06-10-24 City Council Work Session MinutesCITY COUNCIL
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WORK SESSION MINUTES
KALISPELL June 10 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:
httys://www.kaUsnell.com/480/Meetinp-Videos.
A. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Johnson called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.
B. ROLL CALL
Mayor - Mark Johnson: Present
Council Member - Kari Gabriel: Present
Council Member - Sandy Carlson: Present
Council Member - Sam Nunnally. Present
Council Chair - Chad Graham: Absent
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, Deputy Public Works Director Keith Haskins, and Water
Superintendent Joe Schrader.
C. DISCUSSION
1. PFAS Per- and Polyfluoroalk 1 in Drinkin Water Response Review "° .
00:01:14 City Manager Doug Russell began the staff report providing a brief summary of
the history on this item.
00:02:23 Public Works Director Susie Turner continued the presentation beginning with an
introduction of Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) personnel Greg Olsen, the
Public Water Supply Bureau Chief and Eugene Pizzini, DEQ Monitoring and Reporting Section
Supervisor. She then introduced co -presenter Brad Koenig, RPA Project Manager, and Tim
Stefanich, with AE2S who was present via video conference.
00:04:17 Brief History
Public Works Director Susie Turner provided a brief history on this item.
00:06:24 The Rule
Public Works Director Susie Turner continued the presentation explaining the Environmental
Protection Agency rule that recently came out related to PFAS.
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00:08:22 Rule Implementation
Public Works Director Susie Turner explained how water supplies must implement PFAS
monitoring, reduction and informing the public about PFAS. She began with an explanation of
EPA's implementation schedule requirements and how the City will be following those
requirements.
00:11:17 Council Member Hunter asked questions about how past monitoring plays into the
schedule.
00:12:17 Public Works Director Turner explained that the City will need to comply with all
MCL's by 2029.
00:12:45 Council Member Dahlman asked about the difference between the testing that has
already been done and the monitoring that will be done for initial monitoring.
00:14:05 City Manager Russell explained further that all water quality consumer confidence
reports will list results each year.
Council Member Hunter provided discussion about public notification.
00: i 6: 59 Council Member Daoud asked questions related to testing.
Director Turner further explained testing and then answered questions about water distribution.
Council Member Dahlman asked questions about treatment.
00:21:13 Summary of Detection Results — Kalispell
Director Turner explained a summary of detection results to this point.
00:26:31 Action Items
Director Turner explained funding procurement including loan forgiveness and grant
applications and explained a consultant has been brought on for related expertise. She spoke
regarding project considerations related to long term removal or reduction of PFAS introduction
to the water system. She explained short term action items, project alternatives to minimize
exposure, and further evaluation plans.
00:30:42 PFAS Information Reference List
Director Turner explained where the public can get more information about PFAS from the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Montana Department of Environmental Quality
(DEQ), and the City of Kalispell.
00:33:02 Funding Update
Director Turner explained that the City has completed applications and has funding procured or
pending applications for dealing with PFAS. She further talked about what the funding can be
used for as they move forward.
00:36:08 Council Member Dahlman asked about testing costs.
00:36:19 Water Superintendent Joe Schrader answered questions related to testing costs.
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Kalispell City Council Minutes, June 10, 2024
00:37:21 Council Member Hunter asked further questions about testing methods.
00:38:19 Project Goals
Director Turner explained that project goals include complying with EPA Drinking Water
Standards for PFAS, to provide drinking water that minimizes exposure to PFAS and protects
public health, and optimizes factors such as effectiveness, completion time, construction and
operational costs.
00:39:46 Treatment Technologies
Co -presenter Brad Koenig, RPA Project Manager talked about major treatment technologies in
consideration for drinking water sources that can include removal, separation, and destruction.
He explained Ion Exchange, Granular Activated Carbon (GAC), and Reverse
Osmosis/Nanofiltration.
00:43:12 Treatment Comparison
Mr. Koenig with RPA continued with treatment comparisons talking about costs, effectiveness
(EBCT), operation and maintenance costs and the footprint. He explained pros and cons and the
comparisons in relation to the City of Kalispell.
