12-29-16 City Manager ReportfTYOF . -it001VTA1*VA
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- _ OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
Information Memorandum
12/29/2016
1. Parks and Recreation
The Street Tree Commission met on December 14 and developed their work plan for
2017. These volunteers will be focusing on tree education and follow-through on
watering trees in 2017. In addition to Tree Cycle and Arbor Day, news articles and
workshops will be completed by the Street Tree Commission.
Interviews for a KYAC parks caretaker irrigation specialist were conducted December
14, and 15. Six people were interviewed for this position. Reference and background
checks are still being completed. The goal is to have this individual on board by mid -
January to give the employee some experience in urban forestry before gearing up for
KYAC in the early spring.
Parks and Recreation has received a $15,000.00 Program Development grant through the
DNRC for 2017. The grant will fund removal of hazard trees, a 10% update to the cities
tree inventory, and hosting a regional tree worker training in Kalispell.
The second session of Ice skating lessons will begin on January 3. Ice skating and
cheerleading registration forms were sent to all elementary schools.
Afterschool students enjoyed our holiday theme week by making ice t'
cream cone and snowflake ornaments and playing holiday games.
Kalispell Parks and Recreation has been chosen as a possible candidate for
the Park Side Partnership program. We have proposed 3 new initiatives
for 2017 in collaboration with other community nonprofits. A meeting
has been set up for the first week in January to further discuss our proposal.
2. Building Department
New permit activity in the Building Department has slowed as the holidays have arrived.
One single family residential permit was issued bringing the year-end total of single
family/duplex permits to 138 compared to 82 for the 2015 construction year.
Ongoing building inspections at KRMC, Herberger's and Immanuel Lutheran are a
primary focus. Staff also conducted 17 commercial Fire Life/Safety inspections in
December.
Staff is working on pulling together year end statistics as we prepare to publish our
annual 2016 Construction, Subdivision and Annexation Report. Hopefully we will be
ready in mid -January.
3. Planning Department
The Planning Board will take another look at the South Side Estates subdivision south of
Merganser Drive as the original proposal approved by the planning board in December is
being resubmitted because the applicants' went for 37 single family housing units to a
mix of 44 single family and two -unit townhouse units. The Board will also hear the
annexation request from School District 5 for the 25-acre site on Airport Road for a
proposed elementary school, an annexation request from Stampede Packing on Airport
Road adjacent to the new school site and the next phase of the B-3 Core Area Zoning
beginning on 3rd Ave. EN and extending easterly to the east city limits.
The Planning Board will also host a work session on the KRMC Hospital PUD update.
Staff has been working with KRMC for the past 6 months to update and refine the H-1
PUD that encompasses much of the hospital property. The new PUD will serve to
improve signage, parking and access standards as well as address setback and height
provisions as the hospital campus continues to grow and evolve. If the work session goes
well, the PUD amendments will be forwarded to the February Planning Board hearing.
4. Public Works
Engineering Division
The Engineering Division is responsible for the review of private development's
engineering design to ensure compliance with Kalispell Design and Construction
Standards. The Engineering Staff participates and coordinates the review with the
development's engineers to ensure City Standards are being executed. Over the past
several months the following projects have been reviewed and approved, or are currently
being reviewed through the Engineering Staff.
• USFS Forest Service Expansion Project
• J2 Office Products Warehouse
• Sunnyview Parking Lot Expansion, Phase III
• Glacier View Professional Office Building
• McDonalds Site Improvements Project ( Building Replacement)
• Glacier Village Greens — Phase 21
• Hampton Inn Parking Lot Reconstruction
• MDOT Stormwater Improvement Project
• Stampede Packing Sewer
Stormwater Discharge (MS4) Permit Renewal Application
A General Permit for Stormwater Discharge Associated with Small Municipal Separate
2
Storm Sewer System (MS4) or "MS4 General Permit" provides the city authorization to
discharge stormwater to waters of the state under the Montana
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (MPDES). An MS4
General Permit was approved for the City of Kalispell in July of
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
2006 with subsequent reapprovals in 2009 and 2015. A new 5 .
year permit cycle will begin January 1, 2017, and permittees are
required to reapply and adhere to the updated permit
requirements. The City is required to develop, document, and
maintain an updated 2017-2021 Stormwater Management
Program (SWMP) which includes sampling, a TMDL action plan,
management practices, control techniques, systems, designs, good
standard engineering practices, and such other provisions necessary to reduce the
discharge of pollutants from the permitted Small MS4 to the Maximum Extent Practical
(MEP).
The objective of the updated Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) is develop and
effectively manage a stormwater program inclusive of the six minimum control measures
and reduce pollutant contribution from the City's MS4 to waterbodies. This program was
developed to meet state and federal program requirements, but also utilize current
Kalispell SWMP activities, address issues that are important to the community, and
establish programs that are economically feasible.
A copy of the SWMP and reapplication form was sent to DEQ for review and approval
on December 1, 2016. If approved the city will begin implementation of the new permit
requirements at the beginning of the 2017.
5. Fire Department
Since the last update, the Kalispell Fire Department has received 149 calls for service.
Fire and building department staff are taking advantage of the winter break for the school
district and are conducting the required school fire and life safety inspections. This
entails an in-depth inspection of all school district buildings, offices, and classrooms. It
also offers a chance for operations personnel to conduct an annual preplan of all the
buildings for fire and emergency response to the facilities. When complete, any noted
fire code violations, comments or concerns are forwarded to the school district
administration for review and correction.
Fire Department staff have also begun our bi-annual recertification for Advance Cardiac
Life Support. This certification is a required certification and consists of classroom
instruction, online testing, and hands on performance based testing for a multitude of
cardiac conditions and treatments.
6. Finance Department
The annual audit report for the City's financial statements was received on December 28,
2016. The entire Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) is available in PDF
format at the City's website. The Independent Auditor's Report begins on page 12 of the
CAFR, and is presented as a component of the financial section of this report. The goal
of the independent audit is to provide reasonable assurance that the financial statements
of the City for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016, are free of material misstatement.
Auditors have a responsibility to issue an appropriate report in circumstances when, in
forming their opinion on the financial statements, they conclude that a modification to the
auditor's opinion is necessary. The City received an unmodified opinion for the
independent audit. Prior to fiscal year 2013 this was referred to as an unqualified
opinion, and concludes that the financial statements are presented fairly in all material
respects.
The GFOA awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting
to the City of Kalispell for its comprehensive annual financial report for the fiscal years
ended June 30, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. We believe that our current
comprehensive annual financial report continues to meet the Certificate of Achievement
Program's requirements and it has been submitted to the GFOA to determine its
eligibility for another certificate.
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