The Beartooth Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc. (Beartooth RC&D) is asking the City Council to renew a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Beartooth's economic development services through December 31, 2016. Beartooth RC&D is a Federal grant-funded rural and economic development agency that has operated since 1969 in five south-central Montana counties, including Yellowstone County. Federal funds are matched in Yellowstone County by a $3,500 membership fee and a $23,920.95 assessment, both of which are split among the County, the Big Sky Economic Development and the cities of Billings and Laurel. The City of Billings's portion of that amount is $9,871.54. Those paying membership fees are represented on the Beartooth Board of Directors; the current Billings representative is Councilmember Al Swanson.

City Council may:

• Approve the MOU and payment;
• Postpone action on the MOU and payment, or;
• Disapprove the MOU and/or payment.

The annual board dues for the City of Billings are $9,871.54. These represent 36% of Yellowstone County's base fee of $3,500, plus an assessment of .1537 cents per capita, based on the most current Federal Census estimate. A total of $10,000 is budgeted for the Beartooth RC&D contributions in FY2016.

Other contributions from the area are: $6,581.03 (24%) from Yellowstone County; $1,645.26 (6%) from the City of Laurel; and $9,323.12 (34%) from BSEDA.

Staff recommends that the City Council approve the MOU and payment of the invoices.