Bozeman Build #40
November 25th - November 1st 2024
Happy Monday and welcome back to the Bozeman Build Report covering what’s happening around Montana. Today we’re exploring the new director for the Montana Ag Network, Polson biochemist turns phosphorite rock into fertilizer, $24 million grant for 12 Montana economic development organizations, H-2A program allowing foreign nationals to fill temporary agricultural jobs, pushback against Missoula’s new 86-acre Grant Creek Crossing development, Montana new business registration record, USDA clean energy grant, MDOT adding 20 new Road Weather Information System sites, Montana recreational economic impact numbers from 2023, Montana alcoholic beverage permit cost taste, Yellowstone bridge, new National Security Research Institute at MSU, Cats Can the Griz by 3,600 lbs, Gallatin valley excavation jobsite, Explorer Gondola project, and old ranches. Enjoy the next 3-5 minutes of local trade/business news.
Big pile of seed potatoes in a large insulated potato storage cellar or quonset hut.
Have a great week and make the most of the warmer weather,
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When and what is the Bozeman Build? The BB is a 1x/week free email newsletter delivered Monday mornings focused on Montana trades. We are not a financial or building advisors.
Bozeman and Montana Trade Pulse
Montana and Bozeman specific section (Bozeman & Montana trade pulse)
Montana trade pulse
Nov 26, 2024 The Montana Television Network is has hired a new Senior Producer to re-launch its Montana Ag Network. Eric Gaylord will coordinate MTN’s agriculture reporting. (Montana Ag Network)
Nov 26, 2024 A Polson biochemist Ed Gannon and his company are on a journey to revolutionize the fertilizer industry. Gannon’s fertilizer company, PhoSul was one of the EPA’s five 2024 Green Chemistry Challenge Award winners. Their patented process blends the phosphate with sulfur and amorphous silicon, resulting in a finished fertilizer that looks kind of like Cocoa Puffs cereal. “Essentially we make dust.” (KPAX)
Nov 26 2024 The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that $24 million of grant funding has been awarded to 12 local economic development organizations to generate revolving loans to further develop and enhance Montana’s tourism industry. The funding is through Commerce’s Tourism Development and Enhancement Revolving Loan Fund Program. (Montana Department of Commerce)
Tourism Development and Enhancement Revolving Loan funding has been awarded to these EDOs:
Discover Anaconda will receive $276,785.69
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc. will receive $2,214,285.72
Great Northern Development Corporation will receive $1,383,928.58
Headwaters Resource Conservation and Development will receive $1,383,928.58
Jobs Now, Inc. dba Montana West Economic Development will receive $2,767,857
Mission West Community Development Partners will receive $3,500,000
Montana Business Assistance Connection will receive $2,767,857
Montana Community Development Corporation dba MoFi will receive $2,767,857
NCMEDD dba Sweetgrass Development will receive $553,571.43
Ravalli County Economic Development Authority will receive $1,107,142
Sanders County Community Development will receive $276,785
Snowy Mountain Development Corporation will receive $5,000,000
Nov 27, 2024 Rancher Darold Tomsheck finds hired hand through international work program. When local workers proved hard to find, Tomsheck turned to an unexpected solution: The federal H-2A program, which allows agricultural employers to hire foreign workers for positions when qualified U.S. workers aren’t available. (Montana Ag Network)
Nov 27, 2024 Missoula County Commissioners approved the 86-acre Grant Creek Crossing development, sparking concerns from local fire and school officials. The development's tax increment financing means revenue will fund infrastructure improvements, instead of fire protection or school districts. Community members and officials are voicing their concerns about the potential strain on resources and services. (Montana Right Now)
Nov 29, 2024 Business registration in Montana has seen a significant increase over the past few months, with 10,000 new businesses being registered. This growth is attributed to recent changes in state policies. (Montana Right Now)
December 1, 2024 USDA Rural Development is making investments of more than $600,000 in clean energy projects across Montana, aimed at reducing operational costs and supporting energy efficiency for farms and rural small businesses. The REAP program provides grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. (Daily Interlake)
MDT News
From (MDT News)
South Of Missoula Bridge Preservation to Resume in Spring
Great Falls Pavement Preservation Takes Winter Pause
Path Preservation Proposed on US 93 in Ravalli County
Sunburst Sidewalk Project Design Underway
South Billings Blvd Bridge Rehab Done for Now
I-15 Wolf Creek Construction Pauses for Winter
US 191 Pavement Preservation, Safety Improvements Complete
Bridge Resurfacing on MT 200 Near Thompson Falls Proposed
US 2 East of Harlem Construction Paused
Browns Gulch Road Construction Nearly Complete
MDT Deploys More Real-time Cameras and Weather Sites
Road rehabilitation work on MT 37 complete for 2024
New road cams
Nov 26, 2024 The Montana Department of Transportation has added 20 new Road Weather Information System (RWIS) sites so you can see real-time weather and road conditions. The agency recently added the new locations to the existing network for a total of almost 100 sites across the state. (Montana Department of Transportation RWIS)
On the note of cameras, I noticed a MTDOT Instagram post on November 19 mentioning that they have snowplow dash cameras streamed to the public while in operation, i’ll check into 511mt.net during the next round of snow plowings to see if they are live.
