[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6216903,"mediaKeyId","3650507-69c1cafeaa12fba0fe8c48abee238735","parentId",3650507,"title","Whitefish residents demand transparency, training after Border Patrol detainment","audioSeconds",7135,"startMs",1980000,"endMs",9115000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3650507-69c1cafeaa12fba0fe8c48abee238735&start=1980&end=9115","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3650507-69c1cafeaa12fba0fe8c48abee238735/thumbnail_1980000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6216903/Whitefish/Flathead-County/Montana/Whitefish-residents-demand-transparency-training-after-Border-Patrol-detainment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216903-0f72c2110e0328b989522883560ef498/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140197&Signature=Kb-2h2doJArDKtfUwoSGtF3aYyqHOzo9kEnjvOIfGL2m1ILpo-SZaMTAIGiH3i9b2N8sqrdUBfGrqslwR2PdtFVEQMmXV4MK3af4mPkB9yBXvYY0a-Mm8QH87rW3Jh8UOC5xmqHxVq3dxt2vuElnzxHL3Zu-a7YXITsN7TfYx1WNy7KZnuFD~MKK5ot~74xG8It01wKWMIInxXFKAu47B-D~hVtO1DWW~WdzuTdMKneYVx1~JfM09YUbVyU1AgbLm1OIrd6Ec2N4eeRV1upTDVLopm7D0kpCU9t5wmf2gIldcWGALv4hXpQeQ-hQbBZoQk9RzVF-2GnmLnrQxeiiXg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Whitefish, MT","date","2025-06-03T16:09:14Z","article","Dozens of residents pressed the Whitefish City Council on June 2 for transparency, training and an apology after a traffic stop that led to a local man's transfer to federal custody and a multi‑day detention by U.S. Border Patrol.

The demands centered on whether the Whitefish Police Department should have called Border Patrol during an otherwise routine traffic stop, whether officers received sufficient training to identify lawful immigration status, and whether the city should limit future contacts with federal immigration agents.

The issue drew sustained testimony from advocates and neighbors who said the episode caused fear and trauma in the community. Leonette Galaz, president of Columbia Falls, said the city should stop working with Border Patrol on routine stops and called for an investigation and an apology. \"We demand the city of Whitefish immediately cease contacting or collaborating with border patrol for any interactions that do not involve potential felony level violent crimes,\" Galaz told the council. \"We demand an investigation into the actions of officer Hingis and disciplinary action as appropriate.\"

Rebecca Miller, an immigration advocate from Kalispell, called for access to training materials and asked the city to stop calling Customs and Border Protection. \"I will ask that the city will stop calling CBP,\" Miller said, noting that a published police report did not show reasons to suspect an immigration violation during the stop.

Speakers who identified as longtime residents and local service providers said the episode has left immigrant community members afraid to travel and to interact with public agencies. Several asked the council to release internal training materials and to require regular implicit‑bias or immigration‑law training for officers.

City officials told the public they have policies and training in place and that many related documents are available through public‑records requests. City Attorney Angie (city attorney) said Whitefish will provide its training records and other nonconfidential materials, but that body‑worn camera footage is \"confidential criminal justice information at this point\" and cannot be released by the city without a court order. She said a court could conduct an in‑camera review and decide whether footage should be disclosed.

City Administrator Dana (city administrator) told the council that personnel procedures and privacy rights limit what staff can disclose while internal reviews or personnel processes are underway, but said the city has been \"taking the concerns very seriously.\" Dana also noted that the city follows a policy of investigating allegations of biased policing and that any personnel matters require time to investigate.

Council members said they had received large public response and that the city must balance legal limits on disclosure, personnel privacy and public expectation. Several members urged patience while investigations and records requests proceed; others pushed for faster, proactive publication of nonconfidential training materials.

No formal disciplinary action or council vote was taken at the meeting. City officials repeatedly encouraged residents with open records requests or legal counsel representing affected parties to use the court process if they seek release of camera footage.

The council did not change department policy at the meeting, but staff said training materials and written policies are available on request and that supervisors have been reminded to follow city policy on bias and immigration matters. Several community groups said they will continue to press the council for a formal independent review and for regular, publicly accessible training and reporting.

