Doughnut representation is goal No. 1
By RICHARD HANNERS
Whitefish Pilot
Resolving the governance issue in Whitefish’s two-mile planning jurisdiction — the “doughnut” area — will likely remain the top goal for the Whitefish City Council for a second year.
The council discussed short-term and long-term goals during a work session on March 2. Goals range from new city buildings and downtown planning to affordable housing and short-term rentals.
It’s been just about a year since mayor Mike Jenson made it a high priority to find a way for “doughnut” area residents to be represented on the city council.
At that time, talk turned to changing the city charter, lobbying the legislature for the creation of township governments or creating “multijurisdictional service districts.”
Since then, the county has rescinded the interlocal agreement that created the “doughnut” area, the city has sued the county to retain its jurisdiction, the case has been to the Montana Supreme Court and back but could be years away from final disposition, and the new county commissioner for the North Valley, Jim Dupont, has applied for intervenor status in the lawsuit.
When councilor Turner Askew asked if the city could hold talks with Dupont about providing representation to “doughnut” residents, city attorney John Phelps said he will try to keep Dupont out of the case as an intervenor.
Councilors Frank Sweeney and John Muhlfeld said the city should look at ways to provide representation while also pursuing litigation.
“I agree, but I don’t know how,” Jenson said.
Not making “doughnut” area representation a short-term goal would create the stigma that Whitefish doesn’t care, Sweeney pointed out.
Moving head with construction of a new emergency services center is the council’s No. 2 goal, but finding financing is proving difficult under current economic conditions.
Jenson said several local banks and credit unions have expressed interest in helping finance the project, but city manager Chuck Stearns said that depends on what rates are offered.
On the other hand, preconstruction planning for a new city hall will likely be moved down the goal list. Instead, talk turned to moving the planning and building department out of the Stampede Square building on Baker Avenue to the former Parkside Federal Credit Union building on Depot Park.
The city doesn’t own all of Depot Park yet — the final $1.3 million payment to Parkside is due Oct. 23. But with the $60,000 a year Stampede Square lease up in April, finding a way to move the department sooner than later made sense to the councilors.
As for short-term rentals in areas not zoned for it, Phelps said condo owners in The Monterra continue to advertise online. The city could go after those who advertise, he said, but the homeowners association there said they could handle the problem internally.
“I would support making that kind of advertising illegal,” Jenson said.
“And as a corollary, we need to collect resort taxes from those who do short-term rentals where it is zoned for it,” Stearns said.
The councilors also discussed purchasing a conservation easement from Stoltze Land & Lumber Co. for land above the city reservoir. The concern is that a wildfire in the watershed could impact the city’s main drinking-water supply.
The city could purchase the development rights and leave timber management to Stoltze, Stearns said. Financing options include federal stimulus money or a water revenue bond that could go to voters this fall.
“The timing is not great for that,” Stearns said.