E1. 03-24-25 Work Session MinutesCITY COUNCIL
KCITY OF DRAFT WORK SESSION MINUTES
ALISPELL March 24, 2025, 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:
hLtps://www.kalispell.com/48O/Meeting-Videos.
A. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Johnson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Mayor - Mark Johnson: Present
Council Member - Kari Gabriel: Present
Council Member - Sandy Carlson: Present
Council Member - Sam Nunnally: Absent
Council Chair - Chad Graham: Absent
Council Member - Jed Fisher: Present
Council Member - Sid Daoud: Present
Council Member - Jessica Dahlman: Present
Council Member - Rvan Hunter: Absent
Staff present included City Manager Doug Russell, City Attorney Johnna Preble, Deputy City Clerk
Judi Funk, Assistant Development Services Director P.J. Sorensen, and Police Captain of
Administration Ben Sutton.
B. DISCUSSION
Code Enforcement Program
City Manager Russell explained that this item begins budget discussions for the year as discussions
will relate to budget preparations. He talked about past discussions on this issue and said staff would
walk through two current related ordinances and walk through recommended changes and talk about
resources related to code enforcement.
00:01:55 Community Decay Ordinance
Manager Russell spoke to these current codes, suggested changes, and why these recommendations
are being made.
00:05:22 Junk Vehicle Ordinance
Manager Russell explained that staff looked at language from other municipalities, particularly
components of the City of Great Falls ordinance to help with enforcement of junk vehicles to capture
common complaints.
00:07:33 Manager Russell spoke regarding ordinances that were requested by Council to be brought
forward for discussion including vacant building, and dangerous structure ordinance examples.
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Kalispell City Council Minutes, March 24, 2025
00:08:05 Manager Russell spoke to previous questions that had been brought forward regarding
implementation and asking what service level deliveries the Council would like related to code
enforcement and related complaints.
00: 12:11 Council Member Carlson asked whether the City had previously asked the public to vote
on this item.
00: 12:57 Council Member Dahlman asked about frequency of complaints and then asked questions
regarding enforcement of recommended code changes.
00: 14:22 Council Member Dahlman asked further questions regarding enforcement and needs for a
code enforcement officer and how that would be incorporated into the budget.
00: 15:48 Council Member Fisher asked further details on costs of what a code enforcement officer
would cost.
00: 16:22 Council Member Fisher provided discussion related to junk vehicles and community decay.
00: 17:25 Council Member Fisher then asked further questions about mention of the possibility of a
vote, budget options and costs.
00: 18:26 Council Member Dahlman asked further questions about a vote and then provided
discussion.
00: 19:01 Council Member Daoud asked for an estimation on hours currently spent on code
enforcement issues.
00:20:36 Council Member Fisher asked how junk vehicles are currently being handled.
00:21:25 Council Member Fisher provided discussion.
00:22:31 City Manager Russell spoke regarding the importance of education.
00:23:18 Council Member Fisher asked about the County junk vehicles program.
00:23:37 Mayor Johnson provided discussion.
00:24:02 Council Member Dahlman provided discussion.
00:24:11 Council Member Daoud provided discussion.
00:28:05 Council Member Gabriel provided discussion and then asked further questions about
tracking.
00:30:45 Council Member Fisher provided discussion.
00:32:13 Council Member Daoud provided further discussion.
City Manager Russell summarized Council discussion and direction.
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Kalispell City Council Minutes, March 24, 2025
00:36:37 City Attorney Johnna Preble clarified actions that could have been taken related to the
previous Outlaw hin regarding abatement if particular codes had been in place.
00:37:17 Manager Russell spoke regarding specific exemptions within the junk vehicle ordinances
for vehicles being worked on.
Manager Russell summarized how Council would like staff to proceed.
C. PUBLIC COMMENT
Mayor Johnson opened general public comment.
00:40:09 Kyle Bolander, Public Comment
Bolander spoke in opposition to any increases in costs to the code enforcement program. He then
spoke regarding increased inflation. He spoke regarding sight triangles and fences in the right-of-
way and his views that code enforcement is a waste of money. He then talked about supporting the
upcoming High School levy. He then talked about state laws and subdivision approvals by the City.
00:49:15 Jande Ouinn, Public Comment
Quinn said she is in favor of looking at code enforcement for the community saying this is a tourism -
based policy that Council should be implementing. She spoke regarding how she believes the
community does not look great as you are coming into town. She spoke regarding the former Outlaw
Inn, and other properties and ways that could have been dealt with differently. Quinn talked about
issues with abandoned vehicles and unsafe rental properties, and provided more reasons why she
believes investing in the code enforcement program would be beneficial and help keep people safer.
Seeing no further comments, Mayor Johnson closed public comment.
Public comment received to Mayor and Council via email to publiccomment@kalispell.com can be
seen at hl�2s://time.ci.kalis]2ell.mt.us/WebLink/Browse.aspx?id=128274&dbid=O&repo=Kalispell.
D. CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL, AND MAYOR REPORTS
City Manager Russell reported on the following:
0 No meeting next week.
00:52:14 Council Member Gabriel spoke regarding conversations in the past about distracted driving
/cell phone ordinance and saw that the state is looking at something again. If nothing is passed
related to distracted driving on the statewide level she would ask Council to discuss the issue again.
00:52:49 Council Member Daoud spoke regarding a legislative bill that would affect this year's
elections that would move council elections to general election years and wondered about the bill
status.
E. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Johnson adjourned the meeting at 7:54 p.m.
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Kalispell City Council Minutes, March 24, 2025
Aimee Brunckhorst, City Clerk
Minutes approved on
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Next Regular Meeting — April 7, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. — Council Chambers
Next Work Session — April 14, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. — Council Chambers
PARTICIPATION
Watch City Council meetings live with the agenda and documents or later with time stamped
minutes at: hllps://www.kalispell.com/48O/Meeting-Videos or live or later on YouTube at:
hl�2s://www.youtube.com/2cilyofkalis]2ellmontana9632/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.
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