Mayor & City Council

WHITEFISH CITY COUNCIL November 18 ,2024 SPECIAL SESSION AT 5:30 PM 1) Call to Order Mayor Muhlfeld called the meeting to order. Councilors present were Feury, Davis, Norton, Qunell and Caltabiano. Councilor Sweeney was absent. Staff present was City Manager Smith, City Clerk Howke, Planning and Building Director Taylor and Planner McDonald. 2) Interview – Vacant Boards and Committees The City Council interviewed incumbents Dakota Whitman and Robin Paone for the Whitefish Climate Action Plan Committee; incumbents Phil Boland and Scott Wurster and Mallory Phillips for the Community Development Board; incumbent Chuck Stearns and Brandon Theis for the Impact Fee Advisory Committee; Cory Mehl for the Whitefish Housing Authority; and incumbent Peggy Brammer for the Whitefish Lake and Lakeshore Protection Committee. 3) Public Comment None 4) Appointment a) Mayor Muhlfeld appointed Dakota Whitman and Robin Paone to the Climate Action Plan Committee for a 2-year term. The Council ratified his appointment. b) Councilor Feury made a motion, seconded by Councilor Caltabiano re-appointed Chuck Stearns and appointed Brandon Theis to the Impact Fee Advisory Committee. The motion carried. c) Mayor Muhlfeld appointed Cory Mehl to the Whitefish Housing Authority for a five-year term. The Council ratified his appointment. d) Councilor Qunell made a motion, seconded by Councilor Norton to re-appoint Peggy Brammer to the Whitefish Lake and Lakeshore Protection Committee for a two-year term. The motion carried. 5) Adjourn Mayor Muhlfeld adjourned the meeting at 7:00 pm and opened regular meeting. /s/John Muhlfeld Mayor Muhlfeld Attest: /s/Michelle Howke Michelle Howke, Whitefish City Clerk  WHITEFISH CITY COUNCIL November 18, 2024 7:10 P.M. 1) CALL TO ORDER Mayor Muhlfeld called the meeting to order. Councilors present were Qunell, Feury, Caltabiano, Davis, and Norton. Councilor Sweeney was absent. City Staff present were, City Clerk Howke, City Manager Smith, City Attorney Jacobs, Finance Director Gospodarek, Planning and Building Director Taylor, Public Works Director Workman, Parks and Recreation Director Butts (virtually), and Police Chief Kelch. Approximately five people were in the audience and two attended virtually. 2) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Muhlfeld asked Chris Schustrom to lead the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. 3) COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC– (This time is set aside for the public to comment on items that are either on the agenda, but not a public hearing or on items not on the agenda. City officials do not respond during these comments but may respond or follow-up later on the agenda or at another time. The mayor has the option of limiting such communications to three minutes depending on the number of citizens who want to comment and the length of the meeting agenda) (YouTube Video 3:20) Chris Schustrom, 504 Spokane Avenue, invited the community to help hang the holiday decorations on Sunday, November 24th. Volunteers should meet at the corner of 3rd Street and Central Avenue at 8:00am. This is the 75th year of this all-volunteer community project. He thanked the partnership with the Public Works Department and the Police Department. He also provided an update on the downtown sidewalk cleaning partnership. The fall 2024 cleaning took place in October. Almost all businesses on Central Avenue and Baker Avenue have participated. This has been a great partnership and Director Workman has been great to work with. Daniel Sidder, Executive Director of Housing Whitefish, provided an update on the Whitefish Rental Assistance Program. Currently they have 45 approved applications; there are 94 people living in those households, 40 of which are children. They have committed about $180,000 in funds and their average payments are $316.00 per household. They have been working on a three-year strategic plan. The Alpenglow project is about 65 to 70% funded. If they receive grant funds from the Federal Home Loan Bank of De Moine in December they will be closer to 85% funded. Kim Morisaki, 1329 Bald Eagle Loop, Kalispell, requested support related to HB 819, which is money that the 2023 Montana Legislature set aside for housing for the entire state. Potentially there is $9 