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Record of Proceedings

Laurel City Council Meeting – August 25, 2026: Budget Adoption, Annexation Moratorium, and Contract Tabled

City Council — Tuesday, August 25, 2026
BodyLaurel, Montana
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, August 25, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:36:38

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.

Speaker 1

1:42

Welcome to the uh City Laurel City Council meeting for Tuesday, August 25th, 2026.

1:48

By your presence in the city council chambers, you're participating in the process of representative government.

Unassigned speaker

1:53

To

Speaker 1

1:54

encourage that participation, the city council has identified has specified times for citizen comments on its agenda.

1:59

Once following the consent agenda, at a time which citizens may address the council concerning any brief community announcement not to exceed one minute in duration for any speaker, and again following items removed from the consent agenda at which time citizens may address the council on any matter of city business that is not on tonight's agenda.

2:17

Each speaker will be limited to three minutes unless the time limit is extended by the mayor with the consent of the council.

2:23

Citizens may also comment on any item removed from the consent agenda prior to council action, with each speaker limited to three minutes unless the time limit is extended by the mayor with the consent of the council.

2:35

If a citizen would like to comment on an agenda item, we ask that you wait until the agenda item is presented to the council by the mayor and the public is asked to comment by the mayor.

2:44

Any person who has any question concerning any agenda item may call the city clerk treasurer's office to make an inquiry concerning the nature of the item described on the agenda?

2:53

Your city government welcomes your interests and hopes you will attend the Laurel City Council meetings often.

2:58

Please join me for the pledge of allegiance.

3:55

Is there any public comment on the minutes?

Unassigned speaker

4:01

Do

Speaker 1

4:01

any council members have a disclosure of conflict or ex parte communications?

Unassigned speaker

4:09

Can

Speaker 1

4:10

I have a motion?

Speaker 2

4:12

Mr.

4:12

Mayor, I would like to approval of minutes from August 11th, 2026, please.

Speaker 1

4:37

All opposed.

5:00

We're gonna enter into the public hearing for fiscal year 2025-26 budget amendments.

Unassigned speaker

5:09

This

Speaker 1

5:10

is the time and place set for public hearing on the city of Laurel's ordinance, fiscal year 25-26 budget amendments.

5:17

I'm opening the public hearing and first ask staff to present the item prior to hearing public comments.

Speaker 3

5:27

These are the budget amendments to close out fiscal year 25-26.

5:32

The first one is to amend the revenues brought in by the FEQ or federal equitable sharing.

5:40

Um we due to their regulations, we cannot budget any revenues or any expenditures, so this does appear every year as a budget amendment.

5:48

Um there was no appropriations to the FEQ this year, and so the only thing we have is increasing the um revenues for the fire department.

6:01

We um increased appropriations due to donations and for the DNRC grant that was received from the for the fire department for the wildland clothing.

6:11

Um and so we increased the appropriations, and we also increased the revenues to um onset what was in the budget so that we did not overspend um those lines.

Unassigned speaker

6:24

And

Speaker 3

6:24

then the third one is just the airport authority.

6:27

That is a pass-through mill that we receive, and due to the um possibly late taxpayers or something like that, or interest that was received,

Unassigned speaker

6:38

it

Speaker 3

6:38

went over by 114.

6:40

So, in order to write the check for the the appropriation to pay the airport authority for the mills that we collected for them, we needed to increase the appropriation.

Unassigned speaker

6:50

That is

Speaker 1

6:51

okay.

6:55

Copies of the rules governing the public hearing have been posted in council chambers.

7:01

Are there any proponents?

7:07

Are there any proponents that would like to speak?

7:13

Any proponents?

7:19

Seeing that are there any opponents?

Unassigned speaker

7:25

Are

Speaker 1

7:25

there any opponents?

7:30

Are there any opponents?

7:36

Since there is no further public comment, I will ask staff to respond to any relevant questions or issues that require an explanation or response.

7:47

Any any other responses?

7:49

No, okay.

7:50

They don't have

Unassigned speaker

7:50

any questions.

Speaker 1

7:52

I now close the public hearing.

7:57

Number three, budget and tax resolutions for fiscal year 26-27.

Unassigned speaker

8:05

This

Speaker 1

8:05

is the time and place set for the public hearing on City of Laurel's ordinance budget

Unassigned speaker

8:09

and

Speaker 1

8:10

tax resolutions fiscal year 26-27.

8:13

I'm opening the public hearing and refers to ask staff to present the item prior to hearing public comments.