00:45:27 Director Turner explained a full report will be created.
00:45:44 Council Member Dahlman asked about environmental footprint of these methods.
Mr. Koenig answered Dahlman's question speaking on the cons of incineration.
Council Member Hunter asked about what treatment media is made out of.
00:48:57 Council Member Hunter asked questions about reverse osmosis/nanofiltration as
compared to reverse osmosis in a home.
00:50:29 Council Member Hunter asked questions related to effectiveness.
00:51:02 Mr. Koenig answered questions related to effectiveness.
00:52:39 Council Member Hunter asked further questions about the ability to destruct PFAS
00:54:03 Action Item Per Pressure Zone Overview
Director Turner presented a map showing the upper and lower pressure zones and wells.
00:55:04 Lower Pressure Zone Overview
Mr. Koenig provided an overview of the wells in the lower zone and explained an engineering
report is underway to compare alternatives.
00:56:29 Lower Pressure Zone Alternatives
Mr. Koenig talked about new well source alternatives. He also spoke about the possibility of
treatment of the armory well, and the other factors that need to be considered.
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00:58:52 Director Turner talked about drilling test wells before investment in new water
facilities.
00:59:25 Director Turner answered questions about the Noffspringer Spring that is currently
offline.
01:00:26 Upper Pressure Zone Overview
Mr. Koenig talked about the upper pressure zone wells and explained that a preliminary
engineering report is underway that will compare alternatives for source waters in the upper
pressure zone.
01:01:58 Upper Pressure Zone Alternatives
Mr. Koenig talked about possible new well source alternatives for the upper pressure zone. He
explained the possibility of treatment of the Grandview Well Source and what would need to be
considered. He also explained other factors that will need to be considered in all alternatives.
01:05:25 Mayor Johnson asked questions about aquifer sources.
01:06:04 Council Member Hunter asked questions about the construction of the wells.
01:06:46 Short Term Solution Options
Director Turner talked about possible short-term solutions for Grandview Well 2. She explained
that summer peak month demands require all the wells in use, but when demand is not needed,
use is minimized. She explained the footprint (space) at the Grandview Wells and possible short-
term options if so directed.
01:11:09 Temporary Treatment Solution (Ion Exchange)
Mr. Koenig- explained temporary treatment cost breakdowns, concerns and options.
01:18:01 Council Member Gabriel asked questions about where the treated water goes and about
how the media is dealt with.
01:19:31 Council Member Hunter asked about the possibility of summer irrigation restrictions.
01:20:22 Director Turner answered questions about irrigation restrictions and explained other
well issues.
01:21:44 Council Member Nunnally asked about the supply of water to the Health Care area.
01:22:29 Council Member Dahlman asked questions about the short-term options. She then
asked questions about testing over time.
Mr. Koenig explained possibilities related to short-term options related to Grandview.
01:25:08 Council Member Dahlman asked questions related to the different types of treatment
and the comparisons between short-term and long-term options.
Director Turner explained that long-term options would be back before Council after further
research and consultation.
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Council Member Dahlman asked further questions about future well possibilities and risk.
Director Turner talked about well source considerations.
01:31:02 Director Turner explained where the health care area is supplied.
01:31:40 Council Member Fisher provided discussion related to the two companies that could
provide temporary treatment options. He then asked questions related to the possibility of local
solutions.
01:35:04 Staff spoke to costs and the need for further information.
01:35:46 Council Member Hunter provided discussion about short-term solutions.
01:37:30 Council Member Hunter asked further questions about options.
Director Turner answered questions related to the options.
01:38:38 Mr. Koenig spoke to questions raised.
Council Member Hunter asked questions about the DEQ limits and the analytical process.
01:40:40 Director Turner spoke to the instrumentation available under current technology.
01:41:53 Council Member Daoud provided discussion related to when treatment should be
started based on testing and reports.
01:42:46 Director Turner explained that preliminary engineering reports would be brought
before Council about the end of summer.
01:43:10 City Manager Russell explained why the rule is set up the way it is related to
monitoring.
01:44:04 Council Member Daoud asked questions about the grants.
01:44:26 Geno Pizzini with DEQ spoke to the emerging contaminant funding available and how
it can be utilized.
