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01-22-24 City Council Work Session MinutesCITY COUNCIL Kcrryo; WORK SESSION MINUTES ALISPELL January 22, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers, 201 First Avenue East The public was able to participate in person in the council chambers or via videoconferencing. Video of this meeting with time stamped minutes can be found at: https://www.kalispell.com/480/Meeting-Videos. A. CALL TO ORDER Mark Johnson called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Mayor - Mark Johnson: Present Council Member - Kari Gabriel: Present on video conference Council Member - Sandy Carlson: Present Council Member - Sam Nunnally: Present Council Chair - Chad Graham: Present Council Member - Jed Fisher: Present Council Member - Sid Daoud: Present Council Member - Jessica Dahlman: Present Council Member - Ryan Hunter: Present City staff present included City Manager Doug Russell, City Clerk Aimee Brunckhorst, Public Works Director Susie Turner, and Street Superintendent Gene Come. In attendance in the audience were youth from the all -female Scouts BSA Troop 1916 in Bigfork, and youth from Boy Scout Troop 1901 in Kalispell. B. DISCUSSION 1. Solid Waste Master Plan Review .m a Presentation 4- City Manager Doug Russell introduced this item. 00:02:37 Public Works Director Susie Turner began with an introduction of Scott Pasternak, Associate and Senior Project Manager for the Solid Waste and Resource Recovery Practice for Burns & McDonnell who was hired as a consultant to assist in creation of a Solid Waste Master Plan. 00:04:25 Scott Pasternak, with Burns & McDonnell provided a presentation beginning with a Project Overview. 00:08:40 Project Schedule for Development of the Solid Waste Master Plan 00.09:50 Current Solid Waste Management Services Analysis Mr. Pasternak reviewed Kalispell solid waste services including number of employees, collection vehicles, residential and commercial collections per week, and the different types of routes. He Page 1 of 8 Kalispell City Council Minutes, January 22, 2024 also spoke regarding the solid waste dashboard on the City of Kalispell GIS database map. A public portal is available. 00:14:36 Collection Routing Requirements Mr. Pasternak reviewed current collecting routes, required routes, and additional required routes, recommending that the City add another route. 00:17:08 Councilor Graham asked questions regarding service related to holidays. 00:18:23 Director Turner spoke regarding overcapacity related to routes that handle 300-gallon containers. 00:19:17 Councilor Hunter asked a question related to how capacity is determined. 00:20:51 Councilor Nunnally asked a question related to current routes. 00:22:24 Director Turner spoke regarding alley collection. 00:22:45 Collection Operation Considerations Mr. Pasternak further reviewed collection considerations. 00:24:13 Councilor Fisher asked about costs of containers. 00:23:52 Cost of Service Approach Mr. Pasternak explained how they conducted a financial evaluation. 00:27:27 Allocation of Costs to Cost Centers Mr. Pasternak explained further how they conducted a financial evaluation. 00:28:32 Maintenance and Operations Forecasting Mr. Pasternak explained how they forecast out ten years and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) versus the Garbage and Trash Index. 00:30:16 Mayor Johnson asked questions related to reading the Garbage and Trash Index graph provided. 00:31:19 CIP Forecasting Mr. Pasternak spoke regarding Capital Improvement Program forecasting including needs for significant upcoming capital costs and explained a recommendation to increase the depreciation fund. 00:34:19 Councilor Graham asked questions related to future replacement trucks. 00:35:20 Residential Cost Breakdown Mr. Pasternak explained that the financial analysis is on -going and will be refined. He related to the annual costs per household per year and explained a displayed pie chart. Page 2 of 8 Kalispell City Council Minutes, January 22, 2024 00:40:12 Commercial 300 & 400-Gallon Cost Breakdown Mr. Pasternak explained the annual cost per customer of different services provided to commercial customers. 00:41:35 Commercial Green Bin Cost Breakdown 00:42:02 Additional City Services Cost Breakdown Mr. Pasternak explained annual costs of solid waste services that are not directly related to individual customer classes that benefit all City residents and businesses. He spoke regarding future Council decisions related to how these costs might be recovered. 00:44:45 City Manager Doug Russell spoke regarding the possibility of a district assessment, providing comparison to a light maintenance district assessment. 00:46:43 Councilor Graham asked questions about how current customers of solid waste services pay as an assessment on their taxes. 00:48:33 Councilor Daoud and Hunter asked questions related to the categories listed on the pie graph. 00:49:24 Financial Policies Mr. Pasternak explained current city financial policy requirements and key rate design considerations. 