[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",5973401,"mediaKeyId","5830382-08636d1c6d75817027eddbb5a55286e8","parentId",5830382,"title","Board report: community garden prospects and October sculpture unveiling at Creamery Park","audioSeconds",103,"startMs",3285000,"endMs",3388000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5830382-08636d1c6d75817027eddbb5a55286e8&start=3285&end=3388","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5830382-08636d1c6d75817027eddbb5a55286e8/thumbnail_3285000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5973401/Stevensville/Ravalli-County/Montana/Board-report-community-garden-prospects-and-October-sculpture-unveiling-at-Creamery-Park","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973401-005537aca4f7e10b438274873a3eb17b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771134871&Signature=dmCPDoplAQtbdgKdbOiTzkw-3p6A8EmgKVO8kLKvOCBYlWz0N2e3-r1f49GmXXXfqLNxHdbgGNFgvqRBn5fVzSooG4E7~Igay2LNa384oeGWZuDKOuiJwbrfM3L-r~Z3sKVZmSvXmmOJe8hu9O~RXXkYDozeM0iFTZsR5l4D-m0lubo2XSpVKthVtv9PA4DwayhK-6gWUvT47hEGEExcU0C7ROTBhquZOFvYZIJb0Hn7QK4WnytsK1DEAcFzgQS0r0HRvOLShRKs6pXcKQtquJGZzBr9k2CjskZ54E7w40-3mgTmUPycIep3V5scM0ZaWUl4zCDVqS2rbL3WBh7h-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Stevensville, MT","date","2025-09-26T01:45:53.75Z","article","In a brief board report, a council liaison said a community‑garden proposal for a location off Sixth Street (in Dickerson Park) has sponsors interested in funding raised beds but raised questions about how the garden would be watered and whether irrigation would be charged to the town water system.
The board report said staff will bring more information back to the council, and that water costs or watering logistics will factor into any final plan. A councilor suggested rain‑catchment barrels or other lower‑cost alternatives rather than connecting to potable town water.
The board also announced a public unveiling and dedication of a seasonal sculpture as part of the Scarecrow Festival; the ceremony is scheduled for Oct. 3 at 4:45 p.m. at Creamery Park. Councilors encouraged residents to attend.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","TOWN COUNCIL MEETING","oneSentenceSummary","A board report updated councilors on plans for a community garden (water supply questions remain) and announced a public unveiling and dedication of a new seasonal sculpture during the Scarecrow Festival on Oct. 3.","taxTitle","Stevensville, Ravalli County, Montana","taxId",65907,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5973407,"Council hears Twin Peaks Phase 3 extension request; vote not recorded in transcript",96,979000,1075000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5830382-08636d1c6d75817027eddbb5a55286e8&start=979&end=1075","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5830382-08636d1c6d75817027eddbb5a55286e8/thumbnail_979000.jpg","/articles/5973407/Stevensville/Ravalli-County/Montana/Council-hears-Twin-Peaks-Phase-3-extension-request-vote-not-recorded-in-transcript","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973407-75b3aee2f81faf5749e99b02ebb33ac0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771134871&Signature=Fd6wreuDVdpAAdunS-1wdy-pAjY4qX34VxNkX3~s5V56iGe2uWTbUvFD~ALuaxpzB1bsjZCO~jPF8XjlfGawi8PWAuPVNvEWTsHSOnp0macrW-04w8HDJ-8bNmd4Z99o69qyh8Abah3vqiADuR7rBz6Qtkd106sNbo6VUYoMPbYRErekDeJ1jZr-SrNzcrUrWxsBZBT7DbJztFtrQAYNn1gDPxfC~Ngazp01WdhIFrsxzcacXMZH3DsQdnCBCyBoV1Ktm0JQiUesJXQoD6k4SgMG4Il84PTLULujEL~mPCDEhV1zPHcvlhM3kgSe~FH8Z0aTd28YKflMwddA3teHvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A representative for Twin Peaks requested an extension to complete Phase 3 of the Twin Peaks development, saying Phase 2 would finish on time but Phase 3 requires extra time because of site conditions and rising construction costs. The request was presented to the Stevensville Town Council and a motion to accept the extension was made by Council member Greg and seconded by Council member Smith.
