Latest news with #Kalispell
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Samaritan House raises $2 million in donations for expansion amid a federal grant delay
May 31—The Samaritan House has raised $2 million through community donations, furthering its hefty expansion project and helping fill a funding gap created by a loss of federal dollars. "It's really a beautiful thing," said Chris Krager, executive director of the Kalispell homeless shelter and transitional living facility. "The community has risen to the occasion to help us get started." The Samaritan House is undergoing a $16.9 million expansion that would nearly double its capacity, allowing it to serve 85 more people. The $2 million will go toward the first phase of construction, which entails a new apartment building with 18 income-based two- and three-bedroom apartments. The administrative building will also be expanded to accommodate a larger cafeteria and an overflow for the shelter. Montana-based contractor Swank Enterprises is expected to roll onto the property on July 1 after the Department of Environmental Quality finishes cleanup at the former Army Reserve Armory located at 1110 Second St. W., which is where the forthcoming apartment complex will go up. Krager said that fundraising efforts will continue, though, and more community support is needed to fund a 16-unit building to house homeless veterans. AROUND $8.4 million has been raised so far, just over half of which are federal dollars, according to Krager. "We're making progress. Nothing is in limbo. We are rolling," Krager said. But construction plans had to slightly shift earlier in the spring after a multimillion-dollar federal grant seemingly disappeared. The Samaritan House was in the midst of getting a $4.3 million grant approved when the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal agency in charge of dolling out the funds, abruptly cut contact. The Samaritan House was left in the dark on the status of the grant program until a week ago when the federal agency reached back out to Krager, inviting him to reapply. "We'll reapply. I know our application is really, really strong, so that's good," Krager said. The funding comes from the federal agency's Continuum of Care grant program, which "is designed to promote a community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness," according to the federal agency. The Samaritan House will be hosting ongoing construction tours. To schedule one, email Chris Krager at ckrager@ Reporter Jack Underhill may be reached at 758-4407 and junderhill@
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Samaritan House raises $2 million in donations for expansion amid a federal grant delay
May 31—The Samaritan House has raised $2 million through community donations, furthering its hefty expansion project and helping fill a funding gap created by a loss of federal dollars. "It's really a beautiful thing," said Chris Krager, executive director of the Kalispell homeless shelter and transitional living facility. "The community has risen to the occasion to help us get started." The Samaritan House is undergoing a $16.9 million expansion that would nearly double its capacity, allowing it to serve 85 more people. The $2 million will go toward the first phase of construction, which entails a new apartment building with 18 income-based two- and three-bedroom apartments. The administrative building will also be expanded to accommodate a larger cafeteria and an overflow for the shelter. Montana-based contractor Swank Enterprises is expected to roll onto the property on July 1 after the Department of Environmental Quality finishes cleanup at the former Army Reserve Armory located at 1110 Second St. W., which is where the forthcoming apartment complex will go up. Krager said that fundraising efforts will continue, though, and more community support is needed to fund a 16-unit building to house homeless veterans. AROUND $8.4 million has been raised so far, just over half of which are federal dollars, according to Krager. "We're making progress. Nothing is in limbo. We are rolling," Krager said. But construction plans had to slightly shift earlier in the spring after a multimillion-dollar federal grant seemingly disappeared. The Samaritan House was in the midst of getting a $4.3 million grant approved when the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal agency in charge of dolling out the funds, abruptly cut contact. The Samaritan House was left in the dark on the status of the grant program until a week ago when the federal agency reached back out to Krager, inviting him to reapply. "We'll reapply. I know our application is really, really strong, so that's good," Krager said. The funding comes from the federal agency's Continuum of Care grant program, which "is designed to promote a community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness," according to the federal agency. The Samaritan House will be hosting ongoing construction tours. To schedule one, email Chris Krager at ckrager@ Reporter Jack Underhill may be reached at 758-4407 and junderhill@
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Flathead County Library board breaks with fundraising partner over Kalispell branch project
