The Kalispell City Council will discuss the future format of council gatherings this evening, during a virtual work session held via Zoom videoconference.

Both of the council’s August meetings were moved out of the City Council Chambers and onto an online format when unmasked protesters showed up at the meetings to protest statewide face covering requirements. During the most recent meeting on Aug. 19, councilor Sid Daoud asked the council to consider how it might return to in-person meetings in the future.

During the work session, the council will review guidance from the state Attorney General to develop a plan for meetings moving forward. Attorney General Tim Fox provided local governments with a series of guidelines for navigating public meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they can be found at: https://www.kalispell.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08242020-495

“The current COVID-19 pandemic necessitates a balancing of public participatory rights and more limited local government operations,” Fox stated in the guidelines.

His advice noted the Montana Constitution requires local governments to ensure the public’s “right of participation” and “right to know,” but he also pointed out, “neither [of these rights] require[s] actual physical presence.”

Moreover, Fox’s advice states that local governments should determine the best method for holding meetings throughout the pandemic, and “during the COVID-19 emergency, a public meeting may be held through remote means.”

The public should nonetheless be notified about the format of the meeting, and “the local government should strive, if possible, to provide a remote communication system that provides the members of the local governing body and the public the ability to see, hear and reasonably participate in the meeting.”

The council will also discuss three other proposals at the remote work session Monday.

One is the 911 Special District election. In April, the council passed a resolution supporting the creation of a funding source and managerial oversight for the operations of the 911 facility. This measure will be on the ballot in November.

During the work session, the council will discuss the potential impacts of the passage or failure of the ballot issue, including a purported reduction in the city of Kalispell’s direct contribution to the 911 center.

Another item for discussion is a planned-unit development amendment request for Montana Base Camp RV Park. The park, which opened last year, is requesting longer-term stays and RV skirting for camp guests.

The applicant is requesting these changes, “to accommodate our summer clients properly as needed and allo[w] us to accommodate our winter clients best with the small overlap in the fall and spring.”

“Our goal at Montana Basecamp is to be a top 20 U.S. Destination Resort,” the request goes on to say. “These two changes to our PUD allow us the greatest opportunity for continued success as our vision at Montana Basecamp slowly comes to reality.”

There has been one public comment received about this request from someone who suggested skirting should be allowed if the park meets the requirements to be considered a mobile home park. The lone public commenter also suggested the extended-stay provision should only be put in place through Dec. 31, 2020, unless the pandemic situation continues past that point.

Finally, the council will look into a few street connector options for the downtown Core Area trail.

The city originally proposed seven street connection options for the eventual development of the Core Area trail, which has gradually been in progress for about 10 years. Throughout that process, it has apparently come to light that the earlier proposals “may not be possible or desirable to construct as originally envisioned due to increased opposition,” according to the work session agenda.

Therefore, the council is examining three possible street connections on the north side of the Kalispell Center Mall. The additional three street connections include First Avenue WN, Third Avenue WN, and Fourth Avenue WN.

As the city has sought public input throughout the development process, the First Avenue WN option has apparently garnered the most public support.

“The benefits of choosing one of these additional connections include an increase in accessibility and connectivity to the development in the US 2/US 93 area, as well as the underdeveloped and undeveloped lots north of the railroad corridor,” stated the work session agenda.

“This would improve circulation in the entire Core Area, making it safe for motor vehicle and pedestrian travel in the most heavily utilized portion of the project area as we provide opportunity for development of additional businesses and residences in the direct vicinity improving general appeal of the area,” the agenda continued.

The meeting will be held online at 7 p.m. via Zoom videoconference and can be viewed at https://www.kalispell.com/480/Meeting-Videos. Public comments can be submitted via email at publiccomment@kalispell.com.

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