The Billings City Council on Monday directed city staff to limit city-paid animal sheltering to stray and lost dogs and a few other categories, and three days later the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter stopped taking in strays from inside city limits after the city told it Billings would pursue another provider. At the same work session, the council voted to seek other uses for about $200,000 a year it now gives RiverStone Health for a nurse home-visiting program. In Glendive, the City Council approved a $50,000 budget amendment for firefighter breathing gear and adopted a revised wheeled-vehicles ordinance. Yellowstone County voters on Tuesday rejected a $175 million jail expansion bond and a $20 million operating levy.
Billings and Yellowstone County
Billings City Council
The council held a work session Monday, Nov. 2, with all 10 members and Mayor Mike Nelson present, two of them by Zoom, according to the city's work session summary. Work sessions do not adopt ordinances or contracts, but the council passed several motions directing staff, all unanimously.
Animal sheltering. Interim City Administrator Kevin Iffland presented recommendations from a city committee on sheltering services. The council voted to:
- limit city-funded services to dogs at large, dangerous animals, injured animals, court-ordered holds, and lost or abandoned dogs, rather than full-service sheltering (motion by Council member Mike Boyett, second by Council member Denis Pitman);
- let the committee reviewing proposals continue its process in light of the planned ordinance changes, with any contract returning to the council for approval;
- have staff consider letting a contractor use the city's animal facility, with utilities, cleaning, maintenance and shared animal control space spelled out in an agreement;
- place a proposed month-to-month sheltering agreement with the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter on the Nov. 23 consent agenda (motion by Council member Andrew Lindley). The summary notes this motion did not approve or execute the agreement.
Shelter staff and more than a half-dozen residents spoke in support of the shelter. Legal staff were already drafting the ordinance changes, the summary says.
The shelter has stopped accepting stray and lost animals from inside Billings, KTVQ reported Nov. 5; KULR-8 reported Nov. 6 that the change took effect Thursday. Shelter officials said city staff told them Wednesday night that Billings would pursue another provider, pending council approval. The shelter spent about $120,000 over four months caring for city strays without a full-time contract, KTVQ reported; KULR-8 quoted Executive Director Triniti Halverson as putting the figure at more than $120,000. KTVQ reported that the committee had chosen Kindred Hearts Animal Haven, a shelter now run from a home in Shepherd, which may move into the city's animal control building; KTVQ said the agreement was still being worked out. Lindley wrote on Facebook that the shelter's full-service bid was over budget and its lower-cost option left out required services, but that he still considered it the stronger provider, KULR-8 reported. The city had not commented to KULR-8 by Friday.
Where to take a lost or stray animal now, according to KTVQ and KULR-8:
- Inside Billings city limits: Billings Animal Control.
- In Laurel: the Laurel Police Department, which still works with the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter.
- Elsewhere in Yellowstone County: the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office, which also still works with the shelter.
- The shelter's owner surrenders, medical care and foster programs continue, KTVQ reported.
Nurse home visiting. RiverStone Health told the council that the state's September request for proposals for federal home-visiting money no longer lists the Nurse-Family Partnership model, removing about 40% of RiverStone's direct budget for the program, and that continuing it in its current form after Jan. 1 would not be financially sustainable. The city has given the program nearly $200,000 a year for about three years under a five-year agreement. On a motion by Council member Roy Neese, seconded by Council member Bill Kennedy, the council directed staff to issue a request for information on evidence-based prevention programs that could use that money, including Family Justice Center programs. No new recipient was chosen.
Capital plan. Finance Director Andy Zoeller presented a proposed five-year capital improvement plan for fiscal 2028 through 2032 totaling about $491 million, with about $81 million in fiscal 2028. It assumes future street maintenance and stormwater rate increases, though adopting the plan would not itself change rates. Proposals for the South Tax Increment Financing District include replacing Fire Station 2 and paving remaining gravel residential streets; staff said using tax increment money instead of special improvement districts for those streets would depart from city policy. Kennedy and Council member Scott Aspenlieder cautioned against directing too much district revenue to city projects at the expense of private investment.
Yellowstone County
Voters on Tuesday rejected the $175 million bond, which would have added 332 jail beds, and the $20 million operating levy, each by 56% to 44%, Montana Free Press reported Nov. 4. The jail holds about 670 people with a capacity of 434, and Sheriff-elect Kent O'Donnell said he is considering a smaller bond, KTVQ reported Nov. 4. Commissioners Mark Morse, Mike Waters and Chris White declined to comment to KTVQ.
