11-29-24 City Manager Report1
City of Kalispell
OFFICE OF THE CITY
MANAGER
Information Memorandum
11/29/2024
1. Public Works
Leaf Collection:
This year, the Public Works Street Division collected approximately 3,272 cubic yards of
leaves throughout Kalispell. This volume is equivalent to approximately 273 dump truck
loads. Leaf collection always coincides with a push to finish paving projects and is also
during the transition of Street division equipment from paving operations into snow
plowing operations. This year is no exception. In addition to leaf collection, crews also
completed pavement replacement for the Northridge Drive Storm Improvement project,
multiple asphalt patches throughout the city on a variety of active city projects, and
pothole filling operations. All required asphalt work was completed before the batch
plant closed this year. Crews are now finishing preparations for winter operations.
Wastewater Treatment Plant:
The Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) purchased eleven stainless steel slide gates to
replace failing aluminum slide gates. The replacement of the gates with heavier and more
robust stainless-steel gates required rental of a special portable crane which could
maneuver and set-up in tight corridors. Additionally, staff had to redirect electrical and
telemetry conduits, air piping supports, and make some modifications to existing concrete
slabs to accommodate the new slide gates. WWTP staff also took advantage of the crane
rental to install five 90-degree bends on the Aeration Blower Inlets which allows the
blowers to run cleaner and more efficiently.
2. Planning Department
The next Planning Commission work session will focus on the following item:
1) In the last legislative session, the Montana Legislature passed Senate Bill 382,
which created the new Montana Land Use Planning Act. Under the Act, for cities
such as Kalispell, the current growth policy, subdivision regulations, and zoning
regulations are largely replaced with a new land use planning paradigm. The
concept is that a land use plan is established with extensive public input. The plan
then becomes a guiding document for land use decisions, many of which, such as
subdivisions, become administrative rather than conducted through a public
hearing process. The opportunity for the public to be engaged comes with the
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process establishing the plan and regulations, not with review of a site-specific
project.
This work session is the second in a series the Planning Commission will hold in
the coming months. It is intended that the focus of this work session will be a
summary of facility plans, including, but not necessarily limited to, sanitary
sewer, water, transportation, storm water, and solid waste. Future work sessions
will be noticed and a formal hearing will be held before the Commission forwards
a recommendation to the City Council for its action.
3. Building Department
In the last 2 weeks we have issued permits for 2 single-family homes. This brings the
total of new single-family/duplex and townhouse units for the year to 130, compared to
98 at this time last year. There have been 128 multi-family housing units issued so far
this year.
Since January of 2023, 779 multi-family units have been issued Certificates of
Occupancy (156 of those are income restricted), and another 606 multi-family units are
actively under construction.
There were a total of 214 combined building and/or fire inspections completed in the last
2 weeks.
Residential – 33 Plumbing – 16
Commercial – 48 Mechanical – 32
Electrical – 24 Fire – 61
4. Community Development
The annual Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Community Needs
Assessment Hearing will be held on December 4. The purpose of the hearing is to obtain
the views of community residents, especially low/moderate income residents, regarding
community development needs and priorities of the City of Kalispell and Flathead
County for economic development, housing neighborhood revitalization, and public
facilities. The CDBG program is administered by the State of Montana Department of
Commerce and will make available to eligible local governments funding for housing,
economic development, public facilities, public infrastructure, and planning activities,
with the principal purpose of benefitting low/moderate income persons. The hearing
provides information about the CDBG program and allows for citizen participation in
the development of any proposed grant applications for the coming year.
The Kalispell Business Improvement District requested Technical Assistance Grant
funding for façade improvement projects, which are eligible projects per the adopted City
of Kalispell Downtown and West Side-Core TIF Policies and State Urban Renewal Law.
The Kalispell Urban Renewal Agency (URA) held a meeting on November 20, 2024, to
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consider the request. URA discussion concluded that the funding of projects was
appropriate and recommended them to the Council for approval.
The Technical Assistant Grant is eligible for the following assistance related to façade
improvement:
•Architectural Design
•Engineering
•Façade Design
•Preliminary Cost Estimates
The request totals $100,000 over 5 years ($20,000.00/year) with the following
breakdown:
•Westside-Core Area:
▪$5,000 per year for 5 years
•Downtown:
▪$15,000 per year for 5 years
Council will consider the URA recommendation at their December 2 meeting.
5.Fire Department
From November 13 to November 26, the Fire Department had 159 responses. Of these,
there were 117 medical incidents, 5 fire alarm activations, 8 motor vehicle accidents with
injuries, 4 haz-mat incidents, 8 public assists, and 17 calls with nothing found or
dispatched and canceled enroute.
•Crews have been doing walk-throughs in some of our area commercial businesses.
This is to familiarize crews of locations of utilities, hazardous material storage,
etc. It also gives businesses a look into any possible fire safety concerns.
•Recruits are in week 9 of their fire academy and have been training on search and
rescue techniques in a structure fire, building collapse, fire cause and origin, haz-
mat operations and proficiency skills testing.
•The department is working on a cab and chassis order to replace the brush unit cab
and chassis.
•The Assistant Chief and Training Captains are working on testing of new software
to provide consistent training, record keeping and reporting of training.
6.Police Department
The Kalispell Police Department is in the process of filling the new Detective positions as
well as the Crime Analyst position. These positions are funded through the 2024
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Emergency Response Levy.
The year-to-date Calls for Service for the past three years are as follows:
2024: 29,926
2023: 34,199
2022: 32,400
The year-to-date felony cases for the detective division for the past three years are as
follows:
2024: 541
2023: 573
2022: 608