Mayor Ryan Hunter is up to it again meaning his involvement as a ‘Board Director’ of Community Action Partnership is posing a “conflict of interest.” He already created a “conflict of interest” (much to the opposing advice of the City Manager and City Attorney who asked him to consider recusing himself) when Hunter instead voted in favor of the Land Use Plan concerning the Sandhill Crane issue. (See the Daily Interlake article by clicking here).

Hunter (see picture below) is on the board of Community Action Partnership, or “CAP” and as Mayor he will submit/suggest names to the Kalispell City Council on Monday night according to the Monday July 6th Agenda, (7 names in fact and possibly those involved with Community Action Partnership) where the Kalispell City Council will then vote on such persons to be placed (or not) see item number 3) via the July 6 City Council Agenda click here where it states, “Appointments to the Housing Study Advisory Committee. This item considers the appointment of up to seven members to this temporary committee.”

The problem, however, lies in the fact that Hunter is on the CAP board and is involved with various housing groups throughout the city and yet will be submitting names (of his choosing) comprised of city members who will make up this new committee. He could easily submit members of CAP (thus the conflict of interest) and in fact Mayor Hunter shouldn’t be involved in this project at all and absolutely should not be voting on the matter and should recuse himself. As previously mentioned, Hunter refused to recuse himself concerning the Land Use Plan i.e. the Sandhill Crane matter (mentioned above) which was a horrible call on his part.

Mayor Ryan Hunter is in fact a “Board Director” of Community Action Partnership (see below) and absolutely should not be involved in any process concerning ‘CAP’ when it involves his position as Mayor on the Kalispell City Council and it’s questionable at the very least if he should even remain on the board. (click here to read about Community Action Partnership).

There’s more to the matter however and local Kalispell residents such as business owner Vaughn Penrod wrote into the City Council via public comment stating, “There are many issues with what the Community Action Partnership wants to do.” Additionally, former City Council President Chad Graham wrote to public comment and noted multiple conflicts of interest by Hunter stating, “In the past Mayor Hunter has shown a lack of respect in regard to the council ethics policy regarding social media usage, and furthermore Graham shared, “Too many instances have created a concerning pattern of disregard of council and state policy. Graham then stated, “Mayor Hunter’s past comments about his involvement with nonprofits such as CAP raise questions for me and others.”

To DONATE to Montana1stNews please CLICK HERE (you will read news you cannot find elsewhere).

Penrod’s Public comment is stated below first then followed secondly by former Council President Chad Graham.

​Kalispell Meetings Public Comment

“Regarding the article in the paper about camping at the Elks Club and Community Action Partnership. Why was there no public meeting for this? Camping in this area was for members only so was there a requested change or a Conditional Use Permit issued? There are many issues with what the Community Action Partnership wants to do that the city has not taken into consideration. This is your job to look at the negative impacts it will have verses the positive. This will lower the values of South Kalispell. I have been a business owner in South Kalispell for 33 years and do not agree with this decision you have made without public comment. There needs to be a Conditional Use Permit with guidelines and rules looked into before this is allowed. Start looking out for the people and businesses that support this town.”

Regards,

Vaughn Penrod

Business owner and Taxpayer

Kalispell Meetings Public Comment​

“I recently read the article in the Interlake about an RV park being opened in south Kalispell.  It mentions all the details of the use of the park such as two week stays, leaving and returning.  It also sounds like this use is more about housing than recreational use.  Recreational was the original underlying use of part of the property years ago.  The article mentions the lot “creating” a different use (housing) rather than the original use.  It also refers to “households” as being the use.  

There are no sewer hookups at this property. If housing is the sought-after use sewer will need to be addressed. 

I am worried that due diligence wasn’t properly carried out with the purchase of this property and assumptions were made at the time of purchase.  With my time on council, I have seen this happen before with other property sales where the full scope and details of the property weren’t discovered until later.

Was this the first incident of a CUP being given through the administrative process under the new MLUPA land use act? If it was then I don’t believe any notice was given to any surrounding property owners about the permit or a public comment period applied.  If there was, I would like to see the conditions of that use and how the impacts over and above the underlying use were corrected and the surrounding property owners protected.

If there is not a CUP either existing or new, then this use is out of compliance with zoning.  RV parks are allowed under CUP only according to Kalispell municipal land use regulations.

I know the history of this property and the Elk’s Club has been there for a long time. So has the RV park, however it hasn’t been used as such for a very long time, and I believe that under our code the grandfathered use is void, if there was one.
 I would also like to know how the use is being conditioned to protect the entrance corridor standards of the area and also, if anyone on the council or the mayor have had communication with the owner about this use and its legality.

In the past Mayor Hunter has shown a lack of respect in regard to the council ethics policy regarding social media usage, ex parte communications and Sunshine Laws.  Too many instances have created a concerning pattern of disregard of council and state policy.   In my opinion, in the more recent past, conflicts of interest and State Sunshine Laws have been violated.  Council must sign an ethics disclosure statement.  Mayor Hunter’s past comments about his involvement with nonprofits such as CAP raise questions for me and others.  I would like to get a copy of each council member and the mayor’s disclosure statement forms.”

Chad Graham
Former Kalispell City Council Ward 2 Councilman, Council President
Former Kalispell Planning and zoning commission, President

(Public comments were obtained via Kalispell City Council public comments. To see public comments via the Kalispell City Council link click here.)

(Publisher’s note) Of special note is the fact that according to State Law, Conditional Use Permits are not issued through City Councils but via admirative measures. Furthermore, to our knowledge Community Action Partnership has not applied for a Conditional Use Permit in regard to the RV Park.

Be sure to check back with Montana1stNews as the story develops.