02-13-17 City Council Work Session MinutesKALISPELL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES
FEBRUARY 13, 2017
View the minutes attached to the audio of the meeting at:
http://kalispell.com/mavor and city council/Streaming AV.php
A WORK SESSION OF THE KALISPELL CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD ON MONDAY,
FEBRUARY 13, 2017, IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT CITY HALL IN KALISPELL,
MONTANA. MAYOR MARK JOHNSON PRESIDED. COUNCIL MEMBERS JIM
ATKINSON, SANDY CARLSON, KARI GABRIEL, CHAD GRAHAM, PHIL GUIFFRIDA,
TIM KLUESNER, ROD KUNTZ, AND WAYNE SAVERUD WERE PRESENT.
Also present: City Manager Doug Russell, Public Works Director Susie Turner, Utility Manager Joe
Schrader, and Planning Director Tom Jentz.
Mayor Johnson called the work session to order.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
1. Highway 93 / County Courthouse Traffic Design
Russell introduced Jeff Key from Robert Peccia & Associates (RPA), the Montana Department of
Transportation's Contract Engineer, who presented the history of the engineering study RPA did for
the Highway 93 couplet around the courthouse.
Scott Randall, RPA, described highlights of the engineering study.
There was discussion and the RPA representatives answered questions.
The different options were discussed and council requested a reevaluation, as MDT's preferred
option is not the best solution for Kalispell's downtown.
Jentz gave some historical perspective and asked what the next 20 year solution should be.
Public Comment
Pam Carbonari, Kalispell Downtown Association and Business linprovement District, remarked that
the 2015 study does not show what the effects of traffic in town are or what they will be after the
railroad tracks are removed; that improvements to Willow Glen Drive will help move traffic around
town; and that if four lanes are built around the courthouse, Main Street traffic will never get any
better. Carbonari concluded by requesting that Core Area representatives be appointed to the couplet
working group.
Chris Hall, 115 West Evergreen Drive, commented that Kalispell is not just a one road town, and
that many places can be looked at to open up bad traffic. He said the town has changed a lot in 20
years and remarked the real traffic problems are at Reserve Drive and Hutton Ranch Road.
Kalispell City Council Work Session Minutes
February 13, 2017
Page I
Mayor Johnson thanked RPA for the presentation and discussion.
2. Utility Facility Plans Update
Turner presented a PowerPoint on the Water Facility Plans Update and answered questions.
Turner stressed the need to develop a more detailed facility plan by sending out a Request for
Qualifications (RFQ) for a consultant who will perform professional services for water and sewer
facility updates and perform engineering studies. She noted Public Works would like to send out an
RFQ in December.
Russell remarked Public Works wants time to get any projects into the next fiscal year. He said a
new water tower is needed in the upper zone to keep up with development.
There was discussion.
Council agreed the update needs to be done, and Russell noted that a new water facility plan update
would be one of the focuses of this year's budget discussions.
Public Comment
None.
3. Flathead Emergency Communications Center - 911 Interlocal Agreement
Russell described the issue, stating he was looking for amendments to the 911 Interlocal Agreement.
There was discussion regarding the difficulty of attending meetings in the middle of the day for those
who work at jobs other than county government and the perception that the board is not taking
Kalispell's concerns seriously.
Council suggested using the language in the 2013 letter previously sent to the board to draft changes
to the agreement, incorporating Whitefish's changes.
Public Comment
Tom Rygg spoke regarding what he saw as greed from Columbia Falls and Kalispell, who tried to
hold on to too much money instead of giving it back to the taxpayers like Whitefish did; he said bad
publicity came out of it. He also commented that the sheriff's department set the board agenda and
determined who paid how much and ignored all public input. Rygg suggested adding a consumer
protection type person to the board to help with complaints regarding service.
4. National Forest Service Building Appraisal
Russell reminded council about the history of this building and the steps the city has taken so far,
noting there are structural concerns with the building and the cost to repair it would be about
Kalispell City Council Work Session Minutes
February 13, 2017
Page 2
$240,000. Russell recommended the city not acquire the building, just the land, and see what the
Forest Services' next offer will be.
There was discussion.
Public Comment
None.
CITY MANAGER/COUNCILIMAYOR REPORTS
None.
ADJOURNMENT
The work session was adjourned at 10:17 pm.
Prepared by:
Attest: Judi Funk
\et�����11 l l f BBBB/����
\a\o\®� �LlpDeputy City Clerk
� e
Ai e Brunckhorst, CMC = �B92
City Clerk
B111 i 1111S
Kalispell City Council Work Session Minutes
February 13, 2017
Page 3