12-13-24 City Manager Report and Arrest Report1
City of Kalispell
OFFICE OF THE CITY
MANAGER
Information Memorandum
12/13/2024
1. Parks and Recreation
A tree removal project addressing 51 hazardous and dying trees throughout Kalispell’s
parks and boulevards has been completed. Stumps have been ground and grass seed
planted to restore the affected areas.
Forestry staff have completed pruning trees in Northridge Park and now are collaborating
with Public Works staff in the Silverbrook Subdivision. Work that is being completed
consists of pruning trees for structural improvement and clearance pruning in the streets
and sidewalks. Park staff are working thinning the overgrown vegetation at Heritage
Park.
At Woodland Park, staff have raised tree branches to allow for easier mowing and have
been thinning overgrown areas to improve accessibility and aesthetics. Staff have
converted equipment from leaf pickup to snow removal in preparation for winter
plowing.
In partnership with the Downtown Business Improvement
District, Parks staff have decorated the 50-foot spruce tree at
Depot Park. Staff have also placed large decorative wreaths
with lights on City buildings to celebrate the holiday season.
Work on the new roof at City Hall is progressing, with
completion expected by mid-December. A hot water tank was
replaced at City Hall due to numerous issues found while trying
to repair it.
Freeze-Out Camp has space available for families that may need
care over the School District 5’s holiday break. The camp will
be held on December 23, 26, 27, 30, and 31. Field trips include visiting the library,
Grizzly Lanes bowling alley, ice skating at Woodland Park, and a New Year’s Eve
(daytime) celebration.
Learn to Skate Session 1 started December 3, at Woodland Ice Rink. 19 skaters are
registered for the first session with more registrations expected for the next four sessions.
There are five high school hockey players who are leading this program doing a fantastic
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job getting young children comfortable on the ice.
Kalispell Kickers indoor soccer registration closes December 29. Staff will be promoting
via social media and sending emails to families that have participated in the outdoor
soccer programs over the past year to increase participation.
The Little Dribblers program concluded on Saturday, November
23. Despite the poor weather conditions, there was a great turnout
for final skills, drills, and games. There were 10 seasonal staff,
along with several volunteer coaches that made this program
happen for us this session.
KPR is partnering with the Flathead Valley High School
Cheerleading squad to offer a one-day workshop on February 1.
Kids will spend a morning learning how to cheer and shout, followed by a performance at
a varsity basketball game at 3pm. This is a fundraiser for the high school cheer team.
In conjunction with the Kalispell Business Improvement District’s Holiday Stroll, KPR
hosted a Holiday Pop-Up Makers Market on December 6 from 5pm – 8pm and on
December 7 from 10am to 5pm. The event showcased the new community space with
thirteen local vendors and food trucks on site.
KPR has contracted with the North Pole to send letters directly to Santa Claus. Kids can
stop by the Depot Building to write or drop off their letters to the man with the beard
until December 20.
2. Public Works
On-street Parking Analysis - 5th Ave W – 11th St W to Sunnyside Dr:
An on-street parking analysis for the 5th Ave W – 11th St W to Sunnyside Dr corridor
was conducted in response to concerns from area residents and City crews about how the
current parking situation hinders winter maintenance and fire response operations. The
complete analysis is available on the city website, on the Public Works Department front
page under 5th-Ave-W---11th-St-W-to-Sunnyside-Dr-On-Street-Parking-Analysis-.
Currently, the 5th Ave W from 11th St to Sunnyside Drive corridor is classified as a local
street, but the Move 2040 Transportation Plan recommends transitioning it to a collector
street. Due to the narrow right of
way, which limits upgrades to a
standard collector, the analysis
recommends designating no
parking on the east side of 5th
Ave W. According to the
adopted standards and resolution
#5916, Public Works staff will
mail notices to adjacent property
owners, providing information
on the recommendation and the 30-day notice period.
