Kalispell City Council to vote on budget

The Kalispell City Council will vote on whether to begin operating off of its preliminary 2017 budget at tonight’s meeting, in order to fund the city’s operations until it adopts a final budget on Aug. 15.

A formal budget hearing will take place at the council’s next regular meeting, July 5.

The $68 million budget represents a 36 percent increase from this year’s $50 million budget, owing mainly to a $10 million federal grant for transportation and the city’s $4 million matching funds commitment. The increase also includes a $1.4 million state grant for infrastructure upgrades at the Kidsports Complex.

The preliminary budget anticipates more property tax revenue due to new development on the north end of Kalispell, allowing municipal services to increase while taxes remain flat.

Two new officers would be added to the Kalispell Police Department. Their combined salaries would be funded by a grant set to expire after four years, after which they will be paid — along with an existing grant-funded officer’s salary — out of the city’s capital account.

The preliminary budget also adds 20 hours to the police department staff for crime analysis and evidence processing.

The city’s parks, building and streets departments would each gain one full-time employee.

The City Council will also consider a resolution authorizing a one-percent wage increase for non-union city employees. The resolution would also increase the hours for a pair of part-time city employees — a geographic information systems specialist and a crimes analyst/record clerk — to create full-time positions.

An agreement to authorize NorthWestern Energy to maintain, operate and lay its natural gas utility lines in the public right-of-way for the next 10 years is up for a final vote tonight. The right-of-way applies to all public roads, bridges, easements and other public places in the city.

While state law authorizes lines and facilities to use public rights-of-way for most utilities, the statute omits natural gas lines, leaving local governments to periodically authorize the use.

The council gave unanimous approval to the resolution on its first reading June 6.

Tonight’s meeting begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 201 First Ave. E.

Reporter Sam Wilson can be reached at 758-4407 or by email at swilson@dailyinterlake.com.