Stevensville to raise utility rates

by John Dowd

Stevensville residents have been complaining about high water rates for several years and there will be no relief anytime soon. 

At the July 25 meeting of the Stevensville Town Council, the council discussed the upcoming water rate increase that will be discussed at a special town meeting to be held on August 6 at 6 p.m. According to Mayor Bob Michalson, they will need to raise the water rates, and pretty significantly. This stems from a resolution passed in 2015, where it was decided that the Town would need to raise water rates incrementally every year to meet demand, costs, inflation and to pay off their Water and Sewer Revenue Bond. The bond helped to pay for sewer upgrades the Town was required to make but could not pay for on its own. The bond, essentially a loan, would be paid by increasing user rates. 

However, according to Michalson, “The town hasn’t increased its sewer and water rates since 2015,” aside from a small increase in 2019 that was less than $2. 

It was determined by consultants from Montana Rural Water that the Town will need to increase rates, and they determined the rates the Town will be using in the upcoming increase. According to both Montana Rural Water and the USDA, who did the analysis, it needs to happen. If not, the Town could go into default on its debt. During the last two Town audits, it was found that they will need to meet compliance with the bond terms, or there could be consequences.

“If it had been done responsibly, eight, nine dollars increase every year, we wouldn’t be here,” said Michalson. 

The Town will increase water and sewer rates by around $83 this summer, and will raise them again by another $27 in January of 2025 for standard users with a 3/4 inch line. Larger line hook-ups will see even larger rate increases. 

During the upcoming meeting in August, the public will be allowed to speak during the meeting. Bobbie Schular, with Montana Rural Water and one who was involved in determining the rates, will be present to speak. 

The council welcomed guests from the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT). Bob Vosen, district administrator for the Missoula District, and Joel Boucher, district preconstruction engineer for the Missoula district, were there to discuss an issue that the Town of Stevensville has been grappling with for some time regarding traffic on Main Street. 

According to Mayor Bob Michalson, Stevensville’s Main Street is hazardous due to speeding traffic. The problem is that as the road is a state highway, there is only so much that the Town can do to remedy the situation. The MDT representatives hoped to answer some of the questions put forth by the council and town representatives. 

One area of concern is the section at Second and Main, which lacks a stop sign. This, according to the council, confuses traffic coming in and out of town, because there is already a stop sign at 3rd and Main. Representatives from MDT stated that not much could be done until the completion of a traffic study, and an analysis of the data collected. According to Vosen and Boucher, this could take at least a year or more as they are currently backed up with these studies. However, they also stated that if the Town wanted to rush results, they could hire a consultant to process the study and expedite the process. In an interview after the council meeting, Michalson said that was not possible with the Town’s current budget. 

The MDT representatives also stated they didn’t know if a stop sign was the answer, and that there was one there in the past. However, the representatives were corrected by long-time community members in attendance. According to them, there was never a stop sign in that spot. Boucher later stated that, regardless, placing a stop sign would likely not achieve the intended result, only “creating more congestion and increasing driver frustration.”

Vosen added that there is another element plaguing the state at the moment that would make this difficult. He said there are currently several large projects across the state, including aging bridge infrastructure, such as a case in Noxon. According to him, there are concerns about funding challenges for MDT to put in signage or traffic signaling. He added that they are currently 27 years out on projects.

“This study really needs to be done because it’s a mess,” said council member Cindy Brown. Stevensville Police Chief John Boe chimed in, talking about south Main Street also seeing some of the effects of traffic and speeding, in particular the S-curve in front of Kodiak Jax. According to Boe, placing a couple speed limit signs would solve the problem. “Surely, that wouldn’t be too much, I don’t think,” said Boe.

The MDT reps stated they are not responsible for setting speed limits, and that would need to go through another state agency. MDT only controls standards for sign placement. Vosen added, “I wish it was as simple as putting up a speed limit sign but it really isn’t.” 

Another suggestion made by the council concerned parking issues along the same stretch. According to MDT, this is something that a town can do themselves. Michalson said that was not something they were aware of and they would look into that. 

In a later interview, Michalson said something really needs to be done. In another section a little further south on Main Street, there is a crossing that many school children use. There are often speeders that fly through there, said Michalson, and the confusing speed limit signs may have an impact on that. He believes the speed should be kept at 25 miles per hour the whole way, instead of jumping up to 35 in front of Burnt Fork Market.

In other business, the amended its noxious weed ordinance. The update repeals an old section which allowed the Town to cite anyone not taking proper precautions against noxious weeds. The need for a change was brought to the Town’s attention after they cited a town resident. It was explained that the Town did not have this power due to Stevensville’s particular form of government powers. These powers are limited only to actions clearly defined in the Montana Code Annotated. Since there is no policy or mention of citing by a town for careless management of noxious weeds, the Town does not have this power. The amendment was passed.