The Billings City Council approved the bulk of its consent agenda on Dec. 8, taking separate votes on several items that members had pulled for discussion.

Clerk read the consent agenda; council moved to approve the non‑separated items and the motion passed by voice vote. Council then addressed a series of separations.

Appointments to the Citizen Police Advisory Board (positions numbered 21–27) were pulled for discussion after the board’s chair asked for reconsideration of reappointments. One councilmember moved to remove those names from tonight’s consent action and bring the appointments to a January work session to consider rotating new participants; the motion to delay the appointments passed 7–4. Councilmembers debating the delay discussed training availability, term lengths and whether reappointments were appropriate for a newly‑reconstituted board.

Separately, Councilmember Kennedy said he would vote against a memorandum of agreement with Beartooth RC&D given an expected tight budget. Other councilmembers moved to approve the MOU, noting the organization’s regional activities and the modest city contribution. The motion to approve the Beartooth RC&D MOU, described in the meeting as roughly $13,000 in city contribution, passed by a vote recorded as nine to two.

Other separated consent items (payables and appointments noted in the minutes) were dealt with individually and approved as noted on the record. Where recusals were necessary, council members recused themselves as recorded during the roll call on separations.

Quote

“Beartooth RC&D is more than a funding partner. We’re your strategic ally in building prosperity,” Myrna Les Tuske said during public comment; later the council approved the MOU she referenced.

Vote summary

- Motion to approve non‑separated consent items: passed unanimously.
- Motion to delay Citizen Police Advisory Board appointments (items 21–27) for work‑session discussion: passed 7–4 (voting in favor recorded on the record).
- Motion to approve memorandum of agreement with Beartooth RC&D (item 1E): passed 9–2.

What happens next

Staff will schedule the CPAB appointments for discussion at a January work session; if council decides to reconfigure appointments, staff will return with options. The Beartooth RC&D MOU will proceed under the terms described in the staff packet.