City renews tourism business improvement district
The Kalispell City Council unanimously approved the re-establishment of the Kalispell Tourism Business Improvement District at its meeting Monday night.
The Tourism Business Improvement District has used a small fee for hotel and motel guests to generate marketing funds for city property owners for 10 years. It was due to expire at the end of the fiscal year but has now been renewed for another ten years, starting July 1, 2020. The council also approved the first reading of the regulations for the Tourism Business Improvement District.
“I just want to go on the record to voice my support, not only as a board member but as a hotelier, for the impact that it brings to our community, not just for the hotels but the local businesses, restaurants, shopping, etc. And I think that it’s important that it continues to stay in the community,” District board member Dawn Hendrickson said.
Hendrickson, fellow board member Bryce Baker and Diane Medler with the Kalispell Convention and Visitors Bureau spoke in favor of renewing the Tourism Business Improvement District.
Separately, the council approved the appointment of Jon Fetveit to a vacancy on the Business Improvement District. His term lasts until April 30, 2020.
The council also discussed the city’s Tax Increment Finance Districts, and approved new policies for these two special funding areas. The main policy change is the provision for grants to cover all public infrastructure costs, including impact fees.
City Manager Doug Russell said the new policies are “just to create some uniformity and to create some more aggressiveness with the policies we have in place.”
Council member Phil Giuffrida asked about the exact wording of the policies and the council amended them for clarification.
“These kind of incentives are a tool in the tool belt for our private partners within this core area and within the downtown,” Giuffrida added.
The council also passed a notice of their intent to set a public hearing on updates to the city’s construction and design standards on Jan. 6. The council previously discussed changes to these standards at a work session on Dec. 9.
There was a public hearing at the meeting about a proposed traffic project at 18th Street and Airport Road. The council heard from Steve Frank, a resident who lives near Legends Stadium. Frank expressed concerns about traffic bottlenecking after sporting events at the stadium and the lack of sidewalks there.
Mike Brody with WGM Engineering addressed Frank’s concern and pointed out the new traffic design would allow drivers to exit Legends Stadium west onto First Avenue and east onto Airport Road.
During the public comment period of the meeting, Barbara Bradford-Fenchak returned to bring up the issues of homelessness and poverty in the community. She suggested the city consider the example of tiny home villages that have been implemented in other cities.
On the topic of homelessness, Russell said in his report the city-county health department is completing a “sequential mapping” of housing in the city and anticipated the summary report from that effort will be available later this week. Mayor Mark Johnson also reported when his new mayoral task force on Affordable Housing is formed it will not include any members of the city council.
At the end of the meeting, Johnson, Russell and numerous council members shared appreciation for outgoing councilmen Phil Giuffrida, Rod Kuntz and Wayne Saverud. Saverud, who served on the council for approximately 24 of the last 36 years, said, “I’ve met some amazing people, some great servants of the community and I’ve appreciated this opportunity and I thank you all very much.”
Reporter Bret Anne Serbin may be reached at bserbin@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.