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Implementation of the Samsara GPS System
The Public Works Department is pleased to report
the successful implementation of a replacement GPS
system developed by Samsara. The new system
improves the efficiency, safety, and responsiveness
of our operations. The Samsara GPS system offers
comprehensive fleet management capabilities,
including real-time vehicle tracking, route
optimization, and data analytics. This system
provides our department with greater visibility into
daily operations, enabling us to make data-driven
decisions that enhance service delivery to our
residents.
Key Features and Benefits:
1. Real-Time Tracking: The system allows us to
monitor the location of our vehicles in real
time, ensuring more efficient route planning
and quicker response times.
2. Data Analytics: The detailed reporting tools enable us to analyze vehicle
performance, fuel usage, and route patterns, leading to cost savings and reduced
environmental impact.
3. Improved Communication: Integrated communication tools facilitate seamless
coordination between drivers and front office staff.
4. The "Panic Button" Feature: One of the most transformative aspects of the
Samsara system has been the "panic button" feature. This tool empowers our
drivers to alert the front office staff immediately in situations, for example where
garbage containers are not set out at the curb during scheduled routes. The alert
triggers a real-time notification, allowing front office staff to take proactive
measures such as documenting the issue and retime response to correct an issue.
Street Department – Basketball Hoops
The presence of basketball hoops on the streets presents
a notable challenge during winter weather events by
impeding the efficiency of snow removal. Our crews
annually educate the community on this issue by
distributing informational handouts to the relevant
locations. Every winter, the Public Works Department
encourages the community to actively participate in
ensuring clear and accessible roadways.
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3. Planning Department
The Planning Commission held a work session on planning needed for implementation of
the Montana Land Use Planning Act (SB 382). This work session was the second in a
series the Planning Commission will hold in the coming months. The focus of the work
session was a summary of the City 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.
4. Building Department
In the last 2 weeks we have issued permits for 3 single-family homes. This brings the
total of new single-family/duplex and townhouse units for the year to 133, compared to
102 at this time last year. There have been 128 multi-family housing units issued so far
this year.
There were a total of 158 combined building and/or fire inspections completed in the last
2 weeks.
Residential – 40 Plumbing – 18
Commercial – 10 Mechanical – 15
Electrical – 16 Fire – 59
5. Community Development
Staff have begun working with KLJ Engineering, in cooperation with the Montana
Department of Transportation on a RAISE Grant application for the south half of the
bypass for FY2025. An application for the south half of the bypass was submitted in FY
2024 and was not awarded. The application deadline is January 30, 2025.
6. Fire Department
From November 27 to December 10, the Fire Department had 148 responses. Of these,
there were 98 medical incidents, 11 fire alarm activations, 1 structure fire, 3 motor
vehicle accidents with injuries, 4 haz-mat incidents, 11 public assists, and 20 nothing
found or dispatched and canceled enroute.
Crews have been utilizing new software to enter building information when doing walk-
throughs of our area commercial businesses. This familiarizes crews of locations of
utilities, chemical storage, etc. More importantly, the information is now readily available
while responding to the scene to be able to see the locations of utilities, entrances, etc.
Recruits are in week 12 of their fire academy. All members successfully passed their FFI
skills testing with Montana State Fire Services Training School Evaluators.
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Flathead Valley Community College Paramedic Students have been riding with
ambulance crews for their field time requirements.
Crews attended their quarterly resiliency training for mental health wellness.
7. Police Department
Attached, please find the latest case report from the Kalispell Police Department.
