12-16-16 City Manager ReportfTYOF . -it001VTA1*VA
Y p City of Kalispell
- _ OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
Information Memorandum
12/16/2016
1. Parks and Recreation
The restrooms at the hockey rink/camp center at Woodland Park have not been able to
keep up with the cold weather. On December 10, a pipe burst flooding the restrooms. In
addition, a line that feeds the fountain at the south end of the Woodland Park pond
ruptured on December 11. This end of the pond is kept open for ducks throughout the
winter. The Parks crew is working to complete repairs.
Traditionally forestry work is completed during the winter months in Kalispell. The
recent cold snap has made it difficult to put people and equipment in the field, delaying
the start of this seasons Urban Forestry work.
Park staff have met with a member of adult soccer interested in further developing adult
soccer in Kalispell. Northridge Park is being reviewed as a possible location. Soil, turf,
and irrigation would need to be upgraded to accommodate soccer fields. The majority of
Northridge Park irrigation system is a quick coupler system requiring sprinkler heads to
be manually placed in order to irrigate. Adult soccer has expressed interest in fundraising
to make these improvements happen.
KPR participated in the annual Kalispell Art Walk & Holiday Stroll on December 2.
This event is put on by the Kalispell Downtown Association and it was our third year
participating. We had 168 people visit the KPR office from 5pm-9pm to look at art
projects from both our Afterschool program and Flathead High School's woodshop.
We also had free cookie decorating for the kids, raffle prizes, refreshments, and holiday
photos. Special thanks to Rosauers for donating the cookies, frosting, and sprinkles for
the event!
We hired three new instructors for our recreational ice skating lesson R
program at the Woodland Ice Center and our first session began on
December 6. Our second session will begin after the holidays on ° 3
January 3.
We held our Santa's Calling event on Thursday, December 8. With
our three volunteers and two staff, "Santa" was able to reach out to 128 children in the
local community. We received several calls from parents the day after the event thanking
us for providing this service.
We will be offering our Freeze Out Camp on December 23, and 26-30, to provide
activities and care for elementary school children since Kalispell Schools will be closed
those days. We are planning holiday themed games, arts and crafts, and other activities.
We will also be taking the kids on several field trips to locations such as the Pick's
Bowling Center, the Kalispell Fire Department, and roller skating.
2. Police Department
The Kalispell Police Department is excited to welcome Bob Macek to our "Volunteers in
Policing" (VIP) program. Bob began volunteering on September 8. Bob previously lived
in Riverside, CA, and has retired to the Flathead Valley. Bob was a volunteer for the
Riverside, CA, police department for 23 years. He was a lead trainer in that program and
was instrumental in developing their volunteer program. Bob has experience with
information exchanges on traffic accidents, parking enforcement, directing traffic, crime
scene processing, and fingerprinting as well as numerous other tasks. We are very
excited to have Bob as a Kalispell VIP and we look forward to expanding our volunteer
program. In addition to Bob, the Kalispell Police Department has four other very
valuable volunteers; Chaplain Drew Buckner, VIP's Pat King, J.C. Clise and Melinda
Jobe.
Officers Jordan Venezio and Karen Webster recently attended a week long class on cell
phone technology. The class was an in-depth instruction focusing on the use of cell
phone information, analysis, search warrants and subpoenas for criminal investigations.
Attached is the latest monthly case and arrest report.
3. City Clerk/Communications
A recent ride along with an employee in the Streets Department emphasized the
importance of communicating with the public about ways the public can help the city
accomplish important tasks such as snow removal. The post reached over 17,000 people
and had almost 300 shares. The post was also picked up by local television and radio
stations.
4. Public Works
TSS Decorative Licht Rehabilitation
Traffic Signs & Signals (TSS) is continuing to work
on the rehabilitation of the 5 globe decorative lights
in the downtown. The rehab consists of:
• Pole -repair rusted areas and powder coating
for weather protection
• Wiring -replace old weathered wiring
• Heads- upgrade head placement for easier service, hardware, and replace globes
• LED Upgrades — replaces ballasts and installed energy efficient LED bulbs.
