The Weekly Update- June 7, 2018 Attachments: 1. Letter from Senator Jon Tester addressed to the Secretary of the Air Force concerning the urgent need for additional aircraft apron space for the Montana Air National Guard's 120tl1 Air Lift Wing. 2. Montana Department of Commerce Big Sky Trust Fund Program final closeout for contract with First Call Resolution, LLC (FCR), MT-BSTF-01-17-03, MT-BSTF-01 -17-03A, MT-BSTF-01- 1 7-03B. 3. 2017 Legislative Session Report Card from the MT Infrastructure Coalition. A Weekly Report to the Great Falls City Commission TESTER .. .... ( 1 r .. r 5 itedSenate AH May 31 , 2018 The Honorable Heather Wilson Secretary of the Air Force U.S. Department of Defense 1670 Air Force Pentagon Washington, DC 20330-1670 Dear Secretary Wilson: I write today concerning the urgent need for additional aircraft apron space for the Montana Air National Guard's 120th Air Lift Wing in Great Falls, Montana. Following our exchange during the recent Air Force Budget Posture Hearing before the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I am particularly concerned about the timing of this project's planned inclusion in the Air Force's fiscal year 2023 Military Construction (MILCON) plan. At the time of the Great Falls, Montana conversion from F-15 aircraft to C-130 aircraft, the ramp was not adequate, but it was within acceptable Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards. Recently modified FAA parameters make the parking situation for the unit's eight C- 130 aircraft on the existing ramp particularly difficult. The Air National Guard (ANG) has expressed the best way to resolve and alleviate this impediment is to construct additional ramp space. The ANG MILCON program includes the most critical projects to meet their enterprise mission requirements within these current fiscal constraints. The project to constmct additional apron space at Great Falls, Montana is a high priority requirement for the ANG and has progressed through design status as it is now a candidate for the annual ANG MILCON unfunded priority list as their fifth priority. I would like to see the Air Force make this project a higher priority in its overall MILCON plan. I therefore request you provide me with a way forward to ensure the successful completion of our C-130 apron project well in advance of the current fiscal year 2023 programmed timeline. I look forward to your prompt response. Sincerely, Bozeman Butte Glendive Great Falls F a Kalispell (406) 586-4450 (406) 723- 3277 (406)365-2391 (406) 452 9586 (406) 449-5401J l (406) 257 3360 Billings M Missoula (406)252-0550 (406) 728 3003 PAM HAXBY-COTE STEVE BULLOCK DIRECTOR MONTANA GOVERNOR DCPARTME I'-ll or· COMMERCE June 6, 2018 RECEIVED Mayor Bob Kelly City of Great Falls iUN 07 2018 P.O. Box 5021 Great Falls, MT 59403-0949 CITY CLERK RE: Montana Department of Commerce's Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund (BSTF) Program, Contract# MT-BSTF- 1-17-03; MT-BSTF-1-17-03A and MT-BSTF-1- 17 -03B, First Call Resolution, LLC (FCR) Dear Mayor Kelly: This letter is in regards to the final closeout of the Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund (BSTF) Program contract with the City of Great Falls to assist First Call Resolution, LLC (FCR) with eligible purchase of construction materials, equipment and furniture. The City of Great Falls was awarded $120,000.00 in BSTF funds through the Montana Department of Commerce (Department) effective September 27, 2016 and amended on December 12, 2017, to have an expiration date of September 27, 2018. - The Department received the final Job Creation Report and Certification documention on May 13, 2018 showing the creation of 16 BSTF eligible jobs. The final $30,000.00 reimbursement for eiigibie expenses was processed on May 22, 2018. The Department also received the final project closeout certification, dated June 6, 2018. All BSTF related records must be retained for three years after final project closeout approval by the Department To assist the Department with program performance reporting , the BSTF award recipient may be required to provide annual project updates for 3 years after the close of the contract Please consider this letter as documentation of closeout approval of The City of Great Falls' BSTF project by the Department If you have any questions, please contact me at (406) 841 -2792 or by email at [email protected]. It has been a pleasure working with you! Sincerely, Debi Davidson Program Specialist Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund Montana Department of Commerce cc: Katheryn Carnahan, First Call Response, LLC Lillian Sunwall, GFDA - commerce.mt.gov 301 S. PARK AVE. I PO BOX 200533 I HELENA. MT 59620-0533 I P· 406.841 .2870 IF: 406 841 2871 I TDD: 406.841 .2702 MT INFRASTRUCTURE COALITION Sound infrastructure provides the The Montana Infrastructure Coalition was established in 2016 to provide a non-partisan forum for the objective research and development of