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07-31-26 City Manager Report1 City of Kalispell OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER Information Memorandum 7/31/2026 Parks & Recreation Parks and DJKYAC staff continue to focus on improvements in irrigation system and turf maintenance throughout the park system. Irrigation valve and sprinkler head replacements have been completed at Lawrence Park, the Parkline Trail, and the Kalispell Lakers baseball field to improve system performance and support healthy turf conditions. To maintain high-quality playing surfaces during the peak summer season, staff are performing proactive turf maintenance at Depot Park and the Kalispell Lakers baseball field, including aeration and fertilizer applications. A second round of aeration will be completed on all athletic fields at the complex, followed by fertilizer applications to promote continued turf health. Areas experiencing dry conditions are also being addressed through targeted irrigation head replacements to improve water distribution and coverage. Forestry staff continue pruning mature boulevard trees along the 400 block of 6th Avenue West while completing tree-related work orders throughout the community. Crews are also applying mulch around trees to improve soil moisture retention and routinely watering trees planted within the past five years to reduce heat stress during the current hot and dry weather conditions. Adult Tennis continues each Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. on the south courts at Flathead Valley Community College. The program provides adults of all skill levels with an opportunity to remain active, build community connections, and enjoy recreational play throughout the summer. Picnic in the Park continues to experience exceptional attendance and strong community engagement. Noon concerts have attracted nearly 300 attendees per event, while evening performances have welcomed between 335 and 530 attendees. 2 Beyond live entertainment, Picnic in the Park serves as a vibrant community gathering space that brings residents of all ages together through recreation, arts, and culture. Free art activities, lawn games, and family-friendly programming have encouraged creativity, active play, and social interaction, while partnerships with local organizations have expanded access to valuable community resources and services. The series continues to support local musicians and artists, activate Depot Park throughout the day, encourage residents and visitors to spend time downtown, and create meaningful opportunities for community connection. By providing free, high-quality programming, Picnic in the Park enhances community well-being, fosters a sense of belonging, and contributes to the overall quality of life in Kalispell. Camp Woodland began Week 7 on July 27 with the theme of “History Week”. Campers are exploring downtown Kalispell through visits to the Glacier Art Museum, Northwest Montana History Museum, Flathead County Library, and Picnic in the Park. During the warm summer days, campers have also enjoyed cooling off each week at Woodland Water Park. Upcoming weekly themes include Water Week, Carnival Week, and Hero Week. Throughout the summer, Camp Woodland has provided enriching recreational, educational, and social experiences for 50–85 campers each day. The program offers children a safe, active environment where they build friendships, develop confidence and independence, explore their community, and create lasting summer memories while giving working families access to reliable, high - quality childcare and enrichment opportunities. Creating with Nature Camp was held at Depot Park July 20 through the 24. Campers explored creativity through hands-on art projects inspired by the natural materials they discovered throughout the park, fostering both artistic expression and an appreciation for the outdoors. The Glacier Art Museum's final two specialty camps - Flights of Fancy and Feathered Friends - will be held August 4 through the 7. Through valued partnerships with organizations like the Glacier Art Museum and talented independent instructors, Kalispell Parks and Recreation can offer a diverse selection of specialty camps that expand learning opportunities, introduce children to new interests and skills, and provide families with enriching summer experiences beyond traditional recreation programming. The UK International Soccer Camp welcomed 19 participants to DJKYAC July 20–24. The camp is led by coaches from several European countries who participate as part of their 3 university coaching degree curriculum, providing participants with unique international coaching experience. 3v3 Basketball concludes on July 28 with a single elimination tournament. The second session of Youth Tennis Lessons finishes on July 30. The final session of Skateboard Camp begins the week of August 3. Additionally, Intro to Kayaking, led by the staff at Montana Kayak Academy, runs August 17 through the 19. Registration for Runnin' Rascals Flag Football closes on August 7, with games beginning Saturday, August 22. The fourth and final session of swim lessons began July 28 with 194 participants enrolled. This session concludes the 2026 swim lesson season at Woodland Water Park. More than 800 children participated in swim lessons this summer, totaling more than 6,400 individual lesson attendances, reflecting continued strong community demand for aquatic instruction and water safety education. Public Works Phase 1 Lead Service Line Replacement Project: The contractor is almost finished with the initial verification of service-line materials and has begun replacing the identified lead service lines and galvanized service lines requiring replacement. To date, of the 30 locations initially identified for potential replacement under Phase 1, field verification determined that only 11 service lines require replacement. 