The year-to-date Calls for Service for the past three years are as follows:
2024: 31,385
2023: 35,480
2022: 33,620
The year-to-date felony cases for the detective division for the past three years are as
follows:
2024: 562
2023: 594
2022: 629
Offenses
Reported Arrests Offenses
Reported Arrests Offenses
Reported Arrests Offenses
Reported Arrests Offenses
Reported Arrests Offenses
Reported Arrests Offenses
Reported Arrests Offenses
Reported Arrests Offenses
Reported Arrests Offenses
Reported Arrests Offenses
Reported Arrests Offenses
Reported Arrests Offenses
Reported Arrests
Crimes Against Persons
Homicide/Justifiable Homicide 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
SIWOC/Sexual Assault 1 1 4 0 6 0 4 0 3 1 3 1 4 0 4 0 4 4 7 0 2 0 42 7
Robbery 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2
Aggravated Assault 4 4 1 2 7 7 5 1 4 1 4 2 7 3 7 1 5 5 6 4 10 5 60 35
Assault on a Peace Officer 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 2
Simple Assault 3 1 6 5 13 6 9 4 4 1 8 5 12 6 8 3 11 11 12 12 6 3 92 57
PFMA 11 7 7 5 13 11 8 7 9 7 13 7 11 4 8 6 10 10 14 8 6 5 110 77
Resisting Arrest 2 2 0 0 4 3 1 1 3 3 4 4 3 3 4 4 5 5 3 3 2 2 31 30
Crimes Against Property
Burglary 2 0 0 0 4 1 3 0 4 1 5 2 11 3 6 4 5 5 0 0 1 0 41 16
Theft 33 15 51 23 47 26 60 24 56 36 71 43 60 26 60 29 57 57 47 26 37 18 579 323
Vehicle Theft/Unauth Use 3 1 5 0 4 0 3 0 2 0 4 0 6 2 3 1 5 5 3 1 7 3 45 13
Arson 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1
Forgery/Counterfeit 1 1 2 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 1 0 0 1 2 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 14 9
Fraud 1 0 5 0 5 0 2 1 2 0 2 1 2 0 4 1 5 5 2 0 1 0 31 8
Theft of Identity 0 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 8 0
Embezzlement 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Stolen Property offenses 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 2
Criminal Mischief 2 2 5 3 8 2 13 4 9 1 10 1 8 3 14 3 15 15 10 3 11 3 105 40
Crimes Against Society
Weapon Law Violations 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0
Prostitution Offenses 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Child Pornography 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 0 0 7 1
Drug Offenses 19 15 21 15 22 10 13 6 22 13 15 11 8 4 11 5 10 10 4 2 12 5 157 96
Family Offenses (non-violent)0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 6 0
DUI 6 5 9 8 8 6 14 14 11 11 12 10 8 8 6 6 8 8 9 8 7 7 98 91
Possession of Alcohol 3 5 2 2 3 3 2 4 5 3 3 3 3 12 8 8 8 8 8 5 6 6 51 59
Provide Alcohol to Minor 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other Alcohol Offenses 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4
Kidnapping/Custodial Int.1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 5 4
Disorderly Conduct 4 4 5 6 3 3 5 6 3 2 7 8 8 7 5 5 7 7 11 10 6 8 64 66
Criminal Trespass 20 14 28 23 23 18 19 12 21 15 31 18 23 9 17 14 17 17 14 12 16 14 229 166
Violation of Protective Order 2 1 4 3 1 1 1 0 1 1 5 4 4 3 5 1 6 6 3 1 4 1 36 22
Obstructing a peace officer 6 5 4 4 5 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 2 2 6 5 8 8 4 5 6 6 52 51
Juvenile Offenses (except MIP)2 0 3 0 6 3 7 2 1 0 3 2 4 1 4 3 3 3 8 2 3 0 44 16
Other Offenses 15 10 20 19 24 18 17 17 35 33 16 14 13 11 18 17 35 35 17 13 20 19 230 206
Total 144 93 186 120 217 127 199 110 205 137 222 141 202 108 204 119 227 228 189 116 167 105 0 0 2162 1404
Traffic
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Stops Cites
254 172 432 217 413 218 383 247 282 194 260 177 325 186 508 222 551 264 536 298 616 301 4560 2496
Total Calls for Service
Kalispell Police Department Case and Arrest Reports - 2024
January February March April May June July August September October November December Totals
2272 2569 2794 2822 2653 2705 3050329073295299828622626