It's crunch time for Whitefish library decision

The public will have a chance to weigh in on a Whitefish Public Library secession plan during a hearing tonight at the Whitefish City Council meeting.

The council is facing an Oct. 28 deadline to decide whether to give notice to the Flathead County Library Board to terminate the city’s interlocal agreement and establish a separate, tax-supported city library.

However, that deadline may not be set in stone.

City Manager Chuck Stearns noted in his council report that Mayor Mike Jenson had met with the Library Board and had learned that an additional time extension on the decision to terminate the agreement until after a final Attorney General opinion is issued may be possible.

A draft opinion from Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock said if the city wants to create its own library it can do so.

Whitefish is contemplating breaking away from the Flathead County library system based on a study group’s recommendation that the city would be better served by having its own library.

In May the Whitefish Ad Hoc Library Committee delivered a 175-page report to the City Council, detailing a long list of concerns, from heavy-handed administration to inequities in resources and unacceptable treatment of Whitefish branch library employees.

A public hearing on a revamped compromise for planning control of the city’s two-mile “doughnut” area has been postponed to Nov. 1 to meet public-notice requirements. The council will meet tonight in a work session at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall with Flathead County commissioners to discuss revisions to the proposed interlocal agreement for the doughnut.

The council postponed a decision on the doughnut compromise two weeks ago after it was discovered that language in the revised agreement essentially would have wiped out all regulations in the doughnut.

In other business, the council will hear a quarterly financial report from Finance Director Rich Knapp and will hear a report on summer programs and services from Parks and Recreation Program Coordinator Erik Bruner.

Discussion will resume on proposed zoning text amendments for expanded retail zoning along the U.S. 93 South strip in Whitefish.

The meeting begins at 7:10 p.m. at City Hall.