Registered voters in Kalispell city limits will decide the fate of the municipal airport after more than 1,800 signatures were gathered for a referendum that sends the issue to a citywide vote.
On Sept. 14, a group of residents opposing the city council’s decision to upgrade the airport submitted 2,448 signatures to county officials, 1,802 of which were confirmed as registered voters inside city limits, according to the Flathead County Election Department. There needed to be 1,759 signatures for the referendum to be eligible for a citywide vote. The referendum allows residents to vote for or against the city’s resolution to move forward with upgrading the municipal airport through the federal Airport Improvement Program.
Any upgrades at the airport, including moving forward with an environmental assessment, are on hold until the vote, according to City Attorney Charles Harball. City and county officials are looking at whether a special election could take place before the November 2013 general election, which is the deadline for the vote. Harball said the state’s constitution could allow for a city government to hold a special election for a referendum at any time throughout the year.