This Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the City of Billings, Yellowstone County, Yellowstone County Board of Planning and the Montana Department of Transportation confirms the continuing Transportation Planning Process between the before mentioned entities per federal requirements. This MOA updates Federal guidance and further establishes the forum and process of the local Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and the Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC). Furthermore, the agreement identifies procedures for obtaining public involvement in coordination with policies developed by the PCC and reinforces the development of the annual local Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP).The last update of this MOA was February 2009 and this current update will supersede any past updates. The Yellowstone County Board of Planning approved of this agreement at its meeting on April 24. The City Council is being asked to approve the agreement and direct its PCC representative, the Mayor, to bring that approval recommendation to the PCC at its May 22 meeting. 

City Council may:

• Approve the MOA between the City of Billings, Yellowstone County, Yellowstone County Board of Planning and the Montana Department of Transportation and direct the Mayor to bring that recommendation to the Policy Coordinating Committee, or;
• Disapprove the MOA between the City of Billings, Yellowstone County, Yellowstone County Board of Planning and the Montana Department of Transportation and direct the Mayor to bring that recommendation to the Policy Coordinating Committee. Disapproving the MOA may place the overall Billings Metropolitan Planning process in jeopardy for ongoing access to federal transportation planning funding.

Approval of the MOA insures ongoing access to federal transportation planning funding for the Billings Metropolitan Planning Organization and sustained cooperation on transportation planning and projects between Billings and the Montana Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration.

Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Memorandum of Agreement and direct the Mayor to take that recommendation to the PCC meeting on May 22.