The State of Montana Historic Preservation Office has designated the City of Billings as a Certified Local Government (CLG) for historic preservation activities. As a CLG, the City is eligible to receive state funding to coordinate historic preservation efforts in the Billings area. Applications for FY2010-11 funding from the State are due on January 29, 2010. The City Council must approve of the annual application submittal. The City of Billings has been utilizing Certified Local Government funding for activities in support of the efforts of the Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board (YHPB) since 1997. Recent activities the Board has been involved in include assisting the North Elevation Task Force with the National Register of Historic Places nomination of McKinley Elementary School and in creating a Residential Historic District in the North Elevation Neighborhood; continued review of building permits submitted for properties located within the City's existing designated historic district; and assisting the Old Town Neighbors, Inc. with the survey and completion of a National Register Nomination of the properties along Minnesota Avenue that were approved for a Preserve America Grant (See attached YHPB Work Plan for 2009-2010).

The City Council may:
1. Agree to participate in State CLG program and accept CLG grant funding to coordinate historic preservation activities; or
2. Decline to participate in State CLG program and decline CLG grant funding to coordinate historic preservation activities. If the City declines to participate in the CLG program, there is no local funding identified to coordinate historic preservation activities.

City Council approval would allow the City of Billings to apply for $5,500 in State of Montana Certified Local Government funding. The local cash match for the Certified Local Government will be $2,500 and $22,879 will be provided in in-kind match for a total match of $30,879. The majority of the in-kind match is from calculating time and salary of the Historic Preservation Officer. The total cash funding package is $8,000 that is used for consulting services provided by the Western Heritage Center to perform activities identified in the Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board Annual Work Plan. The Planning Division will provide $1,031 towards the local cash match. The Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board will request $1,000 from Yellowstone County and $469 from the City of Laurel towards the remaining local cash match.

Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the submission of an application for a $5,500 Certified Local Government grant from the Montana State Historic Preservation Office for FY2010-2011 and authorize the Mayor to sign the application form.