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, 2020. 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 $4,500 membership fee and a $34,926.03 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 $12,573.37. Those paying membership fees are represented on the Beartooth Board of Directors; the current Billings representative is Councilmember Ewalt.

City Council may:

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

The Entity's annual contribution will be $4,500 as a "Membership" fee plus a per capita assessment of .19 cents per person. These funds will provide the necessary match to obtain the $70,000 in Federal funds. The calculated fee for Yellowstone County is $34,926.03. This figure is a total of the $4,500 county fee plus $30,426.03 per capita formula using a population of 160,137 as per the 2018 Census data. Yellowstone County's full payment is separated into a four-way payment system.

Each entity within the county pays a percentage similar to the previous year. Big Sky EDA - 34% or $11,874.85; City of Billings - 36% or $12,573.37, City of Laurel - 6% or $2,095.56; and Yellowstone County - 24% or $8,382.25.

Staff recommends that the City Council approve the MOU and to pay the 2020 dues of $12,573.37.