4 Emerging Contaminants Project: Drilling of the new source wells at the Noffsinger Water Facility is currently underway. To date, construction of two wells has been completed. The third well is drilled to depth with the screen installed on 7/28/26. Development of the well will now begin. Installation of the fourth well will begin after completion of the third well. Once all four wells are completed, step tests and 72-hour pump tests to support water-right applications will begin. 5 Planning The Planning Commission held a public hearing on July 14 for the Birchwood Planned Unit Development. Birchwood is a residential development consisting of approximately ninety-five (95) residential units including townhomes, cottages, and detached single-family residences on approximately 21 acres located west of Northland Drive, south of Four Mile Drive, east of the U.S. Highway 93 Alternate (Kalispell Bypass), and north of Northridge Drive. The Commission forward a positive recommendation to the City Council supporting the request. Under new Montana Land Use Act procedures, the subdivision plat is a separate review. The Council will consider the annexation, zoning, and planned unit development requests at its August 3rd meeting. The Housing Study Advisory Committee held its first meeting on July 23rd. The scope of the committee is to assist in creating a Request for Proposals for a housing study, aid in the selection of a consultant, and forward the study to the City Council. The committee’s next scheduled meeting is August 6th. Building In the last 2 weeks we have issued permits for 3 single-family homes and 2 town homes. That will keep the total of new single-family/duplex and townhouse units for the year at 138 compared to 69 last year at this time. There have been 282 multi-family housing units issued so far this year compared to 35 last year at this time. There were a total of 419 combined building and/or fire inspections completed in the last 2 weeks. Residential – 135 Plumbing – 40 Commercial – 54 Mechanical – 57 Electrical – 41 Fire – 92 Community Development The Urban Renewal Agency (“URA”) currently has five members. Recent changes in state statutes require including members from the county and school district. At the August 3rd City Council meeting, the Council will consider expanding the size of the committee to accommodate that change. At its August meeting, the URA will be considering proposals relating to the city Central Garage and the Fairgrounds, as well as a proposal from the Business Improvement District relating to benches, trash cans, and planters. 6 Communications Future Kalispell Fire Station 63 The Fire Department and project team recently held an open house for t he future Fire Station 63, currently being designed for the west side of Kalispell. The event gave community members an opportunity to share feedback, view conceptual designs, ask questions, and meet the project team. Public input is currently being integrated into the ongoing design — influencing the site layout, access, and safety along Farm to Market Road, and how the station looks and feels in the neighborhood. A dedicated webpage at Kalispell.com/FireStation63 and "Notify Me" portal at Kalispell.com/NotifyMe have been launched for the project, alongside an initial news flash and social media updates. Social Media Highlights The following post received 17 shares and 14,800 views as a reel between Facebook and Instagram with 3,100 views and 55 interactions as a page post on Facebook. The story was also posted to LinkedIn and sent to newsflash subscribers through the City of Kalispell website. Kalispell Firefighters recognized for their Actions in a River Rescue On June 4, 2026, Kalispell Fire Department, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and Flathead Search and Rescue responded to a water rescue incident along the fast- moving, Stillwater River. A Flathead County Sheriff was able to locate the victim using a drone. With the victim exhausted and unable to grab throw ropes, and water rescue specialists still in transit, Firefighters Lanz and Albrecht made a split-second decision. Entering the freezing water secured by a safety rope, Firefighter Lanz reached the victim and with Firefighter Albrecht belaying them both, brought him safely back to shore. Thanks to their quick thinking, the victim was safely transported for treatment. 7 Firefighters Lanz and Albrecht will be presented with the Life Saver Award at the August 3, 2026, City Council meeting. The following post had 12,200 views, and 16 interactions, and 1,400 views as a reel on Facebook and Instagram. The City Fresh Lines Summer Tour is officially underway! Our crews are playing a moving venue this summer, hitting different streets to refresh road lines whenever the weather behaves and their schedules clear. If you spot the paint trucks, please give them plenty of space, watch for wet paint, and bring a little extra patience. Think of it as a slow-moving parade where the only giveaway is a perfectly straight line! We know you don't want a yellow souvenir on your vehicle, so please don't drive over the fresh paint! Forms and Document Simplification The City has acquired DocuSign to simplify document management and streamline form submissions requiring signatures. Departments will adopt the platform as their needs and schedules allow. The City Clerk’s office will transition to DocuSign for online special event permits, procurement requests, and records retention forms.