After a few years of lingering debate, Stevensville’s new Mayor Gene Mim Mack has in a few weeks negotiated a deal with the Stevensville Airport Board resolving a longstanding dispute over airport funds that were allegedly misappropriated by the Town.
The deal, agreed to by the Town Council at its October 24 meeting, involves a reimbursement of airport funds of $5,914.84. Mayor Mim Mack said that some interest was included in the amount due to the time that the Town held the money inappropriately. The Town had used the money initially to cover what it considered the airport’s share in the cost of an audit which was used to resolve an even greater dispute over about $15,000. That dispute was also settled in favor of the Airport Board. The FAA also weighed in on the issue because airport funds by law cannot be used for any other purposes by the Town. Mim Mack said that the funds will be transferred to the Airport Fund as soon as it can be determined which of the Town’s funds the repayment should come from.
The council also decided to set as policy that there will be no exceptions to billing the basic rate for water and sewer whether the residence is occupied or not. The question had arisen as to whether “snow birds”, who are gone for the winter and turn their water off for the winter season, should have to pay any water and sewer bill. The council reasoned that now that the Town was moving toward full metering the people would not be charged for the water if they were not using it, but that the basic rate was applicable because it was simply the fee to provide the basic service to the property, whether they use it or not. Copies of the written policy are available from the Utility Clerk.
Although initially on the town’s agenda to ask for a 20 mph speed limit on the roads within the Creekside Meadows subdivision, instead Tim Burke of the Creekside Meadows Homeowners Association asked for and received approval for the placement of a sign at the entrance to the subdivision off Logan Road stating that it was not a through road and had no other outlet.
The council approved an application for a TSEP grant for a preliminary engineering report regarding Phase II work on the Town’s Sewer Project. The council approved up to $20,000 in matching funds for the project.
The council approved the appointment of Steve Knopp as the fifth member of the Stevensville Airport Board. The board was recently increased from a four-member to a five-member board.
The council also approved, at the request of Police Chief James Marble, the purchase of two “long rifles.” They are a version of the AR15 modified for use by police. Chief Marble is a certified firearms instructor and plans on getting updated certification to teach the use of the new rifles to other officers.