Kalispell City Council will consider hiring Stelling Engineers, Inc., of Great Falls, as consulting engineers for the Kalispell City Airport redevelopment project.

Tonight’s discussion comes six days after City Manager Jane Howington told a packed house at last Tuesday’s planning board meeting that no council action would be taken until after at least two public meetings and in-depth consideration of whether to proceed with the contentious airport project.

The first of those two meetings is scheduled for Nov. 30.

“There will be quite a lengthy process before council action,” Howington told the crowd. They were gathered for the Nov. 10 planning board discussion of the proposed South Kalispell/Airport Redevelopment Plan.

That proposal would expand the boundaries of the plan area, providing a larger base for tax increment funds to help eliminate blight along U.S. 93 South and entice businesses to build on now-vacant properties — and it would encompass more land for a proposed expansion at Kalispell City Airport.

The request to choose Stelling as the new consulting engineers comes from City Airport Manager Fred Leistiko and Howington.

“I would urge the planning board to take a longer view of the redevelopment area and a longer view on the airport,” she had added.

At the planning board meeting, Howington also had announced plans to hire a consultant for a new environmental assessment.

The first “task order” out of nine on the master contract being considered for Stelling Engineers is updating the airport’s environmental assessment.

That environmental assessment is needed if the city is seeking Federal Aviation Administration funds for an airport project. The last assessment was completed in December 2002 and, according to Gary Gates, an airport engineer and planner at the FAA office in Helena, the time has lapsed for the city simply to renew the document.

It must start the process over, beginning with renewed public comment, Gates said.

Work on an environmental assessment for a proposed airport expansion was begun in the late 1990s, when the city hired Morrison-Maierle, Inc., as its airport consulting engineers, Leistiko explained in a council memo for tonight’s meeting.

In early 2000, the city switched to the firm of Robert Peccia and Associates to perform the same services.

In late August this year, the city sought a third engineering opinion when it advertised for statements of qualifications and experience as the principal aviation consultant for airport engineering and planning services.

Two firms responded to that request for qualifications — Peccia and Stelling. Four city staff members scored them on Sept. 17 and chose Stelling.

The offer being extended to Stelling reflects only the opinion that they are the best qualified engineers. No dollar amount is attached to the contract yet, only a schedule of miscellaneous costs.

Leistiko noted in his council memo that all nine of the task orders are eligible for Federal Aviation Administration reimbursement under the Airport Improvement Program at 95 percent of actual cost.

The remaining 5 percent is Kalispell’s obligation, he said, and “will be funded by State Aeronautical Grants, Airport Enterprise Funds or Airport Tax Increment Funds.”

In other action, the council will:

n Consider adopting the 2009 update to the city’s engineering standards for design and construction, developed by the planning staff with input from local engineers.

n Consider a request for a one-year extension of Blue Skies Subdivision preliminary plat; it lies on the east side of Valley View Drive, south of the intersection with Foy’s Lake Road.

n Confirm, in its consent agenda, police officer Cory Clarke following his successful completion of his one-year probationary period.

The meeting at 7 p.m. in city hall council chambers, 201 First Ave. E.

Reporter Nancy Kimball can be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com