Kalispell City Council to consider water rate hikes

Kalispell City Council will discuss imposing a water rate hike to meet a forecasted budget shortfall at its work session Monday.

Officials with the Public Works Department are expected to brief city councilors on how higher than expected costs for scheduled capital improvement projects have made rate increases necessary to keep the water budget sustainable.

Council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 201 First Ave. E., and can also be attended virtually via Zoom.

The extent of the fiscal problem emerged after bids for planned infrastructure projects this year came in higher than forecast, wrote Public Works Director Susie Turner in a memo to Council. That prompted officials to perform a review of the department’s financial roadmap, she wrote.

Expected revenue will not sustain current service beyond 2025 and the city may not be able to qualify for state funding to complete future projects, including the lower zone tank rehabilitation and roof replacement project, according to Turner.

Councilors are then expected to discuss short term rate increases to bridge the funding gap.

Current rates emerged from the city’s 2019 water rate study.

COUNCIL WILL also meet with Bob Vosen of the Montana Department of Transportation. He is expected to brief Council on projects occurring – or scheduled to occur – in Kalispell and its environs.

According to a memo issued by City Manager Doug Russell, department brass want to keep the public informed, and strengthen lines of communication between the state agency, local governments and residents.

Vosen is the district administrator for District 1 of the Montana Department of Transportation and is based out of Missoula.

Reporter Adrian Knowler can be reached at 758-4407 or aknowler@dailyinterlake.com.