00:51:01 Revenue Requirement (Preliminary Numbers) Mr. Pasternak explained a graph showing forecasting total net revenue over time. 00:53-:15 Councilor Dahlman asked questions about the forecast. 00:54:34 EXPANSION OF SERVICE Mr. Pasternak talked about the requirements and impacts needed if the city needed to expand services. 00:56:53 Councilor Nunnally asked for clarification about other active haulers in the area. 00:57:47 Director Turner spoke regarding the new land use planning required per state law and how that may have an impact on solid waste management. 00:58:21 ALTERNATIVE SERVICE APPROACHES Mr. Pasternak explained the current service levels related to yard trimmings and bulky item collection. 01:01:31 Alternative Yard Trimming and Bulky Item Collection Service Mr. Pasternak explained possible alternatives to these services with alley collection and spring cleanup. 01:03:02 Councilor Nunnally asked questions related to alley collection and frequency. Page 3 of 8 Kalispell City Council Minutes, January 22, 2024 01:04:21 Councilor Gabriel asked questions related to the reasoning between the differences between alley collection and street collection. 01:05:54 Councilor Dahlman provided discussion on views about change and the need to look beyond historical services. 01:08:31 Director Turner explained why current alley collection practices are in place. 01:09:12 Councilor Graham provided discussion related to alley collection and city cleanup. 01:10:33 Councilor Daoud provided discussion about the possibility of using a subscription fee and about providing equity. 01.11:25 Councilor Fisher provided discussion about his experiences related to garbage overflow in alleys. 01:12:05 Councilor Gabriel provided discussion related to equity issues and the differences in solid waste services provided in the County by other solid waste service providers. 01:14:11 Councilor Fisher spoke regarding negative aspects if extra weekly alley cleanup is discontinued. 01:15:16 Mayor Johnson asked about solid waste rates. 01.16:14 Councilor Dahlman asked about pick-up concentrations and asked Councilor Gabriel about her experiences with alternate services. 01:17:33 Councilor Fisher talked about multiple households in alleys utilizing a shared 300- gallon bin. 01:18:41 Street Superintendent Gene Come explained how they decide how many shared bins are distributed in an alley. Councilor Fisher provided discussion about possibilities for alley collection and the consequences if alley collection service is reduced. 01:21:38 Councilor Gabriel provided discussion regarding reducing alley service for large items, but not regular garbage collection. 01:23:10 Councilor Daoud asked questions about the number of gallons associated with each household. 01:23:43 Councilor Dahlman spoke regarding her experiences living off an alley. 01:24:42 Councilor Hunter asked questions about alley collection and provided discussion about differentiating regular garbage and large items. Page 4 of 8 Kalispell City Council Minutes, January 22, 2024 01:26:05 Councilor Fisher provided discussion about the blight that could ensue if alley collection is modified. 01:27:01 Councilor Graham asked about how routes would need to be modified if bins were increased. Councilor Hunter asked questions for clarification. 01:29:28 Councilor Dahlman spoke regarding her experiences living off an alley. 01:30:39 Councilor Daoud provided further discussion related to context. 01:33:08 Consider Front Load Commercial Service Mr. Pasternak talked about the possibility of transitioning customers from rear and sidearm to front load as appropriate, increasing commercial service capacity, streamlining commercial collection operations, and increasing safety. 01:35:32 Front Load Financial Impact Mr. Pasternak provided further information regarding possible alternative collection operations for specific types of commercial pick-up. 01:38:10 Mayor Johnson provided positive discussion related to the financial aspect of this possibility. 01:39:30 Councilor Gabriel spoke regarding the apartments expected to be occupied soon and provided positive discussion related to front load services. 01:40:36 Councilor Daoud asked about costs of front load trucks. 01:40:56 Councilor Nunnally asked whether roll off containers have been evaluated. 01:41:30 Councilor Hunter asked about the likelihood of additional customers if this was implemented and what the timing would be. 01.42:55 Benefits and Challenges of Front Load Commercial Service Mr. Pasternak further explained the benefits and challenges of this type of service. 01:43:12 Overview of Multiple Cart Sizes Mr. Pasternak provided information related to Pay -as -you -Throw (PAYT) unit pricing. 