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Trail Plan Goes Back to Drawing Board
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- Created on Monday, 04 July 2011 14:33
- Written by Press Room
The 2011 Billings Area Bikeway and Trail Master Plan failed to be approved by the PCC (Policy Coordinating Committee) in a 2-2 vote last week. The PCC sent planners back to the drawing board to write a unified document that will again have to be considered by their respective governmental bodies.
As it stood on Tuesday, there were two versions of the Master Plan – one which includes Complete Street mandates which has been approved by the Billings City Council and the Planning Board, and another that has had all references regarding Complete Streets removed, which has been approved by the Yellowstone County Commissioners.
Yellowstone County 7th Most Affordable -
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- Created on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 08:46
- Written by Press Room
Yellowstone County has been listed by Bloomberg Rankings in Businessweek.com as the seventh most affordable county in the US to live. Topping the list was North Dakota’s Cass County, home to Fargo. Brown County, South Dakota ranked second.
28.6 percent of Yellowstone County families spend more than 30 percent income on housing, according to the report. Adult population with bachelor’s degrees is 27.7 percent. The median family income is $60,630. Unemployment is 6.3 percent. Other factors that were most heavily weighted include crime, poverty, commute time, air quality, diversity, and share of families with children.
Compensation Committee Sets Salaries for Elected Officials
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- Created on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 08:25
- Written by Press Room
Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito began the meeting of the County Compensation Committee saying that he could not accept his proposed salary increase.
Following a pre-determined process, the position of county attorney would receive an automatic 6.6 percent increase, easily more than five times that of any other elected official’s increase. Twito, in office for only five months, said “I don’t know how I can justify that to the county taxpayers. I think I am doing a good job, but maybe not that good.”
Read more: Compensation Committee Sets Salaries for Elected Officials
Metra Settles on Insurance Claim
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- Created on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 08:34
- Written by Press Room
Yellowstone County has “settled up” with the insurance company regarding the total of claims covered in rebuilding Rimrock Auto Arena and repairing other damage to MetraPark caused by the Father’s Day tornado, last June.
The final tally came to $28.3 million.
Yellowstone County Crunches Budgets
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- Created on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 08:47
- Written by Press Room
Department heads in Yellowstone County were asked to submit preliminary budgets for fiscal year 2011-12 with no increases, reflecting anticipated budget constraints brought on primarily by tax protests.
Those budgets are being reviewed, this week and next, by Yellowstone County Commissioners in discussions with other county officials as they plan next year’s budget.
Higher Taxable Value Means Growth
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- Created on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 08:32
- Written by Press Room
The estimated increase for 2010 in Yellowstone County’s taxable property values is 2.5 to 3 percent, reported County Treasurer Max Lenington. That’s good news. Such an increase is good in a good economy and fantastic in a struggling economy. New property values reflect the growth in new construction. Lenginton commented that Billings has been fortunate in having had additions being made to the refineries and other major building projects every year. “This is very good for any kind of an economy,” he said, cautioning that the numbers are preliminary estimates provided by the Department of Revenue.
Bike Plan Approval Fails
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- Created on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 12:48
- Written by Evelyn Pyburn
The 2011 Billings Area Bikeway and Trail Master Plan failed to be approved by the PCC (Policy Coordinating Committee) in a 2-2 vote on Tuesday. The PCC sent planners back to the drawing board to write a unified document that will again have to be considered by their respective governmental bodies.
As it stood on Tuesday, there were two versions of the Master Plan – one which includes Complete Street mandates which has been approved by the Billings City Council and the Planning Board, and another that has had all references regarding Complete Streets removed, which has been approved by the Yellowstone County Commissioners.
Aviation Symposium Coming
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- Created on Wednesday, 08 June 2011 10:00
- Written by Press Room
U.S. Senator Max Baucus announced at the APEC meetings in Big Sky that General Electric will hold a GE Aviation Small Business Supplier Symposium in Billings, August 8. The symposium is designed to increase the business GE Aviation does with Montana, by coaching and mentoring local companies on doing business with GE Aviation, through panel discussions and one-on-one sessions.
