Kalispell City Council to award bid for Kidsports project

Kalispell City Council will award the bid for Kidsports Addition Infrastructure Improvements Project during its regular meeting on Monday.

The Kidsport Association offers 30 different playing fields at the complex, including an adaptive handicap accessible field, several athletic fields and a memorial park.

On weeknights, the complex hosts around 5,000 participants, family members, coaches and officials for various sporting activities. On weekends that number grows to 7,000.

To accommodate so many events and people, the association has received a grant from the Chamber of Commerce to make improvements to water, sewer, irrigation, roads and parking facilities at the Kidsports Recreational Complex.

The project engineer estimated the cost of the improvements at around $1.4 million.

The lowest bid has come from LHC, Inc. for $1.1 million.

IN OTHER business, council will vote on whether to approve a second reading of the B-3 Core Area Rezoning ordinance.

If approved, the ordinance would change a portion of the Core Area from a central and industrial business zone to a Core Area zone.

This zone would be bound by Idaho Street on the north, Fifth Avenue West North on the west, West Center Street on the south and Main Street on the east.

So far, the ordinance has received nothing but support from all 45 business owners within the zone.

A public hearing will also be held to discuss proposed amendments to the rules and regulations for city water service.

One amendment would allow for the incorporation of new meter specifications with the installation of new water meters purchased by the city. The new meters, products of Metron, will be more robust and capable of handling higher flow rates.

The second proposed change would provide additional language to address fire line service options for residential developments and the associated rules affected by the change.

Kalispell Mayor Mark Johnson, with the consent and advice from the council, will make appointments to various citizen advisory boards with terms expiring on April 30.

Boards with upcoming vacancies include the Board of Adjustment, the Conrad Mansion Board, the Economic Revolving Loan Fund Committee, the Impact Fee Committee, the Parking Advisory Board, the Planning Board, the Police Commission, the Street Tree Committee, the Technical Advisory Committee, the Tourism Business Improvement District, the Urban Renewal Agency Board and the Downtown Business Improvement District.

Other business includes a report from the Street Tree Committee, a mayoral proclamation of Arbor Day and the introduction of the new Kalispell Police K-9 unit.

The meeting will take place at Kalispell City Hall at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 17.

For more information on the city council agenda, visit http://kalispell.com/mayor_and_city_council/agenda.php.

Reporter Mary Cloud Taylor can be reached at 758-4459 or mtaylor@dailyinterlake.com.