01:44:28 Benefits and Challenges of PAYT Mr. Pasternak explained the benefits and challenges of unit pricing specific to Kalispell, and a recommendation to keep cart sizes as they are at this time. 01:47:42 Councilor Hunter provided discussion related to the challenges in alleys for PAYT, and the benefit of PAYT as it relates to possible reduction in waste and why he would be in favor of PAYT. Page 5 of 8 Kalispell City Council Minutes, January 22, 2024 O1:49:32 Councilor Dahlman provided discussion related to the capacity of the County landfill and spoke in favor of PAYT as a way to incentivize waste reduction. She then provided discussion about the possibility of a recycling program. 01:52:56 Mayor Johnson spoke regarding the current realities of recycling. 01:53:31 Councilor Daoud provided positive discussion about the analysis being done. 01:54:06 Councilor Graham provided discussion about PAYT. Director Turner spoke further about the lack of much of a cost benefit to the city related to PAYT. 01:56:34 Councilor Hunter spoke to truck capacity as it may relate to PAYT. Director Turner spoke further about the challenges of forecasting and recycling as it relates to PAYT. 01:58:09 Recycling Program Overview Mr. Pasternak talked about components, benefits and challenges related to the possibility of a curbside recycling program. Components discussed included carts, collection, material processing, end markets, education, and outreach. 02:02:51 Recycling Program Mr. Pasternak spoke to the limited current recycling availability through the private company Valley Recycling. 02:04:04 Recycling Program Case Study Mr. Pasternak spoke to recycling programs offered by Helena and Bozeman and related costs for their customers. 02:05:47 A survey asking residents about current operations and future possibilities related to solid waste is currently live. Mayor Johnson asked questions related to the City of Helena's recycling program. 02:07:53 Councilor Nunnally asked what materials are referred to in a recycling program. 02:08:40 Councilor Graham asked why the private market has not offered these services in the area. Council spoke of the low likelihood of a private market for recycling. 02:10:42 Councilor Nunnally asked questions related to the County recycling program that was ended. Page 6 of 8 Kalispell City Council Minutes, January 22, 2024 02:11:39 CUSTOMER SURVEY Mr. Pasternak explained that the city released and is promoting a survey to residents and businesses in the City for the public to provide feedback on alternative service approaches being considered in the creation of a Solid Waste Master Plan. He spoke regarding the key topics covered in the survey. 02:14:04 NEXT STEPS Mr. Pasternak explained upcoming tasks related to the creation of the draft Solid Waste Master Plan. 02:14:59 Council Direction Mr. Pasternak provided a slide with eight policy direction questions for Council consideration. 02.15:36 City Manager Russell and Council spoke to the possibility of talking about this again at the second work session in February. 02:17:47 Councilor Nunnally and Councilor Graham spoke with praise for the Solid Waste Department and how clean the trucks are kept. C. PUBLIC COMMENT Mayor Johnson opened public comment. Seeing none, he closed public comment. Public comment received to Mayor and Council via email to publiccomment(d),,kalispell.com can be seen at https: time.ci.kalispell.mt.us/WebLink/Browse.aspx?id=128274&dbid=0&repo=Kalispell. D. CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL, AND MAYOR REPORTS City Manager Doug Russell provided the following report: • Initial budget discussions began with this meeting and will continue throughout the next few months. • A Local Government Review Resolution is required to be placed on the ballot every ten years. That resolution will be on the February 5, 2024, council meeting agenda. He spoke to the costs that would be related to a review if passed by voters and the Local Government Review process. 02:21:19 Councilor Daoud spoke with appreciation of the solid waste program. Councilor Nunnally asked for further details about the Local Government Review process. 02:23:25 Councilor Carlson confirmed that the Feb. 19 council meeting will be delayed to the 20"' for Presidents' Day, as city offices are closed on February 19. 02:24:48 Mayor Johnson provided discussion about tonight's solid waste discussion and the impacts state law has on these types of services and his plans to send invitations to state elected officials to meet with council related to local budgeting and the impacts they have on how local governments spend money. Page 7 of 8 Kalispell City Council Minutes, January 22, 2024 E. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Mark Johnson adjourned the meeting at 9:28 p.m. KACz�,�, ', • a� F� AirNee Brunckhorst, CMC City Clerk ~i SS92 Qr= Minutes approved on February 5, 2024 UPCOMING SCHEDULE Next Regular Meeting — February 5, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. — Council Chambers Next Work Session —February 12, 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: https://www.youtube.com/(&ci!yofkalispellmontana9632/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. Page 8 of 8