Staff recommends that Council accepts the $85,000 donation from Billings TrailNet as a match for the BUILD Grant.

The City of Billings applied for and was awarded a BUILD (Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development) grant for $11.6 million. The grant will fund the construction of the Inner Belt Loop and the Skyline Trail. The Skyline Trail will connect the Swords Park Trail at its current terminus to the current terminus of the trail just east of Zimmerman Park. As part of the local match for the successful BUILD Grant applicationb the City, local non-profit, Billings TrailNet, committed an $85,000 match to the Skyline Trail project. Billings TrailNet is now formally making the donation to the City.  

City Council may:

• Accept, or
• Not Accept 

the $85,000 donation from Billings TrailNet. Accepting the $85,000 donation will allow the City of Billings to fully construct the Skyline Trail. Not accepting the donation means that there will be a budget shortfall when constructing the Skyline Trail. In addition, this donation was specified in the BUILD grant application as a funding source. Not accepting the donation would be a deviation from the approved application. 

If Council accepts the donation, it will be placed in a trails account in the General Fund to help fund construction of the Skyline Trail.