Council - Regular Meeting

scott you're early tonight good evening yes sir that's right no construction today like i'm missing something i'm forgetting something are we on line yeah looks like it yep you hear you got your notes i got my notes the microphones are off the sevenville town council meeting for september 14th 2026 is now called to order

Mayor Ernie Blackford.

Here.

Councilmember Daisha Edwards. Here. Councilmember Russell Westlake.

Here.

Councilmember Wannabino. Here. Councilmember Chad Edwards asked to be excused tonight. Town Attorney Scott Murray. Here. Town Engineer Shane Porter. Here. Town Treasurer Lexi Erickson asked to be excused tonight. Chief of Police Mike Thompson. Here. Fire Chief Mark Cornett asked to be excused tonight. Public Works Director Dan Corson. Here. Town Correctional Undersecretary Westlake. Here.

Do I have a motion for approval of agenda?

I'll motion. I'll second.

I have a motion and a second. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passed. Under consent of agenda, we have approval of minutes, regular meeting August 24th, 2026, and approval of bills. Do I have a motion?

I move.

Second. I have a motion and a second. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passed. We now have a public hearing on the Community Development Block Grant. Janelle?

AND THEN I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO TOWN ENGINEER SHANE PORTER.

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO THE TOWN OF EVANSVILLE PLANS TO SUBMIT ON A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT APPLICATION FOR 2027 SIDEWALKS PROJECT. SO WE'RE HOLDING A PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT TO SOLICIT ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS PERTAINING TO THE APPLICATION. THIS IS A REQUIREMENT OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK HEARING APPLICATION. So the purpose of the public hearing is to solicit public view, comments, and recommendation for a potential grant application for WCDA's CDBG program. The WCDA will accept applications until September 30th at 5 p.m. WCDA expects to have approximately $5,320,087 available for housing-related activities within the state of Wyoming. which can include acquisition, rehabilitation, publicly owned infrastructure improvements, clearance of sites, improvements to public facilities and planned activities. At least 75% of the activities must result in direct benefit to low to moderate income persons. I guess that's just kind of a summary of the purpose of the public hearing. We are going to be requesting an application, and it will be on resolution item number four in the amount of $1,120,814.50. So with that, I think you can open the public hearing and solicit any comments.

Okay. It's now open for any public comments. Anybody got anything they want to talk about on this?

TONIGHT?

THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENTS JUST ON THE APPLICATION. THE PROCESS WILL BE AN APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED, AND THEN IF APPROVED BY THE WCDA, WE WOULD PROBABLY START A DESIGN ON THE PROJECT. IT TAKES FOREVER. PROBABLY EIGHT MONTHS FROM NOW WHEN A DESIGN WOULD START BY THE TIME ALL THE... AND THE PUBLIC CAN VIEW THE DESIGN? YEAH, THAT'S ALWAYS AVAILABLE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN ALL THE OTHER SIDEWALK PROJECTS WE'VE DONE THROUGHOUT TOWN, BUT IT'LL BE SIMILAR. AND IT'LL BE KIND OF FINISHING UP EVERYTHING EAST OF CURTIS AND THEN GOING WEST OF CURTIS AROUND THE PARK AND KIND

the street there's not with this no something we talked to white out about right now that situation is in white house hands same with the drainage on the other side of that road there yeah that's it's chewing their own intersection they're looking at quite a bit there including the frontage roads but There's absolutely nothing we can do until they get going on their end. And they've supposedly been working on it for, what, three months now? They should have been at least looking into it. I haven't heard anything recently on where they're at. That would be something to follow up with Mark on and find out. Yeah, that state over there. What's that? That state over there. Yeah, that whole intersection. And they have to do something because they've got to make it ADA compliant, and that's going to be the driving force for YDOT to get with it and do it. So there's nothing we can say or do that's going to speed it up any more than that. That's how it works.

Yeah, well, three months, that's nothing, I guess.