The council scheduled no further public hearing on the matter at the June 2 meeting; speakers and council members indicated additional public inquiries and potential legal requests may follow.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Whitefish City Council Meeting - June 2, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dozens of residents pressed the Whitefish City Council on June 2 for transparency, training and an apology after a traffic stop that led to a local man's transfer to federal custody and a multi‑day detention by U.S. Border Patrol.","taxTitle","Whitefish, Flathead County, Montana","taxId",56558,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6216899,"Residents debate growth plan edits as council moves toward consultant RFP for land‑use element",8523,177000,8700000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3650507-69c1cafeaa12fba0fe8c48abee238735&start=177&end=8700","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3650507-69c1cafeaa12fba0fe8c48abee238735/thumbnail_177000.jpg","/articles/6216899/Whitefish/Flathead-County/Montana/Residents-debate-growth-plan-edits-as-council-moves-toward-consultant-RFP-for-landuse-element","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216899-5fc07b3f7b8b8d86da96d0209a6c4077/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140197&Signature=M~EAs1Q-sMeXmAaOMuFCDBkbgoGxczD5uwmsYCgFJlFXh4LhDyg-OaatJWbvizLJAMwMPO~Kj9VsBnolUylNWamkry6Lqsxn6wwjZjUiwmNDktyl7WOgRYlxIKf243oLOMpvnhf8dhVF7FFNpvTBZJ8DOWsapFAjR~6gPn~pgQuI87lqgchiPaMKLQ2R0stnoGoaNrdnHXz~XxiyXzJGCQXeFlscsRY~8MKJPwL18SiWw97wf1uq~vFfys-c1sbGSXOrIiBSNck5bn8KarpHXPv82WXoe5uo7wCOEZOv~B-4AMIcnoJyehI2XtryWDEZgRVQ41u6Cx5k2MnY1FxgeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents and civic groups pressed the Whitefish City Council on June 2 over proposed growth‑policy language and how public input was aggregated into a draft known as the Heart of Whitefish.

Speakers representing community boards, neighborhood groups and individual residents raised three recurring concerns: (1) whether the Heart of Whitefish document had properly reflected broad public input, (2) whether the plan's data and assumptions are accurate, and (3) whether proposals for added commercial mixed‑use would create empty storefronts as shopping shifts online.

John Heberling, a Whitefish resident who has tracked planning law and process, told the council that state planning statutes give the planning commission defined duties in preparing a growth plan and that the council should be clear about roles and sequencing in adopting any final plan. \"The planning board...has specific duties and they must do them,\" Heberling said, arguing the draft should be considered in the formal planning process.

Other commenters urged caution on adding new commercial capacity. Michael Heine pointed to national and local retail closures and growing online purchasing, saying: \"People want underwear, they order them online,\" and warning that more commercial space could create vacancies downtown.

Speakers also disputed specific data in Heart of Whitefish. Dakota Whitman, who gave a detailed critique, said the document relied on an unreliable rent calculation and questioned an assertion that remote‑work trends might reverse the housing crunch. \"If claims like these are gonna be made, there needs to be sources to back them up,\" Whitman said.

Representatives of stakeholder groups pressed for clearer access to the raw public comments. Cameron Dexter, representing Citizens for a Better Flathead, said his organization had submitted comments but had not been able to locate the full set of individual stakeholder submissions and said he had filed a public‑records request.

Council members and staff responded at the meeting by agreeing the next formal step is to solicit a consultant to help complete the land‑use element and public outreach. City Administrator Dana said the consultant scope is not yet finalized but estimated costs could be \"a hundred, $200,000\" and said grant funds are available to pay for that work.

Council members expressed differing views on process. Some urged the planning board to continue its work; others suggested more direct, line‑by‑line consolidation of comments to avoid wholesale deletions or additions that appear to many commenters to be authored by a single group.

No ordinance or policy change was adopted at the June 2 meeting on the growth plan. Council directed staff to draft a scope of services and an RFP for consultant assistance on the land‑use element; officials said they will return with cost estimates and a formal contract for council consideration.