To date, they have been able to refurbish 19 of the 85 decorative light poles and have
5 more ready to be upgraded and installed this fiscal year.
2
Evergreen Sampling Building "Sugar Shack" Replacement
Sampling of the Evergreen District effluent
wastewater is performed at the Kalispell WWTP
Facility in the "Sugar Shack". The toxic
atmospheric deterioration of the building and
sample structure prompted the City to replace the
building. At the same time, the city coordinated
with Evergreen District to replace the sampling
structure, piping and install an updated odor
control system for the new building. The new
corrosion resistant piping/sampling structure, building, and fencing were completed in
November and the remaining electrical and odor control system are scheduled to be
finished at the beginning of next year.
The replacement building's interior is separated by a center wall. One side houses a new
temperature controlled, corrosion resistant sampler to preserve samples per EPA's
Standard Methods. The other side contains the sampling pipe that extends through the
concrete pad down to Evergreen's forced main. This side contains the majority of the
hazardous sewer gases and will isolate them from the new sampler and limit exposure to
plant personnel.
5. Community Development
As a past EPA Brownfields Area Wide Planning grantee, the City of Kalispell has now
been awarded an EPA technical assistance grant to support tasks involved in the US
Department of Transportation TIGER grant. Consulting firm ICF will support City staff
with strategic critical path planning for the project through implementation, analysis of
ancillary funding resource options, and guidance on the rail -banking process. This work
is to be complete by July 2017.
6. Fire Department
Since the last update, the Kalispell Fire Department has received 158 calls for service and
has conducted 2 outreach trainings with approximately 16 individuals in attendance.
Part of the responsibilities of fire department staff is to monitor the current trends and
adjustments made by the federal government in relations to Medicare Ambulance
Inflation Factors. Administrators using an inflationary matrix, population factors and
other economic factors assign the allowable amount billable and payable for Medicare
ambulance transports. This year's adjustment effective January Yd is slightly lower than
that of the past two years' and is set at .7 percent. We will see a decrease in the allowable
amount billable for all Medicare ambulance transports. This will only be a slight
decrease in federally payable revenues for our ambulance fund.
7. Building Department
Residential building permits have been issued for 2 single family homes in the past 2
weeks bringing the total to 137 single family and duplex units this year compared to 79 at
this time last year.
A building permit was issued for the 15,925 square foot new Professional Office Building
located at 165 Commons Loop; the valuation for this project is $2,500,000. The weather
has slowed construction a bit; however, there were several commercial remodel permits
issued over the last 2 weeks including a 2nd phase basement remodel located at 175
Commons Loop, valued at $200,000, as well as a tenant improvement to an existing
office located at 431 1st Ave W, valued at $250,000.
8. Planning Department
The Planning Board met on Tuesday, December 12 and recommended approval of the
School District 5 request for annexation with a P-1 zone for the 25-acre site of the new
proposed elementary school on Airport Road immediately south of Stampede Packing.
The Board also approved the 37 lot preliminary plat request for South Side Estates with
24 conditions attached. The 8.8-acre subdivision is located south of Merganser abutting
the US 93 by-pass route. Finally, the Board recommended approval of the 55 unit Ashley
lofts conditional use permit. All three projects will be scheduled for council action in
January.
The Board also began the process of extending B-3 Core Area Zoning to the next portion
of the Core Area. The boundaries for the next phase are Third Ave. on the west, Idaho on
the north, and generally the rail road tracks on the south extending easterly to the city
limits. Staff held an open house for property owners before the Planning Board meeting
and then the planning Board held a work shop after the planning board meeting to discuss
this next phase. Based on support, the Board has scheduled this next phase for public
hearing at the January Planning Board meeting.
