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Stevensville council adopts workers’ compensation policy, debates claims and votes on multiple stop‑sign changes
Summary
At the meeting the council approved a safety, health and workers’ compensation policy (Resolution 562), discussed approval of biweekly claims, and voted on several motions to replace yield signs with stop signs at neighborhood intersections; some sign changes passed while others failed or were tabled.
The Town of Stevensville council approved Resolution 562, a new safety, health and workers’ compensation policy, discussed biweekly claims and considered multiple traffic‑control changes at neighborhood intersections, approving several replacements of yield signs with stop signs and rejecting at least one.
Resolution and claims: Council member Brown moved to approve Resolution 562, a safety, health and workers’ compensation policy draft prepared by staff; Council member Barker seconded. The council voted unanimously (Brown, Smith, Nelson and Parker recorded as voting "I") and the mayor announced the motion passed 4‑0. Earlier in the meeting Council member Barker moved to approve biweekly claims numbered 19516 through 19528; Council member Smith seconded and councilors asked routine clarification questions about individual claim line items during discussion. (The transcript records the motion and discussion; an explicit final recorded roll call for the claims approval is not shown in the transcript.)
Traffic control: Council considered several agenda items proposing removal of yield signs and installation of stop signs at multiple corners (Church & Fifth, Church & Sixth, College & Fourth, College & Fourth opposite corner, and other nearby intersections). The police chief and council members said the changes aim to slow traffic near school routes and pedestrian corridors. The council made the following recorded decisions during this meeting:
- Church Street & Fifth Street (southbound corner): Motion to replace the yield sign with a stop sign failed (roll‑call in the transcript recorded Councilor Smith "Aye", Councilor Brown "No", Councilor Parker "No"; the chair announced the motion failed).
- Church Street & Sixth Street (northbound corner): Council approved installing a stop sign at the northbound corner (motion carried; the chair announced "Motion passes 3 0 1"). Council discussion cited student pedestrian volumes and repeated close calls as justification.
- Multiple stops on College and Fourth Street (northbound and southbound corners): The council approved replacing yield signs with stop signs at the College/Fourth intersections discussed on the agenda; motions received seconds and the chair recorded the motions passing.
Why it matters: Councilors and the police chief said the local pattern of drivers treating yield signs as permissive rather than requiring slowed or stopped approach has contributed to near misses near school routes. The sign changes are intended to recondition driver behavior and increase pedestrian safety on streets used by children walking to and from school.
Other items: During general business the council discussed organization of town records (a missing PCI master street plan from 2006 was reported as not found) and small operational purchases (e.g., sand spread for streets). In the executive report the mayor and staff noted outreach on parking signage near Eva Coffee and upcoming budget planning; the mayor also asked councilors to review and sign town council rules and noted planning for impact‑fee work pending state legislative action.
