E1. 01-08-24 Work Session Minutes CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF DRAFT WORK SESSION MINUTES
KALISPELL January 8, 2024, at 7:00 p.m.
City Hall Council Chambers, 201 First Avenue East
Video of this meeting with time stamped minutes can be found at:
https://www.kalispell.com/480/Meetin2-Videos.
A. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Mark Johnson called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.
Mayor-Mark Johnson: Present
Council Member- Kari Gabriel: Present
Council Member- Sandy Carlson: Present
Council Member- Sam Nunnally: Present
Council Chair - Chad Graham: Present
Council Member- Jed Fisher: Absent
Council Member- Sid Daoud: Present
Council Member- Jessica Dahlman: Present
Council Member- Ryan Hunter: Present
City staff present included City Manager Doug Russell, City Attorney Johnna Preble, City Clerk
Aimee Brunckhorst, Public Works Director Susie Turner, and Fire Chief Dan Pearce.
B. DISCUSSION
1. State-Local Infrastructure Partnership Act of 2023 (HB355)Projects a
City Manager Doug Russell began the staff report explaining the process for accessing these
funds and the possible projects that the money could fund.
00:08:34 Public Works Director Susie Turner continued the presentation speaking regarding
Lead Rule Improvements from the Environmental Protection Agency related to removing lead
service lines from the public water supply. The city is currently completing an inventory with an
EPA deadline in October. She spoke regarding how the inventory is being completed.
00:18:22 The next phase of the inventory will be to excavate the unknown lines.
00:19:18 Councilor Graham asked questions related to the excavation of unknown lines.
00:20:53 Councilor Nunnally asked questions related to private property.
00:21:49 Councilor Daoud asked further questions about the lead improvement rule related to
private property.
00:23:37 Councilor Dahlman asked questions about detection methods.
00:26:24 Councilor Hunter asked further questions about detection methods.
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Kalispell City Council Minutes, January 8, 2024
00:28:16 Councilor Nunnally asked for clarification about where the detection would end.
00:29:26 Director Turner provided a project timeline and funding needs.
Director Turner answered questions related to consequences.
00:32:17 City Manager Russell spoke regarding the possibility of future funding that may come
up for line replacement.
00:33:18 Director Turner summed up her presentation.
00:34:19 Mayor Johnson asked questions about funding.
00:35:00 Councilor Graham asked questions about costs.
00:36:01 Councilor Hunter asked questions about curb stop locations.
00:36:42 City Manager Russell spoke further about the possibility of use of these funds for this
proj ect.
00:37:30 Councilor Hunter spoke regarding the possibility of sidewalk repairs as a potential use
of SLIPA funds.
00:39:50 Councilor Gabriel asked about the responsibilities related to post excavation clean up.
2. Emergency Responder Levy Public Education Materials a
Presentation W a
City Manager Doug Russell provided the staff report on this item reporting on a staff committee
that was formed to work on educational materials about the emergency responder mill levy ballot
that will be sent to registered voters in Kalispell city limits. He then ran through a PowerPoint
presentation about the emergency responder levy.
Slide 2 Manager Russell spoke regarding historical components and the basis of the levy.
Slide 3 Law Enforcement—Increase in Workload
Manager Russell explained the increases in law enforcement workload between 2018-2022.
00:51:30 Law Enforcement—Response Times for High Priority Calls
Manager Russell explained that Kalispell response times are at 9.1 minutes with the National
benchmark at 5 minutes.
00:52:29 Law Enforcement—Levy Outcomes
Manager Russell explained that if the voters passed the levy, it would provide for 2 additional
detectives and a crime analyst to address rising case load and criminal data trends, and 1-2
additional officers on the street per shift to reduce response times and increase proactive policing
efforts.
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00:54:21 Fire +Ambulance—Increase in Workload
Manager Russell explained that between 2018 and 2022, emergency ambulance calls are up
19%, emergency fire response call up 32%,with total department calls up 23%.
00:55:28 Fire +Ambulance—Limitation on Resources
Current staffing provides for 3 available responding units at any given time. 24% of the time all
units are already occupied with another emergency call.
00:57:11 Fire +Ambulance—Response Times
Manager Russell explained that the Kalispell average response time is 9.7 minutes with the
national benchmark response time at 4 minutes.
00:58:50 Fire +Ambulance—Levy Outcomes
Manager Russell explained the levy would fund an additional ambulance, fire engine, and fire
station and related staff.
The nature of the call determines how we deploy.
