In the ongoing saga of how to provide adequate funding for the consolidated 911 dispatch center, the Kalispell City Council tonight will consider a resolution in support of a voter election to determine the establishment of a Flathead Communications Center Special District.

There have been multiple prior attempts to create a special 911 district to provide funding and managerial oversight of the county’s 911 facility. These efforts previously failed.

Now, the county commissioners have requested the cities of Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls demonstrate support of the special district by passing a resolution or motion.

The council also will consider officially designating an emergency shelter for Kalispell’s “unhomed population.” The proposal is to establish the property at 1110 Second St. W.—which includes Samaritan House administrative center—as an emergency shelter-in-place facility to accommodate the city’s “unhomed population” during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Flathead County Health Officer and Incident Commander Hillary Hanson suggested the city use this facility to house homeless individuals because this population is at risk for a coronavirus outbreak due to lack of access to facilities to ensure hygiene, medical care and the ability to shelter in place.

The proposed property would be used as emergency temporary housing for no longer than 30 days after the “shelter in place” order has been lifted.

The council will also consider amending its interlocal agreement with the Flathead County Economic Development Authority to transfer certain assets included in the Gateway West Mall property.

On June 24, 2013, the city of Kalispell transferred its ownership interests in the assets at Gateway West Mall –the portion leased to TTech—to FCEDA. As a part of the transfer, the city entered into an interlocal agreement with FCEDA in which the city retained certain rights to the deficiency tax payments on the property.

Recently, a portion of the subject property that was utilized as a parking lot was sold to a private party for the purposes of a housing development.

The purchaser of the property has requested the city and FCEDA amend its interlocal agreement to exclude the subject property from the agreement as the title insurance is considering it to be an encumbrance upon the property. The city and FCEDA reportedly appreciate no benefits from the subject property remaining a part of the agreement, as it is no longer included in the TTech lease and generates no deficiency tax payments.

Finally, the council will consider Mayor Mark Johnson’s recommendations of appointments to various city boards with terms expiring on April 30, 2020. Boards in need of reappointment include the Board of Adjustment, the Architectural Review Committee, the Conrad Mansion Board, the Downtown Business Improvement District, the Economic Revolving Loan Fund Committee, the Impact Fee Committee, the Parking Advisory Board, the Planning Board, the Police Commission, the Flathead County Solid Waste Board, the Technical Advisory Committee, the Tourism Business Improvement District, the Urban Forestry Committee and the Urban Renewal Agency.

The council will meet virtually through Zoom videoconference this evening at 7 p.m. Public comments will be accepted via email at publiccoment@kalispell.com. The meeting will be streamed live at https://www.kalispell.com/480/Meeting-Videos.

Reporter Bret Anne Serbin may be reached at (406)-758-4459 or bserbin@dailyinterlake.com.