05-03-19 City Manager ReportKALISPELL
1. Public Works
City of Kalispell
OFFICE OF THE CITY
Information Memorandum
5/3/2019
MANAGER
TSS-Traffic Detection System Replacement
Traffic Signs and Signals completed the installation of the above ground traffic detection
system at the intersection of 1st Ave E and Center St.
The above ground Gridsmart traffic detection system
provides improved operation at the intersection by:
1. Superior detection for traffic control
2. Ability to detect multi lanes of traffic and turn
lanes from all intersection legs with one unit
3. Adaptability for intersection improvements. The
light will function in real-time based on vehicles at
the intersection
Additional benefits include video recording capabilities and vehicles counts at the
intersection.
Street Sweeping
During the spring season, street sweepers are out in full force sweeping our City streets.
Daily, from 4am to 4pm, three vacuum sweepers collect sediment and debris from the
street surface. Sweeping the streets not only creates an attractive community, but also
minimizes the amount of sediment and other urban pollutants from discharge into the
waterways via storm drain systems.
2. Parks and Recreation
The Forestry crews have completed the pruning of Stratford Village subdivision. They
will spend the next few weeks planting trees and grinding stumps throughout the
community.
Over a dozen people came out for the "Pick Your Park" cleanup event
held April 20, in Woodland and Lawrence Parks. After cleaning the
parks, volunteers enjoyed pizza donated by Papa Johns, Dominos, and
Pizza Hut.
Park crews have been reclaiming the landscaping around the Lions Park
restroom due to construction activity that occurred last fall when repairing the water main
that fed the bathrooms.
Thompson Memorial Field served as the home opener of Little League baseball on April
20. Crews prepped the field the week before and readied the park for the spring opener.
Grass seed is currently being spread on the Woodland Park
hillside to help reduce weeds, and provide bank stability.
After the seed has germinated, crews will spray the hillside
for weeds that may have established prior to the seeding.
Crews recently trained on the use of our new Toro Multi Pro
5800 that we received in December. This unit will be used
for turf management and aid in the control of noxious weeds within our park system.
Swim lesson registration opened at the Parks and Recreation office on April 8. To date,
staff has registered 174 participants and collected $7,655 in revenue. Revenue includes
the sale of three season swim passes. Offering swim lesson registration at the parks
office in advance of the pool opening allows customers to get a jump start on scheduling
their summer and helps coordinate their day camp days with swim lesson days.
Camp Woodland Day Camp registrations opened April 15, with customers forming a line
at 7:30 am. The first day of registrations collected over $89,000 in revenue. To date, 186
participants have registered; filling 4,281 spots and leaving 719 spots available. Revenue
collected to date is $118,824.
Spring (5 years old thru 4th grade) and Rookie (3 and 4 year olds) soccer programs start
this Wednesday and Friday evenings at the sports complex. This program runs for six
weeks. However, the schedule often has to extend due to storm related cancelations.
We will begin preseason maintenance at Woodland Water Park on April 29. We will be
replacing various valves and gauges in the pool mechanical room before turning on water
to the facility. We will drain the lap pool on May 2-3 then begin power washing all the
pools on May 4. We will be servicing the boilers on May 3. Pioneer Chemical will also
be in that week to begin installation of the new chemical feeder system.
The new Kalispell Parks and Recreation Summer Activity Guide was distributed to the
community in the Daily Interlake on April 22. This highlights our summer and fall
programs.
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3. Fire Department
Since the last update, the Kalispell Fire Department has received 132 calls for service and
has conducted 3 outreach trainings with approximately 50 individuals in attendance.
With the start of warmer weather, fire department staff have been transitioning our
equipment to respond to grass fires within our jurisdiction. We are also seeing an
increase of smoke scare and illegal burning responses from individuals doing open
burning inside areas bordering city limits. As a reminder, there is no burning allowed
within city limits per adopted fire code. Recreational fires are still allowed.
Fire department crews have also been completing spring cleaning projects around our fire
stations.
4. Police Department
On June 22 and 23, the Kalispell Police Department hosted an Armorers course allowing
firearms instructors to maintain and inspect our rifles in-house.
On April 23, several officers from the Kalispell Police Department participated in the
Law Enforcement Torch Run in support of Special Olympics Montana. Officers ran
with athletes through town from Les Schwab to Lions Park.
Officers Sutton, Brinton, and Bagnoli are participating in Under Cover/ Confidential
Informant rescue training hosted by the FCSO on April 24 and 25.
Captain Corbett and Captain Wardensky are participating in week 2 of the Montana
Executive Leadership Academy in Helena.
Sgt.'s Bartholomew, Venezio, and Haag completed the 9 session "Jump Start for
Supervisors" program at FVCC on April 23. It was a comprehensive training series
designed for new supervisors or supervisors seeking formalized training on new ideas and
techniques to apply in the workplace.
5. City Clerk/Communications
The City Clerk assisted the Police Department with publicity efforts for the Kalispell
Lions Club Police Officer of the Year Award Ceremony on April 16, and the Law
Enforcement Torch Run benefitting Special Olympics on April 24.
After several months of soliciting volunteers, the Citizen Advisory Board term
appointments are scheduled for the May 6 City Council meeting.
6. Building Department
In the last 2 weeks, we have issued permits for 5 single-family homes and 2 townhouses.
That brings the total of new single-family/duplex and townhouse units for the year to 26,
compared to 21 last year at this time. In addition, a permit for a 24 unit apartment
complex located east of the Kalispell Armory at 1950 Jefferson Way was issued.
A permit was also issued for World Gym, an athletic club located on the north side of
Silverbrook at 555 E. Swift Creek Way.
7. Planning Department
The Kalispell Planning Board will meet on Tuesday, May 14 and hear two requests.
Timothy and Naomi Stutzman are requesting to annex into the city a 2.8-acre parcel
located at the 724 Sunnyside Drive and zone the land R-4 (Residential) upon annexation.
The Board will also hear a request from the Montana Department of Natural Resources
and Conservation for a one lot subdivision to be known as Snowline. The request would
create an 8.3-acre lot located in Section 36 along Treeline Road, north of Bloomstone,
west of Kidsports and south of the new My Place hotel.
The Kalispell Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) will meet on Thursday May 9 to act
on a proposal to request the Montana State Transportation Commission to consider re -
designating West Reserve Drive From US 93 to US 2 as a State Primary Road. It is
currently designated as an Urban Primary Road. This issue will be discussed at the May
6 City Council Meeting.
8. Community Development
The monument sign for Glacier Rail Park has been installed on the southwest corner of
Flathead Drive and East Oregon Lane. The sign is lit and designed to resemble railroad
tracks on the leftside portion. As spring progresses, landscaping at the rail park will be
more visible with grass seeding on the boulevards and the south hillside.
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