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Covering the Bitterroot Valley – “Where Montana Begins!” – Established 1985 – Locally Owned & Independent
‘The Volume XXXVII, Number 11
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Stevi bus drivers quit over extra-curricular trips pay by Victoria Howell Paul Ludington is in his eighteenth year as transportation supervisor for Stevensville School District. Ludington is responsible for supervising and coordinating the transportation program as well as maintaining the fleet of buses. The district owns and operates 10 buses with six drivers covering five daily routes as well as all the extracurricular activities. Seven additional routes are contracted out to Harlow’s Bus Service. Harlow’s drivers receive $17.50 per hour. Stevensville School District bus drivers receive considerably less. Last spring before school got out, the district’s drivers got together and decided to ask to negotiate a wage increase. The district negotiation committee, which consists of three members of the school board and the superintendent, eventually settled on a wage amount for daily bus trips to and from Stevensville Schools’ buses will be temporarily leased and operated by Harlow’s school. These wages Bus Service until a permanent contract can be let, since the district’s bus drivers are funded through the resigned over wage issues. Photo by Victoria Howell. transportation fund by curricular trips that are paid out of the general a permissive levy. The fund. The drivers asked for $15.75 per hour; district offered a raise of 50¢ an hour plus 25¢ the school offered $15 an hour plus a $1000 per hour for longevity (new hires would not retention payment for each driver. The drivers be eligible for the 25¢ longevity step until the were adamant that they wanted more per hour following year). for the extra-curricular driving. The committee The drivers agreed to the daily wages offer said in that case the drivers wouldn’t get the but negotiations bogged down over extra-
Wednesday, September 29, 2021
County covid cases continue to spike Ravalli County is continues to see spike in reported COVID-19 illness, according to the Public Health Department. Community transmission is high and rising in Ravalli County. As of 2 p.m. Friday, Public Health had 494 open active cases. Public Health has followed up on 602 cases this month with 115 of those in children 18 and under. Public Health has followed up on about 235 cases of ”breakthrough,” defined as positive illness in fully vaccinated individuals. Those cases were predominately in individuals employed in high exposure areas such as health care and public service; other identified individuals were those with multiple underlying health conditions. The health care system is reporting an increase in hospitalizations, from short stays requiring oxygen therapy or hydration to more serious complications requiring intensive stabilization and ventilation. Public Health has received a number of reported deaths in the last week but those will be vetted before being reported to the state and reflected on the state map. See PUBLIC HEALTH, page 9
Eastside Hwy improvement project resumes MDT and Schellinger construction crews to start this week Starting the week of September 27, the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and Schellinger Construction will resume construction on the Stevensville Safety Improvements project. Travel will be reduced to one lane in two-mile sections between North Birch Creek Road and Pine Hollow Road as crews relocate utilities, install fencing, and conduct pipe work on the Eastside Highway, Highway 269. Drivers are encouraged to
See BUS DRIVERS, page 2
New faces at City of Hamilton
by Nathan Boddy
The Hamilton City Council welcomed several new faces at their regular meeting on Tuesday, September 21st. First was the vacancy for Hamilton City Judge, a position which was granted to Royce A. McCarty. Present at Tuesday’s meeting were numerous individuals who spoke on McCarty’s behalf, including Ravalli County Commissioner, Dan Huls, and former Ravalli County Attorney, George Corn. Amy Fox of Hamilton, recently added to the City’s staff as Director of Parks and Urban Forestry, made her first presentation to the Council, presenting to them an application made by American Legion Post #47 to place a monument in Hieronymus Park in order to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the installation
See EASTSIDE HIGHWAY, page 9
of the ‘Tomb of the Unknown Soldier’ in Arlington National Cemetery. Their application was approved by the Council. The City Council was also asked by Police Chief, Ryan Oster, to confirm the appointment of Presley Chadwick as a new Probationary Police Officer. Chadwick, who is herself a graduate of Hamilton High and has worked for 911 Dispatch, was confirmed by the Council. Lastly, Roger Gantz was appointed to the City’s Zoning Board of Adjustment. The Council also authorized the submission of a Community Development Block Grant application, assembled by City Planner and grant writer, Matthew Rohrbach, which aims to secure funds still available through the CARES Act for COVID Relief. The grant, See HAMILTON, page 4
B & B Cabinetry and Home Design, at 4th & Main, is the recipient of the Beautification Recognition Award from the City of Hamilton. Photo by Nathan Boddy.