Kalispell City Council on Monday night adopted updated plans for future infrastructure improvements to the municipality's water and wastewater systems.  

Council also discussed the proposed use of license plate readers to enforce parking rules downtown, heard a request for more funding from the county public transit service, and learned the city missed out on a federal grant that would have bankrolled the completion of the Kalispell Bypass.  

The changes to the city's water, sewer and advanced wastewater treatment plant plans group future capital projects into near-, mid- and long-term categories. By 2044 — the city's near-term planning horizon — Kalispell's infrastructure will have to accommodate an estimated population of 51,000.  

The trio of planning documents identified over $300 million in capital projects over the next 20 years. The plans do not commit the city to funding any given project but identifies each system's future needs, Mayor Ryan Hunter said. 

The plans will not affect water and sewer rates. Any future rate changes will be considered through a rate study scheduled for the coming months, with recommendations expected to come before Council this fall, according to City Manager Jarod Nygren.  

One of the plans examines the needs of Kalispell's Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, which was built in the 1990s and has several aging components in need of upgrades. Hunter asked staff to seek grant funding for an energy audit that could identify opportunities to improve the plant's energy efficiency.  

KALISPELL’S THIRD attempt at securing a federal grant to fund the completion of the south half of the U.S. 93 Bypass fared no better than its predecessors. 

City staff in February submitted an application for $25 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development competitive grant program. The federal transportation agency had put aside $1.5 billion in funding for the program for 2026 compared to last year's $488 million. 

But only one Montana community received funding through the program — a $3 million grant to replace a bridge in Missoula County.  

Construction at the south end of the bypass includes replacing the roundabout at Airport Road with a double-roundabout interchange similar to the one completed at Foy's Lake Road in 2022. The interchange would feature an overpass and four access ramps, according to the state Department of Transportation.  

The Basecamp Drive/bypass intersection to U.S. 93 would be fitted with dual northbound left-turn lanes on U.S. 93, doubling turning capacity for vehicles accessing the bypass.   

On the bright side, Nygren said missing out on the grant would avoid overlapping construction projects on the bypass and the planned roundabouts south of the Flathead County Justice Center. The city is waiting to learn whether federal funding was awarded for the latter.  

A MAN threatened a "hostile takeover" of the Council during the public comment portion of the July 20 meeting if members approved the purchase of license plate reader technology for downtown parking enforcement.  

"I'm beyond upset, and I'm coming for one of your jobs. So you better watch out and better start doing the right thing," John McDonnell told councilors.  

He argued that it would be used as a tool to monitor individuals and violate their privacy.  

"It is a sick, twisted and perverted excuse to call these license plate readers a form of safety," he said.  

Councilors have reiterated that the technology will not be connected to a criminal justice network. The city budgeted $70,000 for the software.  

The Kalispell Police Department must adopt a policy for using the technology, according to Nygren. He said that the procurement process has not begun and can't start until Kalispell's budget for fiscal year 2027 is finalized.  

"Nobody wants a Flock system that's doing mass surveillance," Hunter said, referring to a nationwide automatic license plate reader firm accused of violating people’s privacy and allowing law enforcement to track individuals without a warrant.  

"I believe our Police Department is professional and will follow the law as they always do," he said.  

Councilor Wes Walker said he takes privacy concerns seriously and noted that the system would be installed on vehicles as opposed to being mounted on a stationary object. 

"I am not comfortable with these license plate readers, but as long as we follow all the policies and procedures that we have stated, I can tentatively support them for our parking enforcement," Walker said.  

MOUNTAIN CLIMBER Executive Director Elizabeth Wood asked Council for increased financial support as demand for the county's public transit service continues to grow and capacity becomes limited.  

The service saw nearly 61,000 total rides last fiscal year, which began in July 2025 and ended in June 2026. Out of those rides, about 48,000 were provided in Kalispell. Roughly 46% of riders are members of the general public, while 28% are people with disabilities and 26% are seniors.  

Ridership took a dip in 2023 when the service introduced fares as a means to open up available space. Since then, ridership has rebounded and is exceeding all-time highs, Wood said.  

The Transportation Advisory Committee is considering bumping fares again in attempt to free up more space, but Wood said that it likely will not provide the necessary relief.  

She asked for more support from the county's municipalities. Kalispell, Columbia Falls and Whitefish contribute $15,000 a year to the service.  

"We are very limited on our support from our municipalities and our funding," Wood said. "I'm just kind of putting the bug in the ear if you guys might be interested in maybe discussing it."  

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 406-758-4407 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.