...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON MST TUESDAY...
* WHAT...Very cold wind chills. Wind chills as low as 30 below zero.
* WHERE...Portions of central and southwest Montana.
* WHEN...Until Noon MST Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite
on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a
hat, and gloves.
To see a graphical representation of the degree of stress on young
livestock please visit our webpage and select Local Programs then
Cold Air Advisory for Newborn Livestock.
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The Belgrade City Council has called a special meeting Thursday night, Jan. 26, to meet the legal notice requirements to get a $49 million aquatics center bond measure on the May ballot. It’s at 7 p.m. at the council chambers in the Belgrade City Hall.
Although a “Belgrade issue,” the Gallatin County Commission needed to weigh in on the proposal, specifically whether the county would be a part of an inter-local agreement to govern a “park, trail and recreation district”, and if voters in the district should be asked to pony up a maximum of $49 million in bonds.
In Tuesday’s meeting, the commission unanimously agreed to Belgrade’s request for the center. The next step is to put the proposal before Belgrade voters.
The city has estimated yearly costs for its taxpayers will be around $70 per $100,000 in assessed value. Anyone in Belgrade High School District 44 will be on the hook for this aquatic center. That includes land in both the county and Belgrade city limits.
Because the district extends outside the city limits of Belgrade that the plan needs the county’s permission, said City Manager Neil Cardwell.
And that’s not all for local taxpayers: The recreation district also needs money for operation and maintenance — meaning more levies, estimated at $1.5 million, and an annual additional cost to local taxpayers of an estimated $27 per $100,000 assessed value.
Cardwell said there were between 30,000 and 40,000 people within the boundaries of the high school district.
At issue is a city Park and Recreation District, which will include Belgrade’s first city pool, a city trail system, and if the chatter at city council meetings comes true, maybe even a Belgrade dog park. At the meeting, the council will formally adopt a resolution for a regional Parks and recreation District.
The county commission approved an inter-local agreement between the two entities, which would govern the proposed district.
Cardwell told the press that Belgrade will want to be responsible for owning, operating and running the recreation district, with the county being represented on the board.
He said the county would review, and approve the annual budget, and approve budget modifications.
“We want the public’s input,” said Belgrade Mayor Russ Nelson. The bond election will be a regular, pass-fail vote, he said.
Last June, the Aquatics Center’s Board of Directors asked the city if it might be interested in taking over the project — “and the city agreed,” said Board Director Jessi McCloud.
Generations of local farm kids who learned to swim in irrigation ditches might now learn to swim like city kids — in a pool.
Earlier, McCloud bemoaned to the Belgrade News that “There’s nothing for families to do around here. We lost the go-karts, and the Arcade during the (COVID) pandemic. Ideally, we’ll team up with the city, creating a Parks and Recreation Department. Potentially, we could have our own summer rec programs. We are excited to work with the city.”
McCloud also mentioned that they were working with private donors, “taking some of the burden off taxpayers.”
Earlier, Nelson commented that the County Commission’s meeting “Will be the same thing (as ours) and just presenting the final (legal) language.”
Belgrade’s Jan. 26 council meeting is specifically scheduled to meet the legal time requirements to have the ballot language ready by Feb. 6, to formally get on the May ballot.
Last fall, McCloud said their ideal wish list was “Something that works for all ages. That would include a pool complex that can be used for kids, kayak instruction, SCUBA training, a therapy pool, and a swimming pool that could by used by the high school swim team. Plans for the 75,000 square-foot center include a large pool with seating that could be used for swim meets.
At Tuesday’s county commission meeting, Tiffany Maierle, director of the Belgrade Community Coalition, commented that with the town bisected by the railroad and the freeway, a trail from the proposed district would further connect Belgrade, and “would be wonderful.”
No one spoke against the proposed district Tuesday, but Commissioner Scott MacFarland said the commission did receive comments from weary taxpayers who weren’t interested in more taxes to pay for an aquatic center.