The Board of County Commissioners met Monday, Nov. 2. Its agenda listed a resolution moving the Dec. 10 discussion meeting to Dec. 8, and on the consent agenda a U.S. Justice Department COPS grant, a third amendment to the Sletten Construction courthouse renovation contract adding two alternates and water work, a cabin restoration contract for the Yellowstone County Museum and a state grant for forestry work in Two Moon Park. Outcomes had not been reported by Friday.
Laurel
The Laurel City Council held only a workshop this week, on Monday, Nov. 2.
Coming up: The Billings City Council will consider fiscal 2027 budget amendments and resolutions of intent to dispose of the Minnesota Avenue parking lot and Ramada Park, each after a public hearing, plus bond sales for storm sewers and the South Billings Boulevard urban renewal district, at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, in Council Chambers, fifth floor of City Hall, 316 N. 26th St. (agenda). Yellowstone County commissioners will consider a contract for a Lockwood targeted economic development district master plan and a Sletten Construction "judge summary scope" for the courthouse renovation at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, in Room 309 of the Ostlund Building, 2825 Third Ave. N. (agenda). The Laurel City Council will consider a resolution declaring an emergency over the failure of two 30-inch raw-water transmission lines and authorizing limited emergency contracting without advertised bids, along with a budget amendment hearing, at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, in Council Chambers, 115 W. First St. (city portal).
Stillwater County
Columbus City Council
The council met Monday, Nov. 2. Its agenda listed a public hearing and resolution amending the fiscal 2025-26 budget, the bid package and timeline for the 2026 street improvement project, a $26,184.17 cemetery mowing agreement and a $79,750.78 payment on the Heritage Well project. Minutes had not been posted and outcomes had not been reported by Friday.
Coming up: Stillwater County commissioners will hear a critical minerals update at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, and will open bids for a new law enforcement building at 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, both in the West Annex Boardroom, 431 Quarry Road, Columbus, according to the week's agenda.
Custer County
Miles City City Council
Draft minutes of the council's Oct. 27 meeting, posted this week in the Nov. 10 agenda packet, show the six members present voted 6-0 on every action item; Council members Kevin Thomason and Don Simpson were absent. The council approved a $105,512.96 Rural Health Transformation grant agreement for EMS equipment, an automatic mutual aid agreement with Custer County for structure fires, and Resolution 4734 annexing lots in the Steel and KATL minor subdivisions not already in the city. No one spoke for or against the annexation at its hearing; the city attorney told a resident that existing buildings would be allowed to remain as nonconforming. The council also passed Ordinance 1411, interim zoning for those lots, which the city attorney said needs only one reading and takes effect immediately, and first readings of ordinances adopting the 2021 International Mechanical Code and Fuel Gas Code and changing the council's meeting schedule. The minutes are up for approval Nov. 10.
Coming up: The council will consider three downtown tax increment business assistance grants totaling $74,153.88, for Recreation Lanes sidewalks, Otium Brewing heating and cooling, and Vintage and Rustics roofing and HVAC, and the cancellation of its Nov. 24 and Dec. 22 meetings, at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, at City Hall, 17 S. Eighth St., and on Zoom (agenda).
Dawson County
Glendive City Council
The council met at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, with all eight members present (agendas and minutes; meeting video). No one spoke at a public hearing on the budget amendment. By roll call votes of 8-0, the council:
- adopted Resolution 3228, a $50,000 fiscal 2027 budget amendment in the fire capital projects fund to buy self-contained breathing apparatus;
- passed on second reading Ordinance 03-2026, revising the city's wheeled vehicles chapter;
- passed on first reading Ordinance 04-2026, which would let the council set its meeting time by resolution.
The council also approved $176,994.59 in claims and $383,207.40 in October payroll by voice vote. City officials said the city is seeking bids to reline the leaking Hillcrest water tank, with $180,000 budgeted, and that the city's $10,000 share of $27,000 set aside for splash park repairs falls well short of the project's cost. A resident asked the council to consider standards for drone use. A closed session on litigation strategy listed on the agenda was not held.
Coming up: The Dawson County Commission will hold public hearings on amendments to the county development regulations and to the subdivision regulations shared with Glendive and Richey at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the courthouse, 207 W. Bell St., Glendive (county agenda page). Glendive's Street and FUPR committees meet at 5 p.m. the same day.
Who sits on each board, when it meets and how to comment: Eastern Montana local government.
