As requested by many, the City Council Bulletin now includes a summary of the previous meeting!
CRIME PREVENTION DISCUSSION AT LIBRARY TUESDAY
As temps dipped to well below zero, I imagined myself a member of the Fellowship of the Ring, traversing Redhorn Pass on the slopes of Caradhras as I battled the bitter cold to shovel my driveway Friday night. When I finished I was able to return to my warm house, heated to a comfortable 68 degrees thanks to natural gas. Without that critical fossil fuel energy, we surely would’ve been in bad shape. Teeth chattering. Pipes bursting. Weiner dogs…wiggling to keep warm.
At that very moment on Friday evening, Northwestern Energy’s wind and solar assets were generating precisely zero megawatts of energy. Zero. Fortunately, we still have energy producers in Montana that provide reliable and affordable power that keeps Montanans safe and warm when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. Thank youto those businesses—many of them Billings Chamber members—who had to work in the cold and fix disruptions this weekend to keep us all warm.
COUNCIL MEETING ON TUESDAY AT BILLINGS LIBRARY
City Council will be meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) because today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. So, don’t show up at Council Chambers tonight…or tomorrow, because the meeting will be held at the Billings Public Library for another roundtable discussion on crime prevention.
We’re always amazed how many people still DON’T know about our Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) program, a partnership with the Downtown Billings Alliance (DBA) and Billings Police Department (BPD). Despite our efforts to spread CPTED awareness since 2020, we still give CPTED 101 presentations to residents hearing about it for the first time. Or maybe they’ve heard about CPTED but haven’t reached out to conduct a security survey of their property.
If that is you, we wanted to remind you that it’s easy as 1—2—3.
- Schedule your FREE CPTED security evaluation
- We visit your business for an hour (depending on property size) to conduct the evaluation, returning after dark for a lighting analysis
- In 2 – 4 weeks we deliver an in-person briefing and hardcopy report with a range of recommendations for CPTED security improvements.
Did we mention it’s FREE!? Schedule your no-cost CPTED security evaluation by emailing Jack at the Billings Chamber right away!
“We thought it was important to protect our employees and our business by introducing some of the concepts that were brought out by the CPTED team.”
Mike Wilson, Whitewood Transport
CITY ADMINISTRATOR WEEKLY REPORT
City Administrator Chris Kukulski began the routine of sending a weekly report every Friday to City Council and department heads with the intent to, “communicate the highlights of the past week and any critical issues coming up.” The most recent CA Report includes updates on:
- Fire Station 8 (on Lake Elmo Dr.) renovations
- Grant funding to connect Rose Park School with neighborhoods
- New City Hall construction update
- 2024 Council Meeting Schedule
And much more…
GET MORE INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Below are some additional public meetings being held this week, along with information about when and where to attend, and what’s on the agenda (if one is available).
Tuesday, January 16
West End Neighborhood Task Force
7:00 – 8:30 pm @ Connections Church (56th & Grand Ave.)
Will be discussing storm water drainage charge changes.
Thursday, January 18
Southside Neighborhood Task Force
6:30 – 8:00 pm @ Family Church (501 S. 29th ST.)
Central Terry Neighborhood Task Force7:00 – 8:00 pm @ Topline Hair (1331 Central Ave.)
BOARD & COMMISSION OPENINGS
“It takes a little time and commitment, but it’s incredibly rewarding to give back to our community which has given us so much.”
Greg McCall, Zoning Commission and Owner, McCall Homes
The Mayor’s Office is accepting letters of interest to fill the vacancies listed on the city website. For more information on each specific board, visit the city website. City Boards and Commissions are appointed by the Mayor, confirmed by City Council, are advisory only, and members serve without compensation. Submit applications to: Mayor’s Office, PO Box 1178, Billings, MT 59103-1178 NO LATER THAN JANUARY 29, 2024.
BOARD OPENING (SEATS)
Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Cmte (1)
Billings BID (1)
Community Development Board (3)
Human Relations Board (1)
Police Board (1)
REQUIREMENTS
Must live in Billings
Must own land in BID District
Must live in Billings (Low-Mod)
Must live in Billings
Must live in Billings
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
The City applied for a federal Neighborhood Access & Equity (NAE) grant last fall for $5.5 million, which will cover the cost of the project. The City expects to be know by February whether it received the federal grant. Information below is copied from the City Administrator’s Weekly Report.
The 25th Street Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge as currently planned will:
- connect Montana Avenue and Minnesota Avenue at 25th Street North and 25th Street South.
- utilize a 1901 truss-style rivetted steel bridge from Joliet. include elevators and stairs on each side of the span.
- allow pedestrians and bicyclists to connect on an elevated railroad crossing – the only separated, non-road grade pedestrian/bicycle crossing in the downtown core.
- provide a downtown attraction for residents and visitors, to include oversize vehicle parking on Minnesota Avenue.
- provide trees, plants, and artwork in small plazas on both sides of the bridge.
- the City should receive notice regarding the grant award decision in February.
LAST WEEK’S ACTION – SEE HOW COUNCIL VOTED
ADDITIONAL BILLINGS CHAMBER RESOURCES
Thank you to our Business Advocacy Sponsors!
