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04-04-25 City Manager Report1 City of Kalispell OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER Information Memorandum 4/4/2025 1. Parks and Recreation Park staff recently removed the hockey locker room walls at the Camp Center to begin preparing the facility for summer camp programs. Staff have also begun prepping turf for the season, thatching and aerating in various parks, as well as cleaning flower beds. The tennis nets have been reinstalled at both Hawthorne Park and Thompson Park courts. Along the Parkline Trail, staff have been cleaning beds, which includes removing plant material to allow for improved irrigation coverage. At KYAC, staff recently fixed a fence that was damaged by a vehicle over the winter. Staff have also turned on the water to concessions and restrooms for the user groups. Kyle Huckins was hired as the Urban Forestry Working Supervisor on March 24. Forestry staff have continued pruning in the Buffalo Stage subdivision. The 2025 pool schedule has been finalized with expanded open-swim hours. Swimming lessons have been revamped and simplified, making it much more streamlined for enrollment. The three Assistant Aquatics Coordinator jobs and all summer positions are currently posted. Spring Break Camp was held the week of March 24, at Elrod. Kids went on a field trip to Logan Health Fitness Center to swim and to Cold Stone Creamery. Spring Soccer Registration closed on March 30. There is a full roster and volunteer coaches are still being sought for 1st & 2nd and 3rd & 4th grade teams. Adult Drop-in Pickleball continues until April 23. 2. Public Works Engineering Division The engineering division is responsible for project engineering and design, project 2 management, construction management, surveying, and the development and implementation of a comprehensive GIS system. The division has many projects and on- going responsibilities. These include working construction management and coordination of public infrastructure construction done by private development and by the City, acquisition and enhancement of the City’s water rights and protection of its source waters, and design and construction of improvements to existing infrastructure and roadways. Division personnel also work with private development on commercial projects, and a host of other major and minor subdivision projects throughout Kalispell. Below are the current projects in progress. Commercial: Subdivision: • 150 Timberwolf Parkway Bright View Suites • Northlands Phase 5C • 490 Cascade Loop C2 Management • Starling PH 4A&B • 420 Cascade Loop Freddys Steak Burger • Mountain View PH 1B • Affinity Apartments • Riverside North • IL Lofts • River Side North • Immanuel Lutheran Parking Lot • Spring Creek Park PH 2A • Ashley Creek Park • Bloomstone Town Homes • Amazon Project • Stillwater Village PH 1 • 1410 Pondera St Brace Place Utility Extensions: • MSU College of Nursing • Green Acres/Morning Star • Stockman Bank • Mountain Villa Apartments Sewer Connections Current in-house projects managed by the Engineering staff include: Traffic Projects: Sewer Projects • Prioritized traffic control reviews including sight obstructions, speed limits, school zones, parking, intersection stop controls – ongoing. • Slip Lining Project • 50/50 Sidewalk Project: Ongoing sidewalk replacement projects throughout Kalispell – construction through October • Lift Station 36 Improvements Wastewater Projects: Water: • Fermenter Rehabilitation • 1 MG Elevated Water Storage Tank and Well • Biosolids Alternative Treatment and Disposal • Lower Zone Reservoirs Roof • EQ Basin New Construction • Emerging Contaminate Response Projects Stormwater/Street Projects: • Biosolids Dewatering Project • Stormwater Quality Treatment Facility – North Meridian Drainage Basis • Fermenter Rehabilitation • Two Mile Drive Drainage and Sidewalk • 10th Ave W Water Main Replacement Project • 3rd St E and Wyoming Reconstruction • Miscellaneous drainage projects promoting conveyance and improving storm infrastructure – ongoing 3 3. Planning Department The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing and take public comments on the agenda item listed below: 1. File #KA-25-02 and KCU-25-02– The Montana Department of Transportation (“MDT”) has submitted applications for annexation, initial zoning of P-1 (Public), and a Conditional Use Permit for the construction of a combination facility located at 2905 Highway 93 North. The facility would include an approximately 28,400 square foot new building combining equipment storage, mechanics, and welding shops under one roof. MDT would continue to store salt, sand and other materials for maintenance at the location. 4. Building Department In the last 3 weeks we have issued permits for 9 single-family homes. This brings the total of new single-family/duplex and townhouse units for the year to 22, compared to 36 at this time last year. There have been 32 multi-family housing units issued so far this year compared to 0 at the same time last year. There were a total of 312 combined building and/or fire inspections completed in the last 3 weeks. Residential – 55 Plumbing – 25 Commercial – 53 Mechanical – 24 Electrical – 19 Fire – 136 5. Fire Department From the period of March 12, 2025, to March 25, 2025, the Fire Department had 148 responses. Of the larger responses, 122 were medical incidents, 5 Fire alarm activations-smoke scares, 1 illegal burn, 3 Motor vehicle accident with injuries, 1 Haz- Mat incidents (natural gas leaks, fuel leaks, etc.), 6 public assists/invalid, 10 nothing found or dispatched and canceled en-route (typically a fire call to assist nearby mutual aid fire departments and canceled after they arrive, i.e., Evergreen or Smith Valley or a no injury vehicle accident, canceled by police) and various other call types. Nine Firefighter applicants were interviewed March 24 and March 25 for the department’s open FTE positions. Kalispell Fire will be attending the annual Glacier Park Intl Airport Mass Casualty tabletop drill to take place on April 11. Recruits are slated to be released on their own in April. 4 New Training Captains are performing weekly “hands on” drills with all shifts and assigning online delivery of training materials. Training Captain Joe Hansen just completed the weeklong Certified Blue Card Command Instructor course. Captain Hansen will now be able to instruct command training to all officers. The captain exam will be in May 2025. 8-9 members will be taking the exam and are actively preparing for this 3-part exam process.