2.
Council Work Session
- Meeting Date:
- 01/04/2021
- Title
- Beartooth RC&D Memorandum of Understanding
- Department:
- City Hall Administration
- Division:
- Administration
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council review and consider presentation materials provided by Joel Bertolino and Steve Simonson for approval of the MOU for 2021 during the January 11th, Regular Business meeting.
BACKGROUND (Consistency with Adopted Plans and Policies, if applicable)
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, 2021. 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, pluse a per capita assessment of .19 cents per person, and a $35,147.00 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 $12,652.92 or 36%. Those paying membership fees are represented on the Beartooth Board of Directors; the current Billings representative is Councilmember Ewalt.
STAKEHOLDERS
ALTERNATIVES
City Council may consider approval, postponement of action or disapproval of MOU and payment at the January 11, 2021 Regular Business meeting.
FISCAL EFFECTS
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 $35,147.00. This figure is a total of the $4,500 county fee, plus $30,647.00 per capita formula using a population of 161,300 as per the 2019 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 $11,949.98; City of Billings - 36% or $12,652.92, City of Laurel - 6% or $2,108.82; and Yellowstone County - 24% or $8,435.28.