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Home My WebLink AboutMay 2020 BRCD Meeting Materials Beartooth RC&D Area, Inc. May Meeting Materials and Updates Beartooth RC&D Area, Inc. Staff Reports 2020 Beartooth Resource Conservation and Development Budget Income ITEM Income AG-FOOD AND AG CENTER 85,007 AG-MCDC 1,000 BOARD - EDA SPONSOR DUES 51,072 BOARD-INTEREST INCOME 400 BOARD-FOUNDATION MONEY 3,700 RLF-STAFF REIMBURSE 18,000 RLF-ORIG FEES 5,000 CRDC 71,907 FUELS AND CGWG - EDA - GRANT 70,000 TOTAL INCOME 306,086 Expense TOTAL STAFF EXPENSE 233,104 COMMUNICATIONS 6,000 EQUIPMENT & VEHICLE 8,520 CONTRACTUAL 20,000 SUPPLIES 12,900 TRAVEL 11,080 OTHER 10,420 RESERVE EXPENSE TOTAL 302,024 4,062 PROJECTED NET INCOME 12/31/2020 Beartooth Books- Reporting Ending April 2020 Page 2 Budgeted Actual % of budgeted Income AG-FOOD AND AG CENTER 85,007 41,543 49% AG-MCDC 1,000 0 0% BOARD - EDA SPONSOR DUES 51,072 42,768 84% BOARD-INTEREST INCOME 400 166 42% BOARD-FOUNDATION MONEY 3,700 3,390 92% RLF-STAFF REIMBURSE 18,000 0 0% RLF-ORIG FEES 5,000 0 0% CRDC 71,907 28,834 40% FUELS-TOTAL - 0 #DIV/0! EDA - GRANT 70,000 35,000 50% NOT BUDGED INCOME - 1,875 0% TOTAL INCOME 306,086 153,576 50% Expense TOTAL STAFF EXPENSE 233,104 69,198 30% COMMUNICATIONS 6,000 2,838 47% EQUIPMENT & VEHICLE 8,520 2,928 34% CONTRACTUAL 20,000 1,325 7% SUPPLIES 12,900 4,446 34% TRAVEL 11,080 705 6% OTHER 10,420 6,198 59% RESERVE - EXPENSE TOTAL 302,024 87,639 29% Account Balances Bank of Joliet-Building Account $4,469.63 Bank of Joliet- Savings Account $75,171.78 Bank of Joliet- Checking Account $151,593.20 Page 3 Revolving Loan Fund Books- Ending April 30, 2020 Loan Client Review County # of loans $ Loaned out Big Horn 2 $176,324 Stillwater 4 $507,948 Yellowstone 7 $388,895 Carbon 4 $145,594 Sweet Grass 2 $189,665 • I have 3 potential loans in various stages to get to committee. I have 2 payoffs that have been quoted and I expect in the near future. • We are still working on getting the money from Big Horn County. • I have been in contact with all loan clients, offering any help we can. We have 4 that have arranged for deferred payments, 5 have taken advantage of the PPP loans, and at least 4 have applied for the state relief programs Bank Balances as of April 30, 2020 Total available for lending Bank of Joliet- EDA $20,403 20,403 Bank of Joliet-CDBG $175,615 175,615 Bank of Joliet- IRP $303,405 214,087 Bank of Joliet-Fromberg $29,729 29,729 $439,834 Page 4 Beartooth RC&D Staff Project Update May 2020 FOOD AND AG CENTER MANAGER PROJECTS Beartooth FADC Beartooth FADC Staff has been working to assist businesses with the development of Montana Department of Ag Mini Grants and the new Emergency Ag Adaptability grant programs. Staff has had two FADC conference calls to discuss the current state of Ag businesses and potential resources being finalized. Beartooth FADC has also been in contact with the Montana Ag Marketing staff discussing their activities through the Made in Montana program. A discussion with our US Senate staff has given F ADC staff with a better picture of how some programs are still being developed through the USDA Farm Services Agency to assist Farmers and Ranchers with emergency programs that should start sign ups in June. Many existing buisnesses are still trying to determine the market environment and will be better situated to make decisions on their needs in the summer and this fall. On Going Projects Business/ Project Name: Toews Family Farms Contact-Hunter Aaron Toews Location- Hardin, MT Aaron Toews of Hardin, MT has started a business using his family farms corn acreage and began bagging grain corn and selling 50lb bags retail through local ranch stores and 1ton and 2ton bags off his farm. We discussed his unexpected growth where he sold 300 acres worth his first year exceeding his expectations he now wants to build a larger shop to process and store bags that he can deliver to his growing customer base. We have talked about his marketing price points and the Growth Through Ag grants, and loans and will be determining his needs this summer and fall. Page 5 Business/ Project Name: Trembling Prairie Farms Contact- Jill Herold Location- Huntley Project, MT Trembling Prairie Farms is producing a unique type of Ag commodity they are in the development p hase of processing into a value added product that will add value to Montana agriculture if fully developed. We have signed a non-disclosure agreement with this business to protect their innovative intellectual property rights but will be able to share more about the business once their concept is commercialized. Carbon County Mud Springs Wind Development Location- Warren, MT Contact- Pacificorp . The wind wind development began construction on schedule in March and April and are working towards having the majority of construction completed by the December time frame. Business/ Project Name: 406 Bovine LLC Contact- Bryan Elliott Location-Laurel, MT 406 Bovine LLC has worked with Beartooth Staff due to Steve assisting in the development of a Big Sky Trust Fund grant they have now received funding for planning, and are working through details regarding confidentiality before proceeding. Page 6 Stillwater Packing Co/ Emmett’s