sustainable funding solutions for Montana's most pressing infrastructure needs. With membership of more than 100 industry, labor and trade associations, private business entities, and local governments, the Coalition is focused on changes in public policy that improve the manner in which we build and maintain our critical public infrastructure. Current and future generations are being saddled with a mounting infrastructure funding deficit. Doing nothing is not an option, and the status quo isn't working. The Montana Infrastructure Coalition recognizes the need for systemic change in how we fund critical infrastructure, and we want to recognize lawmakers who are stepping to the challenge, advancing the dialogue, and finding real solutions. For more information, contact: Darryl James, Executive Director 406.441.9100 [email protected] ~ NFRASTR U CTUR E ~ I COALITION --------------- Infrastructure Coalition Report Card however, those revenue streams and attending bills are considered rudimentary and not scored by the This report card represents a snapshot of a Coalition in 2017. legislative session during which the Coalition was highly focused on a few pieces of key legislation. Bill weights ranged from a 3 for the fully loaded The scoring highlights a stark contrast in voting bonding bill, to a 10 for the Coalition's most trends on the legislation deemed valuable to the important bill, the Bridge and Road Safety and Coalition's mission, but should not be overly Accountability Act. interpreted at this early stage. 2017 marked the Coalition's first engagement with the Legislature, Total scores for each legislator are comprised of the and the majority of our legislative efforts were following: aimed at new revenue sources for infrastructure. Future agendas will include a mix of new or A "Yes" vote on the final floor action on the bill enhanced revenue with efforts to identify provides points in the amount of the weight of efficiencies in program delivery, and regulatory the bill. reform to reduce the overall cost of infrastructure projects to Montana taxpayers. Bonus points are awarded for: Still, the Coalition believes the legislature is Sponsorship of a Coalition bill, and are awarded obligated to provide sufficient funding at the state in the amount of the weight of the bill. level, or to provide an appropriate range of tools for local governments to build and maintain critical Committee votes add one (1) bonus point to infrastructure. recognize the legislator's effort to foster more robust debate. The scoring naturally highlights those legislators who understand their obligation to provide funding With this formula, it is possible for legislators to tools to meet basic health and safety requirements obtain a score above 100 percent. in every community across Montana. In addition, it acknowledges those who helped foster debate and A no vote, or inability to vote in committee does not bring good ideas together, and who ultimately put count against any legislator. action behind the rhetoric of the campaign season. Sen. Welborn, for example, received 5 points for his The Coalition looks forward to working with elected floor vote on SB 335, and an additional 5 points for officia ls at every level to ensure that Montana sponsoring the bill. He did not have the opportunity leads the way in creative solutions to operate and to vote in committee, so his total on SB 335 is 10 maintain our most critical infrastructure. points. The Scoring Each bill is "weighted" according to its effectiveness in addressing unmet infrastructure funding demands, and its overall importance to the Coalition in the 2017 legislative session. The Coalition also provided support for bills that protect base funding for local infrastructure such as the " Entitlement Share," Tax Increment Financing (TIF), and Treasure State Endowment Fund (TSEP); Page2 Infrastructure Coalition Priority Bills for the 2017 Le~slative Session HB 645 - Rep. Mike Cuffe - "tourism-related" goods and services with revenues Bonding Bill committed to investment in critical infrastructure and property tax relief. The bill failed to make it out of committee, but started an important discussion Rep. Cuffe introduced a "pared- on local government funding needs. This Coalition down" bonding bill in an effort to bill is weighted at 7 points. avoid repeating the failures of the previ,ous two legislative sessions to pass a bonding bill to HB 473- Rep. Frank Garner- Bridge address critical water/wastewater projects across and Road Safety and Accountability Act the state. The Coalition supported the approach, but the bill failed to garner enough support to move HB 473 enacted a "user fee" on forward. While the Coalition was not involved in motorists by phasing in an crafting the bill, our members appreciate Rep. increase in the gasoline tax by Cuffe's efforts to fund critical infrastructure. The bill six cents over six years, and the is weighted at 4 points as a non-Coalition bill.