Council approves pawn-shop ordinance

After several months of discussion, the first reading of a new pawn-shop and secondhand-store ordinance has been approved in Kalispell. 

On Tuesday night, the Kalispell City Council voted unanimously to approve the ordinance that updated the pawn-shop codes, requiring both pawn shops and secondhand stores to use software called LeadsOnline that will connect the inventory of those businesses to the Kalispell Police Department.

The original ordinance was discussed at an Oct. 6 council meeting, but local pawn shop owners and employees raised a variety of concerns. However, after several work sessions and alterations to the ordinance, the council passed a revised version. 

All Kalispell businesses will need to be in compliance with the ordinance 30 days after the final passage. 

THE COUNCIL also approved a plan for a new $14 million sewer line on the west side of the city. 

The West Side Sanitary Sewer Interceptor resolution set a timeline for the completion of the project, which would add sewage-carrying capacity to the Kalispell wastewater system. 

The current sewer main has only 7 percent of its capacity available; 39 percent already is allocated to undeveloped lots while 54 percent is taken by actual flows. 

The new line would run one block to the west of the current sewer line that has a bottleneck near Meridian Road south of U.S. 2.    

Reporter Brianna Loper may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at bloper@dailyinterlake.com.