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Council approves claims; residents and councilors question specific charges and a street-sweeper purchase
Summary
Council approved the claims docket 4–0 after discussion about multiple line items including a $12,000 street-sweeper purchase, duplicate credit-card charges, a PO box billing error and splash-pad repairs.
The Stevensville Town Council approved the claims docket after council discussion and public questions about several individual charges, including a $12,000 purchase for a street sweeper, duplicate credit-card charges and a postal box line-item error.
At the meeting councilors reviewed claims by number. Council members and members of the public asked staff to clarify specific entries: a claim for the U.S. Postal Service listed an extra number leading to an apparent overcharge; staff confirmed it was a bookkeeping mistake. Councilors also asked about credit-card charges for Safelite AutoGlass, and staff said the charge was for a police vehicle windshield damaged by a rock. Residents asked how much the town paid to restore the splash pad; staff answered about $2,600 to the vendor listed in the packet.
A public commenter questioned the process by which council authorized a sealed bid for a street sweeper with a maximum of $12,000; staff and a councilor said the council had authorized a sealed bid with a $10,000–$12,000 range and that only one bidder responded. The public commenter suggested the town could have negotiated directly to save $2,000; councilors explained sealed-bid rules and the council's earlier motion setting the maximum.
After public comment the council took a vote on the claims; the motion passed 4–0. Staff agreed to provide additional documentation on request, including bid sheets for the street sweeper and line-item backup for questioned credit-card charges.
