
Billings Mayor Bill Cole mingles during a public safety mill levy election night party at his house in Billings on Tuesday.
Voters in Billings have resoundingly sent the message to city leaders that public safety is important, approving a new mill levy by a 2 to 1 margin.Â
Tuesday was Election Day for the city's $12 million public safety mill levy and the first batch of results released from the Yellowstone County Elections office Tuesday night show the levy leading by more than 10,000 votes.Â
Results as of 8:05 p.m. showed 20,511 votes for repealing the old levy and replacing with the new, and 9,818 votes against. All 24 precincts had completed reporting as of that time.
"We won," Mayor Bill Cole exclaimed when results came in Tuesday night.Â
Cole, along with city council members, city officials and the chief of police had all gathered in the mayor's backyard to await the returns, expressing cautious optimism that the levy would pass.Â

Billings Chief of Police Rich St. John mingles during a public safety mill levy election night party at his house in Billings on Tuesday.
Police Chief Rich St. John expressed gratitude to the community for the vote of support and thanked council members for choosing to take a new levy to the voters.Â
"It was not an easy decision," he said.Â
Chris Kukulski, Billings city administrator, worked with the council for nearly a year crafting and shaping what a new public safety mill levy could look like and what it should include.Â
The final result was a levy that augments the previous public safety mill levy passed by voters in 2004.Â
The new levy will replace an $8 million public safety mill levy passed 16 years ago. The levy is still on the books and continues to partially fund police, fire and 911 services.
Tuesday's vote for a new mill levy gave residents the option to repeal the 2004 public safety mill levy, which specified that it would collect $8 million every year, and replace it with a levy that uses language based on a specific number of mills.
The new levy will collect 60 mills worth of funding from property owners instead of a set dollar amount. In 2004, 60 mills was the equivalent of $8 million; in 2020, it's worth about $12 million.
That increase will sustain the current staffing levels for the city's police and fire departments, and it will cost taxpayers who own a home worth $211,000 approximately $4.75 a month.
"We're just so, so appreciative of the community's support and trust of us," Kukulski said.
Council member Mike Boyett was impressed by the returns and its reflection of the amount of support the levy received from voters.Â
"They're aware of what's going on, and this is the result," he said.Â

Billings Mayor Bill Cole mingles during a public safety mill levy election night party at his house in Billings on Tuesday.
Cole was elated by the margin of victory.
"I'm proud of our community," he said.Â
Of the 69,583 registered voters in Billings, 30,329 cast ballots in the election, for a turnout of 43.6%.
Photos show Billings cops on the beat in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s
Officer Bill Garvin at the Log Cabin Cafe, 1975

Billings Police Officer Bill Garvin, right, has a cup of coffee at the Log Cabin Cafe, which was located at 2517 Montana Ave., in October 1975.
Billings police officers on the night beat, October 1975

Police officers work the night beat in downtown Billings in October 1975. The New Moon Cafe, located on South 27th Street, is visible in the background.
Billings police officer at the Silver Dollar Inn, October 1975

A Billings police officer peers through the door of the Silver Dollar Inn on Minnesota Avenue in October 1975.
Prostitution raid at a downtown Billings bar, 1976

Billings police officers make arrests during a downtown prostitution raid in April 1976.
Billings police patrol car with teeth, 1978

A Billings Police Department patrol car with white teeth in place of a grill is pictured in November 1978.
Billings police during a prostitution raid, 1976

Billings police officers arrest a man during a prostitution raid at the Empire Bar in April 1976.
Billings police officer in new patrol car, April 1982

A Billings police officer poses inside a then-new patrol car in April 1982.
Man receiving a pat down from a Billings police officer, December 1984

A man receives a pat down from a Billings police officer in a downtown alley in December 1984.
Billings police officer on downtown beat, 1984

A Billings police officer works the downtown beat in December 1984.
Billings police officer at a downtown business, 1984

A Billings police officer converses with patrons at a downtown business in December 1984.
Billings police officers, 1984

Two Billings police officers talk in downtown Billings in December 1984.
Billings police investigate an accident at 13th Street West and Grand Avenue, 1986

Billings police officers investigate a motorcycle crash at the intersection of 13th Street West and Grand Avenue January 25, 1986. Current Billings Police Chief Rich St. John is pictured to the left.
Billings police officers on the night shift, October 1987

Billings police officers work the night shift in October 1987. Former Billings Mayor Tom Hanel, then a sergeant, is seated.
Billings police officer at Arcade Bar, 1987

A Billings police officer speaks with two women outside of the Arcade Bar on Minnesota Avenue in October 1987.
Billings police officer doing paperwork, 1987

Billings Police Officer Craig Wrzesinski does paperwork during a shift in October 1987. When he retired in 2012, Wrzesinski was the department's oldest officer, having served 27 years.
Billings police at police station, October 1987

Billings police officers gather for a meeting at the police station in October 1987.
Billings police with evidence from a theft ring, 1987

Billings police officers remove stolen goods from a Billings home during investigation of a theft ring in December 1987.
Billings police arresting vandalism suspects, October 1988

Billings police officers arrest three men suspected of vandalizing the Billings Depot in October 1988.
Billings police officer with radar gun, 1989

Billings Police Officer John Gibson uses a handheld radar gun at a roadside speed monitor in September 1989.
Billings police officers with D.A.R.E. car, 1990

Billings police officers pose with their specially-painted D.A.R.E. drug prevention program car in 1990.
Billings police making prostitution arrest, 1990

Billings police officers arrest a man during a prostitution bust in May 1990.
Billings police assist in marijuana grow raid, February 1991

Billings police assist state and federal law enforcement agents during a raid at a marijuana growing operation in February 1991.