Kalispell council still mulling health levy increase

The Kalispell City Council held a work session Monday to discuss raising the city’s mill levy to provide increased funding for the Flathead City-County Health Department. The health department has asked for a mill levy of 5.99 for fiscal year 2020, an increase from last year’s 4.9 amount.

Council members had decided to wait on voting on that resolution, which is part of the city’s 2020 budget, until they learned more information about the increase.

City Manager Doug Russell clarified how the city’s mill levy to the county health department works. “There is not an additional levy on the city,” he explained. “We just approve the amount that the county does levy on a county-wide basis…we don’t pay an extra portion.”

Council members raised a number of questions about the mill levy increase, including the request process for the county and the consequences if the city declines to approve the increased amount.

“We’re not real excited about raising taxes,” council member Phil Guiffrida pointed out, but a representative from the county Health Board warned the department might have layoffs if the mill levy does not pass.

Representatives from the Health Board also discussed the depletion of the cash reserve and other factors that have contributed to the need for the mill increase. The council will make a formal decision about the request at their meeting on Tuesday, but three council members who won’t be present voiced their support for agreeing to the mill levy request.

The council also discussed three new proposed city ordinances. The first is an amendment that would make it a civil infraction for vehicles to park on the sidewalk and block pedestrian traffic. Council members raised questions about how the public would be notified of the ordinance change and what types of vehicles, including construction vehicles, would be affected by the ordinance.

The second ordinance would also make it a civil infraction to lodge in a vehicle on city streets. There was a lengthy discussion about the rise in individuals who live in recreational vehicles, trucks or other vehicles on city streets. They considered both the impact this practice has on these neighborhoods and the issue of homeless individuals using their vehicles for shelter, especially during the winter.

The final proposal would establish a new process for the Kalispell Police Department to dispose of unclaimed personal property that comes into their possession. The resolution stipulates KPD make a “reasonable effort” to find property owners, and the council clarified what this process would look like and how they would notify the public of the items’ disposal.

There was also an Emergency Medical Services Subcommittee work session on Tuesday to go over options for soliciting requests for emergency medical service providers. Kalispell faces challenges in funding these services and currently transfers money from the general fund to support them.

The council previously took up this issue in June. The work session centered on determining which cities they should use as comparisons to inform their decision-making process. They also brought up the population of retirees in the area and its impact on local emergency medical services.

Due to the Labor Day holiday, the council will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the City Council Chambers, 201 First Ave. E.

Reporter Bret Anne Serbin may be reached at bserbin@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.