Collaboration needed to solve biggest issues

The proverb "actions speak louder than words" comes to mind when considering the unfortunate failure of Flathead County's three municipalities to come together to discuss homelessness and its impact on the valley.

Plans for such a summit arose in October 2023 when Kalispell City Councilor Chad Graham floated the idea of inviting leadership from the neighboring municipalities to a conference aimed at addressing homelessness. 

“We’re a big valley,” Graham said at the Oct. 2, 2023 meeting, “[Services don’t] all have to be in Kalispell.”  

Mayor Mark Johnson liked the idea and said he would organize it, with Councilors Ryan Hunter and Sid Daoud expressing support. Officials in Columbia Falls and Whitefish at the time each indicated willingness to participate as well. 

But more than a year later, not a single meeting has been scheduled. What was a really good idea has totally fizzled. 

Frustratingly, plans for the summit languished for no particularly good reason other than the fact that it takes time and effort to get officials from three cities in the same room at the same time. We get it, coordinating hectic schedules can be a challenge.  

Alas, there is a quick fix to overcome this obstacle -- bring back the long-forgotten fifth-Monday meetings. 

Up until about a decade ago, representatives from Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Flathead County would get together three or four times a year to discuss issues facing each community and common goals. Reporting from one of these meetings in 2012 indicates familiar topics on the agenda, including the 911 Center and septic systems. 

Beyond homelessness and housing needs, the municipalities and county face shared challenges with planning and zoning, law enforcement and transportation, to name just a few. It will take a holistic approach to solve these pressing issues. Imagine the productive energy that might be sparked if each entity stepped outside its silo and found common points of collaboration and action. 

In 2025, the fifth Mondays fall in March, June, September and December. Let's bring back what was a good thing for a valley whose residents are united beyond their home address and should be able to count on its leaders to come together to find solutions to the challenges facing us all.