May 31—The Flathead County Library Board of Trustees voted last week to break with its nonprofit fundraising arm, the Flathead Library Foundation, as it prepares to launch a campaign to build a new Kalispell branch. The 4-1 decision, which came as a shock to foundation officials, was made after board Chair Dave Ingram expressed frustration with how slow the process was of signing a fundraising agreement. He also accused the foundation of acting improperly and being "coercive" after the organization asked the board to agree to three conditions for its support in the endeavor. The conditions included unanimous support from the board on a capital campaign agreement, a commitment of capital improvement project funds from the county and a commitment from the county to support the library in the future. Foundation leadership, which disputed Ingram's characterizations of the conditions, said the organization needed a signed agreement that ensured support before it approached donors. It's normal for a document like this to go through several revisions, according to the foundation. "There is no coercion, only basic requests for the sort of assurances that any donor deserves," said foundation Executive Director Sara Busse after the meeting. The memo that included the conditions was sent to the board the day before its April meeting. The timing rankled Ingram, he told fellow trustees. "To me these actions raise serious issues regarding overstepping operational authority by inserting themselves in negotiations, repeated breakdowns in communication, a lack of transparency and the attempt to influence or control the decisions of a public governing body," Ingram said at the board's May meeting. Trustee Carmen Cuthbertson echoed Ingram, stating that the library needs a "reliable, dependable, honest, trustworthy fundraising entity." "We do not have it right now," she said. Ingram stated that possible fundraising avenues include reducing the earnest money down payment, possible owner financing and potentially renegotiating the purchase price with a better understanding of "what we bring to the table" for the property owners of the future home of the Kalispell branch. During the public comment period, Flathead Library Foundation Board president Erica Wirtala responded to the criticisms. "How is it possible to go to a donor ... when it looks like the Board of Trustees is not all on board and we don't have very solid assurances from the county commissioners that they are behind this project as well?" Wirtala said. Flathead County commissioners publicly expressed support for the project in early May but cautioned that their focus was on the completion of a new jail. Work to purchase property at the Kalispell Center Mall for the library's future location officially began last summer. In August, the board sent its initial letter of intent to SHOP Companies, the Texas developer that bought the mall last year, and began negotiations. At the time, Ingram said, the board was working on two documents: a capital campaign agreement with the foundation and the buy-sell agreement with the landowner. The former document is an agreement between the library and foundation that outlines the first phase of the project: acquisition of the property. After multiple revisions and the document going back and forth between the two entities, the agreement was officially approved by the board on a 3-2 vote on March 27. The split decision left foundation leaders concerned. "We want the same thing the Board of Trustees wants. We would love to have a new library. We would love to help you with that. But to go to fundraisers, hold events, and to ask people for money, you have to show that everybody is on board with the project. A 3-2 vote doesn't do that," Wirtala said. The foundation sent the three requirements after that vote, stating that they would not sign the agreement until those three conditions were met. Cuthbertson said that the inclusion of guarantees was irrelevant given the limited amount of money going toward libraries overall. "What I need is a foundation that understands that conditions are not ideal, and we just have to work with what we have," she said. "If the foundation needs ideal conditions in order to be able to fundraise for us, then the foundation should consider this project a lost cause." Trustee Jane Wheeler, the only board member to vote against separating from the Foundation, made a motion at the meeting to return the agreement to the Board of Trustee's facilities committee for further review before ending the relationship. The motion failed. Moving forward, Ingram stated that the library is willing to work with the foundation on the project but that they aren't associating the project with the foundation's ability to fundraise. Foundation members are concerned that without a clear path forward, fundraising will be difficult. "We've been told there are entities and people who could potentially make this happen," Ingram said after the meeting. "Rather than being bogged down with further contract language, we decided to open it up." The Flathead Library Foundation was created to support the Flathead County library through philanthropy, collaboration and advocacy. Their fundraising work helped complete the new branch of the library in Bigfork last year. Reporter Kate Heston may be reached at 758-4459 or kheston@