The city will continue the multi‑step process required by state planning law and local procedure, including additional public input and planning‑board review before final council action.

","Residents and civic groups pressed the Whitefish City Council on June 2 over proposed growth‑policy language and how public input was aggregated into a draft known as the Heart of Whitefish.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6216889,"Votes at a glance: Whitefish City Council approves snow/ice rule changes, park contract and $100,000 housing buy‑down",1466,6966000,8432000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3650507-69c1cafeaa12fba0fe8c48abee238735&start=6966&end=8432","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3650507-69c1cafeaa12fba0fe8c48abee238735/thumbnail_6966000.jpg","/articles/6216889/Whitefish/Flathead-County/Montana/Votes-at-a-glance-Whitefish-City-Council-approves-snowice-rule-changes-park-contract-and-100000-housing-buydown","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216889-6594513b8a191ba9376cb975f7b916dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140197&Signature=IEspt4YTeNhlgTpcso38rMuoLlMNKYpjYgbHjvY6nRndIl32qmQojn4QsUm9GYCK4IMw6YmR31M4syXkbAI4J9Tq~suUMY2xaA7qahfyTxRIHU50FRBzkLoDP4Fq~Sg5n0hH3ZAQ7BM8xEfdPJ-MA5xte-CsbHtp3-vGtN7f0cuVi2kLcsTw41qOhHq5d6GttMBA9qh0kgiVFMUG3CDHvyb61Mk4PXETKs4UFjJO1zn~9mWSUnzu5g8Om5npewK8aQOFDUQZzHYTlDxn4yW~4C0eIDI6q7NkSHMJhnsrcU9w8uBbnKaTWS06SZIk8Rmym2RTfTc~vE0D-d~1PZdpSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Whitefish City Council took several formal actions during its June 2 meeting. Below are key votes, outcomes and brief context.

Ordinance 25‑06, Title 7 Chapter 2 Section 2 (snow and ice removal) — Approved unanimously
Council adopted revisions clarifying maintenance expectations for sidewalks and shared‑use paths, adjusting language to require sidewalks be \"reasonably clear\" and setting an administrative fee structure with a $60 minimum and $300 maximum. Staff and the Board of Park Commissioners recommended adoption; no financial impact was reported.

Armory Park Master Plan Phase 4 — Construction contract awarded to Lipka (Lipka Excavating) — Approved unanimously
Staff opened bids and recommended awarding the phase‑4 site work to Lipka Excavating as the low bidder. Contract amount: $153,880. The overall project budget for FY25–FY26 is $950,000 from the resort tax fund, and staff said funds are available.

Northwest Montana Community Land Trust (405 Trailview Way) — City contribution approved, 4–2
The council approved a $100,000 contribution from the city's affordable housing fund to the Northwest Montana Community Land Trust to reduce the sale price of 405 Trailview Way from $476,000 to $376,000 for the next homeowner and to lift/adjust a deed restriction as needed. City Administrator Dana said that, if approved, the fund balance would be approximately $2,300 remaining uncommitted; $200,000 of the fund is committed to another project (Alpenglow 2) that is on hold. The motion passed 4–2; Councilmembers Giuseppe and Ben voted no.

Consent Agenda (May 19 minutes) — Approved unanimously
The consent agenda, including meeting minutes, was approved without recorded dissent.

Appointment: Council representative to Whitefish Community Development Board — Approved unanimously
Council appointed Councilor Frank Sweeney as council representative to the Community Development Board for the remainder of the year; Councilor Norton was named as backup.

How the council voted (where recorded):
- Ordinance 25‑06: motion made and seconded; vote unanimous.
- Armory Park contract: low bid Lipka Excavating $153,880; motion seconded; vote unanimous.
- Northwest Montana Community Land Trust funding: motion carried 4–2 (Giuseppe and Ben opposed).
- Appointments and consent agenda: unanimous approvals.

Items that did not result in immediate votes
Council directed staff to draft a consultant RFP and scope for the land‑use element of the growth plan; staff estimates for the consultant were cited at $100,000–$200,000 and grant funds were available to cover that work. No contract was approved at the June 2 meeting.