Unassigned speaker

8:24

If

Speaker 3

8:25

you want to speak, I can speak regarding the tax resolutions if you

Unassigned speaker

8:28

like.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural███████████████████████████████████35%
Budget Equity Analysis████████████████16%
Public Engagement██████████10%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████9%
Technology and Innovation███████7%
Public Safety██████6%
Transportation Safety████4%
Fiscal Sustainability███3%
Water And Wastewater Management███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Laurel City Council Meeting – August 25, 2026: Budget Adoption, Annexation Moratorium, and Contract Tabled

The Laurel City Council met Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 6:30 PM in Council Chambers, with Mayor Kris R. Vogele presiding and all eight council members present (Sara Naylor, Jessica Banks, Irv Wilke, Jodi Mackay, Richard Klose, Casey Wheeler, Brent Edgmond, Tom Canape). The meeting was adjourned at 8:06 PM. The Council adopted the FY 2026-2027 budget and related tax levies, adopted an annexation moratorium, approved multiple assessment resolutions and interlocal agreements, and voted to table a managed network services agreement for two weeks.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the August 11, 2026 meeting minutes 8-0.
  • Approved the consent agenda 8-0, including claims entered through August 21, 2026, and the payroll register for PPE 8/16/2026 totaling $284,692.19.
  • Received reports/board minutes: Budget/Finance Committee (Aug 11), Laurel Airport Authority (Jul 28), and Tree/Park Board (Aug 6).
  • No items were removed from the consent agenda.

Public Hearings

  • FY 2025-2026 Budget Amendments (Item 2): The Clerk/Treasurer reviewed amendments to close out FY 2025-2026. No proponents or opponents spoke. The amendments included increasing Federal Equitable Sharing Fund revenues by $10,974, increasing Fire Department appropriations by $22,321.05 and revenues by $10,000 (DNRC wildland clothing grant and donations), and increasing the Airport Authority appropriation by $114. These amendments were later approved as Resolution No. R26-51.
  • FY 2026-2027 Budget and Tax Resolutions (Item 3): The Clerk/Treasurer explained the tax resolutions and the Mayor summarized the budget message. Public comment included: Michael Mooney spoke in support of the City assuming responsibility for the Laurel transportation program and requested service expansion; Laura Kirschman spoke in support of public safety complex improvements (ambulance exhaust system, epoxy floor coating) and the South Pond floating island project; Shelly White generally supported the proposed increase in Fire Department compensation but requested compensation for firefighters' time maintaining apparatus and equipment. Staff confirmed the cited items were included in the capital-project budget.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Kate Manley, Library Board Chair, reported the Library's Farmers Market booth gave away approximately 760 donated books and promoted library services.
  • Michael Mooney, speaking as president of the Laurel chapter of the Montana Association for the Blind, raised ADA concerns about newly constructed sidewalk ramps and detectable warning surfaces, saying some alignments pointed him into traffic. The Mayor said he would review the designs with Public Works and the City's engineers.
  • Laura Kirschman described conditions at the fire, ambulance, and police complex after a tour and urged the Council to begin long-range planning for a new public safety complex, including a potential public safety mill levy.
  • Elizabeth Gilg updated the Council on Laurel CARED and pending court proceedings relating to a proposed State facility, alleged omissions from the State's administrative record, and requested future Council consideration of the STEAM Park matter for grant purposes.
  • In community announcements, Laura Kirschman encouraged additional scrutiny of administrative productivity and compensation; Elizabeth Gilg announced that Saturday's Farmers Market would be held; Council Member Wilke announced fall Hunter Education dates (orientation Sept 8, classes Sept 14-18, field course Sept 19).

Discussion Items

  • Ordinance No. 26-4 (Annexation Moratorium): Adopted 8-0 after no public comment. The ordinance imposes a moratorium on annexation applications while the City evaluates infrastructure capacity, water system demands, impacts of recent state law changes, and future growth plans.
  • Resolution No. R26-52 (FY 2026-2027 Final Budget): Approved 8-0. Council members disclosed ex parte communications about non-bargaining employee compensation. Discussion addressed the proposed $3,000 one-time lump-sum payment (paid in two $1,500 installments) instead of a permanent percentage increase; the Mayor acknowledged department heads and staff were not consulted on the final compensation proposal, explained that the lump sum avoids compounding the City's recurring wage base, and stated that a wage and compensation review is anticipated during the fiscal year. Council also discussed technology/software improvements, Council Chamber cameras and audio, and City Court security improvements (panic button and double doors).
  • Resolution No. R26-70 (Systems Technology Consultants Managed Network Services): Public comment opposed the agreement, citing concerns about the company's handling of a prior public records request and public statements by an employee. Council discussion included staff reports that the company manages servers, email, network services, and routine support, and that more than 100 service tickets were handled in the prior year. Council Member Banks made a substitute motion to table the resolution for two weeks, which passed 6-2 (Naylor, Banks, Wilke, Mackay, Wheeler, Edgmond in favor; Klose and Canape opposed).

