Stevensville Mayor Paul Ludington submitted his resignation last Friday, to be effective at the end of the business day on Wednesday, April 20, 2016.
The letter of resignation states:
“It is with a heavy heart and a good bit of sympathy for the employees of the Town of Stevensville that I must submit my resignation as the mayor. It has become obvious to me over the last month that there exists a lack of trust and understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the Town Council and the mayor. At this point I feel it is impossible for me to continue to try to do my best for the Town and to keep us moving forward. It is obvious to me now that the current Town Council is not interested in this approach. I am not sure what I did to convince them that I was not trustworthy but I would like to state for the record that I have no agenda other than trying to assist the town in continuing to be a great place to live and work and to be proud of what we have accomplished as a community.”
“I didn’t really have a choice,” Ludington told the Bitterroot Star on Monday. “It was ruining my life.” Ludington said that without the Council’s trust there was no sense in continuing. He said the problems he’s faced with his appointment of a judge are just the beginning of things.
“Without the Council’s trust it will just be one problem after another,” he said, “because without trust you can’t operate effectively.”
Until the mayor’s position is filled, Council President Jim Crews will serve as Acting Mayor.