in that process to clean it up.

Thank you, Director Burns.

Any follow- I'll follow up Commissioner O'Larry and then I'll go to Commissioner Fisher.

Thank you, Mr.

Chief Executive.

Uh I appreciate the work that all of you guys are doing on this.

This is my district.

I will, as the hill I'll die on.

That that house is uh gonna be uh a great asset to this community someday, and uh there's lots of good things happening out there at Basin Creek, it sounds like so uh hopefully someday we're we're looking at the postcard uh picture from from a hundred years ago.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner O'Leary.

Commissioner Fisher.

And then thank you, Chief Executive.

Uh thank you, kind of appreciate all your input all the time.

You're very knowledgeable about this stuff.

Um my understanding of the Brownfields was they were mostly for like underground tanks and things like that.

Like when they built the Dairy Queen down here, I know there was you know underground tanks and stuff like that.

So the Brownfield now is expanding into something similar like the RMAP programs doing.

Is that what I'm understanding here?

Commissioner Fisher, Director Burns.

Uh thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher, Commissioner Fisher.

The Brownsfield program um now covers all hazards um within identifiable environmental hazards within a structure.

Um and so the it can cover things from underground tanks, you're right about that, but it can also cover things um related to a dry cleaning business, chemical exposures, um, asbestos, lead paint, um, and things like that.

And so um another project that's a beneficiary of some brownfield money right now in our community is the Phoenix building.

Um they did an assessment of the Phoenix building and uh are able to now address all of the windows within that building because they did find asbestos in the putty around the windows.

So it unlocked a lot of funding that could go into that historic structure as well.

So it's um expanded their reach and it's really beneficial to communities like ours that have such large historic resources.

Thank you, Commissioner or uh Director Burns.

And I will say, Commissioner Fisher, too, one of the things that used to be kind of restrictive is that the super fund sites wouldn't be able to use Brownfield's monies.

Now that is expanded as well as that Brownsfields can coexist with Superfund um um areas as well.

Commissioner Thatcher, you're next.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

Commissioner Fisher, I was just gonna kind of touch on the same thing that you were gonna ask about as far as the R map program versus the Brownfields.

And as far as I understand it, um I thought the R map only covers like lead, you know, certain certain things, arsenic and mercury.

So I don't think asbestos would necessarily fall under this realm, which is why the Brownfields is that am I understanding that correctly?

Yes, thank you.

Commissioner Thatcher, that would be correct.

Okay.

Any Commissioner Fisher?

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

Thank you, Karen.

I appreciate that.

And I think the Brownfields is a great program.

I know I've seen you know things that have happened with them.

I just request one thing.

Let's get that house fixed up and going before I'm done in the next three or four years.

Me too.

Uh Commissioner Callahan.

Thank you, Chief Executive Governor.

I just wanted to comment comment on the uh RMAP program.

That's funded by Arco to clean up the mining waste.

The stuff is a mining waste.

And uh superfund is the liability is outside people's properties.

Inside isn't responsible by uh ARCO, but ARCO put that RMAP program together and they're doing interior.

We're the only place in the country that they're doing interior.

So we're very fortunate to have that.

Thank you, Commissioner Callahan.

Any other comments of commissioners?

Seeing none.

Um we have a motion to concur in place on file.

Communication number 2026-128.

Could Commissioners please vote?

And would anyone like to change their vote?

Clerk, please record the vote.

10 yay, one nay.

10 yay, one nay motion passes.

Moving on to section four resolutions and ordinance ordinances for final reading.

We have uh a number of these, so we'll start right away.

Item number one, resolution number 2026-07.

Clerk, could you read the caption?

Resolution number 2026-07.

A resolution authorizing and approving the sale of a certain parcel of real property located in the northeast one quarter of section 24, township three north, range eight west, PMM, Butte Silver Bow County, Montana, for the purpose of community development in accordance to the procedures of Butte Silver Bow Municipal Code and providing for an effective date herein.

Commissioner Thatcher.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

At this time I move to place um resolution number 2026-07 on final reading and passed, having been deemed fully read at length.

We have a motion in second place and resolution number 2026 as 07 on final reading.

Is there anything on the question?

Could Commissioners please vote?

And would anyone like to change their vote?

Clerk, please record the vote.

11, yay, 0 nay.

11 yay, 0 nay.

Motion passes.

Moving on to item number two, resolution number 2026-02.

Clerk, please read the caption.

