Page 14 - Flathead Beacon // 6_10_15

NEWS
CITY BEAT
LIBBY
City Council Meeting Canceled Over Security Concerns
Two weeks after a heated Libby City Council meeting, Mayor Doug Roll decided to cancel the June 1 session, a move that surprised many on the council.
Roll told the Beacon on June 3 that he decided to cancel the meeting for security reasons.
Even though the meeting was shelved, three council members decided to hold an unofficial gathering to listen to the pub- lic’s concerns about the political turmoil that has engulfed the town’s government in recent weeks.
In May, the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices issued a report that stated Roll, the Libby City Council and former City Attorney James Reintsma had broken the law when the city filed a lawsuit against Roll’s only challenger in the 2013 mayoral race, councilman Allen Olsen. The lawsuit dominated local head- lines in the final days of the race and in the end, Roll beat Olsen by just 13 votes.
On May 19, residents at the Libby City Council meeting grilled Roll and demanded that he resign. After nearly an hour, Roll ended the meeting, stat- ing that public testimony was becoming “redundant.”
Just before the June 1 meeting was set to take place, Roll emailed the rest of the council to announce he had can- celed the session, according to the West- ern News. Despite the cancelation, Olsen, Dejon Raines and Brent Teske still held
FLATHEAD
Bridge Project Receives Fifth Permit Extension
The Flathead County Commission approved another permit extension for the bridge spanning private property on Flathead Lake, which developers say should give them enough time to finish the remaining portion of the project.
The bridge, which runs from the main- land to Dockstader Island, has been a controversial project, started by Jolene Dugan and her father, Roger Sortino. The county approved the lakeshore construc- tion permit in 2011, and that permit has been extended four times since.
In January, the commission approved an extension that would last until June 1. The developers requested a new exten- sion on May 15. On June 3, the commis- sion unanimously approved the new per- mit extension, which will last until June 1, 2016.
Opponents to the bridge, the Commu- nity Association for North Shore Conser- vation, filed a lawsuit in Flathead County District Court against the county and the commission, claiming the commissioners
a meeting. Roll said he talked to Lib- by’s police chief about security before the meeting and decided that it would be impossible to “control” the session. He did not say if there were any specific threatsmadeagainsthimoranyoneelse.
“The situation is volatile and we need to maintain control so that everyone can speak their opinions,” he said.
KALISPELL
City Proposes $50.9 Million Budget
The City of Kalispell is proposing a budget increase of roughly $5.6 mil- lion for the upcoming fiscal year, citing heightened needs for sewer, water and solid waste as well as redevelopment funding.
The city’s fiscal year 2016 preliminary budget is available to view on the city website, www.kalispell.com. Councilors will review the budget proposal at work sessions June 8-10.
The new preliminary budget is about $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 $400,000 in the general fund.
The increase in enterprise funds is related to a $800,000 increase in sewer and $300,000 in both water and solid waste. The majority of the increase in both the sewer and water departments is capital outlay from impact fees, or proj- ects necessary to accommodate growth,
unlawfully issued a permit for the bridge in 2011 without notifying the public and hearing input from all sides.
During the June 3 hearing, Commis- sioner Pam Holmquist expressed concern over whether the ongoing lawsuit should affect their decision on the extension. Deputy County Attorney Tara Fugina said there has not yet been any directives from the court in that case.
The extension request noted that the project was 90 percent complete and the remaining 10 percent would be top- ping the structure with concrete, which cannot be poured over open water due to regulations.
FLATHEAD
County Hires New Planning Director
Flathead County has hired Mark Mussman of Indiana as the new director of the planning and zoning department.
On June 4, the Flathead County Com- mission signed a two-year contract with Mussman, who will be coming to the Flathead from his job as the executive director of the Huntington Countywide Department of Community Development
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 ismainlyduetoa$2.5millionincrease 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 ambulance fund — roughly $200,000 for the purchase of an ambulance; special street maintenance – $200,000 for pavement maintenance; and the community development miscel- laneous fund – $120,000 for the payment of Old School Station lot assessments.
The general fund increase is split between personal services and main- tenance and operations, Russell said. The increase in maintenance and oper- ations of the general fund can be mostly attributed to the necessary operating transfer to the ambulance fund increas- ing $210,000, according to Russell.
The council is expected to vote on the budget by August.
WHITEFISH
New Bus Service Links Whitefish to
Glacier National Park
A new bus service will ferry visitors from Whitefish to Glacier National Park this summer beginning July 1.
The service is funded by the Big Moun- tain Commercial Association, which is the same group that backs the SNOW Bus to Whitefish Mountain Resort during winter months. Stops in Whitefish
in Huntington, Indiana.
Prior to living in Indiana, Mussman
spent 20 years living and working in Idaho, working as an instructor and fel- low at Idaho State University from 1996 to 2001, followed by a seven-year stint working as a planner with Kootenai County.
Those western roots are what attracted him to the job, Mussman said.
“I know it’s going to be a change for the good, since we spent 20 years out in Idaho, so we’re used to that kind of west- ern lifestyle,” Mussman said.
Other than his recent visit to inter- view for the director position, Mussman said he has only been to Kalispell a couple times, usually in conjunction with trips to Glacier National Park.
As the director, Mussman said he has a few ideas for the department, but said those ideas would wait until he learns the ropes of the new office and speak with the staff about what might or might not work.
“I’ll be the new guy, so I’m not going to go in there and say we’re going to make all these changes,” he said.
Mussman will take over for BJ Grieve, who has worked at the planning director
include the Mountain Mall, White- fish Community Library and Whitefish Mountain Resort.
Bus tickets to Glacier Park are $10 round trip for adults, $5 for children under12,andchildrenunder2ridefor free. Summertime rides up to Whitefish Mountain Resort are free.
The bus will make four round-trips daily through Sept. 7, which coincides with the Glacier shuttle system and dove- tails with the Park’s effort to encourage more sustainable transportation along the congested Going-to-the-Sun Road.
In the morning, a SNOW Bus will make the morning runs, while a motor coach with air conditioning will serve the valley in the afternoon. Both buses are equipped with bike racks.
The initial budget for the summer transit is estimated at about $90,000 to $100,000. The bus will not make a stop in Columbia Falls.
Riders must purchase passes to Glacier Park at the entrance, or show proof of an annual pass. A park employee will board the bus at the West Glacier entrance so riders can purchase passes.
Tickets for the bus are available online or at outlets around White- fish, including Montana Coffee Trad- ers, Whitefish Chamber of Commerce, Sportsman Ski Haus in Whitefish and Kalispell, the Whitefish Mountain Resort Base Lodge, and other locations. No tick- ets will be sold on the bus.
For more information, visit www.big- mtncommercial.org.
for Flathead County since 2010. Grieve left the position to have more time to spend with his family, but will continue on with the office in the Planner III position.
FLATHEAD
County to Open Bids for Stormwater Project
On June 9, the Flathead County Com- mission was scheduled to open the con- tractor bids for the fourth phase of the Bigfork Stormwater Project.
The fourth phase includes construc- tion for Bridge Street North and Bridge Street South. It will include about 2,180 feet of stormwater conveyance pipes; stormwater treatment units; stormwater catch basins; asphalt paving restoration; and other miscellaneous tasks.
This is the final phase of the proj- ect, which was started in 2007 as a way to update the old stormwater system in an attempt to keep toxins and other pol- lutants from flowing into Flathead Lake and the Bigfork bay. Since 2007, three phases of the project have already been completed.
NEWS
COUNTY BEAT
14
JUNE 10, 2015 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM