City Council - Regular Meeting

Join us in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Welcome. It's good to see everyone here tonight. We have or need to start with a roll call. Miss Harris, will you help us with that? Sure. Everyone is present and we do have a quorum.

Thank you. Uh we have an agenda before us. We do need to consider uh two um changes. I guess we need to add a motion to consider a bid for the roof at the rec center. And and I kind of like to put that under new business first. We'll if that's all right with everybody. And then we also have four bills. I think everybody got an email from Trudy. We've got four bills to add to the uh warrant register. Um so with with those additions, I I'd entertain a motion to approve the agenda.

I'll make that motion. With those changes, your honor second, your [snorts] Mr. Willing, Mr. Schmidt seconding. Is there any discussion? All in favor say I. I.

I. I. Any opposed. Have an agenda. Got the city council minutes for December 2nd and the work session uh minutes for December 9th. Any questions, comments, concerns regarding those? If not, we will acknowledge those as they've been prepared and we will go on to the bills. Got a warrant. Well, I'm sorry.

Got a warrant register with today's date on it. Again, we're considering it with those four additional from from Trudy. I make a motion we accept the bills with the four additions added. Sellers with a motion. Is there a second? I'll second to your honor. Mr. per second. Any discussion? That is a pretty new garbage truck, but they're expensive. Yeah, they are. Yes. Pretty. And it ought to be pretty. Has it been used? So, it's So, the inside's not pretty anymore, I guess. Huh? I got to get that way quickly.

I just have one comment. I'm glad we have a system that we can reimburse people and get things we need. But do we is this a place we don't have an account or something or is there for Jesse? Yeah. Do we need to look at do we need to look at account for Oh, okay. So he used his own. Well, we are really being nice there. Oh, tell him tell him thank you. [laughter] That's funny. Any further discussion? There's no further dis. Did [snorts] we Did we call for a vote? Yeah, I didn't. All in favor of the bills say I. I. I.

I. There. Any opposed? That takes care of the bills. Thank you. Council comments. Mr. Schmidt, what's on your mind tonight, sir? I don't have anything this evening. Thank you. Thank you, sir. End. Christmas is coming. Hopefully, Santa Claus finds your house. Nice. Excellent. Thank you, Mr. Perks. Nothing tonight, your honor. Mr. Well,

uh just couple uh Chief Donnie Boddine passed away. Condolence to his family. Uh he served this community very well and many many hours were put in by him uh unselfishly and uh just condolences to the family. Um, then I attended the community choir on Friday. It was spectacular. It was really good. The gentleman behind me thought it was a sing along, so he sang along a little bit. It was all good. Made me cheery. So, that's all I have. Thank you, Mr. Sellers.

And to echo on that, um, be mindful of those in need at the holidays. a lot of people suffering emotionally. We have a lot of people in our community with illness. There seems to be just a outlash of cancers, people with cancer in our community and suffering and um Chief Odine did great things. I had a chance working with him a lot at the hospital when I was out there and he gave his all to everybody. [snorts]

It's at this time of year the days are shorter. We're not quite to the the shortest day, but those who suffer from seasonal effective disorder, you might not have felt it, but from yesterday to today, our evenings got one minute longer. So, there is light at the end end of the tunnel. And then also last minute gifts. Remember your local merchants. A lot of people have a lot of good things in our community. Shop local first before we go out online and and go to Utah. See what see what you can find locally and support our our merchants. Sometime I've been walking in the stores lately and there's times they seem pretty busy, but there's other times that they're just completely quiet and and I ask I always ask, has it been like this all day? I kind of want to get a fill. So, I feel like there's some we can do more to support them. And merry Christmas. Um, I want to echo the sentiments of uh, council members Welling and um, Sers. Uh, my conversations and my time spent with Chief Boddine will forever be cherished by me. He was an incredible human being and um, he exemplified the spirit of the holidays. Um so my condolences to his family. He will leave an incredibly large hole not only to them but this community. Um, on that note, uh, after that, um, you know, it's so important to, uh, support your local businesses,

