PRPL leadership and Property Disposition Committee recommends that Council accept this report. 

In December 2024, Council discussed PRPL’s park maintenance budget shortfall and raised concerns about maintaining properties that could potentially be disposed of. Following park tours with Council members and public discussion in February 2025—where community sentiment favored retaining parkland—Council established a Disposition Committee to evaluate PRPL and select City-owned properties.

The committee, composed of Council representatives, community stakeholders, and City staff, met nine times between April and October 2025. Its goal was to balance fiscal responsibility with public interest in preserving open space while identifying properties that could be sold or managed differently to address maintenance funding challenges.

Based on committee input and professional real estate evaluations, a Phase 1 list of properties was developed for Council consideration. After the November 2025 election, the process was paused until new leadership was seated in January 2026. The list was presented to the PRPL Board in February 2026, with the understanding that only Council has authority over property disposition. PRPL Board recommends that any sale proceeds should remain within the PRPL budget or reserve until a reinvestment plan is finalized.

At the December 2, 2024, Council meeting, former PRPL Director Mike Pigg presented information regarding park maintenance budget shortfalls. During that discussion, several Council members expressed concern that the shortfall could not be adequately addressed if PRPL continued maintaining park properties that could potentially be disposed of.

Between December 2024 and February 18, 2025, then-Councilman Tom Rupsis coordinated tours of parks with Council members from Ward 1, Ward 2, and Ward 5 within their respective areas. Council members provided feedback to Councilman Rupsis following those tours. During this same timeframe, City staff sought input from George Warmer, Supervising Broker at Coldwell Banker, to evaluate a selection of City-owned properties and provide professional analysis regarding whether those properties were salable and/or developable.

Council revisited the issue of property disposition at its February 18, 2025, meeting. Public comment during that meeting strongly favored retaining PRPL parkland. In response to the direction provided by Council to PRPL staff, and the significant public interest expressed, Council determined that a committee should be formed to review PRPL parkland and provide recommendations regarding potential disposition or alternative management strategies.

Councilman Rupsis and Councilwoman Rogers volunteered to serve on the committee. Councilman Rupsis met with City Administrator Kukulski to discuss additional representation for the committee. It was determined that the committee should include individuals supportive of parks, trails, and open spaces to help compile, examine, and evaluate information gathered through discussions, PRPL input, and site tours.

The committee included:
Councilman Tom Rupsis
Councilwoman Rogers
Bill Morgan (Audubon Society)
Carolyn Sevier (YRPA)
Brandon Scala (local business representative)
Maia Dickerson (PRPL Board)
Elizabeth (Matt) Clark (high school student representative)
Kevin Iffland (Assistant City Administrator)
Cole McQuillan (PRPL Parks Superintendent)
Gavin Woltjer (Interim PRPL Director)

The committee’s goal was to help address park maintenance budget challenges by evaluating where land could potentially be sold or managed differently. While the primary focus was parkland, the scope was not limited exclusively to PRPL properties. Several properties reviewed are owned or managed by Public Works, Planning, or Code Enforcement. The committee operated with the understanding that it must balance Council’s fiscal concerns with the community’s desire to preserve open space.

The committee met on the following dates:
April 21
May 19
June 2
June 30
July 14
July 28
August 25
September 22
October 27

Following the conclusion of committee meetings, Interim PRPL Director Woltjer met in October 2025 with Dominic Neameyer and Brittani Hunter, real estate salespersons with Coldwell Banker, to determine a proposed “Phase 1” list of properties for Council consideration. This list was developed based on:
1. The disposition committee’s level of support for potential disposal, and
2. Professional feedback from Mr. Neameyer and Ms. Hunter regarding development feasibility and marketability.

During this process, Mr. Neameyer and Ms. Hunter provided valuation estimates for the identified Phase 1 properties.

The proposed Phase 1 list includes (valuations from Coldwell Banker in (); current maintenance costs to PRPL in []):
Career Center Park ($30,000-$40,000) [no expense to PRPL]
Daniels Park ($200,000-$225,000) [$2000]
Lampman Park ($600,000-$850,000) [$1500]
Meadowlark lots ($55,000-$65,000) [$2500]
Parking lot on Minnesota Ave between S. 27th and S. 26th ($207,000-$260,000) [maintenance costs unknown]
Palisades Park ($200,000-$220,000) [$2000]
Ramada Park ($90,000-$100,000) [$500]
Rush Park ($400,000-$450,000) [$5000]
Sandra Subdivision ($25,000-$50,000) [maintenance costs unknown]
Spring Valley Subdivision ($65,000-$70,000) [maintenance costs unknown]
802 Yellowstone (no value provided; late addition to list) [maintenance costs unknown]

(see attachment Coldwell City Property Price Recommendations for detailed property information).

Following the November 2025 municipal elections, and after consultation with elected officials, City administration, and members of the committee, the decision was made to pause the project until the newly elected Mayor and Council members were seated in January 2026.
Interim PRPL Director Woltjer presented the proposed Phase 1 list to the PRPL Board at its February 11, 2026, meeting, held at 11:00 a.m. at the Billings Parks and Recreation office located at 390 N. 23rd Street. The public was given notice of this meeting. 

During the meeting, Interim Director Woltjer clarified that while the PRPL Board would vote on each property, only Council has the authority to retain or dispose of City-owned property. The Board acknowledged this distinction.

The PRPL Board further stated that any vote in favor of disposing of parkland would be contingent upon the condition that all revenues generated from the sale of parkland remain within the Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands budget or reserve account until a final plan for expenditure of those funds is formally established. (see Attachment PRPL Board Comments and Vote Outcome) 

A full listing of the aforementioned properties included in Phase 1 is listed on the PRPL website under the Resources tab in the section labeled Disposal of Parkland Information: billingsparks.org/resources/disposal-of-parkland-information/. 
 


         

The range of potential revenue generated from the seven (7) identified PRPL properties sales is: $1,575,000 — $1,950,000*.

The estimated yearly maintenance savings for PRPL is: $13,500.

*The parking lot on Minnesota Ave, Sandra Subdivision, Spring Valley Subdivision, and 802 Yellowstone are not factored within these projected fiscal effects.  

PRPL department 
Public Works department 
Code Enforcement 
Parking Division
Users of PRPL parkland  

Council may accept this report.
Council may reject this report.
Council may alter the scope of this report.