Vote provenance (transcript excerpts):
- Ordinance 25‑06 public hearing and motion: item introduced by Maria, parks & rec director; motion made from the dais and seconded by Councilor Caltabiano (transcript at 6555'2756). (topicintro: 6555.13, topfinish: 6774.245)
- Armory Park bid award: staff presented bid tabulation; low bidder Lipka Excavating $153,880; motion and unanimous vote recorded. (topicintro: 6774.3047, topfinish: 6894.675)
- Affordable housing fund $100,000: Kim Morisaki, executive director of Northwest Montana Community Land Trust presented request; council debate followed; motion carried 4'2. (topicintro: 6966.4746, topfinish: 8210.115)
- Appointment to Community Development Board: motion to appoint Councilor Frank Sweeney passed unanimously. (topicintro: 8228.25, topfinish: 8332.11)

","The Whitefish City Council took several formal actions at its June 2 meeting, including unanimous adoption of a revised snow‑and‑ice ordinance, award of a park construction contract, and a 4–2 vote to provide $100,000 toward a deed‑restricted Trailview home purchase.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6216894,"Glacier Nordic Club selects Big Mountain Trailhead site for groomer barn; lease and construction next steps",256,5454000,5710000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3650507-69c1cafeaa12fba0fe8c48abee238735&start=5454&end=5710","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3650507-69c1cafeaa12fba0fe8c48abee238735/thumbnail_5454000.jpg","/articles/6216894/Whitefish/Flathead-County/Montana/Glacier-Nordic-Club-selects-Big-Mountain-Trailhead-site-for-groomer-barn-lease-and-construction-next-steps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216894-fb94e70c4eba7fb1bc3af5593ae28336/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140197&Signature=bldIXFAtcKJ2qsma4yA0vYG~TTsb2mUoEpC7JnNEU-1eFuhCH53bz-o9LCGikDb9hyrcj0eAj7eYnqebAOYVrzuzSnnEaLL6xIb4G64-QuyqgLslT22ExUfJTMAD4V84q3nPdsTkuDnyAdXU0qAYrdWHb3Ocn8B24~3kO73UTAvDR9h26HTKYdmBD4Z3ay264pK6sqgyInZmTBopHn38q8lS5pjeg2nu6-RCNOOhQVbfApBa7qdOd6AwAi7T3ujwMVfK0vun2LqpJro69Fc8ojcND7112L5bRodtwRlX5o-hHV8xEMxFds8v4uYpCsqm8a6K2C0pc~7wHDdmXAfQ2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Glacier Nordic Club told the Whitefish City Council on June 2 that it has identified a site for a groomer barn and equipment storage area at the Big Mountain Trailhead and will move forward on a lease and construction agreement.

Jenny Bender, executive director of Glacier Nordic Club, briefed the council that the trailhead site is on Flathead County land and is owned by the resort but subject to a public easement with the City of Whitefish. The club said it has placed temporary equipment at the site since 2019, added electrical and gravel in earlier work, and resumed planning this year after leadership transitions.

Bender said the club has undertaken a multi‑year site analysis, worked with Whitefish Legacy Partners and city staff and hopes to finalize the lease and construction agreements soon. She said the project will improve winter trail grooming capacity, benefit youth nordic programs and protect high‑value grooming equipment currently stored outdoors.

City councilors thanked the club for the project update and for the thorough site analysis. No city funding request or formal action was taken at the June 2 meeting; staff said any future lease or construction agreement would return to council for approval.

","Glacier Nordic Club updated the council that it has agreed on a site for a groomer‑barn and storage area at the Big Mountain Trailhead under an easement with the city. The club said it will pursue a lease and construction agreement and has been advancing the project since 2018; no funding request was made at the June 2 meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Whitefish residents demand transparency, training after Border Patrol detainment

Residents debate growth plan edits as council moves toward consultant RFP for land‑use element

Votes at a glance: Whitefish City Council approves snow/ice rule changes, park contract and $100,000 housing buy‑down

Glacier Nordic Club selects Big Mountain Trailhead site for groomer barn; lease and construction next steps