OKAY. ARE THERE ANY MORE COMMENTS ON THIS BLOCK GRANT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? IF THERE AREN'T, I'M GOING TO CLOSE IT TO PUBLIC HEARING. PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. I WILL NOW OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? IF YOU STAND UP TO THE PODIUM.

My concern again is the drainage on Blackmore Road. They come over and did some work. They actually made it worse. They took the drain swale away from reserve drive coming down the hill. And then they dug that trench down to the culvert. They just made it a few inches wider. And there was a pile of road base that eventually is going to fall into that ditch. They didn't even take that away. So it was an inadequate job. I don't know what we paid for it.

Roughly $15,000. The majority of that is the pipe.

No way. You guys, everybody's on board with that?

Everything's expensive.

I know that. But even at $200 an hour for that little baby track hoe, and they hauled one dump truck load of dirt away. Did you have specs on that, what was supposed to be done?

We did not. We just had a conceptual design to try to get something addressed. We're pretty limited on what we can do there. With all the utilities running down that corridor, it's a pretty narrow swath. And to be able to lay that thing back, it just isn't going to be able to be done. There's too much in there. There's a major transmission gas line. There's a big power vault that's right there in the middle. It's just very limited room to do much with that.

Ten years ago, it was deeper than that. It's all been filled in from the runoff. Has anybody potholed any of those pipes? See how deep they are, the fiber optics? We have. How deep were they? They're not all that deep. What's not all that deep? feet of cover. I don't know how that was because it was deeper than that when they put that in there. You can see all the road base from the food bank in there. That's something.

You know, we've looked at that. I mean, we can get that. I know exactly what you're talking about, and we can create kind of a channel in there. But I think, Gene, the majority, I would say 80% to 90% of the water you're dealing with is coming from the other side of the road. It's coming from Casper into that pond that's up above Reserve Drive, comes down the south side of Reserve Drive, and crosses Baker. Reserve Drive. and goes into the ditch that we created. There's not much coming down. I know what you're talking about on the, I believe you're talking about on the north side of Reserve Drive. And we can put more, we can have them come back and shape that in a little bit better. But I think the majority of the water that you're dealing with is from the other side of the road.

At the time, about 10, 12 years ago when we had that wet spring, I was out there with my skid steer pushing the water to the west. It was coming down the whole road.

well yeah when it when it overtops the pond back there yeah it's it's everywhere well it'd be nice if most of it went into a some kind of a swale there don't you think yeah i brought this up when we when we did this project that we're going to have pretty limited ability to make much improvement um to do the to do what it takes to to really take care of the drainage in that area You're going to have to we're going to have to put in big pipe coming from that pond. Down some of those roads and just just really contain it and pipe it somewhere. No, there's just not enough room in ditches. That subdivision was built with roadside ditches and. It was built in the county, and we annexed in with county specs.

And it's going to take – to really address that drainage is going to be a major, major – Well, the whole thing up by Roof Depot and all that, yeah, I get that. At least on the spot you and I are talking about, if they had some kind of a soil, now it's flat.

We can – and that wasn't the intent. I mean, I think when they addressed that up, they just left it a little high there. We can have them clean that up. They buried it. They didn't leave it high.

You have to go look, Shane. I did look. At least the other guy before he took his place, that guy before there, at least he put a berm of dirt right there so eventually it would wear away if there was a big storm, but at least it helped. There's nothing under there. Can they swale that down a little deeper?

On the south side of the road?

No, the north side of the road coming down reserve.

Where all the big rock is already? Oh, on the north side, yeah.

The South that's outside Sweeney did the best we did pretty good on that. Yes, he could he spent a lot of money, but It's the other side. It's flat. It's equal level to the road.

Yeah, we can define that. It's a little bit more Again like I said, I think the what we're doing is You know, we can have some effect, but the big problem is a bigger bigger

And did they get bids for that $15,000 job? We did. And they were somewhere more than that? More than that.

Wow. Okay. The majority of that was the big pipe, though, too. Yeah.

Wasn't that like 12,000?

What's that?

Wasn't that big pipe 12,000 alone?

