COVID-19 Federal Infrastructure Stimulus Bill Public Comment from Bill GoodmanFrom:Bill Goodman
To:Aimee Brunckhorst
Subject:[EXTERNAL] Federal Infrastructure Stimulus Bill
Date:Saturday, April 11, 2020 7:06:25 PM
Dear Mayor and Kalispell City Council,
In this newly evolving economic time, the future of Kalispell’s
Downtown and even the city at large, is a little in question. The
future of most things is very unsure right now. Sure, Downtown has had
its issues, but this is different. This quickly progressing pandemic
is casting us into unfamiliar territory with an unknown and scary
future.
One of the greatest problems that Downtown had prior to this, has been
an inadequate parking supply. Today this is the farthest thing from
our worries. Today parking lots are empty. Stores and businesses are
shuttered.
Businesses will return at some point and now is the time to plan for that.
The federal government is now talking about a massive infrastructure
bill which presents great opportunity for Kalispell and its core. This
is the opportunity, probably the only opportunity that will present
itself in our lifetimes, to obtain federal money to build the parking
structures that downtown needs for a healthy future. Parking
structures and their identified locations are part of the 1979
Downtown Urban Renewal Plan.(Ordinance number 933) They’ve never been
built because we've never felt we had adequate funds. But now we
might, possibly.
This is the time to direct your planning department to flesh out the
plan these structures so that they can be presented as part of
Kalispell‘s requests for its portion of that coming massive Federal
Infrastructure Stimulus Bill.
We may never get another opportunity like this. If we are actually
wanting our city core to be vital and fully occupied going into the
future, now is the time to plan for it.
Actually, at this time all you have to do is turn to Jared and say,
"prepare that plan so we are ready to request the money."
Thank you for your time,
Bill Goodman