What’s up Flathead Valley! Here to relay some highlights from Monday night’s 20-minute Kalispell City Council meeting, I’m Zoë Buhrmaster.
Councilors approved the first reading of a new ordinance that would permit a future city manager to live outside the city limits under certain circumstances.
In 2022, councilors repealed an ordinance that required all city employees to live in Kalispell; however, the requirement remained for city manager, the person in charge of overseeing city operations. Earlier this year, when Doug Russell vacated the position, Kalispell hired GMP Consultants to oversee the recruitment process for the next city manager, prompting the Washington-based firm to ask the council for clarity on the living requirement.
During a Sept. 8 work session on the proposed change in city code, several councilors agreed that they would prefer the next city manager live in Kalispell. Others said they were concerned that the requirement would limit the pool of applicants if a strong candidate had livestock or there were other factors that made it difficult to find housing in town.
“I was one of the ones on council who was strongly supportive of a city manager living in the city so that they experience city life and use city services,” current councilor and Mayor-elect Ryan Hunter said at the Nov. 17 meeting. “I’m still a strong proponent of that, but I think a case was made well at the work session that there may be special circumstances where that may not make sense depending on who is selected as the next city manager.”
The new ordinance requires the manager to live in the city, “unless the city council, through contract with the city manager, eliminates such requirement.”
The ordinance’s first reading received unanimous approval from the five councilors and Mayor Mark Johnson in attendance at Monday night’s meeting. Councilors Jed Fisher and Chad Graham were not present.
Mayor Johnson and the council also unanimously approved a proclamation “recognizing and supporting” food banks in the region, after a local food bank director requested the verbal support during a previous council meeting. Whitefish also recently made a similar proclamation, as local food banks seek to shore up supplies with an increase in demand. Johnson moved to expand the proclamation to include all food banks in area after a public commenter pointed out that the proclamation’s initial draft supported only the Flathead Food Bank.
“I will never discourage the public from contributing to charities that deliver services to different parts of our community,” Johnson said.
In their new documentary “Journey to the Sun,” the Lefler brothers explore and celebrate the challenging history of Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road
This holiday season, celebrate the spirit of our community by shopping local. Every purchase you make from a neighborhood business helps support local jobs, families, and the unique character that makes the Flathead Valley such a special place to call home. From thoughtful gifts to festive experiences, our local shops have everything you need to make the season bright. Here’s some information on how to keep it local this holiday season.
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