08-12-16 City Manager ReportCITYOF
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1. Parks Department
City of Kalispell
OFFICE OF THE CITY
Information Memorandum
8/12/2016
MANAGER
2nd Alley " Sewer Replacement Project
The 2nd Alley " Sewer Replacement Project from Montana to California St. is nearing
completion. Installation of the new sewer main, manholes, and service lines is complete.
The contractor is currently preparing the surface for concrete and asphalt replacements.
The project is scheduled to be at substantial completion, with only minor punch list items
remaining, by the third week of August.
Way FindinSigns Project
Over the last 10 months, Traffic Signs and Signal Staff
have been working with the Chamber of Commerce and
Grizzly Graphics on implementing phase two of the
Wayfinding Sign Project. City Staff participated in the
coordination of sign locations, MDT ROW permit, City
ROW permit, ordering of materials, screen applications,
and sign construction. In total, 32 signs were created
ranging in size from 2.5' x4' to 8.2' x8' .
2. City Clerk/Communications Manager
According to the insights tool on the City Facebook page, the city reached 56,376 people
through this outlet in the last 28 days, and the page has reached over 1,800 likes. The
Parks and Recreation Department has been posting their content directly onto the page
helping ensure timely notifications of cancellations and closures.
The tenth issue of the Employee Connection newsletter was released August 2, 2016.
3. Information Services
IT staff are setting up the online ambulance patient payment website. Progress is being
made with the new backup and recovery system implementation. IT staff has been
meeting with an organizational team to develop strategies to eliminate bottle necks in the
network.
4. Police Department
Randy Kaarre was hired on as a police officer on 8-8-1 6. officer Kaarre is replacing the
position left vacant by the retirement of officer Steve Hoover. officer Kaarre is a
veteran having spent four years in the U.S. Marines. He is beginning the 14 week Field
Training officer program and will attend the Montana Law Enforcement Academy in
September.
In March, the Kalispell Police Department, other local law enforcement agencies and
educators participated in "Run, Lock, Fight Training" to be better prepared for an armed
intruder situation. KPD's officers and others became certified as trainers during the
course in order to provid this training to local communities. The local training group is
called the Northwest Run, Lock, Fight Training Group. The goal is to provide people
with training that gives simple, common sense options for protecting themselves and
those around them. The training includes on —site assessments catered to each individual
location. Training consists of the methodology and psychology of mass shooters,
breakouts into 5 training modules, and real time scenarios where the training is tested.
To date our trainings have included 187 participants. We have training scheduled for 730
more participants by January 16.
Trainings completed:
Flathead High School 40 attendees
Flathead Valley Community College 70 attendees
Prudential Insurance 4 employees, and 3 others
Flathead Valley Community College 70 attendees (2nd visit)
Scheduled Trainings:
August 22 Flathead High School 70 attendees
August 23 FVCC 70 attendees (3rd visit)
August 25 Linderman 60 attendees
August 29 Eureka School Dist. 100 attendees
September 26 Whitefish School Dist 230 attendees
October 20 Flathead High School 70 attendees (2nd visit)
January 16 Glacier High School 130 attendees
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5. Fire Department
Since the last update, the Kalispell Fire Department has received 191 calls for service.
The Kalispell Fire Department is offering free education, smoke alarms and installation
services for those in our community that otherwise cannot afford smoke alarms or require
special assistance with the installation and maintenance of these alarms. We have
provided this service to the community for a number of years; working in cooperation
with Flathead Electrics Round Up For Safety grant program. We are now offering the
same service for carbon monoxide (CO) monitoring. The CO detectors have been
purchased through the Round Up For Safety Grant in cooperation with Lowes of
Kalispell.
6. Community Development
Community and Economic Development: TIGER NEPA Input for Streets and Trail
The City is inviting community input on the TIGER grant National Environmental
Protection Act (NEPA) process as required by the Federal Rail Administration. This
input is specific to the potential north south complete street connections within the Core
Area and the design of the pedestrian/bike trail to replace the existing railroad tracks. A
printed newsletter will be mailed to Core Area property owners in the coming week.