01:45:50 Council Member Nunnally asked about DEQ testing of private wells.
Geno Pizzini spoke to his experience with public water supplies.
01:47:07 Director Turner talked to contacting other area municipalities about sampling. She then
explained that many details will need to be worked out.
01:48:45 Council Member Hunter provided discussion related to his preferences for short-term
solutions and concerns.
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01:49:49 Mr. Koenig spoke to further research that will be accomplished.
01:50:30 Mayor Johnson provided discussion referring to information received in previous work
sessions and related to the scale of the testing requirements for parts per trillion. He spoke to all
the sources of PFAS contamination in the environment.
01:55:35 Manager Russell provided discussion about the information available.
Mayor Johnson, Council and staff provided discussion about the realities of parts per trillion.
01:57:38 Manager Russell provided a summary of the grants available, the costs that would need
to be incurred quickly and the direction that Council would prefer related to temporary short-
term treatment.
02:00:59 Staff and Council discussed general preferences and steps moving forward.
02:03:15 Council Member Nunnally asked questions about future possibilities.
02:04:10 Council Member Daoud asked questions about short-term timing.
02:05:00 Council Member Hunter asked questions about dilution and testing within homes.
02:06:08 Staff spoke to dilution and the unknowns where PFAS could be introduced through a
home or business. Further discussion occurred related to where testing can be done, how it is
done, etc.
02:10:26 City Manager Russell asked for direction from Council related to short-term solutions.
Council and staff discussed preferences and provided reasoning related to those preferences.
02:19:17 Manager Russell said staff will move forward with a short-term solution based
on Council direction.
D. PUBLIC COMMENT
Mayor Johnson opened public comment.
02:19:56 Garrett Epperson, Public Comment
Mr. Epperson of Evergreen spoke to his preference to try to identify where PFAS originates and
then hold the originator accountable. He spoke about his health conditions that he believes relate
to PFOAS in vitro and as a child. He spoke to where he believes PFAS originates in this area. He
then spoke to a Michigan State University study that plans to study rural communities with
PFAS.
02:24:02 Walter Rowntree, Public Comment
Mr. Rowntree of East Kalispell spoke to his experiences on the Hungry Horse Water Board. He
spoke to reviewing the electricity used for pumping and solutions they found to reduce electricity
use. He spoke to his views in favor of nuanced control of the water system. He then spoke to his
views related to considerations between the different test results between Grandview Well site 1
and 2.
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Kalispell City Council Minutes, June 10, 2024
02:27:38 Tracy Rickle, Public Comment
Ms. Rickle spoke to the use of a private well at her home. She asked questions related to public
notifications, how to find more information on PFAS, the age of city wells and materials used,
and timing of standards.
02:30:05 Staff answered questions posed.
Public comment received to Mayor and Council via email to publiccomment(a,kalispell.com can
be seen at
https://time.ci.kalispell.mt.us/WebLink/Browse.aspx?id=128274&dbid=0&repo --Kalis2ell.
Seeing no further public comments, Mayor Johnson closed public comment.
E. CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL, AND MAYOR REPORTS
City Manager Doug Russell provided the following report:
• Staff will move forward with PFAS mitigation and keep Council apprised of the
temporary solution.
• Next week's Council meeting will include the Tronstad/Whitetail Crossing planning
item, preliminary budget and wage resolution, and a change order related to the Four
Mile ARPA project related to a mill and overlay.
• The June 24 Council work session will include a discussion on the (Main Street) Safe
Streets for All.
• Trying to keep the July 8 Council meeting open.
• July 22"d work session will look at a possible Trails District.
02:36:40 Council Member Hunter explained he will not be present for the June 24, work session.
He shared his thoughts and preferences on the ideas presented at the open house he attended on
the Safe Streets for All project.
02:38:50
F. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Johnson adjourned the meeting at 9:38 p.m.
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�Q r Minutes approved on July 1, 2024
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UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Next Regular Meeting —June 17, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. — Council Chambers
Next Work Session — June 24, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. — Council Chambers
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Kalispell City Council Minutes, June 10, 2024
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