2025 Billings City Council Ward 5
City Council members serve 4 years and are responsible for attending and voting on all agenda items at regular and special meetings, and fulfilling duties outlined by law and the City Charter. The position requires attending all meetings, voting on issues, and representing constituents.
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Tony O'Donnell
(NON)
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Patrick Olp
(NON)
What skills and experience do you have that you believe would be beneficial to you as a council member?
How do you see your role as a council member as it relates to the city manager, department heads, other council members and the public?
As the city continues to grow, how can you impact decisions about dealing with the benefits and problems associated with that growth while maintaining community identity?
What are your views on the shortage of funding for city parks? If you consider this a problem, what solutions would you propose to the city council?
Recent legislative changes have greatly affected the city budget. What are your thoughts and solutions for the sudden budget shortfall?
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I am a past participant in Leadership Billings, a business owner, a father, and a spouse - I am a great listener, thoughtful collaborator, even-keeled, and committed to being a problem solver and advocate for Billings and its residents above all else.
The City Council is similar to a Board of Directors, where the city manager is the CEO and in charge of staff. I see council's role as advisory and as support to city government and its leadership. There are too many stories of current council members overstepping their authority and harassing city staff, and I think that behavior is gross and inexcusable. As an elected official, I see my role as finding ways to solve problems, remove roadblocks when and where able, and to help advocate for my ward when called upon to do so.
My key guiding political philosophy is that we have an obligation to one another, and that in an age of increasing focus on self, we have to double down on the power of community to make our city the best it can be. I am determined to use my voice to find ways to communicate with citizens more effectively to help them understand the challenges our community is facing and how we can come together to solve those issues.
We have a funding crisis for every part of our discretionary budget, and I believe we'll need to find the will to create a local option tax to capture revenue from those who come in and enjoy the amenities of our city without having to participate in its upkeep and maintenance. I believe for parks that greater public/private partnerships can accomplish a lot. I also believe that we have a duty to educate voters on the importance of parks not just as a line item in a budget, but also as a key component of public safety and a way to attract talent to our city to staff our hospitals and other businesses that will face a shortfall in human capital in the next several years.
Our mill system is broken and an ineffective tool for raising the money we need for first responders, parks, trails, and every other discretionary item on our balance sheet. We need a local option tax to capture incremental revenue from our thriving tourist economy as well a way to ultimately help ease the burden of property taxes on homeowners. Trying to do things the same way that they've been done for years is clearly not working, and we urgently need a new approach.
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