Staff recommends City Council authorize the submittal of the grant application, with the Mayor's signature, to the State Historic Preservation Office and authorize the Mayor to sign the grant contract when it arrives from the State Historic Preservation Office.

Yearly, the Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board is eligible for a pass-through grant that helps fund historic preservation projects in Billings and Yellowstone County. Eligible projects may include interpretive signage at historic sites, development of historic walking tours in downtown Billings, assistance with establishing historic districts, and other initiatives that highlight the history of the area. These efforts help bring the history of Yellowstone County and Billings to residents and visitors traveling through the region as well as document historic events, buildings and places.

The City Council is being asked to authorize the application for the FY26-27 grant cycle for the Certified Local Government (CLG) grant for historic preservation. The Montana State Historic Preservation Office has designated the City of Billings as a CLG for historic preservation activities. As a CLG, the City is eligible annually to receive state funding to coordinate historic preservation efforts in the local area. Applications for the FY26-27 funding cycle from the State are due March 27, 2026.

The City of Billings has been utilizing CLG funding for activities that support the efforts of the Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board (YHPB) since 1997. A description of these activities is provided in the Work Plan attached to this staff report. Recent projects being overseen by the Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board include research and preparation of a Multiple Properties Documentation (MPD) of homes designed by the architect Chandler Cohagen. The board is also interested in providing interpretive signage in historic places around Yellowstone County. An additional project the YHPB is proposing to undertake is to provide funds for an assessment of damage done to Wayman Chapel on the south side so they can know what needs to be done for repairs to the historic church. The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has provided an additional $6,000 dollars for the Wayman Chapel. SHPO will also be including the standard annual $6,000 for other projects the board will be undertaking.

The Cities of Billings and Laurel, Yellowstone County, and the Crow Tribal Council entered into an inter-local agreement in July 1993 establishing the Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board (YHPB). Along with the inter-local agreement, the four governmental entities adopted ordinances setting up a multi-government YHPB, appointed nine (9) qualified board members, and a Historic Preservation Officer. Since that time, the YHPB has been meeting monthly, as warranted, and has continued to develop and refine an encompassing Historic Preservation Program. The board continues to implement the 2016 Growth Policy for the Billings Urbanized Area. An area of the policy identified as "Place Makers" is a community goal and states, "The Billings area should continue to make places that we all enjoy by preserving and improving public space as well as the natural and historic landscapes to bring the community together where people are comfortable and share activities. These places are ones that you go back to, share with visitors and recall when someone asks you to describe your community". One of the objectives includes protection and preservation, such as historic preservation controls, preservation of view sheds, preservation of natural areas and the preservation of historic places.
 

• The local cash match for the Certified Local Government grant will be $49,501.6. The cash match includes funds from the Planning Division of $48,032.60, including a portion of the Historic Preservation Officer's salary of $47,001.60 and $1,031 in cash that will go toward consultant fees. The Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board will request $1,000 from Yellowstone County and $469 from the City of Laurel that will also be used for consultant fees.
• There is also an in-kind match of $2,614.80 generated from board members' time, use of City Hall meeting space and other incidentals. 
• The total match for the CLG Grant is $52,116.40. 
• The total funding package is $64,116.40 ($52,116.40 (match) + $12,000 (CLG Grant)) - see attached CLG Application
• The total cash funding package for the grant program is $12,000 + $2500 (local cash)

City Council may:

• Agree to participate in the State CLG program and approve submitting a CLG grant application that provides funding to coordinate historic preservation activities; or
•  Decline to participate in the State CLG program and not authorize a CLG grant application. Declining participation would potentially limit historic preservation activities in Billings and Yellowstone County, and/or require other funding sources to be accessed for historic preservation activities.