Key Outcomes

  • Approved the Mayor's appointment of Easton McKenzie to Laurel Emergency Medical Services, 8-0.
  • Adopted Ordinance No. 26-4, 8-0.
  • Approved Resolution No. R26-51 (FY 2025-2026 budget amendments), 8-0.
  • Approved Resolution No. R26-52 (FY 2026-2027 final budget), 8-0.
  • Approved tax levy Resolution No. R26-53, 8-0.
  • Approved assessment resolutions R26-54 through R26-63 (Special Improvement Lighting Districts No. 2 and 3; Street Sweeping District No. 1; Street Maintenance District No. 1; SIDs No. 113, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119), 8-0. Michael Mooney requested ADA accessibility be considered for sidewalk/street improvements and asked about the street sweeping district boundary; staff indicated mapping information would be provided.
  • Approved delinquent utility/garbage assessment resolutions R26-64, R26-65, and R26-66, 8-0. For R26-64, staff clarified "certain property" means properties with delinquent water charges.
  • Approved Resolution No. R26-67 (School Resource Officer agreement with Laurel Public Schools District 7 & 7-70), 8-0.
  • Approved Resolution No. R26-68 (Allies in Aging public transportation agreement), 8-0. Michael Mooney supported the service and requested expansion; the budget message noted Allies in Aging agreed to provide $50,000 for FY 2026-2027.
  • Approved Resolution No. R26-69 (two temporary driver positions not to exceed 12 months), 8-0. The positions replace drivers previously employed through another entity; Mooney and Gilg supported expanded service and offered to participate in a committee.
  • Tabled Resolution No. R26-70 (Systems Technology Consultants agreement) for two weeks, 6-2.
  • Adjourned at 8:06 PM.

Note: The official minutes list the motion maker for R26-66 as "None," whereas the transcript identifies Council Vice President Klose; the resolution passed 8-0.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome to the uh City Laurel City Council meeting for Tuesday, August 25th, 2026. By your presence in the city council chambers, you're participating in the process of representative government. To encourage that participation, the city council has identified has specified times for citizen comments on its agenda. Once following the consent agenda, at a time which citizens may address the council concerning any brief community announcement not to exceed one minute in duration for any speaker, and again following items removed from the consent agenda at which time citizens may address the council on any matter of city business that is not on tonight's agenda. Each speaker will be limited to three minutes unless the time limit is extended by the mayor with the consent of the council. Citizens may also comment on any item removed from the consent agenda prior to council action, with each speaker limited to three minutes unless the time limit is extended by the mayor with the consent of the council. If a citizen would like to comment on an agenda item, we ask that you wait until the agenda item is presented to the council by the mayor and the public is asked to comment by the mayor. Any person who has any question concerning any agenda item may call the city clerk treasurer's office to make an inquiry concerning the nature of the item described on the agenda? Your city government welcomes your interests and hopes you will attend the Laurel City Council meetings often. Please join me for the pledge of allegiance. Is there any public comment on the minutes? Do any council members have a disclosure of conflict or ex parte communications? Can I have a motion? Mr. Mayor, I would like to approval of minutes from August 11th, 2026, please. All opposed. We're gonna enter into the public hearing for fiscal year 2025-26 budget amendments. This is the time and place set for public hearing on the city of Laurel's ordinance, fiscal year 25-26 budget amendments. I'm opening the public hearing and first ask staff to present the item prior to hearing public comments. These are the budget amendments to close out fiscal year 25-26. The first one is to amend the revenues brought in by the FEQ or federal equitable sharing. Um we due to their regulations, we cannot budget any revenues or any expenditures, so this does appear every year as a budget amendment. Um there was no appropriations to the FEQ this year, and so the only thing we have is increasing the um revenues for the fire department. We um increased appropriations due to donations and for the DNRC grant that was received from the for the fire department for the wildland clothing. Um and so we increased the appropriations, and we also increased the revenues to um onset what was in the budget so that we did not overspend um those lines. And then the third one is just the airport authority. That is a pass-through mill that we receive, and due to the um possibly late taxpayers or something like that, or interest that was received, it went over by 114. So, in order to write the check for the the appropriation to pay the airport authority for the mills that we collected for them, we needed to increase the appropriation. That is okay. Copies of the rules governing the public hearing have been posted in council chambers. Are there any proponents? Are there any proponents that would like to speak? Any proponents? Seeing that are there any opponents? Are there any opponents? Are there any opponents? Since there is no further public comment, I will ask staff to respond to any relevant questions or issues that require an explanation or response. Any any other responses? No, okay. They don't have any questions.

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