Kalispell City Council to settle dispute with warming center

The Kalispell City Council plans to vote on a settlement with the Flathead Warming Center, ending a yearlong dispute that included a federal lawsuit. The agreement would reinstate the shelter's conditional use permit, which was revoked last fall. The settlement requires the city to apologize to the shelter's director and pay $140,000 in legal fees. The Warming Center must also conduct cleanup patrols, seek transportation funding, improve communication with neighbors, and hold public board meetings. Previously, the council's decision to close the shelter was based on complaints of increased crime. A federal judge criticized the council's reasoning as vague and subjective during the court proceedings.