<body><div>During a Special Stevensville Town Council meeting last week, on Nov. 2, the council appointed Amy Henry to fill a vacant Ward 2 seat, despite public criticism over comments she had made about residents living outside town limits. <figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0iBrso_1H2BsPka00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0iBrso_1H2BsPka00" width="1500" height="845" ><figcaption>Amy Henry being sworn in to the Stevensville Town Council for the vacant Ward 2 seat. Photo by John Dowd.</figcaption></figure>Henry was the sole applicant for the vacant Ward 2 position, which opened after former council member Talon Ross stepped down. She introduced herself to the council and answered questions from members Wally Smith and Karen Wandler. Council member Melissa Bailey was excused from the meeting.When asked why she wanted to serve on the council, Henry said she cared about the community. “I care about people,” Henry said. “I think I have a listening heart.” Asked what she hoped to accomplish as a council member, Henry emphasized the council’s responsibility to both current residents and future generations. “The council is here to serve the people of Stevensville, now and 20 years down the line,” she said.Henry also discussed the importance of making information about town government more accessible to the public, saying residents often struggle to understand how local government operates. “People seem to be wandering around in the dark because they don’t really know how things work,” she said.Before voting on the appointment, the council opened the floor for public comment. Courtney Ferguson, administrator and founder of the Facebook page “Stevensville Uncensored,” addressed the council with printed screenshots of conversations from the social media page. The posts included comments attributed to Henry that Ferguson said raised concerns about her ability to represent the broader Stevensville community.Among the comments presented was one in which Henry criticized the involvement of individuals who lived outside town limits, writing, “Do you live IN THE CITY LIMITS? Because a bunch of these jabberers are interlopers.”Another message attributed to Henry stated, “Courtney Ferguson sorry kid, i, unlike many of you, AM A RESIDENT, and can legally vote. You can stand at the border wall and stare in.”Ferguson presented more messages in which Henry continued to criticize people who live in the greater Stevensville area but outside the incorporated town limits. In one, Henry compared those individuals to Antifa, who she described as “Whiny spoiled worthless folks accomplishing nothing but terrorizing good and normal people.” Another message described them as people who “pile on like a bunch of silly adolescent girls.”Ferguson said the comments demonstrated an attitude that would be inappropriate for someone serving as a representative of the town. “She is not fit to be a representative of Stevensville,” Ferguson said.Ferguson acknowledged that she lives outside the town limits but argued that the Stevensville community extends well beyond the municipality’s official boundaries. She cited population figures from 2020-2024 census data, noting that the greater Stevensville area, represented by ZIP code 59870, has approximately 12,506 residents, compared with roughly 2,130 within the town itself. Based on those figures, town residents account for approximately 17% of the broader area’s population.Ferguson said residents outside town limits contribute to Stevensville in numerous ways. They work and shop in town, participate in local nonprofits and community organizations, attend events, use town parks and send their children to the local school.Organizations such as the Stevensville Civic Club and the Scarecrow Festival host events that bring thousands of visitors and significant economic activity to local businesses, including tens of thousands of dollars, annually. Ferguson argued that dismissing the opinions of people outside town limits overlooks the important role they play in the community.Mayor Jim Crews also addressed the issue following Ferguson’s comments. “We have to tailor our personalities to meet the needs of Stevensville,” Crews said. He added that the council should take into consideration the opinions of people who live outside the town limits.Despite the public concerns, Smith and Wandler voted unanimously to appoint Henry to the Ward 2 seat. The appointment will allow her to finish the remainder of Ross’ term. Because the position was filled through a council appointment, the decision was not put to a direct public vote.Later in the meeting, the council also approved plans to improve security at the town’s wastewater treatment plant and Lewis and Clark Park, including new camera systems and upgraded internet service. Officials discussed the need for cameras and reliable internet service, with Crews emphasizing the importance of protecting the facility. He warned that problems at the treatment plant could have serious financial consequences for the town. “Issues at the treatment plant could bankrupt the town quick,” Crews said.The proposed improvements include installing security cameras and upgrading internet service for the treatment plant, which have an estimated initial setup cost of slightly more than $1,600 and ongoing internet service expected to cost approximately $55 per month. The town staff recommended using Starlink. Smith, who also researched available service options, recommended Starlink, saying it offered the best combination of price and quality among the providers considered. “The best thing we have out there is Starlink, and they are the way to go,” Smith said.The council approved moving forward with the recommended services, provided the final camera and security proposals remain the lowest responsible bids.A similar discussion followed regarding security at Lewis and Clark Park, although officials considered a different camera configuration for that location. Stevensville Police Chief John Boe spoke to the council about the department’s interest in improving surveillance at the park. “This gives us an opportunity to update and upgrade,” Boe said.Boe said officers frequently encounter activity at the park after dark, as well as during the day, with some incidents involving youth and children. Vandalism has been among the issues reported at the location.Having recorded footage would give officers an additional resource when investigating incidents, allowing them to review activity and potentially identify those responsible. The proposed system would use a single camera with a 360-degree field of view. It would also allow remote viewing and send notifications when activity is detected outside normal park hours.The council approved the park security improvements as well, with the same stipulation that the overall project remain within the town’s cost considerations and use the lowest responsible bid. The combined internet and camera improvements for the park are expected to cost approximately $3,000.The town is also looking at improvements to its website as part of broader efforts to update its technology and make information more accessible to residents.</div></body>

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During a Special Stevensville Town Council meeting last week, on Nov. 2, the council appointed Amy Henry to fill a vacant Ward 2 seat, despite public criticism over comments she had made about residents living outside town limits. Henry was the sole applicant for the vacant Ward 2 position, which...

Stevensville appoints Henry to council

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During a Special Stevensville Town Council meeting last week, on Nov. 2, the council appointed Amy Henry to fill a vacant Ward 2 seat, despite public criti

Stevensville appoints Henry to council

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