Additionally, information will be available and survey responses requested at the
fallowing locations and dates:
• Display and survey at Northwest Montana Fair Expo Building:
Wednesday, Aug 17 thru Friday, Aug 19, from 9 am to 5 pm
• Open house at City Hall, Council Chambers: Wednesday, August 24, 5 pm
to 7 pm, with formal presentation at 6 pm
• Open house at City Hall, Council Chambers: Thursday, August 25, 11 am
to 1 pm, with formal presentation at noon
Also look for displays at Kalispell community events including Picnic in the Park and
ThursdayFest this month.
7. Planning Department
The planning board met on Tuesday, August 9, and recommended approval of Meadow
Park 4 Subdivision which splits a single lot into two residential lots at the far south end of
South Woodland Drive. The board choose to not approve the associated request to allow
the applicant to place a two -unit townhouse on each lot creating a total of 4 housing units.
The property is zoned R-4 which allows duplexes and townhouses. However, the city
council had placed a restriction in 2005 on the original subdivision plat which limited the
lots to single homes based on public comment.
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8. Building Department
Residential building permits have been issued for 95 units this year compared to 37 units
for the same time period in 2015.
Commercial projects that have been recently finalized are the County Attorney/Juvenile
Detention Building at 820 South Main Street; the South Campus building at 40 -11 th
Street West; and the Assist Center located at 1280 Burns Way.
Three commercial permits have been issued for Kalispell Regional Healthcare this
month which include the $13.5 million Emergency Room addition; the $261,000 - 2nd
& 3rd Floor Office Tower remodel; and the $1.8 million Northwest Family Medicine
Clinic at 70 Village Loop. Also issued was the $6.8 Immanuel Lutheran Memory Care
addition.
9. Parks and Recreation
Thanks to funding from a Round Up for Safety grant from Flathead Electric, Lawrence
Park is now more ADA friendly. With in -kind labor from park staff and Traffic Signs and
Signals, there are newly defined handicap parking spaces, a concrete path that leads to the
pavilion, and from the pavilion to the trail, bathrooms, and playground.
The walking tunnel connecting the Kalispell Youth Athletic Complex to FVCC received a
new coat of paint to cover up graffiti.
Parks staff have been removing several transient camps that have been recently
discovered in city parks.
Park staff met with the District Executive of the Boy Scouts of America to discuss the
potential of hosting a Cub Scout day camp in a Kalispell Park next year.
On July 28, Parks Superintendent Fred Bicha gave a presentation on the State of
Kalispell's Urban Forest at Rotary Luncheon with roughly 75 community members in
attendance.
Paws to Play, along with Parks and Recreation, are in the planning stages for Kalispell's
first ever Pool Party for the Dogs. The event will be held August 21, from 4:3 a — 7:3 apm
at Woodland Water Park. This is the last day the pool is open for the 2016 season. Once
the event is over, water will be drained for the season.
We had 27 girls participate in our Cheerleading Camp on July 25-29 in Lawrence Park.
The camp culminated with a performance for friends and family. Special thanks to
Lyndon Steinmetz for his exclusive sponsorship of this year's camp.
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Summer Day Camp is winding dawn with only two weeks left of camp. On July 29,
Animal Wonders, a community outreach organization providing educational presentations
with live exotic animals visited our camp. Some child volunteers even got to hold some
of the animals as they learned about wildlife and conservation.
On August 2, we hosted the Annual Ice Cream Social at our Picnic in the Park concert.
Over 550 people came out for ice cream and to hear the Tracey Fordice Band. Also
performing was the Kalispell based group, Levitation Nation, who performed aerial acts
at the intermission.
Over 240 people attended Community Day on Sunday, August 7 at Woodland Water Park.
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