9. Information Services
The in -car patrol videos are now being stored on the new WatchGuard server. Patrol cars
have been configured to connect to the new server and computers were updated to access
the new evidence library. The patrol car videos from the old server still require the
officers to access the videos from the old server's evidence library. IT staff are working
to find out how long both servers will be required to run and how the old videos can be
migrated to the new server.
A new central console to manage the AntiMalware application IT staff deploy to City
computers has been configured. Computers within the downtown offices are starting to
be transitioned to the centrally managed console instead of being individually
administered by IT staff on each computer. The central console for AntiMalware is
similar to the central console for AntiVirus though the two are separate programs and
fl
consoles.
The IT Director completes two consecutive year terms as chair of the Montana Local
Government IT Group at the end of December.
10. Human Resources
Working with various departments and the Montana Municipal Interlocal Authority
(MMIA), we performed a comprehensive review, audit and update of all of the city's
property values for insurance purposes. This included evaluating the many buildings,
vehicles and mobile equipment owned by the city. This was done to more closely reflect
the actual values we have on all of the city's property should we sustain a loss. These
numbers also will be used in developing the insurance bill for 2017 by MMIA, who
oversees the Montana member city's risk pool.
Held an Executive Safety & Health Committee meeting to finalize the tentative monthly
training schedule for 2017 which will include, but not limited to employee training on:
Electrical Hazards, Home Fire safety, "Hazard Communication/ Global Harmonization"
(also known as the "Employee's Right -to -Know" about workplace chemicals they work
with), Chainsaw Safety, and Dealing with Aggressive/Hostile Individuals.
5
w
O
V1
Ln
in
c-I
N
N
N
m
I�
�o
m
O
O
m
n
O
N
co
�o
m
O
O
N
r,
c-I
o
m
rn
l0
N
N
O
m
Ln
`~
m
m
10
in
N
m
Q
cy
0
O
N v
r
W 2
l0
Ln
O
c-I
I�
a)
m
0
cy
c-I
c-I
t0
Ln
Ln
t0
W
0
A
c-I
N
0
N
N
`~
M
c-I
c-I
V1
V1
N
m
V1
Ol
N
N
O
m
c-I
co
m
N
0
t0
�
o
ti
m
v
v
o
o
ti
o
ti
ti
m
ti
o
�^
o
o
m
o
o
o
o
m
O
O
O
m
O'
ti
O
ti
O
N
I
ti
N
ti
Q
E
>
v
zW
o
O
l0
N
m
N
Ln
Ln
W
n
O
W
m
c-I
O
N
N
O
O
N
�--�
N
�--�
O
�--�
O
W
m
o w
v
O
O
rV
O
O
m
N
m
O
N
O
O
O.
0
0..
.
0
0
m
co
O
N
0
Q
O
-a
v
U
O
w o
O
a
rV
rV
0
I�
Ln
m
ti
cy
0
a
rV
I,
ti
0
0
m
ti
0
0
o
ti
2
0
0
r
O
ti
N
a
O�
V1
n
O
In
o w
v
O
O
O
ti
O
N
0
0
O
D
O
O
O
ti
O
ti
0
0
O
O
O
N
O
V1
O
ti
0
V1
O�
O
ti
ti
N
ti
ti
Q
N
o
N
N v
v o
O
a
O
ti
0
a
N
0
O�
O
N
O
I�
ti
ti
N
mti
0
0
0
ti
a
O
ti
N
I�
N
O
V1
a
N
O
n
a
O
ti
m
Y
v
o
0
o
m
ti
m
rn
m
m
N
ti
o
o
ti
O
ti
N
ti
O
o
o
D
o
ti
ti
o
m
o
ti
m
a
ti
a`
" r
`w oo
o
in
,�
�o
,�
rn
n
,�
N
,�
m
,�
o
ti
m
,�
a
m
ti
,�
o
o
o
m
0
ti
in
,�
N
o
o
r,
m
m
ti
m
oo
o
v
O
o
o
m
o
n
Ln
r,
o
o
N
o
o
o
o
m
N
O
O
O
N
O
a
O
O
cm
r
Ln
ti
• T
a`
7
-o
� v
W d
O
lO
O
I�
O
n
to
to
O
n
c-I
N
O
N
N
O
O
D
N
Ol
O
V1
O
ti
N
N
W
m
O
v
O
O
ti
ti
0
0
I�
N
O
N
O
O
O
O
O
O
ti
N
m
O
O
N
ti
N
ti
N
t0
O
ti
N
N
I,
m
u
W
ti
N
Q
�
v v
w w
O
m
ti
0
0
W
ti
N
..
