By Michael Howell
Despite some misunderstanding prompted by a letter to the editor in the local newspaper, the Stevensville Town Council did not consider passing a permissive levy to pay for increased costs in employee health insurance. The issue was not on the agenda and the council did not address the issue at the meeting. A few members of the public did address the issue anyway, expressing opposition to any levy. Leslie Tadvick presented two letters from individuals in opposition to any levy and a petition signed by 12 people at the Senior Citizens Center.
Although there was no council discussion of a permissive levy, the cost of the Town’s health insurance package did go up by about 4.8% and the council did consider what portion of that increase the employees would bear and what portion the Town might bear.
The 4.8% increase amounts to about a $22.49 increase per employee per month. An initial motion by Councilor Bill Perrin, in which the Town would cover 75% of the increase and the employee 25%, failed on a 2 to 2 tie vote with Perrin and Tim Hunter voting in favor and Jim Crews and Robin Holcomb voting against. Mayor Gene Mim Mack declined to break the tie and called for another motion.
A motion by Councilor Crews to make it a 50/50 split also failed in a 2 to 2 vote along the same lines. The Mayor again declined to break the tie and said he considered the issue one that the Council should come to some sort of decision or consensus over, and that some decision had to be made.
Perrin moved to approve a 60/40 split in which the Town would cover 60% of the increase in cost. This motion was approved unanimously.
The Town received a NorthWestern Energy Efficiency Plus (E+) Program rebate for equipment installed at the new water treatment plant in the amount of $36,000. The Town also received $8,100 from Missoula Federal Credit Union for increased police protection on the recent sale of 27 lots at the Twin Creeks Subdivision.
The Council approved additional contract work at the town’s well field to the tune of $25,560. The additional work includes well level measurements ($14,985); booster station telemetry ($7,442); additional re-drilling of a well ($33,080); and the installation of sounding tubes ($5,400). This puts the total for all additional work at $60,907 (up to $84,214.60 if all the well pumps need to be removed to install the sounding tubes.)
From the last outlay report the funds remaining for the project are $80,214.60. Of this remaining amount $6,170.62 is currently budgeted, leaving $74,043.98 available for the additional work, the ongoing water rights change application and grant administration.
A request from the Stevensville Garden Club for $300 from the Town’s Grants to Others program to do some planting on the Main Street bulb-outs led to another split vote. Holcomb and Crews said they believed that the club should look for donated items and labor first and then come in with a proposal. An amendment was proposed to make a grant of “up to $300” with any donations reducing the cost. The amendment failed in a 2 to 2 vote. The original motion to make a $300 donation was then considered. It failed on a 2 to 2 vote with Holcomb and Crews voting against it. The Mayor then broke the tie in favor of awarding the grant.
In other business the council:
• approved giving out 365 one day passes to the Town’s swimming pool to students at Stevensville school.
• approved a Special Event Permit for Stevensville Western Days, scheduled for June 19 & 20.
• approved making an application for a TSEP grant of $30,000 that requires a 50/50 match from the Town to do a water storage analysis and leak detection.
• approved a donation of $850 to the Skate Park for volunteer work at the town’s swimming pool.
• expressed no opposition to a proposal by Stevensville Hardware owner Phil Henderson to lease some of the right of way along Buck Street behind his business.
• approved a new Fire Hydrant Tester job description.