Page 15 - Flathead Beacon // 6.3.15

FLATHEADBEACON.COM NEWS JUNE 3, 2015 | 15
Whitefish City Councilor John Anderson Resigns
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Council has 30 days to make appointment to fill open seat
By TRISTAN SCOTT of the Beacon
Whitefish City Council member John Anderson tendered his resignation May 26, a decision that went into effect immediately.
The council has 30 days to name a replacement to fill Anderson’s seat, ac- cording to City Manager Chuck Stearns, a post that is up for reelection this year.
Anderson, an attorney with a prac- tice in Whitefish, was elected in 2011 along with councilors Frank Sweeney and Richard Hildner, who both are up for reelection this year and have already filed to run for the seats.
The former councilor’s resignation comes on the heels of several absences from regular council meetings and fol- lowing the resolution of a slate of issues before the council, including approval of the Haskill Basin conservation ease- ment and the adoption of the Highway
93 West Corridor Plan.
Mayor John Muhlfeld said Ander-
son’s balanced approach to making deci- sions that will have a profound influence in the community for decades to come characterized his time served on the council.
“John always kept the best interest of all of Whitefish in mind when cast- ing votes, always evaluating the mul- titude of issues the council deals with from multiple angles. John will certain- ly be missed, and on behalf of the City Council I personally thank John for his service to the Whitefish community,” Muhlfeld said.
Of particular recent note, Muhlfeld said Anderson’s work brokering a com- plex deal to finance the Haskill Basin conservation easement, the final piece of which, a resort tax increase, voters approved in April, but which involved numerous parties and agencies, was an example of his civic commitment, intel- ligence and work ethic.
“John was one of the hardest work- ing councilors I have had the pleasure of working with over the past 10 years. His greatest contribution to our com-
munity in my opinion was his work on protecting open spaces and working for- est lands surrounding Whitefish in con- junction with the DNRC, Stoltze Land and Lumber Company, and Whitefish Legacy Partners,” Muhlfeld said. “Quite frankly, without John’s extra effort, I’m not certain those projects would have come to fruition.”
Stearns said he believes the council will advertise the position June 3 and June 10 before interviewing candidates at a work session or special meeting June 15.
Stearns said to his knowledge no one has expressed interest or filed an appli- cation.
Until the appointment is made, the council will proceed with business as usual, he said.
“They just need a quorum,” Stearns said.
The last time a Whitefish council member was selected by appointment was when Sweeney was chosen to re- place Shirley Jacobson. Prior to that, Muhlfeld was appointed in 2006 to re- place Tom Muri.
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Municipal Matters
A recap of recent city council and county commission meetings
KALISPELL
• The city’s fiscal year 2016 prelimi- nary budget has been released and is available to view on the city web- site, kalispell.com. Councilors will review the budget proposal at work sessions June 8-10. The new pre- liminary budget is roughly $50.9 million, roughly $5.6 million higher than the last budget. City Manager Doug Russell said the larger budget includes an increase of $1.4 million in enterprise funds and about $3.8 million in special revenue funds. The balance is an increase of about $0.4 million in the general fund. The increase in enterprise funds is related to a $0.8 million increase in sewer and $0.3 million in both wa- ter and solid waste. The majority of the increase in both the sewer and water departments is capital outlay from impact fees, or projects nec- essary to accommodate growth, according to Russell. The increase in solid waste is from the purchase of a truck for $325,000, which will replace a 2003 truck. The increase in special revenue funds is mainly
due to a $2.5 million increase in the Westside TIF fund This increase is redevelopment and loan funding to accommodate possible future proj- ects. Other special revenue funds that increased include the ambu- lance fund — roughly $200,000 for the purchase of an ambulance; spe- cial street maintenance - $200,000 for pavement maintenance; and the community development mis- cellaneous fund - $120,000 for the payment of Old School Station lot assessments. The general fund in- crease is split between personal services and maintenance and op- erations, Russell said. The increase in maintenance and operations of the general fund can be mostly at- tributed to the necessary operating transfer to the ambulance fund in- creasing $0.21 million, according to Russell. The council is expected to vote on the budget by August.
• Staff is acquiring two bids for ad- ditional Lawrence Park play- ground amenities per the request of Friends of Lawrence Park, who have received notice of an award of a $5,000 grant through the Flat-
head Electric “Round Up For Safe- ty” program.
WHITEFISH
•The Whitefish City Council was scheduled June 1 to vote on the Highway 93 West Corridor Plan, designed to guide the future devel- opment of the city’s west entrance. City Council voted 3-1 on May 4 to approve a resolution of intent to adopt the plan. The vote occurred after the Flathead Beacon went to print. The plan lays out future land uses from the Veterans Memorial Bridge to Mountainside Drive.
FLATHEAD COUNTY
• On Wednesday, June 3, the Flathead County Commission will consider a permit extension for a controver- sial bridge-building project on the north shore of Flathead Lake. The meeting to discuss the permit ex- tension starts at 10:30 a.m.