01:00:58 City Manager Russell spoke regarding the questions we have already received.
01:01:16 Why is the current growth in taxes not covering these needs?
Manager Russell explained that the property tax revenue is not an average increase as we are
limited by State Law to only increasing taxes on existing properties by �/z the rate of inflation
(CPI). The revenue includes this limited increase plus the value of new growth in the City of
Kalispell. With what we are allowed to levy,we have barely been able to keep up with the
inflation index.
01:03:46 Where do Current Taxes Go?
Manager Russell explained that Police+Fire/Ambulance currently make up 74% of the general
fund budget.
01:05:42 Summarizing the Levy+What it Provides
Manager Russell explained that the levy would cost$82.22 in annual taxes per $100,000 of
assessed valuation and what it allows. He then summarized what the levy if passed would
provide.
City Manager Russell spoke regarding the educational efforts the city has been producing and
will be providing to the public.
01:09:00 Councilor Daoud asked about the average home valuation from the County.
01:10:03 Councilor Carlson asked about future presentations that will be provided to the public.
01:11:14 Councilor Hunter spoke regarding the educational effort that is being done in-house
and is thankful that it can be done in-house.
01:12:37 Manager Russell showed a 60-second video that was produced by Sky Vault Media to
educate about the levy.
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01:15:32 City Manager Russell spoke further about the educational efforts being done by the
city. The next event will be a Kalispell Chamber UNWIND held at City Hall, Tuesday, January
9, 2024, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
01:17:33 Councilor Dahlman spoke regarding the levy education QR code.
01:18:19 Mayor Johnson spoke to the rate of inflation and the state tax rules.
01:19:12 Mayor Johnson pulled up a website related to today's US inflation rate and showed
inflation over the last year. He spoke regarding the issues with it.
Councilor Daoud provided discussion on inflation and deflation.
01:22:09 City Manager Russell spoke regarding other Montana municipalities that have gone out
for levies recently or have levy ballots planned.
C. PUBLIC COMMENT
Mayor Johnson opened public comment.
01:24:09 A Boy Scout came to the City Council meeting and introduced himself.
Mayor Johnson welcomed the young man and voiced his appreciation for his attendance
at the meeting.
Public comment received to Mayor and Council via email to publiccomment(2kalispell.com can
be seen at
https://time.ci.kalispell.mt.us/WebLink/Browse.aspx?id=128274&dbid=0&repo=Kalispell.
Seeing no further public comment, Mayor Johnson closed public comment.
A CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL,AND MAYOR REPORTS
City Manager Doug Russell reported the following:
• The City will be meeting with the County this week regarding Regional Opioid
Districting that needs set up to utilize further settlement funds.
• Interim Committee's at the State are currently meeting.
• Next week's regular meeting will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 16, as Monday city offices
are closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
01:26:25 Councilor Graham spoke regarding Council efforts helping to stabilize housing prices
and increasing housing inventories and discussion about how he feels that has happened.
01:31:55 Councilor Hunter responded to discussion provided by Councilor Graham about his
votes related to housing, zoning, etc.
01:36:04 Councilor Daoud clarified a few of his votes.
01:36:34 Mayor Johnson provided discussion about the comments provided by Council.
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Kalispell City Council Minutes, January 8, 2024
Councilor Carlson spoke regarding the national blood shortage.
01:37:23 Mayor Johnson spoke regarding past forums that Council has hosted with people
seeking office at the State level. He would like to put together a small committee from the
Council to establish a list of questions about city issues to send out to state candidates running
for office.
01:41:03 City Manager Russell spoke regarding boundaries related to state ethics laws.
E. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Johnson adjourned the meeting at 8:40 p.m.
Aimee Brunckhorst, CMC
City Clerk
Minutes approved on, 2024
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
City Offices Closed—January 15, 2024—Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Next Regular Meeting—TUESDAY, January 16, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. — Council Chambers
Next Work Session—January 22, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. —Council Chambers
PARTICIPATION
Watch City Council sessions live with the agenda and supporting documents or later with
documents and time stamped minutes at: https://www.kalispell.com/480/Meeting-Videos.
Watch City Council sessions live or later on Charter Cable Ch. 190 or via the City YouTube
page at: hlt2s://www.youtube.com/kcilyofkalispellmontana9632/streams.
ofkalispellmontana9632/streams.
The City does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its programs, services, activities, and
employment practices. Auxiliary aids are available. For questions about disability
accommodation please contact the City Clerk at 406-758-7756.
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