By Michael Howell
At its December 10 meeting the Stevensville Town Council decided to place about $235,108 from various reserve funds into certificates of deposit in order to earn a bit of interest. The money consists of $60,000 sitting in the water system’s capital improvement reserve fund and $84,100 in the water bond short lived asset depreciation account, the total of which will be placed in 12-month CDs. The town is also required to set aside a year’s worth of debt payments which totals $91,008. They actually budgeted for two years’ worth of debt payment reserves to be conservative and will place half that sum, $91,008, into 24-month CDs.
Councilor Bill Perrin called it, “an opportunity for the town to recover additional funds through interest on the money that it is required to keep on hand.” He said at less than 1% interest, “it’s not great, but it’s better than nothing.”
The Town Council also agreed unanimously to include the rural volunteer firefighters on the Town’s roster of volunteer firefighters for the purpose of equalizing the retirement benefits received since all the firefighters, both Rural and Town, all respond to every fire, whether in town or in the rural area. As it was, the Rural firefighters had retirement benefits from the state but the Town volunteers had benefits from both the state and the Town.
The Council awarded a two-year contract for $6,891 to low bidder TWE Enterprises to service the back-up generators that are installed at the well-house and the waste water treatment plant, although no money has yet been budgeted for it.
The Council approved the appointment of CFO April Neidhardt to the position of Human Resource Officer.
The council also approved the $400 purchase of a portable toilet for use in River Park, or elsewhere. The Town currently rents one by the month and will save in the long run by the purchase.
Former Mayor Gene Mim Mack showed up to thank outgoing Council members Tim Hunter and Bill Perrin for their service, mostly under his administration. Mim Mack said he greatly appreciated the support and knowledge that Hunter brought to the Council, especially in the area of water and sewer services. He also applauded what he called Hunter’s “measured response” to other councilors’ and the public’s concerns, “especially when there were disagreements.”
Mim Mack praised Perrin for the banking and finance experience that he brought to the Council. He said a lot of Perrin’s work in that regard was done quietly and not in the spotlight. He noted that the Town also benefited immensely from Perrin’s deep experience in the field of firefighting.
“Most of all,” said Mim Mack, “I appreciated your gentle and constant optimism that really advanced some difficult discussions.
“I want to thank both of you personally from me as Mayor and for the whole town,” said Mim Mack.