Meats Location- Columbus, MT Contact- Jason Emmett Stillwater Packing has been working through an increase in business due to the COVID 19 having shut down some large national meat plants shifting some buyer interest to smaller plants like theirs. Yellowstone Region Ag Sustainability Project- RCPP Location- Huntley, MT Contact- Dave Dougherty The group had their last meeting in February in Huntley to set the annual deadlines for applications and complete reporting, there was discussion about developing field tour of projects this summer in Carbon County, the recent social distancing guidelines will require additional planning for this tour to go forward. Page 7 Becky’s Berries- Absarokee, MT Location-Absarokee Becky Stahl has been a client of Beartooth for several years and we last assisted her with development of an expansion plan for her Jams, Jellies and Barbeque sauce business. She has completed construction of the facility. Beartooth staff has assisting Becky with the development of a Mini Grant but the funds ran out in approximately 10 days so staff then developed an Ag Adaptability Grant for the addition of a makeup air system and a commercial food processor for her new facility. Funding was also requested for the development of labels for a new line of products and improvements to her on line ordering presence. Becky’s Berries Website http://www.beckysberries.com/ Steve’s Economic Director’s Report April/May to the Beartooth R, C& D Board The two programs I administer on behalf of the organization are listed below. Quarterly Certified Regional Development Corporation (CRDC) reports have been submitted. Our current annual budget for CRDC is $70,000. Payment was received for first quarter work which included: 1. Targeted Brownfields assessment grant applications for Red Lodge pea cannery building, Joliet & Laurel affordable housing projects. Pending Sports Hut grant application. 2. Two successful Big Sky Trust Fund grants. Pea Cannery and 406 Bovine an Artificial Intelligence start up firm. Pending USDA Rural Business Development Grant for the pea cannery. Page 8 3. Yellowstone and Carbon County economic recovery teams. Steve is serving on both. In addition regular outreach to other County leadership team, Chambers of Commerce, and economic development organizations. 4. Assisting with subcommittee for Yellowstone County economic recovery team. Completed retail leakage study for five county region. Shared Churma vulnerability index with all five counties. Working on regional ‘loop’ tours to help promote local travel and purchasing of products in outlying counties. Daily zoom meetings with economic developers across Montana and within the region. 5. Business assistance to possible relocation of a business from Whitefish to Roberts. Outreach to Montana Silversmiths. Promotion of SBA and other grant/loan programs on Facebook page. Promotion of Big Sky EDA’s business survey and Beartooth survey designed by NW Energy for our use in the region. Economic Development Administration (EDA) has indicated an additional $400,000 will be made available to help our region with additional staffing over a two year period for assisting us with recovery efforts. The additional $200,000 could be used to hire additional staff. Our currently in the second year funding of a three year grant cycle of $210,000, or (70,000/year). Stillwater County has submitted a $6.5M road rebuilding grant with our assistance. Frequently Used Acronyms BEAR – Business Expansion and Retention BIA – Bureau of Indian Affairs BLM – Bureau of Land Management BRCD – Beartooth RC&D BSEDA – Big Sky Economic Development Association BSTF – Big Sky Trust Fund CDBG – Community Development Block Grant CRDC – Certified Regional Development Corporation CEDS – Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy CTEP – Community Transportation Endowment Program Page 9 EDA – Economic Development Administration EDD – Economic Development District ESRI – Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. GIS – Geographic Information Systems GPS – Global Positioning System HOME – Montana Home Investment Partnerships Program HUD – US Department of Housing and Urban Development IRP – Intermediary Relending Program LESA – Land Evaluation Site Assessment MBI – Montana Board of Investments MDOC – Montana Department of Commerce MDOL – Montana Dept. of Labor MDOT – Montana Dept. of Transportation MDFWP – Montana Dept. of Fish, Wildlife and Parks MEDA – Montana Economic Developers Association NADO – National Association of Development Organizations NCOC – National Carbon Offset Coalition NHS – Neighborhood Housing Services NRCS – Natural Resource Conservation Service RBEG – Rural Business Enterprise Grant RBOG – Rural Business Opportunity Grant RC&D – Resource Conservation & Development Area, Inc. RCDI – Rural Community Development Initiative RD – Rural Development (a division of USDA) RCPP- Regional Conservation Partnership Program RLF – Revolving Loan Fund RTA – Resource Team Assessment SBA – Small Business Administration SBDC – Small business Development Center TIFD – Tax Increment Finance District TSEP - Treasure State Endowment Program USDA – United States Department of Agriculture USFS – United States Forest Service