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Three candidates so far are vying to become Kalispell's next mayor
May 25—Candidates are lining up to become Kalispell's first new mayor in over a decade. City Councilors Sid Daoud and Ryan Hunter have filed for the position and Kalispell Business Improvement District Chair Kisa Davison announced earlier this month her intent to seek the job. Mayor Mark Johnson has presided over the municipality since he was first elected in 2013. But the three-term mayor announced in January that he would forgo another campaign, leaving the spot open for someone new. Interested parties have until 5 p.m., June 11 to file for candidacy. Municipal elections are scheduled for Nov. 4. Four Council seats in Ward 1 through 4 are on the ballot this upcoming election as well. So far, former English teacher and historian Bruce Guthrie has filed to run for the Ward 4 seat currently occupied by Councilor Jed Fisher, who has not refiled yet. WHILE THE mayor's vote holds the same weight as any other member of Council, Hunter is running in hopes the elevated title will help him push initiatives he has long supported. The two-term councilor has tried to persuade his colleagues to invest in advisory boards that address homelessness and collaborate with nonprofits on building affordable housing. "I think in a leadership position ... I'd have more opportunity to kind of further a lot of those ideas," he told the Inter Lake. Hunter has represented Ward 3 since 2020. He was reelected in 2023 to a term that ends in 2027. Hunter believes his five years on Council has allowed the public to warm up to him. "I think I earned the trust of a lot of voters too, because they know that I stand for something and that I'm outspoken," he said. "I don't shy away from the things I believe in." Hunter emerged as a staunch opponent to Council's revocation of the Flathead Warming Center's conditional use permit, which landed City Hall in a federal court as part of a lawsuit. The eventual settlement saw the permit reinstated and the city fork over $140,000 in attorney's fees for the homeless shelter's legal team. Outside of City Hall, Hunter works for the Flathead Land Trust as a land protection specialist and holds a master's degree in urban planning. But that background has informed decisions he's made on Council regarding construction. He has voted against developments he thought contributed to unwanted sprawl, like the two large single-family neighborhoods along Tronstad Road that were approved by Council in the fall. DAVISON, A local builder herself, said she would embrace growth as mayor. "Instead of ignoring growth and crossing our arms when we see it, let's accept that it's here and let's figure out how we are going to deal with it," she said. Owner of Iron Star Construction, Davison is familiar with residential development. She said she would work more closely with city staff in finding ways to improve housing affordability and accessibility. The emergency responder levy approved by voters last year was proof that residents value public safety, which Davison said she aims to continue supporting. But she also wants to bolster mental health and youth program initiatives. Davison is the founder of a youth program. The Kalispell-based Growing Gorillas Program teaches children and teens martial arts and life skills. As both a board member and chair of the city's Business Improvement District, Davison is involved in downtown's revitalization. She has voiced her support for Main Street's redesign at past Council meetings, arguing the project would revive downtown businesses. When asked why she decided to throw her hat in the ring, Davison said it was time for a different type of leadership. "At this stage in growth we don't need ideologically driven leadership. We need leadership that incorporates the entire community," she said. A proponent for government transparency, she hopes to foster better communication with her constituents by opening new avenues for them to be involved in local government beyond offering public comment and letters to the editor, she said. "I would love to see more of my friends and neighbors and residents empowered to understand what's happening in the city and where their involvement is critical," she told the Inter Lake. JOHNSON RAN unopposed in his first two elections before Daoud vied for the seat in 2021. While he lost, Daoud is making another run at the position. The Army veteran from Great Falls has represented Ward 4 since January 2020. He was reelected again in 2023 to a term that ends in 2027. Daoud's previous election experience also included an ultimately doomed run for U.S. Senate as a Libertarian in 2023. His platform included addressing inflation, the national debt and curtailing military intervention overseas. Daoud also launched failed bids in 2018 and 2022 for a seat in the Montana House of Representatives. He also served as chair of the Montana Libertarian Party before stepping down last winter. On Council in recent months, Daoud opposed efforts to hire a dedicated code enforcement officer and a push to crack down on downtown cruising. Daoud did not respond to multiple messages from the Daily Inter Lake for comment. Reporter Jack Underhill may be reached at 758-4407 and junderhill@
