Mayor Mark Johnson came down hard Monday on public criticism of the city’s proclamation encouraging residents and visitors to donate or volunteer to their local food banks.  

Council authorized the proclamation on Nov. 17. Following its approval, Johnson acknowledged an emailed public comment asking City Hall to tone down its support for charity, arguing that the proclamation pushes taxpayers to spend even more on services despite already paying so much in taxes.  

“I will never discourage the public from contributing to charities that deliver services to different parts of the community. Be [it] the unsheltered, the unclothed, the unfed, people with disabilities,” Johnson said. “I will never stop advocating for people to be charitable with their money, their time and their talent to try to make a community a better place.” 

Johnson also said that charities handle finances and deliver services more effectively than government programs. 

The proclamation initially only recognized the Kalispell-based Flathead Food Bank but was amended to include other independent food banks in the valley at the request of Linda Erickson, co-founder of the Northwest Montana Veterans Stand Down & Food Pantry who spoke during the meeting’s public comment period.  

The decree follows a period of uncertainty around the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program during the government’s record-long shutdown that ended Nov. 12. Food banks around the valley stocked up in preparation for heightened demand as funding for the program was expected to lapse at the beginning of the month.  

Mandy Gerth, director of development at North Valley Foodbank in Whitefish, originally requested that the city issue a proclamation during a Nov. 10 Council meeting. Whitefish issued a similar one earlier this month in support of a Whitefish-based food bank, and Gerth asked that Kalispell follow suit in supporting its local food bank.  

COUNCIL ALSO waived the requirement for city managers to live within city limits. The body had informally agreed to scrap the requirement during a September work session.  

Councilor Ryan Hunter reiterated his past support for the residency requirement but said he understood that special circumstances may preclude a prospective city manager from finding housing in the city.  

Councilor Sid Daoud echoed Hunter’s support for the requirement and suggested giving the incoming city manager a certain amount of time to find housing within Kalispell. 

The decision to do away with the requirement comes as Council searches for a successor to Doug Rusell, who left the city manager position in late August. GMP consultants was hired that same month to spearhead the recruitment process and Development Services Director Jarod Nygren has taken over as interim city manager in the meantime.  

Council also voted to transfer an acre of city property near Kalispell Legends Stadium to Kalispell Public School District 5.  

The district has used the property as a ballfield for decades, and transferring the property would not affect municipal operations, according to Nygren.  

A revisionary agreement will be executed to ensure that the land is transferred back to the city if used for anything other than school purposes.  

Council also voted to hire Insituform Technologies to rehabilitate 7,650 feet of existing sewer main.  

Several areas in the city’s sewer collection system have root intrusion and infiltration issues, according to a memo from Deputy Public Works Director Keith Haskins.  

The price tag comes in at $776,128. Fiscal year 2026 sewer funds were allocated to support the project along with grant funding from the State-Local Infrastructure Partnership Act authorized in 2023 by the state Legislature.  

Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and [email protected].