especially your local artisans, because when your money goes to Amazon or the quick fix down at the mall in Salt Lake, you buy a billionaire's second or third yacht. When you buy local here, especially from local artisans, you uh pay a mortgage and pay groceries and the money actually comes back into the community and helps support us all. So, think about that. It's it's uh it's the chain of how things are done and and um how important they are. Uh lastly, keep in mind all your service members, happy holidays, merry Christmas to all those who are here and abroad. It's a tough time uh for them and the families who have an empty dinner plate and some unwrapped Christmas presents under a tree that are waiting till the day that they come home safe and sound. And in today's world, that is not a given as it once was. It never is a given with our military members. Uh but especially now, it's a very stressful time. Reach out if you have uh [snorts] any um neighbors and service members that are serving. And other than that, this is the last um full council session before Christmas. So, merry Christmas all. Enjoy enjoy the festivities. Get out there and uh enjoy this wonderful town because there's nothing like it, especially at Christmas time. So, merry Christmas. Your

your honor. I have one more thing. Please. Um, Wyoming Horse Racing is gearing up to hireund and some people. They're having a job fair on the 22nd, 29th, and the 5th at the third floor of the Wells Fargo building from 10 to 2. So, there's all kinds of jobs available from Dunkin' Donut cooker to um people working in the restaurant to attendance security. uh we've been working closely with them and uh they've had quite a bit of uh of response so far. But if you're know of anybody that needs a job, um they're looking forund

120 120 people, especially if your dream is to become a Dunkin Donut cooker. Well, or something. But the the wages that we're looking are pretty very competitive with wages around here. So nice. So there you go. Excellent. Thank you, your honor. Yes, sir. May I make a comment, please? I didn't know that uh Chief Bodine passed and I've known uh Don for 50 plus years and uh I didn't wasn't aware. So, I'd like to pass my condolences on to his family also. He's a great man.

Thank you. Just to add on to that, that's uh there deaths in our community always kind of hit home because we are a small community and we are a close-knit community. Donnie Boddine was a a very dear friend of mine. I think uh I could say without exaggeration that Donnie and I have spent hundreds of hours in the back of an ambulance together, in the front of an ambulance together, thousands of miles. Um albeit the same stretch of road over and over and over. But uh I don't know of anybody who has committed themselves to a community as fully and as completely as has Don uh has as Don Boddine to Evston, Wyoming in UA County. I and I watched that over the last 30 plus years uh in real time with my own eyes. I I watched much of it. Not all of it, but much of it, 30 years worth. Uh, and Donnie was a dear friend. I was able to spend a little time with his family on the night that he passed away and I will uh forever cherish that opportunity to be with his wife and and and have them allow me uh in that intimate gathering when he passed away. That is a memory that I will forever cherish. Donnie was was to say he was a dear friend is an understatement. Uh, and so I will miss him. We will miss him uh as a community. And uh I I I could easily say I don't believe we'll ever uh see another like him in in my lifetime probably anyway. But thank you for that.

And uh I uh I will miss him. This community will miss him. [snorts] We will [sighs] go on. Uh our next is public hearings of special orders and our first item there is an update on our fiber and broadband. Who's please? [snorts] Thank you. Thank you. Excuse me. Uh, Mr. Mayor, Councilman, thank you guys for the opportunity to speak tonight. Uh, my name is Ryan Schmidt. I'm the director of engineering for Union Telephone Company. Uh we wanted to come and speak with you guys this evening just to kind of give you an update about kind of what Union's been up to over the last couple of years and the things that we brought to this community as far as improvements go um to the services that we offer. So just kind of a couple of things maybe a refresher or uh new information for some folks. Uh, Union's been around since 1914, 111 years providing broadband, landline services, wireless services to the communities not only of county, Evston, but all across the state of Wyoming. Um, we were recently announced as a best instate company by 2025 Forbes magazine. So, that was a pretty big accomplishment for us. Um [clears throat and cough] some of the things that we've been up to, we're in the process of overhauling

our network as a whole on the wireless side. Uh what that means is we're kind of sunsetting our legacy 3G network in Evston itself. We've already turned that down. We are providing nothing but LTE services today. Um [clears throat] we also have uh fixed wireless access. So, we are providing broadband internet off of those structures that are located here in Evston to the residents. Um, we do have fiber optics that come basically today down the I80 corridor from Arlington all the way to the Utah state line over here on the west side. Um, we've broke out to different communications towers along the way to be able to provide that superior service off of those facilities. Um, and we do advertise and offer enterprise level services here in Evston off of that fiber optic service. Um, where your small businesses or your larger businesses are looking for more of a dedicated internet service, we are here to provide that and we do offer those services here. Um, we [clears throat] will continue to grow and optimize and upgrade that network um, over time. We have about 405 sites that we're trying to get overhauled across all of our service area. So, um the good news is is Evston itself is all taken care of. We're up and we're running and we're functional. Um some of the things we kind of wanted to talk about um and it kind of leads back to what Councilman Sers and Councilwoman Hegman had mentioned before. Community involvement involvement in the impacts of a local community or a local company, right? Um we're here. We're providing the services that the big boys are providing. We're here to offer those services to the residents, to you guys as an entity of the city of Evston for your internet and wireless needs. Um, and just some statistics, uh, you know, for every $100 that's spent by a customer on an annual

basis, 70 to 80% of that comes back into the community. So, when we're looking at this type of a service, um, you know, coming with Union, 70 to 80% of that money is going to come back into this community in a lot of different ways. Uh, back into local schools, local charities, local nonprofits, um, community events, and money back into the capital expansion that goes back into the services that we provide and the ability to upgrade. But it also provides unemployment opportunity for the residents. Um, you know, that money, I think it was mentioned earlier, as you're employed by a local company, that those dollars are being spent back in your local businesses, back in your local community, and that's all coming back in circle of life, I guess, if you want to call it. Um, and as we look at some of the other providers or the bigger providers out there, you know, we've you're looking at about 15% of that $100 that comes back into this community. The rest of it goes back to wherever they're headquartered, and that could be all over the nation. Um, so things to think about as we look at this. Um, as we mentioned, highspeed home internet, uh, fiberfed facilities to help provide those services to the residents and then also our wireless expansion and our improvements and those will continue as, you know, we get most of the rest of the network over. We'll come back to, you know, we all know technology moves at a rapid pace, so we got to stay up to par and stay up to speed with that. Um, you know, one of the things that's unique about Union, and it kind of touches back to employment opportunities, but everything we do is done in house. So, from the design on the technical side to the construction to the maintenance to the warehousing and purchasing to the delivery of the materials, um, to the customer care representatives that will answer your

questions when you call, sales, marketing, advertising, all of that is done in-house to Union. None of that is contracted out. So gives us kind of that advantage to offer those opportun employment opportunities in all different realms of uh you know specialties or interests. Um so a lot of opportunity there. Um and when we talk about customer support, you know, if if you call in, you have a question or whatever the case may be, you're going to get somebody here. You're not going to get somebody in New York, California, Seattle, whatever. you're getting a local individual that's going to be able to talk you through whatever issues you may have. Very well educated team and very good at what they do. Um, we talk about community involvement. I think you know we Union's been involved in a lot of different events throughout the year. Um, we just did an event in November at the co local coffee shop at GG's. We had some representatives down there to answer any questions that anybody had. Um, we will be back there Friday the 19th. Um, doing kind of the same event there to answer any questions. So, I encourage you guys to stop in, talk to our team. They're very sharp individuals. Any questions you guys may have, anything we can help better or, you know, help you guys better understand, they're there to help you guys out. Um, we do have quite a few promotions ongoing right now and just kind of wanted to get those out there. Um, you know, we have I don't know anybody that's a customer today, but if you refer somebody in your circle or, you know, a local resident, um, you're going to get up to $50 back in credit on your bill as well as their bill as they sign up if if it comes to fruition, goes to that sale. Um, some of the other ones we have is what we call the bill buster. So, we're challenging people to bring their bill into us, let us go through it, and see what we can do to save you

