Kalispell City Council leans toward putting $4.6M levy before voters

Kalispell City Council during a Monday work session leaned toward selecting the costliest emergency responder levy option to put before voters in the near future.

One of three options presented to Council on Oct. 9 by City Manager Doug Russell, the levy request would amount to $4.6 million annually, adding $369.89 to the yearly tax bill of a home with a market value of $450,000.

“This is what we need in black and white,” Mayor Mark Johnson said.

The top-of-the-line levy option includes the hiring of 11 new positions at the Kalispell Police Department and 27 additional positions for the city’s fire and EMS services, providing the staffing for a planned-for third fire station. It also includes an equipment component.

Russell presented it alongside two other options for a potential levy request. The second option, endorsed by city staff, would increase staffing to a lesser degree, with an additional 12 personnel in the Fire Department and 11 personnel in the Police Department. This option would come in at about $2.95 million, adding around $236.50 to the yearly tax bill of a $450,000 home.

Talk of putting a levy request before voters emerged after the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Public Safety Management released independent audits of both the Kalispell Police and Fire departments, revealing that both agencies were understaffed and underfunded.

Service demands have increased as the city has grown. In Kalispell, 911 calls have consistently increased since 2018, the audit found. The population has grown by roughly 19%, the area of the city has increased by about 7% and population density has increased by 15%.

“We have a gazillion more people … and we have not added more staff to put out fires and do EMS,” said Councilor Kari Gabriel.

Russell welcomed support for the more expensive levy request, but cautioned city councilors.

“Option three would be great, I'd be happy if Council decided to roll that one out and put that before the voters but we also recognize the challenges that we face. That's why we want to put option two as a recommended one,” Russell said at the beginning of the work session.

Several councilors argued that the need for services is not going anywhere and is likely to grow. The last time a levy was proposed to alleviate service issues was in 2014, Russell pointed out, and it failed.

“This is a safety issue and I think our community, hopefully it sees the need for what we have grown to,” said Councilor Jed Fisher. “There's a big difference between 2014 and 2023 in this community.”

Councilors Chad Graham and Ryan Hunter offered support for the second option, seeing it as potentially more palatable to taxpayers in a time of inflation.

“I do think the atmosphere out there right now is challenging and with option three, I think the risk is high for not being successful and I want it to be successful the first time,” Hunter said.

Hunter pointed to the recent failure of public school levies at the ballot box, saying it gave him pause.

Graham highlighted the cost of gas and groceries, saying that option three is too much of a gamble.

“We all know how tough it is out there,” Graham said.

Other councilors spoke to the urgency of the issue. Fisher warned that property values could fall if Kalispell becomes unsafe.

“The Kalispell that people love, the Kalispell that people move here for,” Fisher said. “They want a safe community.”

Some councilors also mentioned that the cost of erecting a fire station in the future would grow only more expensive as the years passed.

“It's a lot right now, and I know a lot of people are struggling,” Councilor Jessica Dahlman said, “[but] there’s nowhere else for [the funding] to come from.”

Johnson referred to the second option as a “Band-Aid” approach rather than a systematic one.

The first option, provided by staff as a reference point for Council, proved the least popular. It would add an additional 11 fire personnel and nine police personnel. This option, amounting to $2.4 million, would add roughly $193.84 to the yearly tax bill of a $450,000 home.

“I’m more inclined to look at No. 3, work with our community and see,” Mayor Johnson said. “Ultimately this is their decision.”

Reporter Kate Heston can be reached at kheston@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.