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Billings County tables decision on letter of support for Theodore Roosevelt Library land swap
Summary
County commissioners debated whether to send a letter of support required by a new secretarial order for a land swap tied to the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library; after legal briefing and public concern, they agreed to post the issue for the next meeting and gather public input.
Billings County commissioners met in a special session to consider a requested county letter of support for a proposed land swap between the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and the National Park Service. Chair opened the meeting saying the purpose was to discuss "the letter of support for Theodore Roosevelt presidential library and the National Park Service land swap." Rachel, speaking for the Park Service, said the parcel the Park owns has been left vacant for decades and the agency lacks funding and capacity to build and operate seasonal housing for staff.
Rachel said the shortage is acute: "I've had a couple people that had to turn down positions this summer, right, because, there there's nowhere, to live." Ken, representing the library/foundation, argued a land swap would create a public–private partnership to address housing more quickly and cost‑effectively, noting the library is expanding staff and needs local housing and on‑site operations. "The library would transfer the in holding properties that we have in the park, and transition that and do the transfer for this land ... to develop 2 partnerships where we both would address housing needs," he said.
County legal counsel Jared told commissioners the county is not a party to a federal land exchange and ‘‘cannot block an otherwise authorized federal land exchange, through the withholding of support,'' but that the commission's role is to weigh public‑interest factors and receive notice. He said the new secretarial order appears to require a letter of support but he was not aware of any waiver provisions. Given that combination of legal limits and community concern, commissioners voted to postpone a formal letter and asked staff to post the secretarial order and related materials with next week's agenda so residents could review and the commission could collect public feedback.
The commission directed staff to add the item to the next meeting agenda and to provide an attachment of the secretarial order for public review. No formal vote authorizing a letter was taken; the meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn.
