Council considers 2008 public works budget
The big picture: Kalispell's sewage treatment plant will expand, becoming one of the greatest influences on growth in central Flathead County.
The small picture: Kalispell's garbage pickup fees might increase $1 a month.
Those two pictures are part of the gallery that is Kalispell's proposed public works budget for fiscal 2008, which begins July 1.
Public works director Jim Hansz briefed Kalispell's City Council on the department's proposed budget Monday.
Public works makes up the greatest part of the city's total budget - $31.949 million out of an overall $65.028 million in fiscal 2007 and a projected $39.115 million out of a proposed overall $63.246 million for fiscal 2008.
The city council expects to schedule a public hearing on the overall budget in July, and to adopt the fiscal 2008 budget in August after some final figures are pinned down.
The biggest chunk in both public works budgets - carried over from 2007 to 2008 - is $20.5 million to expand the city's sewage treatment plant's capacity from its current 3.1 million gallons a day to 5.5 million gallons a day in late 2008 or early 2009, and eventually to 7.5 million gallons a day when needed in a few years.
Right now the plant treats almost 3 million gallons of sewage daily. Many current and future housing projects want to hook up to Kalispell's sewage system, which is prompting the huge expansion.
COP Construction LLC of Billings has an $18.25 million contract to expand the plant, with construction expected to begin June 25. The rest of the $20.5 million covers engineering and contingency costs.
The city raised sewer fees years ago to build up a fund to pay for this project. Consequently, city officials don't expect the expansion to increase current sewer fees.
In another public works matter, inflation has the city staff planning to soon approach the council to seek increasing a city home's annual garbage pickup fee by $12 from $90 to $102, Hansz said Monday.
The city's last garbage pickup fee increase was in 2003. By comparison, an Evergreen home pays $138 annually for trash hauling.
Beside the sewage plant and garbage pickup, the public works budget covers maintaining city vehicles and equipment; building, maintaining and operating streets, water and sewer lines, and stormwater drainage.
Streets, water and sewer lines plus stormwater measures have become more numerous and more expensive as Kalispell rapidly grows.
Water, sewer and drainage impact fees are offsetting some increased costs. The city council is considering whether to add road impact fees as well.
For example, Kalispell's streets increased by 8 percent to almost 130 miles in the past year.
Also in the past year, the city has added almost 4.9 miles of new sanitary sewer lines, almost 5.2 miles of new water lines and 2.15 miles of new stormwater sewer lines. The city's water use has increased by 10 percent over the past year.
Hansz floated trial balloons to the council Monday to try to convince it to explore new ways to raise money for future public works expenses.
These included:
. Possibly increasing the street assessment 10 percent a year for seven years. Each piece of Kalispell property is already assessed according to its square footage to be put in a set-aside fund to pay for future street maintenance.
. Having local officials lobby the state legislature to allow Kalispell and other cities to levy a local-option sales tax to raise extra money. Right now, Montana's town don't legally have that capability.
. Keep pushing for local transportation impact fees. Right now, the proposed Kalispell fees would hit businesses heaviest that attract lots of traffic. This proposal is still being chewed over by the city's staff and an impact fee advisory committee.
Reporter John Stang may be reached at 758-4429 or by e-mail at jstang@dailyinterlake.com