Nov 26th 2024 Montana’s outdoor recreation sector contributed $3.4 billion in 2023. The report, which detailed the economic impact of the industry in 2023, showed outdoor recreation-adjacent business accounted for 4.6% of Montana’s gross domestic product (GDP) last year, the third highest percentage of any state, tied with Alaska and behind only Hawaii at 6.3% and Vermont at 4.8%.
Montana ranks third in the nation for the percentage of statewide employment tied to the outdoor sector, 5.8%, accounting for 30,915 jobs, and making up 4.4% of the state’s total compensation. (Daily Montanan)
Montana Alcoholic beverage license
I’m sure you’ve heard that Montana license to sell or serve alcoholic beverages isn’t cheap, well its not. You can browse current listings of business owners selling their Beer/Wine/ beverage License on the Montana Department of Revenues Alcoholic beverage controls website mtrevenue.gov/alcoholic-beverage-control/ under “See the current listings”. Here’s a random sample of how much these permits are going for…
City of Hardin On-Premises Beer and Wine License - $75,000
City of Missoula On-Premises Restaurant Beer and Wine License; - $90,000
City of Livingston On-Premises Beer and Wine License - $225,000
Meager County, All Beverages License - $250,000
City of Columbia Falls, On-Premises Beer and Wine License. - $600,000
Yellowstone River Bridge Update
November 22 2024. The contractor (HK Contractors Inc. of IF) has decided to shutdown and call off all work for the remainder of the 2024 construction season. Given that the winter conditions are fast approaching this will mark the final newsletter of the year. Overall this construction season has been a success. (FHWA)
Anticipated Timeline
Advertise: Spring 2022
Construction: Spring 2023
Project Completion: Fall 2026
From the Federal Highway Admins Yellowstone River Bridge Nov 22nd 2024 Newsletter
Montana Hunting
Fall General bighorn sheep, black bear, deer & elk moose, and mountain goat hunting season came to a close on December 1st.
Trapping for select districts opened up Dec 1st for Bobcat, fisher, marten, and wolverine.
Showdown Mountain - Come celebrate our 88th year of operation with 2 lift tickets for $88 (a $48 savings!) Two adult lift tickets. Fully transferable. Valid any date Showdown is open during the 2024-25 season. No blackout dates SALE ends at midnight on 12/2. (Showdown Mountain)
Degidio Sheet Metal Liquidation auction is live up until Dec 4th. The preview date and location is December 3rd, 2pm-5:30pm at 517 E Bryant St., Bozeman.
Bozeman trade pulse
November 22, 2024 The Montana Board of Regents today approved Montana State University’s proposal to establish a new institute for National Security Research and Education, or INSRE. INSRE is expected to build upon MSU’s ongoing partnerships with the federal departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Energy and Homeland Security. (MSU News)
Nov 29, 2024 The Human Resource Development Council District IX, Inc. (HRDC) received $751,973 in Federal funding through the HOME Investment Partnerships Program – American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) for the acquisition and rehabilitation of the Wheat Suites Project located at 805 Wheat Drive in Bozeman. All interested contractors please contact Andy Ferguson, Construction Project Manager, at aferguson@thehrdc.org. Please submit notice of interest no later than 5:00PM December 13th. (Bozeman Chronicle Classifieds)
Nov 23, 2024 Montana State University and Gallatin Valley communities donated the equivalent of 652,876 pounds of food this holiday season to the Gallatin Valley Food Bank and MSU’s Bounty of the Bridgers food pantry as part of the 25th annual Can the Griz food drive. The Can the Cats food drive in Missoula brought in the equivalent of 649,278 pounds of food for the Missoula Food Bank, Cleary said. (MSU News)
Nov 23 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on November 14, 2024, the Town Council (the “Council”) of the Town of Manhattan, Montana (the “Town”), adopted a Resolution of Intention to Increase Rates and Changes for the Users of the Town’s Wastewater System. The reason for the proposed increase in rates is that the Town will need to borrow approximately $4,954,000 as part of the Town’s portion of the construction costs of the Project and increases in the costs of operating the Town’s wastewater system. (Bozeman Chronicle Classifieds)
Youtuber BuildWitt tours a excavation jobsite South Bozeman
DC Excavation during the BuildWitt Roadshow. In this video, they're preparing a site for multi-family housing. Because of the high water table, they had to get creative regarding dewatering for the utility installation. Video published Feb 10, 2024.
Big Sky Explorer Gondola
The Big Sky Explorer Gondola project is taking shape with major progress this summer at the mid-station and upper terminal. Coming Winter 25/26: seamless base-to-summit access. Video Published Nov 25, 2024.
Weather
Warm week ahead! Thanks to the NOAA Climate Prediction Center.
History of the week
Cattle on the H.W. Lord ranch, Bitterroot Valley, Montana. Other buildings are visible across the field. (Montana History Portal)
