Murdoch’s Planning Wheatland Store
 | Author:
Nancy Marks
Nancy Marks: MT43 News Secretary and News Editor |
Murdoch’s Planning Wheatland Store
MT 43 News Staff Reporter
Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Supply plans to open a store in South Broadwater County’s Wheatland Targeted Development District (TEDD), land developer Craig Rickert told county commissioners at their Nov. 15 meeting.
Murdoch’s website boasts 40 store locations, including 14 in Montana, spread across six states. The company has posted a large “Future Home” sign on the lot of its proposed Wheatland store. The six-acre lot is part of a 36-acre parcel that Rickert has contracted to buy, he said. He is asking the county for property tax increment financing (TIF) to help pay for his purchase of the parcel and for developing roads and other infrastructure. The parcel is on the east side of Highway 287 near the highway’s intersection with Wheatland Road.
“At the time I started here a few years ago, the 250 acres my parcel was part of paid less than $500 in property taxes,” Rickert said. “Already two years later, the property tax collected for these 250 acres has increased hundreds of times.” He said the TEDD district has already been successful at “priming the pump” for economic development. “I am looking for the county to partner with me to grow it even more,” he said.
Most of that original 250 acres is now owned by Bridger Brewing Co. which has built and operates a brewery and restaurant on the property. The company has also constructed a waste-water treatment system operating within the TEDD under the name of Headwaters Utility Association, a private non-profit corporation. In March 2020, the county pledged to allocate up to $396,000 annually from tax-increment revenue for payment of TIF bonds to be issued to finance the design and construction of the system.
Rickert said that in addition to Murdoch’s, he has talked to three grocery stores, and he believes one will someday be located in the area. “My intent is to continue to build out the TEDD District, and I hope Broadwater County will be my partner,” he said. Rickert said he is developing a five-lot minor subdivision for the parcel.
Under contract with the Montana Department of Transportation (MDOT), Rickert developed the yet-to-open Headwaters highway rest area on 12 acres within the Wheatland TEDD. It is to replace MDOT’s outdated rest area at the interchange of Interstate 90 and 19th Avenue in Bozeman.
Nathan Bilyeu, a Helena attorney representing Rickert, presented the commission with a proposed resolution whereby the county would pledge tax increment revenue to finance Rickert’s development plans on the 36-acre parcel. The commission took no action on it.
In other business at the Nov. 15 meeting:
The commission heard oral reports from Brittney Willis, county disaster and emergency services director, and from County Treasurer Melissa Franks.
TJ Graveley, public works director, informed the commission of fee increases he is proposing for the disposal of automotive tires, refrigerators, trees and non-household trash. The commission will schedule a public hearing on his proposals.
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PhotoCredit: Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
Image 1 Caption: Murdoch's Announces New Site
Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
