Council to discuss Airport Road revamp
The Kalispell City Council will discuss several interesting proposals at its next meeting, including a request by the Kalispell Golf Association to transfer concessions operations to an independent contractor, selecting a contractor to revamp some intersections at the south end of town off Airport Road and an update to some of the municipal public works policies so they better conform to state and federal guidelines.
The meeting is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16 in the City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting is Tuesday because City Hall was closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
In late 2017 the city put out a request for qualifications to find a consulting engineer to help them revamp two intersections at the south end of town. The first is where Airport Road intersects with 13th Street and the second is where Airport Road intersects with 18th Street.
In an interview at the time the request was put out, city officials said they didn’t know precisely what needed to be done with the intersections, only that they wanted them revamped to handle increased levels of traffic more safely.
In one of the attachments to the agenda, Assistant Director of Community and Economic Development Katharine Thompson said they reviewed four different proposals and they recommend the council move forward with WGM Group, a Kalispell-based civil engineering firm.
Consent from the council is required under the terms of Kalispell Golf Association’s current lease with the city, according to a memo from City Attorney Charles Harball in which he recommends approval of the request to transfer concessions operations.
In a letter to City Manager Doug Russell from Steve Dunfee, the Buffalo Hills Golf Club general manager, it says the current food and beverage manager who has worked there for 35 years is retiring. Turning over operations to a contractor rather than keeping administration of the food and beverage service in house will allow KGA to focus on the golf-related side of running a golf course.
The letter says the organization is hoping to secure a long-term lease of at least five years. Since the KGA owns a full beverage liquor license, they anticipate remaining involved on some level in the bar operations.
Another resolution outlines changes proposed to the city’s standards for design and construction. The changes will bring the standards further toward compliance with relevant state and federal policies and ensure they reflect current best practices in the industry, according to an attached letter from Public Works Director Susie Turner.
The council is also facing a resolution to accept $251,152 awarded from the Montana Department of Transportation to build a pedestrian and bike path along U.S. 93 near the Kalispell Youth Athletic Complex.
The state will design, advertise for bids and award a contract in the project, which will be compliant with the American Disabilities Act. Upon completion of the project, the resolution states the city agrees to service, maintain and repair the path at its own expense.
Also on the agenda is a resolution to enter into an agreement with Flathead County to incorporate an additional well into the city’s water system, which will require the construction of a well facility. The area is on Timberwolf Center, off Old Reserve Drive and near the U.S. 93 bypass on the north end of town behind Cabela’s. Russell would sign the agreement, which has already been approved by the county, after the approval of the council.
More information and the meeting agenda can be found on the city council web page at http://kalispell.com/mayor_and_city_council/agenda.php.
The city council’s next work session will be at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 22. The next regular meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Feb. 5.
Reporter Peregrine Frissell can be reached at (406) 758-4438 of pfrissell@dailyinterlake.com.