I'd have to go back and look, but it was close to that.

If you need any more of those, let me know. I'll get them for you for about a third of that. Anyway, one more project or one more thing. Is there anything you can still do about putting up signs requiring engine brake mufflers or anything like that on Blackmore Road? Rolfson, OMAX, Dooley, Dixon, they all roll through there. Quiet as can be, but it's just a few, and I'm pretty sure they're individual contractors. And one went by at 6.15 this morning, wished that I had a bazooka, and he didn't stop at the stop sign.

Okay. I don't know, Gene. I mean, like, even if there was a sign. I'll pay for the sign. No, no, no. Listen, even if there was a sign, I told you about a lot of that. Sometimes it's, I mean, I drove a truck for 16 years. It's laziness. A lot of it is. And I mean, even if there was a sign, I mean, yeah, I see the sign, but you know what I mean?

But if they know, I've known truck drivers and they go, holy, yeah, if they got signs up, there's a fine for it. We can make some money for drainage work and stuff.

I know, but we don't have...

It's not as simple as putting up a sign. Right. So first of all, you have to write an ordinance. Then the council has to do three readings and pass it. In each reading, there's public comment. Then after three readings, if it is passed, there's a 10-day waiting period.

So you can't just put a sign up and write citations.

Citations are not for profit.

I know. I'm playing on that. The voluntary donation. So... So do we got to do to get a reading? Can we do a reading and do a couple of them? Are you guys up for it?

The other thing is we don't have, I would say we don't have the time to post an officer there 24 hours a day just to make sure that no one, that's not feasible.

Well, he might catch him going by, but maybe it'll just stop them. Maybe if they say, oh, I don't want to get in trouble. I don't want to get pinched. I better not use my jake break. And I'll pay for the signs, do the readings.

Mike, do we have anything that has anything to do with Jake Breaks and any of our stuff? No. No. Is that a common thing in smaller towns, or is that just for?

It depends on the community. Some communities do it, some don't. I've had officers over there, I guess you can refer to this, when you have a policy that comes about, right?

It's usually because one person did something to create the policy.

to address, and if you want to make the ordinance, it would be because of a few drivers versus all the drivers if you're going to pass the ordinance.

I've been over there, I have to be honest, I haven't heard anybody use jake brakes when I've been over there.

None of the officers are reporting to me that they are seeing or hearing anybody with jake brakes. What I have heard is you're harassing and or stalking truck drivers. So, that's what I know. so do we so he took the time okay go ahead sorry so i talked to him about monitoring the area so the council could choose to pass ordinance over a few ordinances or a few drivers which is their prerogative but until an ordinance is passed there is nothing the police department can do enforcement

conversation should be with the council, whether that's something they want to do or not.

But right now, what I'm seeing is only a few drivers, occasionally not every day.

Yes, you're right, a few drivers. And I've talked to them. I asked them nice. I told them buy them lunch, whatever, $100 to their Christmas fund.

It's between you and them.

So he's just being it to be that way. And that's what's irritating me because he doesn't need to. And they should just said, everybody knows I talked to a million truck drivers and I forgot the petition. There's a lot of people who don't like it. It's unnecessary.

Yeah. So yeah, think about it.

I mean, it's just better for the community, the wildlife and deer, everything. Nobody likes it's 83 decibels. Put that near your 60 feet from your bedroom window and tell me what you think. Okay. We'll think about it.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Any other public comments? If there's no more public comments, public comments are closed. Item number four, resolution number 5-2026.

Mr. Mayor and Council, brought before you tonight is resolution 5-2026. This is a resolution authorizing the submittal of a community development law grant application to the Wyoming Community Development Authority for the purpose of the 2027 sidewalk installation project. And it's brought before you tonight.

Do I have a motion for Resolution 5-2026? I so move. I'll second. I have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion on this? There's no discussion. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passed.