A resolution authorizing and approving the land exchange of certain partials of real property located in the southeast one quarter of section 13, Township 3 North, Range 8 West, PM, Butte Silverbow County, Montana, for the purpose of community development and to cure encroachment of private investments on public property in accordance with the procedures of a Butte Silver Bow Municipal Code and providing for an effective date herein.

Commissioner Thatcher.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

I move to place resolution number 2026-08 on final reading and passed, having been deemed fully read at length.

We have a motion and second place and resolution number 2026 as 08 on final reading.

Is there anything on the question?

Could Commissioners please vote?

And would anyone like to change their vote?

Clerk, please record the vote.

11, yay, 0 nay.

11A 0 nay motion passes.

Moving on to item number three, resolution number 2026-09.

Clerk, please read the caption.

A resolution amending the budget during the fiscal year after conducting a public hearing at a regular scheduled meeting of the Council of Commissioners in accordance with Section 7-6-4006, MCA appropriating unanticipated revenue to the city county of Butte Silver Bow for receiving a contract for the Bridger Care My WI lift program and providing for an effective date herein.

Commissioner Thatcher.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

I move to place resolution number 2026-09 on final reading and passed, having been deemed fully read at length.

We have a motion and second place and resolution number 2026-09 on final reading.

Is there anything on the question?

Could Commissioners please vote?

And would anyone like to change their vote?

Clerk, please record the vote.

11 Yay 0NA.

Eleven Yay 0NA.

Motion passes.

Moving on to resolution number 2026- or 10.

Clerk, please read the caption.

A resolution amending the budget for the fiscal year after conducting a public hearing at a regular scheduled meeting of the Council of Commissioners in accordance to the section seven-six-406 4006 MCA appropriating unanticipated revenue to the city county of Butte Silver Bow from receiving a contract from the chronic disease program and providing for an effective date herein.

Commissioner Thatcher.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

I move to place council resolution number 2026-10 on final reading and passed, having been deemed fully read at length.

We have a motion and section placing resolution number 2026-10 on final reading.

Is there anything on the question?

Could Commissioners please vote?

And would anyone like to change their vote?

Clerk, please record the vote.

11 yay 0 nay.

11 yay 0 nay.

Motion passes.

Moving on to item number 5, resolution number 2026-11.

Clerk, please read the caption.

A resolution amending the budget during the fiscal year after conducting a public hearing at a regular scheduled meeting of the council of commissioners in accordance with section 7-6-4006 MCA appropriating unanticipated revenue to the city county of Butte Silver Bow from receiving a contract from the H5N1 influenza A response program and providing for an effective date herein.

Commissioner Thatcher.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

I move to place council resolution number 2026-11 on final reading and passed, having been deemed fully read at length.

We have a motion in second place and resolution number 26-11 on final reading.

Is there anything on the question?

Could Commissioners please vote?

And would anyone like to change their vote?

Clerk, please record the vote.

11 Yay 0NA.

11 yay, 0NA.

Motion passes.

Moving on to item number six, resolution number 2026-12.

Clerk, please read the caption.

A resolution amending the budget for the fiscal year after conducting a public hearing at a regular scheduled meeting of the Council of Commissioners in accordance with section seven-six-4006 MCA appropriating unanticipated revenue to the city county of Butte Silver Bow from receiving a contract from Intermountain Health Grant and providing from an infective effective date herein.

Commissioner Thatcher.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

I move to place council resolution number 2026-12 on final reading and passed, having been deemed fully read at length.

We have a motion in second place and resolution number 2026-12 on final reading.

Is there anything on the question?

Could Commissioners please vote?

And would anyone like to change their vote?

Clerk, please record the vote.

11 year 09.

Motion passes moving to item number seven, resolution number 2026-13.

Clerk, please read the caption.

A resolution amending the budget during the fiscal year after conducting a public hearing at a regular scheduled meeting of the council of commissioners in accordance with section seven-six-406.

MCA appropriating unanticipated revenue to the city county of Butte Silver Bow from receiving a contract for multiple health department programs and providing an effective date herein.

Commissioner Thatcher.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

I move to place council resolution number 2026-13 on final reading and passed, having been deemed fully read at length.

We have a motion and second place and resolution number 2026-13 on final reading.

Is there anything on the question?

Could Commissioners please vote?

And would anyone like to change their vote?

Clerk, please record the vote.

11 yay, 0 nay.

11 yay, 0 nay.

Motion passes.

Moving on to item number 8, resolution number 2026-14.

Clerk, please read the caption.