Councilor Cindy Brown stated she would abstain from the vote because of a conflict of interest (she said she works for a title company). The transcript includes public comment and subsequent council discussion but does not show a final vote tally on the extension in the provided excerpts.
The applicant said granting the extension would not change conditions of approval or disrupt public facilities and that the extra time would allow the developer to complete Phase 3 in accordance with town standards. Council discussion referenced planning conditions, construction costs and standard approval conditions; no tie to a specific statute was recorded in the transcript.","A developer requested more time to complete Phase 3 of the Twin Peaks project, citing site‑specific conditions and rising construction costs. Council member Greg moved to accept the extension; Councilor Brown declared a conflict and abstained. The transcript does not show the final recorded vote.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5973412,"Council approves special‑event permit for Brews and Booze Brewfest at Lewis Creek Park",125,886000,1011000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5830382-08636d1c6d75817027eddbb5a55286e8&start=886&end=1011","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5830382-08636d1c6d75817027eddbb5a55286e8/thumbnail_886000.jpg","/articles/5973412/Stevensville/Ravalli-County/Montana/Council-approves-specialevent-permit-for-Brews-and-Booze-Brewfest-at-Lewis-Creek-Park","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973412-46661968c2fb028edb26a09786e55e1d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771134871&Signature=VQgSuErWa6XZd4dbHTpvhrp1dMPpp3tvktt7W~8LKS~EnnemLMWFEemRJ63xBjgZ4Kg5CGR5OaxVwqksXeX5HGQZ5vIfdHlnrvXkMi96Mp-1trQjhlGRuo1iHCkhW~4NwkQiusbF2scOT-LncrVkNd4Hb4DlUCLhKFnAQ7SD4zpe~rUmTVTtJH9zlj5owjuvQmVoKdS4K6TtozwT9XBWPzdMUWGhqfaNfqppzdEU9VdwUDSrb31IciInfejJuZf-KjL1d4fb9HRMDlnzXGGB4Tyy1ls3SKzE3dqGXxc0BMdyhoXVWC0kZrzNtZ-omYOn58Dz8a6cXgfVK14~HB61Ow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Stevensville Town Council voted to approve a special‑event permit for an over‑21 beer festival organized by the Stevensville City Club and proposed to be held at Lewis Creek Park. John Waller, president of the Stevensville City Club, told the council the event will be separate from the Scarecrow Festival, will be limited to adults and will follow the town’s alcohol‑service procedures including wristbands, ID checks and SafeServe‑certified servers.
The council approved the permit by a 4‑0 vote. Councilors Barker, Brown, Bray and Smith voted aye.
Waller described planned features including tents, heaters, a DJ, karaoke and a costume contest and said organizers expect a few hundred attendees, considerably smaller than the Creamery Park events. He asked the council to treat the event as a one‑time special event this year; organizers said they hope it will become an annual fixture.
Councilors and staff noted coordination responsibilities with police and public works and confirmed that festival volunteers and servers will follow the town’s alcohol‑service rules.","Stevensville council approved a special‑event permit for an over‑21 beer festival proposed by the Stevensville City Club; organizers said they will follow the town’s alcohol‑service rules and use wristbands and certified servers.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5973417,"Stevensville meeting spotlights rising water and sewer costs, aging infrastructure and repair plans",2008,1096000,3104000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5830382-08636d1c6d75817027eddbb5a55286e8&start=1096&end=3104","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5830382-08636d1c6d75817027eddbb5a55286e8/thumbnail_1096000.jpg","/articles/5973417/Stevensville/Ravalli-County/Montana/Stevensville-meeting-spotlights-rising-water-and-sewer-costs-aging-infrastructure-and-repair-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973417-d32a90a0fa74a03066dd88d078b68301/orig.mp4?Expires=1771134871&Signature=UfkdZdQ59UzLW5R5fqNXO3YzBURSv~F2--9btalhfUYCFC4B2JQ6QcoyYdRltphTb8LDe499caoiM67tWaoQ1pDJuYikpIeuIGqFyloSeAvaCwEf1RS5rRtFRPPZaFLeLZkEOssAvci30iMKGCgWUgeqaKEZCPyy3CDHkkL4U8Hw7h5Bhx5NEB3ZrA5NTQQYR-W940ukFGjzXlt9NhWScfLMR0sScoT2Nc9~f3PHk3k6RxUHtdRGmizrKfJCjvECZojlAfRyeoPjv2dG~PZh9hB4iFgdSI1BVA8kOHE98nTVck6STchpqFYZOcJTcdi2h~Kidb4AmLwGyuHZa22FHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Stevensville officials, a rate consultant and residents spent the majority of a town council meeting discussing the town’s water and sewer finances, recent rate increases and the town’s aging infrastructure. Bobby Shore of Montana Road Water System summarized a rate analysis and said rising power and chemical costs and existing loans require rates that produce enough revenue to operate and maintain the systems.
