Low turnout at public hearing intended for low-income residents

A handful of representatives from local nonprofits attended a public hearing on Wednesday intended to gather input from low-income city and county residents.  

While no low-income community members spoke, the 1 p.m. hearing in Kalispell City Hall was organized to “obtain the views of community residents, especially low/moderate income residents” on priorities for community development. Kalispell Community Development Manager Nelson Loring headed up the Dec. 4 gathering. 

Six people attended and one appeared via Zoom. Asked about the turnout and whether the time of day might curtail participation, Loring said that the annual meeting has historically been held at that time and was deemed the best time to reach members of the public.