Whitefish studies plan to service growth
The Daily Inter Lake
An extension-of-services plan for the next five years is the focus of the only public hearing on the Whitefish City Council's agenda tonight.
The plan will show how the city will provide services to areas targeted to be annexed and maps out a five-year urban growth boundary based on the availability of water, sewer, storm drainage, garbage disposal, streets, police and fire protection.
In other business, the council will consider approving a consultant agreement with Water Rights Solutions to review and evaluate the city's existing water rights and provide recommendations on water-rights adjudication, sustainable water supplies and a potential hydroelectric project.
The city wouldn't pay more than $20,000 for the consultation, but City Manager Chuck Stearns advised the council that the city should be prepared to spend additional money to protect Whitefish's water rights as the basinwide water-rights adjudication process moves forward.
"My experience from Colorado is such that adjudication of contested water rights can consume many years and many thousands of dollars," Stearns said in his council report.
Discussion will continue about how to handle this year's primary and general municipal elections, namely, whether to use mail ballots or polling stations and consideration of city-initiated referenda.
Before the 7:10 p.m. meeting begins, the council will hold a work session starting at 6:15 p.m. to review last year's short- and long-term goals as the city heads into this year's goal-setting and budget process.
The meetings will be at Whitefish City Hall.