money. Um, [clears throat] and then [snorts] for doing that, we'll put a new screen protector on your phone free of charge. It's about a $50 value just for letting us evaluate your bill and see what we can offer for you, save you any money anywhere that you're looking at on your monthlies on that front. Um, we have an upgrade and save which is basically $799 toward a new device. So, if you're looking to upgrade your device, we'll put 700 or almost $800 toward that device. And then we also have um what we call a bring your own device. So if you have a phone, you want to sign up for our service, you bring that in. Um you'll get $15 a month off your bill for the life of that device. So until you come back in and and upgrade that device. Um, [clears throat] so I guess you know, one of the things to kind of top this off as you guys, you know, come into the new year and you're looking at all your new contract negotiations, I would challenge you guys look at Union for your internet and wireless needs from a city of Evston entity. Um, don't forget that we're here. We do [clears throat] provide those same services and hopefully you guys will consider us for those needs. Um, and at any time if you guys have questions about what we can offer, what you need, what we need to meet your needs, we're here to answer those at any time.

So, I'll open it up to you guys if you guys have any questions for me. Any questions for Union? What time is GG's? Is that all day or uh 9 9:00 a.m. I believe 9 to 2. And then you guys offer business options as well, I'm sure. Correct. Yep. Business wireless anywhere from residential to business, small business, all of the above. So, yeah. So, is this Howard?

I don't know who that is. I It might It might very well be hanging old telephone line off the poles. Could very well be Howard. [laughter] Sorry. I just had to I just had to I grew up down the street from from the Woody's house down there. So, yeah, pretty good. I I I enjoyed talking with Howard over the years. So, thank you. Any other questions, sir? Have you guys opened an office here yet? Like, we have a retail store here. Um, right over by behind Arby's. It's over by Pass. Just down from Pass.

We have a retail store. Everybody's headquartered out of Mountain View for the most part and then spread. We have representatives in Cheyenne and Casper just because of the network we have over there. So we have representation. Okay. So you do you do have internet uh service to residents? Correct. So yep. Is that wireless? It is wireless. Yeah, we provide it wireless here in Evston. Thank you, sir. Appreciate Thank you guys. Merry Christmas. We appreciate you guys' time. Thank you. Congratulations on your best in state. That's quite an honor. Hey, thank you. Really appreciate. That's huge.

Our next uh our next item is to consider some appointments. I'll give these to you all. I got three of them tonight, and I'd like to just address them all together if that works. Uh I'd like you to consider uh Jeremy Slater uh to serve a 5-year term on the Urban Renewal Board. That term would end in January of uh 2031. That seemed like a long ways down the road, 2031. Um, Sadie Feain, uh, reappointment and, uh, Brendy Weston also reappointment, three-year terms on the lodging tax board. Those terms would end in January of 2029. If, uh, there's a motion to that effect, that would be great.

I'll make that motion, your honor. Mr. Perks, I'll second it. Mr. Welling seconding. Any discussion? There's no discussion. All in favor say I. I. I.

Are there any opposed? That is approved. And we appreciate those individuals and their willingness to uh to help us on these boards. Sometimes that's a whatever board it is often times is a thankless a thankless position that sometimes goes unnoticed or underappreciated but is certainly vital to uh to the operation and the forward movement of the city. So I appreciate that very much. We have two items on our consent agenda item uh our consent agenda a street closure and a limited malt beverage permit. Uh it looks to me like those are reoccurring uh activities, both of them. So

the I'm sorry, the uh street closure is something new with the 250th celebration declaration.

Uh we're going to have a ball/bison drop uh down there at midnight and then we'll have fireworks. uh porters have donated the fireworks. Uh and so we'll have a little cold fireworks show. If anybody wants to sell hot chocolate, let us know. So hopefully it stays like this weather. It' be pretty nice. So we'll be that's that's what's going on down there. It's just to kick off the 250th celebration of the Declaration of Independence. it. Uh I guess the reason I say it's a recurring it doesn't seem that long ago that we had the 200th. I remember that fairly well. Oh,

I don't. You don't remember that? I remember that. Oh, I do. I try. They had the little thing on the news every every evening that had the little burb on the TV. You I remember it. I know you do. But anyway, good events. Your story. [laughter] I was still trying to watch cartoons. I don't know what you were doing. Well, I wasn't I wasn't much older, but I I was old enough to remember. I'll uh entertain a motion to approve our consent agenda. I'll make that motion, Mr. Lynn. Motion is there, your honor. Mr. Schmidt seconding. I'm just just so everybody's aware that's in the library parking lot. That's correct. Do all that, right? That is correct. Yep. Any further discussion?

Are there going to be readings? Uh I don't know if there'll be readings. I've been asked to say a couple of words. I don't know I'm if I'll read anything. Do you know Diana? Mika is not here. Is she she would I don't know how many reading I don't know exactly what the program is and maybe it's still kind of under construction to a certain extent. So it is. But it will be it'll be a fun event no matter what. So I don't know how to answer that question just yet. I think we should read the Declaration of Independence if that's what this celebration is about. We could all use a refresh. We could we could do that or we could all just try to quote it. We could do that.

As cold as it might be, I don't know if people want to stand there that long. There'll be other opportunities. There's more celebrations coming up with that committee. So, well, as a direct descendant of the writer of the Declaration of Independence, I will volunteer if you're doing it. We'll put you down for one of our many events. Is Meek Mek is not here though, right? No. We need to thank her for She's the one that puts a lot of this stuff together and puts it on. So, good reminder. Absolutely. M told her thank you. Mika has been working hard.

She's probably in her office right now working on it right now. She probably hasn't gone home yet today. So, there's no further consent uh no further uh discussion on our consent agenda. I'll call for a vote and all in favor say I. I. Are there any opposed? Those items are approved. We have no uh unfinished business. We do have ordinance 257 um for up for third reading. Mr. Harris, please.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ordinance 257's an ordinance approving and authorizing a zone change for property in the city of Evston from industrial established, i.e., to highway business established HBE as requested by Tracy Lake Wyoming Downs LLC of the land more particularly described herein. This is on third and final reading. Thank you, sir. Mr. Jacobson.

Yeah, Mayor and Council, there have been no changes um uh coming up on this third reading. Uh the uh zone change proposal is to uh they're proposing to change zoning from uh industrial established to a highway business established zoning district for lots 1920 and 22 the Evston Industrial Center second edition that's highlighted on the map. The change in zoning uh would would change uh what is showing there in the red highlighted area to a highway business established uh zoning

and there's been no change in the language. There's been no changes. If anyone has any questions regarding it, get it on the table here for discussion. Is there I'll entertain a motion to approve ordinance 257 on third reading. I'll make that motion. Mr. Lind. I'll second. Welling [clears throat] seconding. Mayor discussion. Mr. S. Go ahead. I'm recusing myself from Okay. This one and the resolution. So, which resolution are we talking about? The the the 2574. Okay. I have a comment I'd like to make. Your honor,

please go ahead. Um, as I said early on when we discussed this before, I'd still like to I hope that we address a couple of things that uh for this development. I'm not against the development. You know, I'm all for that and for the growth and so on, but I the concerns I still have are the traffic impact that it's going to put onto Wasatch Drive and the new developments for uh residential area across the highway from that area. That would be the first concern that I still have. And the other thing that I would like for us to address uh maybe this next budget years is the impact that is going to have on our law enforcement and so on with the activities and things that uh the growth and you know the the folks that are going to be drawn into the area. So I'd like to just make that comment and we need to address those issues. Well said. Yes, you're spot on.

Further discussion. I guess I guess I don't know for sure. Is Cheyenne Drive maintained by the city or is that a state maintenance? This is Wasatch or was but it is a state a statement. Yes. So Wasatch and Constitution are both state is constitution. Constitution's a combination of state city. So when they redid it, it was it was kind of interesting how they did it. It's kind of both both have participation in that.

So as being right there, I worry about the the traffic as well. Um the Wyoming Downs people I've talked to, they said they're going to do studies and stuff. I'm can't really vote because I'm right there. my properties right there. But I appreciate the concerns being brought up. Um I'm just You've recused yourself from this issue, have you not? Okay. Thank you. We have their engineer here. Oh, please. You'd like to speak on the uh traffic.

Good evening, your honor and fellow members of council. Um just to I can I can touch on the uh the traffic uh the traffic impact uh issue. So, um, as we [clears throat] as we kind of progress with the design, um, we intend on performing what's called either a traffic impact study or traffic impact analysis for this development. And this is really going to be, um, it's going to be it's going to be spurred by Y dot because we're accessing Wasach drive, which is a Y dot own road. They're going to require something from this. Um, it may be a full pull and traffic study. It may be a turn lane study, but regardless, there'll be something that'll that'll precipitate out of this as the requirements. And when we do something like this in a community, what we'll do is we'll work with your local city engineer just to see what other uh other intersections want they want to analyze or what other features they want us to to look at with this traffic study really to to see what the impacts are going to be and if those impacts are too great, how do we mitigate the traffic on this on this roadway. Um, the nice thing about this development, of course, it's it's a rather large development, commercial development, but uh, most of the traffic that's going to be accessing this type of development is not necessarily going to coincide with your peak traffic during, um, the daytime, uh, or even the evening. So, um, most folks aren't going to be accessing the site, you know, between 7 and 9:00 a.m. when you have your morning traffic and then really not between 4 and 6 when you have in the evening when you have your PM peak hours. So, a lot of traffic is is, you know, directed and on Saturdays and later in the evening. So, we're going to be missing those peak peak hours. But then, um, like I said, we're still going to be analyzing what the traffic is going to be and what kind of impacts and if there's um, we measure we typically measure roadways and intersections and what's called um, a level of service analysis. And that's given a grade between like A and F. So if you have uh you know if you have intersections now or streets now that have issues that those issues will be made known during that traffic study and then if there's a cause of an issue

because of this development that'll be made known during our traffic impact study as well too and we'll look at you know mitigating those impacts the best we can. Excellent. That kind of answer your your question as part of the process. Yeah. Very good. That answered mine. Is that sufficient? Excellent. appreciate the information. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Further discussion. Anything else? Well, I'll call for the vote. All in favor of um approval of ordinance 257 on third and final reading. Indicate by saying I. I. Are there any opposed? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Stay up there.

You're not go too far. Well, I got the bid. We'll go to new business now. And our first item there is a consider a bid for the uh roof at the rec center. Miss Larson, we'll probably have lots of questions for we don't actually have the bid before us. So we we were discussing it earlier that we didn't have that information. So tell us everything you know, please.

Okay. So can you hear me? Uh Mayor Williams, Council Kim Larson, Evston Parks and Rec District. Um on December 9th, we received five bids for our um rec center re- roof project. Uh we would recommend that the project be awarded to ConWest, Inc. who was the lowest bidder. Um all biders were based out of Utah. Um we advertised in the Casper Stars Tribune, UA County Herald, and the Salt Lake City Tribune. Um, ConWest is registered with YO Workforce. Um, they will have no subcontractors and it came in just under budget and I do have copies of all the biders and the bid document if you're

That would be great. I I would like to see that. I suspect every others would as well. I didn't make copies of like all Oh, shoot. Sorry. This is kind of a thick packet. So I This Sorry, this won't stay on here. You're right. And I'm going to make a mess.

This the only copy. Yeah. Okay. Let me

They know about the preference act of Wyoming. Do you are you having a pre preconstruction meeting with them? We had a preed walk through. Thanks.

Um where we actually had 10 interested parties and um out of those 10 um submitted bids on the 9th. Um Con West, uh I thought you may want to know about their background. Um they do have 26 years of experience. They're located in Draper, Utah. Um they have experience with the roof design team. Past projects include Evston City Hall and the they've worked on the roundhouse. Um other clients include US Army Dougway um uh proving grounds, WOT, Jordan School District, Emory School District, and Salt Lake County. Like I said, they'll have no subcontractors. um their proposed schedule. They will mobilize to the site. Um you know, you cross your fingers for March knowing that that may not happen with the snow, but uh and project completion in June.