million to be used for housing in Flathead County. The County Commissioners need to choose Community Reinvestment Organization (CRO). Neighbor Works Montana is proposing to be the CRO. There is no risk to the County’s expenses. She encourages anybody who is interested to reach out to the County Commissioners and express support for this Bill. 4) COMMUNICATIONS FROM VOLUNTEER BOARDS (YouTube Video 22:57) Councilor Norton reported that the Tree Committee met and decided the trees that will go along Karrow Avenue. A lot of willows were removed from the detention pond at Riverside Park that were dangerous and breaking during storms. The committee will decide on the new planting in the spring.  CITY COUNCIL MINUTES November 18, 2024 Councilor Qunell reported the Community Development Board will meet on Thursday, November 21st at 5:00pm to discuss the Vision Whitefish 2045 demographics preamble. The meeting is open to the public. 5) CONSENT AGENDA (The consent agenda is a means of expediting routine matters that require the Council’s action. Debate does not typically occur on consent agenda items. Any member of the Council may remove any item for debate. Such items will typically be debated and acted upon prior to proceeding to the rest of the agenda.) (YouTube Video 23:54) a) Minutes from November 4, 2024, Closed Executive Session b) Minutes from November 14, 2024, Regular Meeting (p.40) c) Ordinance No. 24-12; An Ordinance amending the Resort Tax Administrative Ordinance, codified in Title 3, Chapter 3 of the Whitefish City Code, providing an extension of 20 years and revising the uses of resort tax pursuant to voter approval in the 2023 general municipal election, updating the goods and services subject to and exempt from resort tax based on official interpretations, and revising the applicable penalties for failure to report or remit taxes (Second Reading) (p.44) d) Ordinance No. 24-13: An Ordinance amending Zoning Regulations Title 11, Section 11- 5, Sign Regulations, 11-5-4-A, Exempt, Prohibited and Special Standards, 11-5-5-A-3, General Sign Standards, 11-5-6-2-A-6, Old Town Sign District, and 11-5-6-4-A, Residential District, of the Whitefish City Code (Second Reading) (WZTA 24-03) (p.57) e) Consideration of a Final Plat for The Canopy Subdivision, a 21-lot residential lots (42 sublots) plus three commercial lots located of Pheasant Run, zoned WR-2 (Two-Family Residential District and WB-2 (Secondary Business District), (WFP 24-03) (p.62) f) Consideration of a Final Plat for Peregrine Subdivision, a six-lot subdivision located off Baker Avenue, zoned WI/WB-2-SC (Industrial and Warehousing District/Secondary Business District with Special Conditions (WFP 24-04) (p.125) g) Consideration of a request from Cate Walker, NW Design Studio, to extend the preliminary plat for the Little Bear subdivision, for 24-months until January 3, 2027 (WPP 21-05) (p.207) Councilor Norton made a motion to remove agenda item c, Ordinance No. 24-12 from the Consent Agenda for immediate discussion. Councilor Norton made a motion, seconded by Councilor Qunell to amend Ordinance No. 24- 12 to include livestock and pet medicine to the Exempt List. The motion carried. Councilor Caltabiano made a motion, seconded by Councilor Qunell to adopt the Consent Agenda as amended. The motion carried. 6) PUBLIC HEARINGS (Items will be considered for action after public hearings) (Resolution No. 07-33 establishes a 30-minute time limit for applicant’s land use presentations.) a) None 7) COMMUNICATION FROM CITY ATTORNEY a) Consideration to approve lease with Whitefish Community Center (p.216) (YouTube Video 27:19) City Attorney Angie Jacobs presented her staff report that is provided in the packet on the website. Discussion followed between Council and Attorney Jacobs on the renewal clause. 2  CITY COUNCIL MINUTES November 18, 2024 Councilor Davis made a motion, seconded by Councilor Feury, to approve the Lease Agreement with the Whitefish Community Center, to include the language in paragraph 3, the term may be extended after providing 60-days written notice with Council approval prior to November 30, 2029. Further discussion followed for staff to revisit the Interlocal Agreement between the City and Flathead County to negotiate the purchase clause. The motion carried to approve the lease as amended. 8) COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITY MANAGER (YouTube Video 38:35) a) Written report enclosed with the packet. Questions from Mayor and Council? (p.223) None b) Other items arising between November 13th through November 18th None c) Consideration to award contract for 2025 Montana Legislative Session lobby services (p.224) City Manager Smith presented her staff report that is provided in the packet on the website. Councilor Norton asked, and Manager Smith stated this lobbyist came highly recommended by the League of Cities and Towns (the League). Mayor Muhlfeld stated this is the strongest lobbyist that applied. Councilor Caltabiano asked, and Manager Smith stated the League does lobby on our behalf, and they have increased their staff, but we will need to lobby specifically for Whitefish issues. There is a lot of stuff that happens in the background that is not seen at the committee level. Councilor Davis made a motion, seconded by Councilor Qunell to approve the contract with Communication Management Services as proposed. Councilor Davis stated Whitefish is one of the most unique communities in the state. The issues we have here are different than what most other cities have. There is a lot happening in the legislature these days that has had some very significant impacts on our community. The motion carried. 9) COMMUNICATIONS FROM MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILORS (YouTube Video 54:19) a) Consideration of a request from Northwest Montana Community Land Trust to release the deed restriction on 711 Trailview (p.227) Mayor Muhlfeld addressed Kim Morisaki, Executive Director for Northwest Montana Community Land Trust. She reported in the last twelve months they have been able to bring seven houses in the Trail View development into the land trust and lower the purchase price on those houses. 711 Trail View has become available for purchase. The current homeowner would like to sell it by the end of the year. She is requesting the Council to release the deed restrictions so that she could have the land trust taken in as a ground lease restriction. She also asked the city to contribute $30,000 to the purchase of the land underneath the house to assist the land trust. Councilor Davis made a motion, seconded by Councilor Norton to approve the Northwest Montana Community Land Trust request to release the deed restriction of 711 Trail View and to provide $30,000 from the affordable housing fund as a contribution towards this effort. The motion carried. b) Discuss changes to the City Charter as approved by the voters regarding Council compensation and provide direction to staff 3  CITY COUNCIL MINUTES November 18, 2024 The Council directed staff to hold a work session at the January 6th City Council meeting for further discussion. c) Consideration to appoint an elected official or staff member to serve as the Ex-officio non-voting member for the Local Government Review Study Commission Councilor Caltabiano made a motion, seconded by Councilor Qunell to appoint City Clerk Howke to serve as the Ex-officio non-voting member for the Local Government Review Study Commission. The motion carried. d) Consideration of appointment to volunteer boards and committees not made during the Special Session preceding tonight’s meeting Appointments were made during the Special Session preceding the meeting. e) Consideration of cancelling the second meeting in December – December 16, 2024 The Council showed consensus by raising hands to cancel the second meeting in December – December 16, 2024. f) Letter from David Karmilovich providing input for Council compensation (p.228) Council Comments Councilor Feury stated he would like to get an update from Fish Wildlife and Parks now that there has been a confirmed case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in the Flathead County. Councilor Norton asked, and Manager Smith stated staff is working on the beginning stages of the Big Mountain Annexation. The annexation is a long process and will take some time. 10) ADJOURNMENT (Resolution 08-10 establishes 11:00 p.m. as end of meeting unless extended to 11:30 by majority) Mayor Muhlfeld adjourned the meeting at 8:28 p.m. /s/John Muhlfeld Mayor Muhlfeld Attest: /s/Michelle Howke Michelle Howke, Whitefish City Clerk 4