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Three candidates so far are vying to become Kalispell's next mayor
May 25—Candidates are lining up to become Kalispell's first new mayor in over a decade. City Councilors Sid Daoud and Ryan Hunter have filed for the position and Kalispell Business Improvement District Chair Kisa Davison announced earlier this month her intent to seek the job. Mayor Mark Johnson has presided over the municipality since he was first elected in 2013. But the three-term mayor announced in January that he would forgo another campaign, leaving the spot open for someone new. Interested parties have until 5 p.m., June 11 to file for candidacy. Municipal elections are scheduled for Nov. 4. Four Council seats in Ward 1 through 4 are on the ballot this upcoming election as well. So far, former English teacher and historian Bruce Guthrie has filed to run for the Ward 4 seat currently occupied by Councilor Jed Fisher, who has not refiled yet. WHILE THE mayor's vote holds the same weight as any other member of Council, Hunter is running in hopes the elevated title will help him push initiatives he has long supported. The two-term councilor has tried to persuade his colleagues to invest in advisory boards that address homelessness and collaborate with nonprofits on building affordable housing. "I think in a leadership position ... I'd have more opportunity to kind of further a lot of those ideas," he told the Inter Lake. Hunter has represented Ward 3 since 2020. He was reelected in 2023 to a term that ends in 2027. Hunter believes his five years on Council has allowed the public to warm up to him. "I think I earned the trust of a lot of voters too, because they know that I stand for something and that I'm outspoken," he said. "I don't shy away from the things I believe in." Hunter emerged as a staunch opponent to Council's revocation of the Flathead Warming Center's conditional use permit, which landed City Hall in a federal court as part of a lawsuit. The eventual settlement saw the permit reinstated and the city fork over $140,000 in attorney's fees for the homeless shelter's legal team. Outside of City Hall, Hunter works for the Flathead Land Trust as a land protection specialist and holds a master's degree in urban planning. But that background has informed decisions he's made on Council regarding construction. He has voted against developments he thought contributed to unwanted sprawl, like the two large single-family neighborhoods along Tronstad Road that were approved by Council in the fall. DAVISON, A local builder herself, said she would embrace growth as mayor. "Instead of ignoring growth and crossing our arms when we see it, let's accept that it's here and let's figure out how we are going to deal with it," she said. Owner of Iron Star Construction, Davison is familiar with residential development. She said she would work more closely with city staff in finding ways to improve housing affordability and accessibility. The emergency responder levy approved by voters last year was proof that residents value public safety, which Davison said she aims to continue supporting. But she also wants to bolster mental health and youth program initiatives. Davison is the founder of a youth program. The Kalispell-based Growing Gorillas Program teaches children and teens martial arts and life skills. As both a board member and chair of the city's Business Improvement District, Davison is involved in downtown's revitalization. She has voiced her support for Main Street's redesign at past Council meetings, arguing the project would revive downtown businesses. When asked why she decided to throw her hat in the ring, Davison said it was time for a different type of leadership. "At this stage in growth we don't need ideologically driven leadership. We need leadership that incorporates the entire community," she said. A proponent for government transparency, she hopes to foster better communication with her constituents by opening new avenues for them to be involved in local government beyond offering public comment and letters to the editor, she said. "I would love to see more of my friends and neighbors and residents empowered to understand what's happening in the city and where their involvement is critical," she told the Inter Lake. JOHNSON RAN unopposed in his first two elections before Daoud vied for the seat in 2021. While he lost, Daoud is making another run at the position. The Army veteran from Great Falls has represented Ward 4 since January 2020. He was reelected again in 2023 to a term that ends in 2027. Daoud's previous election experience also included an ultimately doomed run for U.S. Senate as a Libertarian in 2023. His platform included addressing inflation, the national debt and curtailing military intervention overseas. Daoud also launched failed bids in 2018 and 2022 for a seat in the Montana House of Representatives. He also served as chair of the Montana Libertarian Party before stepping down last winter. On Council in recent months, Daoud opposed efforts to hire a dedicated code enforcement officer and a push to crack down on downtown cruising. Daoud did not respond to multiple messages from the Daily Inter Lake for comment. Reporter Jack Underhill may be reached at 758-4407 and junderhill@
