A push to expand and realign the Kalispell City Airport is grounded. 

Kalispell voters on Tuesday repealed the City Council’s decision to expand the airport, 1,886 to 1,535, in Tuesday’s municipal election. 

The outcome closes a hard-fought campaign on both sides of the issue and opens a new chapter for the city’s general aviation airport.

“We of Quiet Skies are just totally ecstatic,” Scott Davis said about the successful repeal and his group’s five-year struggle to stop the airport expansion. “My mission is accomplished.”

On the other side of the airport issue, Scott Richardson expressed disappointment Tuesday night. 

“We knew it would be close, but we didn’t know which way it would go,” said Richardson, a former member of Kalispell’s airport advisory board and a member of the Save Your Airport political action committee that formed to support an expansion through the federal Airport Improvement Program.

“I am concerned about the future financial impact to Kalispell and some of the safety issues that remain,” Richardson said. He added that he intends to remain involved with the airport at some level. 

“In my opinion, it wasn’t the right decision,” he said. “But we will work within the confines of the decision.”  

The repeal was most successful in Ward 4 and Ward 3. Those wards cover south Kalispell where the airport is located as well as the downtown area and adjacent neighborhoods. 

The repeal won by a margin of 502 to 241 in Ward 4 and a margin of 470 to 361 in Ward 3, according to unofficial election results. The repeal failed by narrow margins in Wards 1 and 2.

Ward 4 council member Phil Guiffrida III was not up for re-election this fall and actively campaigned for repeal of the airport expansion. He said Tuesday he was relieved to see Ward 4 residents strongly support the repeal.

“Overall, I think this is a great day for the citizens of Kalispell. But in the end we have to roll up our sleeves, come together and make this airport successful in its footprint,” Guiffrida said. He added that he wants to see the City Council schedule a work session as soon as possible to start talking about lease obligations at the airport, capital improvement needs and new management plans. 

“Now it begins,” Guiffrida said about turning the airport around and making it self-sufficient. “But at least we have a mandate from the citizens.”

Incumbent council member Jim Atkinson staved off challenges from Jason Mueller and Karlene Osorio-Khor. Atkinson captured more than 53 percent of the vote in Ward 3 for re-election to a seventh term on the City Council.

Sandy Mundahl Carlson captured more than 73 percent of the vote to defeat Joseph Apple for a Ward 1 seat on the City Council. 

Chad Graham, who spearheaded the signature drive to put the airport expansion repeal on the ballot this fall, was unchallenged for a Ward 2 seat on the City Council. 

Incumbent Tim Kluesner was unchallenged for a Ward 4 seat and Mark Johnson was unchallenged for the at-large mayoral seat.

Voter turnout in Kalispell was 23 percent in Ward 1, 33 percent in Ward 2, 25 percent in Ward 3 and 24 percent in Ward 4.

In Whitefish, former Mayor Andy Feury, Pam Barberis and Jen Frandsen came out on top in a four-way race for three seats on the Whitefish City Council.

They will succeed three current council members who did not run for re-election.

Municipal Judge Bradley Johnson was re-elected without opposition.

Voter turnout in Whitefish was 27 percent.

In Columbia Falls, newcomer Jenny Lovering was the top vote-getter, joining incumbents Mike Shepard and Dave Peterson in winning three seats on the Columbia Falls City Council.

Mayor Don Barnhart was unopposed in his re-election bid.

Voter turnout in Columbia Falls was 19 percent.

In Lake County, Heather Knutson edged Bob Fulton 656 to 591 in the race for Polson mayor.

The closest race in Northwest Montana was in Ronan, where Tracy Morigeau Frank and Roger Romero each received 51 votes in the Ronan City Council Ward 1 contest.

In Lincoln County, incumbent Doug Roll won re-election as Libby mayor over challenger Allen Olsen by 13 votes, while in Troy, Darren Coldwell won easily over incumbent Tony Brown, 225-98.

Robin Benson retained her seat on the Libby council with 343 votes. Challenger Brent Teske received 309 votes to win a seat. Incumbent Barbara Desch edged incumbent Vicky Lawrence by a single vote, 250-249.

Michael Shock finished with 201, Joanne Woods Newman with 140 and Arlen Magill had 138.

In the Troy City Council race, challengers Dallas Carr and Kimberly Rowse won with 205 and 148 votes, respectively.

Incumbent Phil Fisher finished with 129 votes. Donna Lee Rugani had 107 votes.

RESULTS

Following are unofficial results from Tuesday’s municipal elections in the Flathead Valley:

(i) denotes incumbent

KALISPELL

All wards reporting

Referendum No. 103

To repeal 2012 City Council resolution to pursue upgrade of Kalispell City Airport.

For repeal          1,886   55.13%      

Against repeal   1,535   44.87%      

City Council Ward 1

Joseph Apple                    150   24.92%       

Sandy Mundahl Carlson  445   73.92%      

City Council Ward 2

Chad Graham           917    96.42%      

City Council Ward 3

Jim Atkinson (i)          428     53.97%      

Jason Mueller                81   10.21%      

Karlene Osorio-Khor  281   35.44%      

City Council Ward 4

Tim Kluesner  588   97.35%      

Mayor

Mark Johnson   2,769  96.68%      

Municipal judge

Lori Adams      2,809   98.35%      

WHITEFISH

City Council

Three positions open

Andy Feury    1,025   29.36%      

Pam Barberis    913  26.15%      

Jen Frandsen    903  25.87%      

Life Noell           619  17.73%      

Municipal judge

Bradley F. Johnson(i) 1,096   96.91%      

COLUMBIA FALLS

City Council

Three positions open

Jenny Lovering    381  27.53%      

Mike Shepard (i)   315  22.76%      

Dave Petersen (i)  288  20.81%      

Shawn Bates (i)    263    19%      

Duane Moore        123  8.89%    

Mayor

Don Barnhart (i)   460   97.25%    

LAKE COUNTY 

Polson

Mayor:

Heather Knutson     656   51.3%

Bob Fulton                591  46.%

Polson Ward 2:

Jill Southerland        374  75.3%

Murat Kalinyaprak   122   24.6%

Polson Ward 3:

Ken Siler                      251   53.2%

Mary Francis Caselli 118   25.0%

Ronan

Mayor 

Kim Aipperspach           161  58.1%

Kim Eldon Snyder         108  39.0%

Ronan Ward 1 

Tracy Morigeau Frank     51   49%

Roger Romero                  51   49%

St. Ignatius

Mayor

Charles Gariepy                 89   64.5%

John Mitchell                       41   29.7%