a
0
a.
O
O
N�
v1
O
O--
N-
N-
O--
a
W
V1
�
N
m
O �
v
O
m
ti
m
O
ti
�o
I�
O
ti
0
0
0
0
0
ti
V1
O
O
O
N
O
ti
O
N
0
�o
v1
O
ti
m
cO
I,
T
Q
cf0
C
h W
v o
o
O
a
N
v1
O
W
ti
I�
ti
N
ti
N
N
m
W
O
O
m
O
O
O
m
0
0
�o
O
N
O
N
m
ti
Ln
l0
m
w
O �
v
O
ti
O
ti
O
rV
t0
m
ti
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
a
ti
0
0
l0
O
t
ti
ti
O
m
W
0
r,
ti
ti
O
Q
�
Q
Q
a
N v
N
W d
O
l0
c-I
Ln
O
l0
m
m
�m
Ln
O
I,
W
O
ti
N
ti
m
O
O
N
O
ti
a
ti
ti
ti
l0
O
N
I�
m
N
o
N
v
O
O
O
ti
O
N
m
O
m
ti
O
N
N
O
O
ti
N
c-I
O
O
O
m
O
m
O
W
Ol
N
lO
m
c
L
Q
�
v
N
w o
O
O
W
O
Ol
0
O
O
ti
0
0
N
N
O
O
ti
O
m
0
I�
Ln
I,
n
M
o
FIT
T
v
O
ti
O
rV
O
ti
W
ti
O
m
ti
O
rV
O
o
o
o
a
O
O
O
I,
O
ti
o
o
o
o
m
W
m
D
ti
Ln
to
Q
7
a
a)w
�
t
oo
O
ti
ti
O
W
ti
m
I�
ti
ti
O
ti
m
rV
O
ti
N
O
O
O
N
ti
ti
ti
O
ti
0
a
ti
V1
t0
ti
O
ro
Li
v
O
O
O
O
O
N
n
m
cy
m
O
o
o
N
O
O
ti
ti
ti
o
o'D
o
o
Il
O
ti
o-:t
I,
cy
Ln
c-I
In
N
Q
f0
C
N v
w a
CDO
lO
c-I
lO
Ln
0
oo
O
O
W
ti
O
N
In
Ln
O
O
m
ti
0
lO
O
ti
o
m
ti
m
lO
m
0
O
In
"
v
�
v
�
O
—
W
t
o
W
m
w
T
O
O
w
O
-O
W
wo
Q
j
h
Q
a•
v
\
+'
v
>'
"
W
T
W
O
2
oD
N
Q
O
O
O
O
r
v
O
2
O
a
2
m
W
W
w
W
v'
Q
O
V
'O
W
O
J
OC
V
T
F
O
oD
-
O
w
O
-o
u
w
o
v
m
v
�'
o
"'
a
`o
,.
'Y
a
o
0
O
'"
Q
-vo
Q
n
m
p
v
o
'E
o
O
o
m
on
'N°
a
�_
v
=
v
`o
m
o
r
o
n
v
o=
a
m-
$
>
o
r
c
p
o
'^
o
y
>
r
x
rc
Q
Q
rc
m>
Q
V
V
o
0
O
Y
o
V>
O
O