Commissioners delay impact-fee appointments

The Daily Inter Lake

The Flathead County commissioners postponed appointing an impact fee advisory committee on Tuesday because they want more people to apply.

Seven applications were received for the committee, which will evaluate the concept and recommend whether the county should impose fees on new subdivision or commercial developments to pay for growth-related impacts.

If the commissioners decide to adopt the fees, the committee would take the lead role in determining fees and how they should be assessed, plus monitor how the money is spent.

Committee applications have been received from Bigfork businessman Tony Sagami, who is also a member of the Flathead County Board of Adjustment; Jerry Reckin, the Democratic candidate for Senate District 4; David Greer, a longtime land-use planner who currently works for Plum Creek Timber Co.; Kim Davis, who is involved with land-use issues in the West Valley; Kathleen McMahon, also a longtime land-use planner and consultant; Tom Clark, another West Valley resident interested in land-use issues; and Charles Gough, a retired Bigfork resident who was a certified public accountant and partner in the accounting firm of Arthur Anderson.

The committee will include one commissioner, two Flathead County Planning Board members, and at least four citizen representatives. By state law, it must include a certified public accountant and a representative of the development community.

Although several applicants have experience with land-use planning, it wasn't clear if any of them qualified as representatives of the development community.

The commissioners agreed to postpone their appointments until Oct. 15 to give more people an opportunity to apply.

Anyone interested in serving on the committee can send a letter to Mary Sevier at the Flathead County Planning Office, 1035 First Ave. W., Kalispell MT 59901.

The letter should contain name, address, daytime phone number and qualifications.