The issue matters because council members and residents said customers are struggling to pay bills, some yards showed drought damage, and the town faces expensive capital work including leaks, a failing reservoir and planning for a new storage tank.
Shore described the rate-analysis approach used for municipal utilities—inventorying operations and maintenance costs, debt service and reserves—and cited the Montana Code Annotated as the statutory guidance requiring rates that are fair, equitable and sufficient to cover system costs. He told the council the analysis showed recent cost increases concentrated in three categories (salaries, utilities and chemicals) and reported a two‑year increase of roughly $34,000 for sewer and $36,509 for water in those categories.
Shore and town staff discussed specific system problems: active leak detection work, localized pressure problems after recent paving on Spring Street, and a reservoir with possible piping issues beneath the concrete. Options mentioned included repairing the reservoir piping or replacing the tank; both were described as costly. Shore estimated a new storage tank could cost between $3 million and $4 million and said the town is pursuing grant funding to help cover a project and anticipated a local match.
Residents asked how the bills are calculated, whether sewer charges vary seasonally and how the town plans to use funds collected in a new capital assets account. Shore and staff said sewer billing is tied to water‑line size rather than summer usage and that the town intends to use rate revenue for both current repairs and to build a capital fund for future replacements.
Several residents asked whether rates can be lowered. Shore and councilors said lowering rates would require matching reductions in expenses or different funding sources; federal and state loan documents and program rules generally require systems to set rates that support debt service and reserves. Shore noted potential state programs under discussion that might finance solar installations to reduce power costs but said those programs were not yet available. He also noted increased chlorine production costs following regulatory changes as a driver of higher chemical costs.
Public commenters raised additional concerns: reports of a black, oily substance in water (discussed as consistent with manganese and potentially treatable with polyphosphate), a water‑rights expense the town has paid (about $124,000, according to the meeting), and a contested development (Burn Fork Estates) whose progress is tied to water rights.
Council members and staff said a recent leak‑detection survey identified leaks including at Spring Street and Creekside; not all repairs have been scheduled because the locations and costs are not yet fully known. Councilors said some larger repairs were previously funded with federal grants (Mission Street work cited as roughly $1.8 million with a local match of about $784,000). One councilor noted the town has not had a rate increase since Nov. 1, 2019, when water and sewer rates were $31.14 and $51.90 respectively (figures cited from staff and the packet).
Speakers urged ongoing transparency and public education; some residents warned of political consequences and called for more community engagement. Town staff and councilors said they will continue leak detection, seek grant funding for larger capital items such as a storage tank and study impact fees and hookup charges for new development.
The meeting also included questions about the town’s bond payoff schedule (speakers said the nearest loan payoff is around 2040 and others extend into the 2050s), the possibility of raising impact or hookup fees (which would require an impact‑fee study and related procedures), and the limits of what rate revenue may be used for under loan and grant agreements.
The council did not take a formal new policy vote on rates during the portion of the transcript provided; the meeting record shows extensive discussion, public comment and staff direction to continue planning and grant work.
The town packet and staff reports were cited repeatedly during the discussion; residents were advised to use those documents for line‑by‑line details not read into the minutes.","Rate consultants and public officials described higher power and chemical costs, aging pipes and planned capital work as reasons for recent water and sewer rate increases and ongoing repair needs. Residents pressed councilors for relief and for clarity on projects, timing and costs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board report: community garden prospects and October sculpture unveiling at Creamery Park

Council hears Twin Peaks Phase 3 extension request; vote not recorded in transcript

Council approves special‑event permit for Brews and Booze Brewfest at Lewis Creek Park

Stevensville meeting spotlights rising water and sewer costs, aging infrastructure and repair plans