The few citizens in attendance at the Kalispell City Council meeting Monday night hardly had time to take their seats before the second reading of a city regulation and state backed law passed nearly unopposed Monday night.
Just as it did at the previous meeting, the council affirmed, 7-1, its intention to eliminate any distance requirement between a business serving alcohol and a place of worship, while maintaining a 300-foot restriction for schools.
At the first reading to amend the ordinance May 19, councilman Duane Larson introduced an amendment that would leave the 600-foot rule in place for schools, but after the amendment failed, the council agreed to cut the restriction down to 300 feet.
Bill Goodman, owner of the KM building and Red’s Wines & Blues, and also the initiator of the change, was satisfied with the quick work of the council: “It’s very pleasing to see that the council recognizes they need to be proactive with the health of downtown.”