12-31-15 City Manager ReportIT YOF _ City of Kalispell
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
MONTANA
Information Memorandum
12/31/2015
1. Information Services
IT staff are preparing the Utility Billing System for the change to monthly billing. Staff
continues to work with the software vendor to make changes to the utility bill format. A
new dedicated printer for the utility billing clerks was setup in preparation for the
adjustment.
The most recent batch of Microsoft Windows Updates had some undesirable effects on
the computer systems at the City. Users of Microsoft Outlook 2010 were brought into
Safe Mode after an update was installed. A fix is available from Microsoft and IT staff
have been working to apply the fix to affected computers.
The payroll system was unavailable for half the day on Monday due to a database issue.
IT staff were able to resolve the issue, and Payroll staff adjusted processes to
accommodate the unexpected system issue and completed payroll on a short week.
2. Parks Department
Park and Forestry crews are busy plowing snow and removing hazardous trees from
around town. With school out for Christmas break, it is an opportune time for Urban
Forestry to work around the elementary schools.
The heater at the warming house at Woodland Pond recently failed and short term
solutions are being looked into for its immediate repair.
The Parks crew continues to remove snow from the Woodland Pond. The broom used to
sweep the ice has been down and is in the process of being repaired. Once the broom is
up and running, the ice will be swept and flooded.
In 2015, thirty tree permits were issued through Parks and Recreation. 2015 was the first
year that permits were made available to the public for doing work on City boulevard
trees adjacent to their property;
• Eight permits were issued for doing chemical treatments to trees such as
fertilizing.
• Ten planting permits were issued all through the boulevard 50150 cost share
program.
• Eight trees were permitted for removal.
• Four permits were issued for pruning.
We recently met with youth baseball to discuss a request to adjust three fields' bases
from 50 feet to 75 feet. There is a national trend to help kids transition easier from Pee
Wee Majors to Babe Ruth. We are putting together the costs associated for this request.
Discussions will continue with Kidsports and youth baseball as well.
Camp Freeze Out 2015 is underway with games, arts and crafts, and movies along with
field trips to Pick's Bowling, the Winter Carnival at the fairgrounds, and sledding at Dry
Bridge Park.
Ice Skating Lessons begin at Woodland Ice Center January 5, 2016. There are spots still
available in this fundamental building class.
We are currently taking registrations for the following programs: Ice Skating, Little
Squirts Basketball, Little Dribblers Basketball, Little Kickers Soccer (Indoor), Spring
Soccer and Rookie Soccer. For more information about these programs, please visit our
Recreation Activities page at
http://www.kalispell.com/parks_and_recreation/activities_ and_events.php.
3. Community Development
We have received notice from the Governor's Office that we have received a grant for
$1,412,000 for infrastructure at Kidsports. Kidsports and the City of Kalispell partnered
together on the grant application to aid in their development of an additional seven multi-
use fields.
4. Public Works
WWTP Temperature Monitoring Plan
Per the requirements of the 2015 Wastewater Discharge Permit and Ashley Creek
TMDL, Montana Department of Environmental (DEQ) Quality is requiring the City of
Kalispell WWTP to conduct and submit an "Instream and Effluent Temperature
Monitoring Plan". The plan must be completed within 6 months of the permits effective
date and determine a "Mixing Zone" for future Ashley Creek temperature and flow
monitoring for TMDL purposes.
Starting in August, the WWTP conducted detailed temperature, velocity, and
conductivity monitoring in Ashley Creek at multiple points upstream and downstream of
the WWTP discharge point. Collected data has been shared with the City's consultant for
analysis and modeling to determine the "Mixing Zone" in Ashley Creek, and will be
utilized to develop the temperature monitoring program. Monitoring is required to start
in June of 2016, and it is expected that temperature and flow data will be monitored in
2
Ashley Creek for 3 to 5 years. The monitoring plan will be presented to DEQ for review
and approval in January 2016.
Capital Improvement Projects (CIP)
Four major utility CIPs are scheduled for the Engineering staff to start design, bid, and
oversee construction this year and next.
• Two water projects, including 2nd Ave E waterline upsize and 4th Ave E Main
replacement
• One storm projects, Sylvan Drive Storm water conveyed, detention repair and
water quality addition
• One sanitary sewer replacement projects at 2nd Alley WN from Montana to
California
All the projects are scheduled for survey and design this year. Other CIPs scheduled for
completion this FY that require design specification, bidding document, and staff
oversight include the Old School Station Sand Separator Replacement, West View Well
VFD Upgrade, Section 36 Well Water Production, WSI survey/design and land
acquisition for route, Sand/Cold Mix Storage Shed, Storm Drain Corrections (city wide),
and Secondary Digesters lid and line inspection/replacement.
