Stevensville addresses growth, budget

by John Dowd, Editor

Incorporated cities and towns in Montana are required by state law to review their growth policies at least every five years. However, the last update to Stevensville’s policy was in 2016. Because of this, the Town of Stevensville is in the middle of updating its policy, a document that will inform development and town projects for the next several years. Key in this is the planning and zoning board, which is reviewing and recommending changes. 

Town officials, and the board, recommend that the public attend their meetings, especially those coming up. On September 10, the planning and zoning board will have HDR Engineering attend to give a presentation on past and future town projects. They will also have an open house in October, on a date to be announced. 

The planning and zoning board has representation from the town council, the county commissioners and members from inside and outside the Stevensville town limits. Additionally, Great West Engineering is helping the town with the engineering and construction perspective. The engineering firm is also working on the county side of things, helping to gather and include information on the greater Stevensville area. Every Thursday the town has a progress check-up, and the monthly planning and zoning board meetings are the second Wednesday of every month. 

Currently, town department heads are looking at what their areas of focus will specifically need and will come back together with recommendations by early October. Town officials say this is usually a 12-month process, and they hope to have this done by the coming March.

The town and planning and zoning board also received the results of a community survey, which will help focus the update. The survey sought responses from the community on public interest. Another note of importance during the update process for the town has been including feedback from various sources, such as schools, libraries and more. This update will speak on growth preferences across the community, and these things will affect every part of Stevensville.

Town officials, including Mayor Bob Michalson, say the community is unique in its focus on the pool and parks. “If it wasn’t for donations and the people that pitch in, things wouldn’t get done down there,” said Michalson.

Stevensville has six parks in town, and historically lots of areas were donated to the town as parks. However, now the small town must upkeep all these areas. The town also hosts some very large events and activities in the parks, such as the Creamery Picnic. These events draw hundreds if not thousands of people from far outside the community.

Stevensville’s parks largely benefit the immediate community, but also people living outside of Stevensville, according to town officials. This is why they are looking at implementing some kind of park district, to help gather funding from taxpayers outside the Stevensville town limits.

Another major focus will be on infrastructure needs. The growth policy will address the town’s age, and the numerous bonds that have been required to find and repair old water and sewer lines as well as other elements of infrastructure. 

According to Michalson, the policy will speak to the need for a new water storage tank, because the current one east of town is “old and tired,” as Michalson described it. In fact, the last growth policy update, in 2016, was also looking at the water tank issue. Nearly ten years later, Michalson says it is really in need. 

Michalson added that the waste water treatment plant is coming to the end of its life. This, and other projects, are included in the proposed town budget, which was meant to be passed at last Thursday night’s council meeting. However, problems arose during the meeting. During the August 28 meeting, numerous comments of concern were made by the public. Many of them were self-professed to be on behalf of Jim Crews, a former Stevensville mayor. Chief of these was a lengthy comment given by Stevensville council member Wally Smith. Crews was unable to attend because he has been legally trespassed from Stevensville Town Hall property due to claims of continuous harassment of town employees.

Council member Smith read several letters between Crews and Mayor Michalson. Many of the concerns were confrontational regarding the way the town is being run. These included claims of the relaxed view Crews believes the town is taking on meeting procedures and town policies. 

Other concerns were voiced that Crews’ rights were being side-stepped following his trespass notice. 

However, this was not the first time Crews has had issues with Town Hall. In an NBC Montana article by Marian Davidson, “Resignation letter describes working conditions at Stevensville Town Hall,” published in 2020, Davidson quotes from a letter by former Stevensville Town Clerk Monica Hoffman, “While I tried very hard to weather the storm of negativity and hostility, I simply do not have the energy or strength to continue to listen to more lies, defend myself and subject myself to the existing working conditions at town hall.” She said this was directed at Crews. The article further mentioned “bad behavior” from Crews, who she then mentioned “yelled at and belittled” employees. 

The NBC article further stated, “Hoffman’s resignation letter, dated June 22, describes similar issues addressed in a letter from just over a year earlier— former town clerk Audrey Tribbensee’s resignation letter.” At that time, Hoffman was forced to resign as, “Crews requested Hoffman be charged with insubordination and violations of the town’s personnel policy and professionalism policy.” 

Prior to Hoffman, Crews was one of the subjects of a complaint in 2018, which was filed by former Stevensville Town Clerk Tribbensee. This was detailed in a 2018 Bitterroot Star article, “Stevi clerk files complaint against council president,” by Michael Howell. The complaint by Tribbensee stated, in part, “The staff in the office all agree, to some degree or another, that the environment is unbearable, toxic, hostile, harassing and unhealthy.” 

In another Star article written later in 2018, “Decision on Stevensville harassment and bullying complaints delayed,” by Michael Howell, Crews was mentioned again. The article specifically stated, “He also recommends Jim Crews voluntarily adhere to the restricted access and discontinue his stalking behavior,” words spoken by former Stevensville mayor Brandon Dewey.  

In another article in 2021, “Former Stevensville mayor complains about meeting procedure,” Dewey stated, “The town’s staff, myself and many others in the community have tolerated your bullying and mistreatment longer than anyone should have to.” Again, these were comments directed towards Crews.

There are numerous news references to Crews in this fashion from other individuals in the community and the town staff. It is of note that Jim Crews has filed to run for mayor of Stevensville again.

Near the end of the meeting last week, council members Smith and Cindy Brown stated that they could not vote on the budget because not enough public notice was given, since the meeting notice wasn’t published in the local newspaper, the Bitterroot Star. This turned out to be correct, as the Star mistakenly did not run the notice. The town council decided to re-run the notice, and give the public the appropriate and legally recommended two weeks before they vote to approve it. The notice will let the public know there will be a public hearing before the vote. According to Michalson and town officials, this was done to remain transparent and to respect the public’s right to know. The hearing on the budget is scheduled for Thursday, September 11 at 6:30 p.m. at town hall.