Council OKs funds for new bike path

Kalispell City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a motion to accept $251,152 of federal and state funds to build a pedestrian and bike path along U.S. 93 in front of the Kalispell Youth Athletic Complex and across the highway from Flathead Valley Community College.

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.

Council member Tim Kluesner said he thought the project was far too expensive for what amounted to only 892 feet of pathway, but he would support it anyways and hoped it wouldn’t end up costing as much as they were initially budgeting.

“This is a ridiculous cost,” Kluesner said. “Hopefully the bids come in far less.”

Other City Council actions included:

- Brooke Pokorny and Quintin Fowler were confirmed as the two newest members of the Kalispell Police force. Mayor Mark Johnson pinned badges on their uniforms near the beginning of the meeting.

- Council approved a request by the Kalispell Golf Association to bring in an outside vendor to run food and beverage operations at the municipal Buffalo Hills Golf Club.

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.

- Council selected Kalispell-based civil engineering firm WGM Group to examine and recommend different improvement options for two intersections where Airport Road meets 13th Street and 18th Street.

Assistant Director of Community and Economic Development Katharine Thompson said at the meeting that they reviewed four different applications before making the decision to go with WGM, and that the firm and city staff would bring a variety of recommendations before council before any work was done.

- Council also approved a variety of changes to the Standards for Design and Construction, which City Manager Doug Russell labeled “housekeeping” before the vote. In the report compiled by city staff, the changes are said to bring municipal codes closer in line with state and federal policies.

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 February 5.

Reporter Peregrine Frissell can be reached at (406) 758-4438 or pfrissell@dailyinterlake.com.