5. Building Department
The Year -End Construction Report will be completed in the next week summarizing
building activity in 2015. As noted in the last report, on Monday, January 4, 2016, the
Building Department will be taking over the electrical permitting and inspections from
the State of Montana. Also on Monday, we will begin providing contractors the
opportunity to file on-line web based permit applications for mechanical, plumbing and
fire systems permits, as well as electrical permits. While we will not be accepting on-line
applications for standard building permits for now (new houses, commercial and
industrial buildings, etc.), we have begun taking electronic plan submissions. What this
means is applicants, instead of submitting rolls of building plans per project, can e-mail
their application, construction drawings, etc., as an attachment which staff then can
review.
6. Planning Department
The Planning Office has begun a comprehensive review of the zoning ordinance to
correct concerns that may have arisen and to refresh the ordinance so it stays current and
relevant. We try to do this on a two year cycle. We are also beginning to craft a more
specific set of zoning standards for the core area to encourage redevelopment and
implement the goals of the Core Area Plan. These proposals will be presented to the
planning board at a workshop following the January 12 board meeting.
The regular January 12 Planning Board meeting will include two requests for conditional
use permits. The first request will be for a new "Assist" Center located at 1280 Burns
Way (near the hospital). This is a 24-hour care facility for patients who no longer need to
be at the hospital but still need treatment until they are ready to go home. The second
request is for the expansion of a second single-family residence on the same lot at 233 3ra
Avenue East. Within the RA-1 Zone, two primary use structures (in this case two single-
family homes) are permitted provided a conditional use permit is obtained.
7. South Kalispell Urban Renewal Plan Update
We are scheduled to have CTA present the South Kalispell Urban Renewal Update in
front of the Urban Renewal Agency on Wednesday, January 13 at 4:00 p.m. This
meeting will be in the Council Chambers. Immediately following the URA meeting,
CTA will host an open house running from 5:00 p.m. to approximately 8:00 p.m. in the
Council Chambers. The format will be maps, presentation boards, and general question
and answer time. Wayne Freeman from CTA will have a formal presentation at 7:00 pm,
giving an entire plan overview as well.
8. Fire Department
Since the last update, the Kalispell Fire Department has received 132 calls for service and
had conducted I outreach training with 9 individuals in attendance.
This week, fire department staff is taking advantage of the holiday break recognized by
the school district and are conduction our annual fire inspections and updating our pre -
plans for all School District 5 facilities. Working with School District 5 facilities
personnel and City of Kalispell Building Department staff, all grade schools, the Middle
School and each high school are visited and inspections conducted. This entails ensuring
all egress routes are open and operating properly, fire systems are in accordance with
standards and codes, and also general housekeeping meets specifications found in the fire
and life safety codes.
Fire department staff has also finalized the ordering of the new Type I ambulance that
was approved at a recent council meeting. As addressed in the council meeting, there is a
300 day build time for the completion of this ambulance. On a side note, fire department
staff along with Central Garage personnel have completed the installation of the needed
equipment in order to in-service our newly grant -acquired power cots.
9. Police Department
Citizens Police Academy
The Kalispell Police Advisory Council and the Kalispell Police Department will be
sponsoring its third "Citizens Police Academy" starting on February 2, 2016. This will
be a nine week course finishing on April 5 (no class March 29th). Classes will be held on
Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Public Safety Building. The purpose of
the course is to expose citizens to the Kalispell Police Department, its personnel,
divisions, and operations. Class size will be limited.
Citizens interested can obtain an application by emailing Karen Durado at
fl
kduradokkalispell.com. Anyone with questions can contact Chief Roger Nasset at 758-
7780. Applications are due January 22.
Parking Regulations
Parking regulations on city streets are strictly enforced during the snow season. In an
effort to assist the City of Kalispell snow plowing crews keep our streets passable the
Kalispell Police Department is asking that people comply with the following parking
regulations:
17-76 Parking Requirements During Snow Season
The snow season is considered to be the period from November 1, through March 31.
During the snow season, parking shall not be permitted in City -owned off-street parking
areas between the hours of 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. In the central business district, the on
street parking prohibition shall be between 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. Parking in other areas
of the City of Kalispell shall be as recommended in the most current revision of the City
of Kalispell policy and procedure manual for snow and ice removal. (Ord. 1482A 11-3-
2003)
17-77 Storage of Motor Vehicles on Public Streets
It shall be unlawful for any person to store or leave upon the streets any motor vehicle for
indefinite periods of time; it is the intent hereof that no motor vehicle shall be parked or
left on such streets unless it is in constant use. Any motor vehicle not used at least once
every seventy-two (72) hours shall be deemed to be stored in violation hereof. Any
person leaving upon any street any motor vehicle not in running condition or that is not
properly registered in the State of Montana pursuant to the terms of Montana State Law
shall be deemed prima facie guilty of a violation hereof, which may be rebutted only by
showing that such motor vehicle had just broken down and such person had not yet had
time to remove it from the street or that the registration was invalid for less than thirty
(30) days. The owner of such a vehicle shall be responsible for a violation hereof as well
as the person so leaving it. (Ord. 1551, 9-19-2005)
10. Human Resources
We have been in discussions since early this fall with the State of Montana's Wage and
Hour Division regarding putting on a clinic for administration and supervisors on wage
and hour rules/regulations, which continue to become more complex.
5