Belgrade City Council

CITY OF BELGRADE BELGRADE WORKSHOP MINUTES BELGRADE LIBRARY— COMMUNITY ROOM September 8th, 2025 6: 00 pm This meeting was open to the public and attended in person. Mayor Russell C. Nelson called the meeting to order. Council Members in attendance were Jason Guffey, Mike Meis, Kristine Menicucci, Erin Bell, and Renae Mattimoe. City staff in attendance were City Manager Neil Cardwell, Assistant City Manager Greg Tryon, City Attorney Kyla Murray, City Clerk Camille Gregory, Executive Assistant Dana Jambor, Executive Finance Director Charity VanKirk, Chief of Police Dustin Lensing, Executive Consultant Jason Karp, Chief Building Official Lucas Sobeck, Director of Human Resources Becky Wilbert, Director of Community and Economic Development Katharine King, Public Works Director Camaree Uljua, City Engineer Joe Hauck, Manager of Information Technology Justin Clevidence, and Information Technology Tech Jon Engel. Others in attendance were none. ACTION: Council Member Meis moved to excuse Council Member Simon. Council Member Guffey seconded the Motion. All voted aye, Motion carried unanimously. DISCUSSION AGENDA Discuss Award of 2026- 2027 Transportation Alternative Grants ( TA) Director of Public Works Uljua started by announcing that the City applied for two grants and successfully received both. She then identified two projects related to the grants. I. The first project would be to install curbs and gutters along the stretch of road along Hoffman Street, from Main Street to Cameron Avenue, in front of Belgrade High School. Currently, the project proposes installing a sidewalk only on the west side of Hoffman. However, there is hope that costs might decrease enough to add a sidewalk on the other side as well. This project is estimated at$ 3, 100,000, and the TA Grant maximum is 1, 500, 000. 2. The second project would install a sidewalk along the west side of Hoffman up to Helen Drive and on the north side of Helen up to Cameron. This project is estimated to cost 1, 700, 000, and the TA Grant maximum is $ 1, 500, 000. Uljua then mentioned that the next steps are to go to the Transportation Commission for authorization and for the City to start working with the Montana Department of Transportation Page 1 of 4  asMDT) long asto normal, finalize thesinceagreement. Uljuadohopes these projects that theanfinMDT not include alizatioroute. n ofthe agreement will not take Council Member Bell asked what made Belgrade stand out to have so much success in receiving these types ofgrants. Uljua answered that she believes much ofBelgrade' s success has been due to increased insight from MDT and the help ofa consultant, Trish Botlovich, who is with Robert Pesci and Associates. Discuss results of Safety Action Plan City Engineer Hauck began by informing everyone that the draft plan ofthe Safety Action Plan is available on beheardbelgrade. com. Hauck then listed the questions, concerns, and recommendations that resulted from the SafetheStreets that 4 Allare demonstrati streets now safer toon.cross. He added that a majority ofthe comments from the public were Council Member Menicucci pointed out that kids with electric bicycles are using the sidewalks. toHauck agreedwhenthatdeveloping discouragingmorethesafety use ofall types ofbicycles on sidewalks is something consider strategies. Mayor Nelson asked when the demonstration project would become a permanent fixture. Hauck answered that making the fixtures permanent is a matter offinding the right locations, the right solution for the locations, and avaiimplementation 4 All program is funded by the federal government, lable funding. However, ifthe Safe Streets the City to apply for help with the costs. grants will be available for Discuss Alle s and Efforts Bein Made to Im rove and Enforce Nuisance Codes City Manager Cardwell started offexplaining that the majority ofthe al eys in Belgrade are city-owned property, with the exception ofthe al eys in the Prescott Ranch subdivision. He added that the City has not general y enforced the ordinance designed to keep the City-owned al eys cleanthatandneed violations clear.to beHowever, it has been discovered that there are some al eys with clear addressed. Cardwel alleyways within sttheateCity' d thats limits. this disHecussisaiodn this is about begiwill process nninbegi g tonenforce with the ordieducati public nanceongoverni on the ng matter before any citations for violations will be issued. Cardwell noted that enforcing this ordinance is the alleys cleared for future maintenance and becoming necessary, get improvement plans. The enforcement of this ordinance is also about safety and avoiding conflict. Page 2 of 4  Discuss Downtown Parkin for Events and Downtown Parkin Zones City Manager Cardwel explained that the purpose ofthis item is to get the Council' s opinion on how the City can better notice and enforce parking restrictions during downtown events so that those parking restrictions do not impact downtown businesses. an Beforeparking additional downtown getting lotintoacross the dithescussi on, from street Cardwel pointed out that the Downtown Plan cal s for the library, parking. There is also an option to since a new parking lot would be constructed. eliminate street parking side to widen the walk, Cardwel then clarified that the City Code states that the City must give three days' notice ofno until areas parkintheg indatean area listedthat will be on the used for events. However, parking is stil available in those notice. City Attorney Murray stated that it may be best for the Belgrade ChiefofPolice to speak on this matter. However, she stated that she had heard that the parking restriction notices were believedngthey confusi to some couldciti not.zens who wished to patronize businesses on days before the events but ChiefLensing suggested establishing no parking zones between certain times to avoid overnight parking. This way, they can set up a no-parking zone the morning ofthe event and then take the signs down afterward. It could prevent accidental y discouraging patronage at downtown businesses with confusing notices. He noted this could also aid in snow removal. eliminateThere was a briefdi the three-day scussionnotice no-parking amongandthetoCounci suggestl about whether to change the ordinance to solutions. Discuss Process for Fillin Ward 1 Vacanc City Manager Cardwel explained that, according to the City Charter, the Mayor-elect couldCouncil The make awould recommendati then needontotoratify fill anythatvacant seat left on the Council by an outgoing member. recommendation. However, Cardwel noted that the Council' s preferred process has previously been to haveystaffnoti appl fy thneg,publifthey for the openi ic about live any in thevacanci properesward. and inPerviterecent interested members process, ofthel publ the Counci then ic to interviews the applicants during a workshop and appoints their choice to the vacant seat at the next meeting. Mayor-el applythatandecti ciliketiz toensstart nMei tervisestwawith process. ted hethebelCounci ieves conti nuingMeithes same l, is best. processwhatfromthebefore, then asked by havilooks time frame ng Page 3 of 4  Cardwell suggested starting to advertise the vacancy soon. He believed it would make sensemeeting first to hold ofinterviews in the November Workshop and appoint the new Council Member at the the new year. Cardwell then announced that the December 15th, 2025, Council Meeting will not have any itemsof on it. Mayor This will be because it will be the celebration of Mayor Nelson' s 22 years as the Belgrade. PUBLIC FORUM Mayor Nelson called three times for public comment. There being none, the Public Forum was closed. ADJOURN Belgrade Council Member Mattimoe moved to adjourn. Council Member Menicucci seconded the Motion. Mayor Nelson called for a vote. All voted aye, Motion carried unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 8: 14 p. m. 14611 Russell C. Nelson, Mayor Attest: rin'ipah, Camille` Gregory, ity C k i.. Page 4 of 4