Public notice issue continues in Stevensville

by John Dowd

The Stevensville Town Council met Thursday, August 22, to discuss several projects and issues in the works. During public comment at the beginning of the meeting, Scott Butler of Stevensville expressed concerns over the water and sewer rate increases and the town’s apparent financial state. He demanded to see the Town’s finances and said, “I think there needs to be a forensic audit of this town.” Later in the meeting, Mayor Bob Michalson stated that the town is already audited every year, and the audit information is available to everyone, although by that time Butler had already left.

At the end of the meeting, during Town Council comments, council member Wally Smith read a prepared statement. The statement reiterated his comments during the special meeting, held August 6, in which he claimed the vote to increase the town water and sewer rates was out of order and therefore null and void. He said that Town Council Rules state that the Town must give 48 hour notice to the public when planning to discuss anything of significant interest to the public. 

According to Smith, and a Montana Attorney General’s Opinion, the vote violated the public’s “right to know,” as the new rate figures voted in were not available to the public until the night the vote was held. 

After Smith’s comments, Mayor Bob Michalson spoke up, and claimed he was going to read the exact section Smith was referring to in the Town Council Rules. Michalson did not finish reading that entire section, and stated that there was no clause in it that required the Town to give 48 hour notice, as Smith claimed. However, the Bitterroot Star pulled up the same Town Council Rules during that meeting. These are available to the public on the Town of Stevensville website, on the bottom of the Town Council page. Under Part IV. Agenda, Section 1, in the very last clause, it states, “The Mayor may elect to revise the agenda by adding an item for consideration, provided the revised agenda shall be posted and distributed no less than 48 hours before the meeting.” 

The Star also verified with Mike Meloy, attorney with the Montana Freedom of Information Hotline, and an authority on Montana’s open meeting laws and the public’s right to know and participate, that the Town’s choice to withhold new information until the night of the meeting was in violation of the public’s “right to know and participate,” as was mirrored through Smith’s speech. 

Also at the August 22 meeting, Mayor Michalson read aloud a letter of resignation from the Town Airport Manager, Will Rowe. In the letter, Rowe claimed he was having difficulty working with both the Town government and the Airport Board. Michalson said that he agreed with Rowe’s comments, noting that over the last few years, the Town has seen nearly a dozen airport managers, many of whom left for similar reasons. According to Michalson, “We had a great airport manager… He really worked tirelessly.” Michalson stated that efforts need to be made to improve the situation. 

In other business, the council considered including a stronger police presence near the school, where there have been parking issues for residents who live in that area. They also decided to put in new signs to prevent people from parking in private rights-of-way in front of the school. This was in response to concerns from Lance Wildey, a property owner that lives across the street from Stevensville School. Wildey, a lifelong resident of Stevensville, has had parents and visitors of the school parking in his right-of-way for years. Not only has this prevented him from leaving his driveway and affected his use of the property, but for him the main worry comes down to safety. According to Wildey, “It’s more of a safety issue for the kids than anything else at the heart of it.” His concerns stem from the traffic that comes across that road in front of his house. He stated that kids dropped off near his place need to cross the street through traffic. Wildey himself grew up in that same home and remembered running across the street to school when he was a boy.

According to some council members as well as Mayor Michalson, there are several signs set up on school property that create a no parking zone at the school. However, these signs are unenforceable as they are posted on things such as utility poles. Wildey also has signs on his property that people have ignored.

The council also voted to form a committee regarding Berta Farms, a property within Stevensville town limits that Stevensville has been ordered by a court to clean up. This was supposed to happen by spring of this year, but it has not yet been done.

“We just don’t have the money right now,” said Mayor Michalson. According to him, with finances tight all around for the town, there is only so much they can do. The committee was formed with the hope of addressing the issue, and several local community members were appointed, including Pat Groninger, Loey Knapp and council member Cindy Brown. The council also considered interviewing people of the town to gather opinions regarding the property to send to Ravalli County Public Health officials.