Full Text
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT March 10, 2020 MEETINGS AND UPDATES On Thursday, March 5th, Fire Chief Page and I meet with representatives of the Whitefish Fire Service Area (WFSA) to discuss our contract that automatically renews for one year on June 30, 2021. The WFSA is evaluating other options to provide fire protection, such as becoming a Fire District and having their own operations. We are hopeful that we will be able to come to an agreement on continuing our contract with the WFSA. However, if we do not come to an agreement, the City will be faced with a loss of about $300,000 in revenue for our FY22 Fire Department Budget. Following this meeting, the Fire Department Long-range Planning team decided it would be in the City’s best interest to invest in a formal long-range plan prepared by a consultant. This will be included in the FY21 Proposed Budget for Council’s consideration. The resulting plan will help us identify ways to address funding and the future needs of the Fire Department including emergency medical services and fire protection. REMINDERS AND OTHER INFORMATION Department Directors and I have been meeting with local public health officials and other agencies, as well as participating in webinars and conference calls, to discuss the possible spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in our area. As of today, there are no identified cases in Montana, but we are preparing for the possible spread into our community. We are in the process of reviewing our tele- commuting policy and continuation of operations plan for the City. We have also implemented the recommended practices at City offices to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, such as disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces throughout the day and providing hand sanitizer. We have also asked all employees to stay home if they are sick. The health and wellbeing of everyone in our community is very important to us and we will continue to communicate any information to you as it becomes available. For updates and best practices to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other respiratory illnesses, please visit reliable sources such as our local Flathead City-County Health Department website at or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at NEXT COUNCIL MEETING The next City Council meeting will be held Monday, April 6th. The work session is scheduled for a presentation by Whitefish Lake Institute (AIS) on the Aquatic Invasive Species Report, an update on septic leachate, and a brief follow-up on fireworks and the impacts on water quality. Following the presentation by WLI, the City Council will review a draft ordinance for the use of fireworks in City Limits. Respectfully submitted, Dana M. Smith, CPA City Manager