A resolution amending the budget during the fiscal year after conducting a public hearing at a regular scheduled meeting of the Council of Commissioners in accordance with Section 7-6-4006 MCA appropriating unanticipated revenue to the city county of Butte Silver Bow from receiving a contract for the syringe exchange program and providing for an effective date here in.

Commissioner Thatcher.

Thank you, Chief Executive Gallagher.

I move to place council resolution number 2026-14 on final reading and pass, having been deemed fully read at length.

We have a motion in second place and resolution number 26-1-4 on final reading.

Is there anything on the question?

Could Commissioners please vote?

And would anyone like to change their vote?

Clerk, please record the vote.

11 yay 0 nay.

11 yay, 0 nay.

Motion passes.

Moving on to calendar and other meeting advanced, please note the dates and times of those meetings and events.

And next we'll move on to public comment on any item not on tonight's agenda.

There you go.

It's a chief executive, members of the council.

I'll be very quick.

I have to three minutes, and it's a good time.

There's a limitation this time of the night in this part of the meeting.

But Evan Barrett, 807 West Silver Street in Butte.

I wanted to quickly address uh two items uh on the that are not on the agenda, interestingly.

Uh one the data center dealing with land, and the other the waste repository location uh for the Silverville Creek corridor waste.

Uh relative to the data center and land, I would this stuff gets tucked away to the staff.

I think it's very important for the council to stay very alert to what's going on related to that buy-sell agreement that we've talked about.

It's extended six months.

Uh if you'll recall, one of our top uh uh real estate professionals, Denise Kelly, testified to you and mentioned to you that she read many a buy-sell agreement, and she read this one, and it was the most one-sided buy-sell agreement she'd ever seen in her entire career.

And if you I would urge you all to go back and read it.

It's a tough read, but read it and look at it and see what's there and see what isn't there.

Um, obviously, first uh remember that's his bit of a repetition, but we have three parcels of land and one by sell.

And that isn't gonna work out, and you're better off to uh be prepared to vote no and go back to the table with them.

Uh so uh that three lot thing is is remains an issue uh for you.

And uh look for the use of the land.

Uh the use of the land, what is the land constrained for the use of?

Uh if if they take over all this land, now 600 acres.

Are they constrained on what they're going to do with it?

Take a look and see if you can find it in there.

I have a pretty hard time seeing it.

So I think things need to could be done better on it.

I'm not against this thing, but I'm against doing it in a sloppy way.

Let's do it right if we're gonna do it.

Uh lastly, I just want to say a couple quick words.

I'll come back and talk to you again about the waste repository.

I went and looked at it again where it proposed to be, and again propose that we take a serious look at locating it at Opportunity Ponds, and there's some real good legal reasons for doing it, and I can't do it tonight because of time, but I'll be glad to come back and uh and cite some things that are should be of concern to you in terms of why we should locate that outside the county in the opportunity ponds area owned by our co and then the home of much of our waste already, and doesn't require you to go on a single city street with a single truck to move the waste because we have a rail spur all the way out there.

I see the red light has come.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair, and thank all of you.

Thank you, Mr.

Evert.

Is there any other public comment on any item on tonight's agenda?

Seeing none.

Um I I just wanted to note I'll if anyone is willing to volunteer to be on the fire advisory, please come see me.

Um and then um I would take a motion to adjourn.

Commissioner Fisher and then Commissioner Shea before we go here.

Okay.

Uh thank you, Chief Executive.

I would just like to uh give kudos to Montantech female basketball team.

Winning the Frontier Conference Championship.

The men had a great tournament, they've done real good.

We've got a couple high school teams, both behind Butt Central.

Uh Buttehigh has a playoff game tomorrow night.

Butte Central girls are in.

I think the boys are maybe in, I'm not sure about that.

But in all of this happening, um kudos to Commissioner Shea.

She uh works all these tournaments uh, you know, on the Frontier Conference and But High Game we're kind of the same time.

So thank you to Commissioner Shea and uh good luck to all our basketball players in the coming days and uh state tournament and billings or uh Hamilton, wherever they might end up.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Fisher, and th thank you for reminding me of that.

It was fantastic tournament, uh boys and girls, heartbreaker for the boys, but an amazing game, amazing tournament, and kudos to Butte for the tournament that they put on for the community and and uh Bill Melvin and and everybody down there.

Uh just just wonderful um atmosphere and everything.

And then one last thing, R.I.P.

to Lou Holtz for us Irish fans.

He passed away today.

Legendary coach.

But anyhow, I would take a motion to adjourn.

We have a motion and a second.

All in favor, signal by aye.

Opposed.

We are adjourned.