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Helena City Commission approves mechanical upgrades, grants and downtown TIF projects; votes at a glance
Summary
At its July 7 meeting the Helena City Commission unanimously approved a bid award for Fire Station No. 1 mechanical upgrades, formalized several grants including a $1.3 million BUILD grant acceptance, authorized applications to the Federal Transit Administration and approved multiple TIF distributions for local facilities.
The Helena City Commission on July 7 voted unanimously on a series of routine and project-specific items including a bid award for mechanical upgrades at Fire Station No. 1, a $250,000 community aid grant for Family Promise, acceptance of a $1.3 million BUILD grant for preliminary engineering on the East Side connector and two tax-increment-financing (TIF) disbursements for local building improvements.
Staff presentations and brief commissioner questions preceded each unanimous vote. Highlights included:
- Awarding the Fire Station No. 1 mechanical upgrades project (CF23007) to Tri County Mechanical and Electrical for a base bid of $325,649. Facility manager Bridgette Johnson said the station’s 50-year-old boiler and related systems are beyond useful life and the bid is within the project budget.
- Approving a $250,000 community aid grant agreement with Family Promise of Greater Helena to support remodeling their facility into a 16-room shelter for unhoused women and families; staff recommended the agreement following commission consensus on June 25.
- Formally accepting a $1.3 million BUILD grant for preconstruction work on the East Side connector (preliminary engineering, NEPA and planning) with staff estimating a 12–18 month timeline to complete the preconstruction phase.
- Authorizing the city manager to submit grant applications directly to the Federal Transit Administration, with staff noting most such grants require a local match.
- Approving a resolution dedicating Tract B and Tract C shown on Certificate of Survey No. 474847 as right of way to provide legal and physical access for adjacent property owners.
- Approving an updated interlocal agreement with Lewis and Clark County to reestablish the City of Helena and Lewis and Clark County Heritage Preservation and Cultural Tourism Development Council (HTC) to reflect changes in program roles and administration since the prior agreement.
- Distributing Railroad Urban Renewal District TIF funds to Montana Business Assistance Connection (MBAC) for entrance accessibility improvements at the Poplar Street business incubator ($59,775 of $138,275 estimated project cost; ~43% of eligible cost).
- Distributing Downtown Urban Renewal District TIF funds to YWCA Helena for façade and window replacements at 501 North Park Avenue ($150,000; part of a multi-year project that also used CDBG and prior TIF funds).
Votes at a glance
- Appointments: Lonnie Kamna to Helena Business Improvement District (interim term to 10/31/2027); Tanya Haines to Lewis and Clark County Heritage Tourism Council (term to 06/30/2028). Motion carried 4–0.
- CF23007 Fire Station No. 1 mechanical upgrades: Award to Tri County Mechanical and Electrical, $325,649. Motion carried 4–0.
- Family Promise community aid grant agreement: $250,000. Motion carried 4–0.
- BUILD grant acceptance: Accept $1,300,000 BUILD grant for East Side connector preconstruction. Motion carried 4–0.
- Resolution authorizing submission of FTA applications: Motion carried 4–0.
- Resolution dedicating Tract B and Tract C (Certificate of Survey 474847) as right of way: Motion carried 4–0.
- Interlocal agreement establishing the City/County Heritage Preservation and Cultural Tourism Development Council: Motion carried 4–0.
- Resolution distributing Railroad URD TIF funds to MBAC for Poplar Street incubator accessibility improvements: $59,775. Motion carried 4–0.
- Resolution distributing Downtown URD TIF funds to YWCA Helena for façade/window improvements at 501 N Park Ave: $150,000. Motion carried 4–0.
What commissioners asked and clarified
Commissioners asked for additional details on energy savings and expected lifespan for the new Fire Station boilers; staff said an energy study had not been completed and that vendor/model specifics (and therefore exact lifespan estimates) were not yet provided but that comparable modern boilers typically have service lives of 30–50 years. On the YWCA project staff and the YWCA’s executive director, Denise King, said window orders would be placed once funding was secured and delivery could occur in early 2026.
Ending: All votes listed above passed unanimously. Staff were directed to proceed with contract execution, grant acceptance paperwork and interlocal filing where applicable.
