Belgrade City Council

CITY OF BELGRADE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES BELGRADE LIBRARY— COMMUNITY ROOM February 17, 2026 7: 00 pm This meeting was open to the public and attended in person. Mayor Michael D. Meis called the meeting to order. Council Members in attendance were Jason Guffey, Matt McGee via Zoom, Jim Simon, 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, Executive Assistant Dana Jambor, Executive Finance Director Charity VanKirk, Chief of Police Dustin Lensing, Chief Building Official Lucas Sobeck, Director of Human Resources Becky Wilbert, Director of Community and Economic Development Katharine King, City Engineer Joe Hauck, Director of Parks, Trails, and Recreation Jordan Green, Library Director Alina Prunean, Communications Manager Whitney Bermes, and Information Technology Managers Justin Clevidence. Others in attendance were Troy Scherer, Jennifer Farve, Chris Fernandez via Zoom, Josh Smith, Traci Gilbertson, Vivian Crouse, Stephen McAdams, Dylan White, Todd Waller, Brian Viall, and John Rosa. PUBLIC FORUM Mayor Meis called for public comment. Vivian Crouse, 904 Bert Ct., thanked the Council for nominating her for the Police Commission. Mayor Meis called two more times for public comment. There being none, the public forum was closed. CONSENT AGENDA Consider an Amended Resolution No. 2025- 37 Adding the City Ward 1 to the Resolution for the Belgrade School District Bus Barn Property Annexation. Consider an Amended Resolution No. 2025- 36 Adding the City Ward 3 to the Resolution for the Belgrade School District Ridgeview School Property Annexation. ACTION: Council Member Menicucci moved to approve the consent agenda items as submitted. Council Member Mattimoe seconded the motion. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. Page 1 of 5 DISCUSSION AGENDA Discuss and Consider approval of a professional services contract with AE2S for WO 25- 03, the Belgrade WRRF Phase 1. 5 project. City Engineer Hauck explained that in July of 2025, the Request for Qualifications for WO 25- 03 Belgrade WRRF Phase 1. 5 Project closed. AE2S was the only submission and was selected as the successful firm. AE2S has worked with the City on past projects, including the Lagoon Treatment project that is almost complete, and has had a good reputation with the City. Hauck then explained that because this project is so large, a master agreement- task order style contract is proposed. The first three task orders include completion of the liquid and biosolids preliminary engineering report, groundwater monitoring and discharge expansion, and collection system SCADA upgrade, which is how the City monitors the lift stations. The estimated total cost of the Belgarde WRRF Phase 1. 5 project is $ 24. 4 million. This project is proposed to be funded by a combination of Wastewater revenues, bonding, and impact fees. It is estimated that this project will increase the capacity of the facility' s liquid treatment by approximately 2, 000, 000 gallons per day. Brian Vial with AE2S stated he didn't know when the SADA system in the existing Lift stations was installed, but that it is a proprietary system that does not have local support capability. So to get any support or replacement parts requires flying people across the country to service and maintain the system. The data that can be pulled from it is limited. The upgrade to the SCADA system will come with more accuracy and the ability to determine things such as peak hours. Additionally, the system will be open- source, and because of this, there are programmers and technicians in Bozeman and Belgrade who can come and service the system, eliminating the need to transport someone across the country. City Manager Cardwell added that this agreement is the last piece of the puzzle to bring the wastewater as well as the water on one platform so that everything is viewable in one system. Council Member McGee asked if the first task order would eliminate the order that cleaning out the lagoons causes. Hauck confirmed that the long-term goal is to eliminate the lagoons altogether and that these modernized processes provide much more control over the odor. Mayor Meis called three times for public comment. There was none. ACTION: Council Member Simon moved to authorize the City Manager to execute a professional services contract and any associated change orders with AE2S for WO 25- 03, the Belgrade WRRF Phase 1. 5 project. Council Member Menicucci seconded the motion. Mayor Meis called for a vote. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. PUBLIC HEARING Page 2 of 5 Discuss and Consider the Foundry Major Subdivision Preliminary Plat. Senior Planner Brad Stein explained that this is a request for a major subdivision for a project called The Foundry, formerly known as Jackrabbit Crossing. The Foundry would be in approximately 105 acres of the previously plated property. The proposal is to build approximately 556 residential lots, 138 apartments, and 17. 