By Michael Howell
The Stevensville Town Council approved a proclamation at its November 13 meeting in opposition to the construction of large-scale retail facilities in Ravalli County. Although the proclamation has no legally binding effect on development outside the town limits, council members felt it was important to make a public statement in opposition to such developments because of the potential negative effects on local businesses and the community.
A modified version of the proclamation recently adopted by the City of Hamilton, Stevensville’s proclamation states that the town has long encouraged retail and commercial development in its historic downtown and surrounding retail area “on a scale that supports our historic qualities and supports the local community and employment…”
The proclamation defines a large-scale retail facility as one having equal to or greater than 60,000 square feet of floor space. It notes that large-scale retail facilities often result in reduced employment, lower wages, increased poverty and decreased property values as a result of commercial vacancies while leading to sprawl and adding to light pollution, noise pollution, increased traffic and increased demands on emergency services. The proclamation also states that Stevensville’s unique character is largely defined by a network of locally owned businesses and local non-profits and that areas dominated by large-scale retail facilities tend to lose their unique qualities, and see diminished charitable contributions, social capital and civic participation.
“The Town of Stevensville wishes to preserve opportunities for entrepreneurship and to avoid retail hegemony,” states the proclamation.
Mayor Gene Mim Mack said that research done following a failed attempt by Walmart to locate a new facility north of Hamilton a few years ago shows that small communities cannot absorb that kind of development like large cities can. He said if such a large-scale facility were built in the valley it would certainly affect both Hamilton and Stevensville downtown businesses.
Mim Mack said that the research shows that some businesses will survive and may even be helped by such development, but that many more businesses will be negatively affected. Councilor Tim Hunter said that the research shows that it helps some businesses such as gas stations, but that other businesses such as fabric shops, hardware stores, furniture stores, and grocery stores will more likely go out of business.
“A few businesses may prosper by such development, but many more do not,” said Hunter, “and the downtown becomes a ghost town.”
Mim Mack said that although the proclamation is unenforceable “it does add another voice that opposes this kind of development.”
Councilor Jim Crews said that even though some small businesses may not survive the presence of a large retail store, “those that sell things Walmart doesn’t sell will survive.” He said research also shows that property values go up by 1 to 2 percent within a half mile of such facilities.
One member of the public said that he moved to Stevensville for the small town feel and, “If I want to shop at Walmart I can drive to Missoula.”
The proclamation was approved on a 3 to 0 vote. Council President Bill Perrin was absent.
In other business, although the council at a previous meeting did vote to amend the town’s curfew ordinance by changing the weekend curfew hour from midnight to 10 p.m., an ordinance cannot be changed without holding a public hearing and approving the change at a first and second reading. The first reading was held at the council meeting on November 13 and the amendment was killed on a 3 to 0 vote.
Councilor Jim Crews expressed concerns about the change in hours affecting local businesses and the freedoms of the underage kids.
“Nowhere does this [ordinance] address emancipation issues,” he said. “I firmly believe that if you are old enough to get behind the wheel of a car, you are assuming the mantle of adulthood and you should conduct yourself in that manner.
“If you let our children act as adults, they will,” he said. He said passing the ordinance would take business out of town and give the wrong message about the town seeming to be unfriendly to teenagers.
Kim French said that in all the years that the curfew has been in effect no citations had ever been issued. She said it did not appear to be a problem. She also questioned how it would be enforced. She said some people look like they are adults when they are under 18 years of age while other people look like much younger than they really are and could be mistaken for a juvenile.
“You can’t just start asking people for ID just because they are out walking at 10:15 at night,” she said.
Tonya Eckert said that she remembered when she was a juvenile and had a job working until 10 p.m. and then had to walk home.
“When you are a kid and work ‘til 10 p.m., you still want to have a life,” she said.
Councilor Crews moved to table the issue and the motion was seconded, but the mayor said that tabling an item requires a date to be set for taking it up again. Crews moved to amend the motion to table the issue for two years, but the amendment died for lack of a second. He moved to table it for one year and that motion also died due to lack of a second. The mayor explained that one way to put the issue to rest, “if that is your intention,” is to make a motion to approve the amendment and then vote it down.
Crews then withdrew the motion to table the ordinance and then moved to approve the amendment changing the weekend hours to 10 p.m. That motion was defeated on a 0 to 3 vote.
An effort by Police Chief James Marble to establish a Drug Fund was also defeated. Marble proposed a resolution that would allow fines for drug and alcohol related violations and profits from the sale of confiscated items be placed in a separate Drug Fund that could be used by the Town for training police officers relative to alcohol and substance abuse as well as for purchase of equipment for enforcing the drug laws.
Councilor Crews said that he was concerned that the fund would be used to “militarize” the local police force as it has in some other communities in the nation.
“I don’t want to see us go down that dirty road,” he said.
The motion to establish the fund failed on a 1 to 2 vote with Councilor Tim Hunter supporting the proposal and Councilors Robin Holcomb and Crews voting against it.
The Council approved a couple of change orders for the Phase III Well House and Pressure Control project for additional work that was not covered under the original contract. Three additional 2 inch water services were found while switching water services over to the new water main, one for the apartments on Pine Street and one serving the building on the southeast corner of 2nd and Main. Switching these services cost an additional $8,716.50. Some additional fencing around the well house was installed for $1,779.40, and additional work on the 3rd and Main Street connection involving back fill and asphalting came to $5,114.50.
The total for all these increased costs comes to $14,381.85. However once the expenses based on actual items already installed was accounted for it came to $95,967.10 in actual reductions in cost. As a result the total change order comes to a reduction in costs of $65,974.85. This results in a total cost of the project being reduced to $2,273,048.25.
A final change order was also approved for the installation of a filter that was not anticipated. That added $21,174.30 to the overall costs bringing that total back up to $2,294,222.55. After all these changes the total costs are still under the original contract price.
The Council also approved moving forward with the efforts aimed at becoming a member of Tree City USA. According to Raymond Smith, Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, planting trees in town is beneficial in a number of ways. It reduces energy bills in adjacent homes and helps with storm water management and erosion control. He said studies indicate that as few as three additional trees planted around each building in the U.S. could reduce energy costs by $2 billion annually. It can boost property values from 7 to 21 percent and helps people feel good about the place where they live and work.
The council also approved the Town’s property and vehicle insurance policy.
The Town received a letter from adjoining property owners Roy and Laurie Capp complaining about a few different encroachments on their property by the Town. According to a letter from the couple’s attorney, a portion of the land they own was previously deeded to the Town of Stevensville for the construction of a sewage treatment facility and an easement was granted across the Capps’ land for access to the facility and the deeded acres. The couple now believes, however, that the easement has been allowed to be used in a manner that exceeds its intended scope. They claim the town is providing keys to the gate accessing the easement road to members of the community who then use the Town’s property as a dumping ground. They claim this use adds a lot of traffic and is over and above the use intended by the easement.
The couple also complains about the trespassing that is occurring onto their property on the north side of the Stevensville Cut-off Road where the Town owns and operates a park along the river. They also claim that the Town’s swimming pool is also encroaching upon their property.
Town attorney Brian West is preparing a response to the complaints.