About 14 years ago our nation started on a downward spiral of intolerance. Our country has become a divisive culture of us against them. This mindset was in evidence during the town council meeting on December 12, 2013 when a small survey was presented to the council. I was not present at the meeting but obtained a copy of the 15 surveys. The questions on the survey were mainly about the worth of the Main Street Association and the merits of the town’s water and sewer system. The responses were vicious and ill informed, plus no one had the personal integrity to sign their names.
If you don’t like the Main Street Association or don’t understand what they have accomplished, come to their monthly meetings the first Wednesday of each month at 12 pm, volunteer or join their board. If you have questions about Main Street’s finances, ask to see the spread sheets, they keep excellent records.
If you think the town is managed poorly, run for town council or run for mayor, if you have the credentials and want the headaches.
If you are unhappy with Creamery Picnic, join Civic Club and help (Creamery Picnic is a Civic Club event).
I moved here 25 years ago, have been a business owner since 1989 and have owned two buildings on Main Street. I remember what the business climate was like before the Main Street Association. For instance, it took a mere 32 years to get trees planted on the sidewalks downtown and Western Heritage Days was a tacky town-wide garage sale, not helpful to businesses or our town’s image. My business is closing due to the pervasive Wal-Mart mentality, not because of anything Main Street did or did not do. And yes, I am a member of the Main Street Association and am on the board. Yes, I support the mayor and town government. I don’t expect everyone to think the same as I do, but I expect us to agree to disagree respectfully. I don’t appreciate being called names, accused of backdoor deals, of being self serving and non-productive.
Many of the responses made in the survey only prove to manifest the writers’ ignorance, which I’m sure was not their intent. Anyone can complain. It takes a special type of person to step up, volunteer to help, try to change things from within and make Stevensville a town of which we can all be proud. What have you done to help?
Gretchen Spiess, owner
River’s Mist Gallery, Stevensville
Mike in Stevensville says
Gretchen, since you are on the MSA board, please tell us all how much taxpayer monies the town government gives MSA. Also, how many people from town council are also on the MSA or related to someone who is?