The Whitefish City Council authorized a grant application, adopted text amendments to the city code, awarded a contract for the Armory Park project and approved a building permit. 

The heat pumps installed at the Alpenglow Apartments about 3.5 years ago have not worked properly and need to be replaced. The council authorized an application for a Community Development Block Grant to fund the critical repairs. 

Homeward asked the city to sponsor the grant application and the council voted unanimously to back it. 

“We were sold a product that was promised to work well in Montana weather and it doesn’t,” Homeward’s Erin Ojala said. “They swear that their product does operate, but we see that it doesn’t.”  

She hopes to pursue damages in a class action lawsuit. 

Last month, changes to the subdivision code were required because of recent bills passed by the state Legislature and this time around, changes to the zoning code needed to be made.  

Senior Planner Wendy Compton-Ring explained House Bill 713 axed the zoning protest provision and Senate Bill 252 identified manufactured built housing and included a definition. Other housekeeping-type changes were also made to the zoning code. 

There was no public comment and the council voted 6-0 in favor of the changes. 

Another change in state law made it necessary to change the name of the Community Development Board to the Whitefish Planning Commission. 

Parks and Recreation Director Maria Butts received the green light to award the construction contract for the Armory Park restroom and playground path project to Vada Contracting, LLC for a little over $319,000. 

The council approved the creation of a memorandum of understanding with North Whitefish Lake Community Fire Association in anticipation of the creation of the North Lake Fire District. 

Dalen Property Holdings LLC got the go ahead to build a second building on its property at 6345 U.S. Highway 93 South. The building will house medical offices on the first floor and have two, two-bedroom apartments on the second floor.