FIRST THING I HAVE IS APPLICATION FOR PAYMENT NUMBER TWO FOR THE MESA PHASE TWO PROJECT, A TOTAL PAY REQUEST FROM ANDREEN HUNT CONSTRUCTION. is $101,209.60 for materials delivered onsite from August 1st through August 30th. We're holding 5% retainings for a total retainage of this pay request of $5,060.48. So the total amount due for pay request number two is $96,149.12, with $5,060.48 being placed in the joint retainage account. So I just recommend a motion to pay Andrea Nunn Construction for pay request number two.

Do I have a motion? I move.

Second.

I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All those in favor? Aye. Opposed?

Motion passed. SO THE NEXT THING IS DRAW REQUEST NUMBER 14 ON THE WYOMING BUSINESS COUNCIL GRANT. THE DRAW REQUEST NUMBER 14 IS FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE INVOICES FROM WAYNE COLEMAN CONSTRUCTION FOR PAY APPLICATION NUMBER 13, REIMBURSEMENT OF INVOICES FOR ANDREEN HUNT CONSTRUCTION FOR PAY APPLICATION NUMBER 1, AND WLC INVOICES FOR CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION FOR JUNE OF 2026. So the total of all the invoices is $690,667.09. The grant covers 88%. So the total draw request is $607,787. Leave the total remaining balance on the grant of $3,936,967. The town will receive additional reimbursement from the other four parties in the amount of $76,318.71. leaving the town responsible for $6,561.34 of these total invoices. So I just recommend a motion to have the mayor sign and submit drawdown request number 14.

Do I have a motion?

I second.

I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All those in favor? Aye. Opposed?

Motion passed. Next thing is on the Lathrop Road Pathway Project, Phase 2 project, application for payment number four. Total pay request number four from Trito Construction is for $27,000 for work completed and material delivered on site from July 25th through August 25th. We're holding 5% retainings for total retainings of this pay request of $1,350. Total amount due for pay request number four is $25,650, with $1,350 being held for retainings. So just recommend a motion to pay Trito Construction for pay application number four on the Lathrop Road project.

Do I have a motion? I motion.

Second.

I have a motion and a second. Any discussion on that? All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passed.

The next thing on the same project is draw request number five. This is a YDOT TAP grant project. Draw request number five is for reimbursement of invoices for contract administration for June, reimbursement for invoices for treatable construction for pay applications number two and three. The total of all the invoices is $264,249.85. The grant covers 90.49%. So the total drawdown request is $239,119.69. Leaves a total remaining balance on this grant of $314,041.59. So I just recommend a motion to have the mayor sign and submit draw request number five. Do I have a motion? I move. Second.

I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All those in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passed. On the same project, I have a certificate of substantial completion for approval tonight. Just recommend a motion to sign the substantial completion certificate. Substantial completion was obtained on July 30th, 2026. We've done a walkthrough and then a final walkthrough. So project is essentially complete. So recommend a motion to sign the substantial completion.

Do I have a motion?

NEW SPEAKERS.

NEW SPEAKERS. NEW SPEAKERS. NEW SPEAKERS. NEW SPEAKERS. NEW SPEAKERS. NEW SPEAKERS. Motion passed.

So the last thing I have tonight is an easement agreement between the Town of Evansville and Mesa Power Solutions. So this is an easement grant or this is a the agreement is an easement agreement granting an easement to the Town of Evansville for the water line that loops around the building. So part of the project they installed water lines up Mystery Bridge Road but also an 8 inch line that loops around the building with fire hydrants on that line. We want to own that line because it's a big eight inch line with hydrants that we need to need to maintain and operate So it's an easement for that that water line. I believe it's a 20-foot wide easement Mesa has signed the town attorneys prepared the agreement And Mesa has signed so it's before you tonight to be the final signature to approve that evening So do I have motion motion a second motion a second discussion

All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passed. And that's all I had tonight. In that case, do I have a motion to accept the engineer's report?

A motion. Second.

I have a motion and a second. All those in favor?

Aye.

Opposed? Motion passed. Do I have a motion for adjournment?

I move.

Second. Motion and a second. All those in favor?

Aye.

Opposed? Motion passed. We are adjourned.