Kalispell council approves consent agenda; residents urge action on mail‑in ballots, code enforcement, policing and city transparency

The City of Kalispell council approved the consent agenda as presented at its July 21 meeting. The motion to approve was made by a member identified in the meeting as "Mister Natalie" and seconded; a roll‑call vote recorded Councilor Dowd, Councilor Dahlmann, Councilor Fisher, Councilor Nunnally, Councilor Carlson, Councilor Gabrielle, Councilor Graham and Mayor Johnson voting "aye." Mayor Johnson announced the motion carried.

During the public‑comment period, multiple residents pressed the council on separate but related issues: election procedures and mail‑in ballots, low voter participation, code enforcement and weed control, sidewalk repair, speeding and traffic safety, police staffing and compensation, snow removal, vagrancy and challenges for small businesses navigating permitting.

Gracie Stogsdale of 957 Colorado Avenue addressed mail‑in ballots and voter participation. She said she had previously testified about election‑promotion funding and disputed a characterization of her earlier remarks, reading headlines from news reports about absentee and mail‑in ballot fraud in other states. "Mail‑in ballots promote what we know in the political world as voter detachment," Stogsdale said, arguing that voters often do not know where to go or how city decisions affect them. She told the council the city’s budget exceeds $180 million and said few residents participate in elections.

Several residents described neighborhood maintenance problems and public‑safety concerns. Ron Albrecht, who said he lives on North Meridian, complained that uncut lawns, buckled sidewalks, speeding and what he called increased vagrancy near an apartment complex have gone unaddressed for years. He requested the city adopt an ordinance allowing the city to mow neglected lawns and place the cost on property tax rolls, and asked for more effective sidewalk repair, speed control and enforcement.

Candidate and business owner Kyle Voigtlander urged the council to prioritize a new master plan and said Kalispell must adopt a plan to avoid losing state points that could affect local regulations. He also criticized permitting costs and processes for businesses moving into older downtown buildings, saying retrofits and compliance costs can be prohibitively expensive for small businesses. Voigtlander suggested reducing red tape, reforming landscaping rules that prohibit rock as groundcover on commercial sites except as accent features, and improving the city website to make planning documents more accessible to residents.

Two commenters, Malia Sturgis and Carson Russell, delivered a legal notice contending that certain state criminal‑charging practices violate federal constitutional protections and warned council members about potential federal liability; they cited the U.S. Constitution and federal statutes during their remarks. They said they had served notice on state officials and were prepared to pursue litigation if violations continued.

Council members responded to some concerns. Councilor Graham reminded residents that individuals may still drop ballots in person at the county election office, and noted city notices and an "Engaged Kalispell" webpage with land‑use materials; he also suggested residents sign up with the city clerk to receive email notices. Councilor Dowd (addressing shopping locally) and City Manager Doug Russell provided brief administrative updates: Russell said he would return to the office Wednesday and flagged upcoming work sessions including a Northwest Montana History Museum agenda item.

No formal council action on the substantive public‑comment topics occurred July 21 beyond the consent‑agenda vote; several speakers asked the council to take follow‑up actions such as stronger code enforcement, clearer public notice practices, and a review of policing and snow‑removal capacity.