587 acres of commercial/ nonresidential. This is one of many steps in the Master Planning Community of the site. The Belgrade City County Planning Board reviewed and recommended approval on November 24, 2025. Todd Waller, owner of Venture West Development; Troy Scherer, owner of Design 5 Landscape Architecture; Chris Fernandez with ROAM Design and Planning; and Josh Smith with Allied Engineering gave a PowerPoint presentation on the Master Planned Community known as The Foundry. ACTION: Council Member Mattimoe moved to open the Public Hearing. Council Member Simon seconded the Motion. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. Mayor Meis called Traci Gilbertson, residing at 385 W Cameron Bridge Rd., is frustrated that the initial plat boundary fencing requirement is no longer a requirement. She requests that Council consider the lifestyle changes the neighboring homes to the property would experience. Mayor Meis called two more times for public comment. There was none. ACTION: Council Member Mattimoe moved to close the Public Hearing. Council Member Simon seconded the motion. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. ACTION: Council Member Mattimoe moved to approve the Foundry Major Subdivision for preliminary plat approval, subject to the staff-recommended conditions. Council Member Guffey seconded the motion. Council Member Mattimoe spoke in favor of the Master Planned Community. Council Member Guffey spoke in favor. He recognized that this is a big change to the way of life in Belgrade but thinks what is important is that the development is done correctly. Council Member Bell agreed with what Council Member Guffey said. Council Member Simon asked if the fencing requirement was not something that was required this time. Stein confirmed that fencing was not a condition added to this plat. Simon then said he thinks this community is a good idea but would like to see the developer work with the neighboring homes to the south on the boundary fencing. Mayor Meis asked what the rear lot setback is. Sten believed it was 10 feet. Page 3 of 5  Waller explained that this would put up fencing for all the bordering homes when some of the homeowners would not want the fence. But he is not opposed to putting up fencing for some homes if they want it. Council Member Menicucci Spoke in favor of the community for the lower-income homes. Council Member McGee asked if the reduction of the park space from 9.44 acres to 8. 153 acres could be reinvested into other open space areas in the community and asked if building a buffer space between the community and the neighboring home on Wanderlust would be considered. He also asked if reducing the size of those lots would allow for the buffer. Troy Scherer explained that the code requires 9. 44 acres of park space, but this community does not have the full 9.44 acres to provide the park space. He then explained that Bozeman has a requirement that every square foot under the land requirement will require $ 2. 65 of improvements to the parks that are provided. It is his opinion you end up with much better parks in this case, and is what will be done in this community. Chris Fernandez then added that it was considered to build in the buffer. However, there were logistical issues, and reducing the size of the homes being built in that area could work, but that would be up to the developer to make that call. Waller noted that he thinks that, working with the covenants, there is space they can work with to add 10 extra feet of no-build area to get that buffer space. Mayor Meis commented that he thinks that Belgrade needs the diversity that this community will bring. Council Member Mattimoe added that she appreciates the developer being amenable to adding the ten extra feet for a buffer. Mayor Meis called for a vote. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. REPORTS Mayor Meis had nothing to report. City Attorney Murray had nothing to report. City Manager Cardwell had nothing to report. FOR YOUR INFORMATION Council Member Guffy had nothing to report. Council Member Simon had nothing to report. Council Member Menicucci had nothing to report. Council Member Bell had nothing to report. Page 4 of 5  Council Member Mattimoe reminded everyone that there will be a fundraiser for the Belgrade Community Coalition at The Landing. Council Member McGee had nothing to report. ADJOURN Council Member Simon moved to adjourn. Council Member Mattimoe seconded the motion. Mayor Meis called for a vote. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 8: 32 pm. t ZU\A at 4,, it, i,L,L) r Michael e 4a or Attest: . JL_ t, F` tobno.. - i , Au. L- . 0 X Otiloil Koryor Camille 7, , Gregory, City Approve as to Form: 47 f-___ Ky a M ay, City Attorney Page 5 of 5