Council keeps June 18 bid opening for economic development mill-levy grants after short-notice debate

Butte-Silver Bow commissioners voted 9–2 on June 11 to keep the original June 18 date for opening proposals for the fiscal‑year 2024 economic development mill‑levy grants after hearing updates from several prior recipients and a sustained debate about whether applicants had enough time to prepare.

The decision came after Commissioner Bill Anderson (District 10) apologized to presenters for what he called a rushed schedule and asked Community Development Director Karen Burns to give an update on the program and the RFP process. “There is a little bit of a greater amount of money available for this year's fund. There's about $100,000 just a little over $100,000 to be allocated in 2025 to the new applicants,” Burns told commissioners.

Why it matters: The mill‑levy grants fund local festivals, nonprofit events and small capital projects; choosing to keep the June 18 opening preserves the timeline for the county to receive and open proposals within the current publication schedule and to refer them to the Economic Development Committee for review.

Commissioners and applicants spoke at length. Representatives of last year’s award recipients briefed the council on how they used the funds: Jeanette Cough of the World Museum of Mining said the money helped move and prepare the Durant railcar and that staff now expect to move the Durant in mid‑July; Jocelyn Dodge of the Motherlode Butte Center for Performing Arts said grant money helped replace old wooden stage risers with portable units; Bridal McDonough said allocation helped cover lodging for performers at the Montana Gaelic Festival after a rainy year; and George Everett of Main Street Uptown Butte said the Montana Folk Festival used a $12,000 grant for on‑site security, supplemented by sponsor dollars.

Several commissioners asked whether extending the RFP deadline would be feasible. Burns said the RFP had been published twice in the Montana Standard and posted to the Butte‑Silver Bow website and that published deadlines typically close at 7:30 p.m. at the clerk and recorder’s office. “This has been published twice in the Montana standard, and it has been published to the Butte SilverBow website,” Burns said.

Commissioner Eoin O'Leary moved to amend the communication and extend the opening to June 25; Commissioner Thatcher offered a substitute motion to hold the communication in abeyance and keep the June 18 opening. After a call for the question passed, the substitute prevailed: votes recorded were 9 yes, 2 no. The council clerk recorded the outcome as “9 yay, 2 nay.”

The council directed that proposals opened on June 18 be forwarded to the Economic Development Committee for detailed review. Commissioner Anderson said he will call a special meeting of that committee to review proposals and notify applicants and committee members of the date and scoring process.

A number of commissioners urged broader public notice to reach potential applicants ahead of the existing deadline. Burns said she could post an amended notice on the Butte‑Silver Bow website if the council elected to extend the deadline, but that an additional Montana Standard advertisement would not run in time before the June 18 meeting.

Ending: With the motion resolved, the county will open proposals on June 18, refer submissions to the Economic Development Committee for scoring, and commissioners said they would schedule a follow‑up special meeting to consider award recommendations and whether any funds need to be carried into the next fiscal year.