So, one more winter of a leaky roof, huh? Well, it's usually spring that's the worst. When the snow starts melting, you can get rid of all the buckets, use them for something else. Oh, sorry. Their bid was uh 999,700. Good question. Questions for Miss Larson? And this is Go ahead. Go ahead. Uh we talked about the three different types of roof. This is going to be that this is the mid level. The mid level is what we're doing, right? Yeah. And then how close is this to what the engineer quoted?

Uh so I budgeted for 1,60,000. So pretty close that's better than over but just under um every other bid was over. Was over. I noticed this is the only one under what was the estimates and under the amount that we have budgeted which is also a yeah because there were a few that were not in reach at all. Did we have any biders from Wyoming? Uh we did have two show up to the pre-bid mandatory walkth through um but they did not submit bids unfortunately. We had 10 which I thought was quite amazing. I've 10 at the meeting. 10 at the meeting

and then only five bids were five bids from that. It's still pretty good for a project like this. Oh yeah, it's not terrible. Not terrible. And we have worked with Con West before as you mentioned. So that's we've got a fairly decent I recognize the name. I think we've got a fairly decent track record with them. Good. Uh as well prior to So. Okay. Well, that's a that's a big bid and a lot of lot to consider. Is there is there a motion to approve this bid? Are we ready to do that tonight? Motion, your honor. Second it. I got a motion. Mr. Schmidt, Mr. Lynn seconding. This is well overdue. I'm I'm going to miss the buckets, but you know. Well, you know, extra like our indoor water feature

well overdue. It's going to be gone. Another thing to increase longevity is we are not doing our our skylights. Those tend to be the number one cause of leaky and failing roofs. And so we live in the wrong state for those, I'm afraid. Yeah. So hopefully this will increase the longevity that with our um upcoming water mitigation project. We're getting rid of water in the rec center. So yeah, let's build a flat roof with skylights in Evston, Wyoming. That's a great idea, right? Absolutely. And they all do it.

Got a motion in a second. Any further discussion? I'll get with you on the Okay. preference stuff. Great. There's no further discussion. All in favor say I. I. I. Are there any opposed? That's approved. Thank you. Okay. Thanks. Do you need this back, Kim? I I just want I take it. You'll lose it. Yeah, I'll probably lose it. Yeah. Okay. Now, we'll go on to resolution 2573. Mr. if you're here to read that title for us, please.

Yes, Mr. Mayor. Resolution 2573 is a resolution of the city of Evston, Wyoming, authorizing the submission of an application the Wyoming State Forester to the city of Evston to be officially reertified as a Tree City USA for the year 2025. Thank you, sir. Mr. Jacobson, how many years now? Oh, geez. Uh we've been doing this since uh I believe 1999 was our first year of being recognized as the Tree City USA. So

the reason I ask you that is I had a a conversation with the radio station the other day and about this topic. They asked me some questions and they asked me how many years and I didn't know either. It was a lot. But anyway, go ahead. It's been quite a few years. So yeah, we've been doing this for some time. Uh a little bit of a change uh that occurred this year. Uh our Arbor Day celebration typically is celebrated with uh kids around the fifth grade range in our elementary schools. Um this year we celebrated with Evston Child Development Center. Uh the kids had a ball in that. I think everyone that was involved in that.

Yeah. So did I. It was fun.

Yeah. Really really uh uh had a ball with them. So um uh so uh there are standards that we have to meet uh in order to be considered a Tree City USA. Uh we have met those standards. Uh so basically all that's left is to submit an application and to gain that recognition. We'll receive those recognition materials uh this coming spring. Uh I do like to provide a little bit of information each year uh regarding uh uh some of the uh um expenditures uh for for trees uh this year and this is uh just parks and recck figures. It does not include uh the uh city public works department. Uh with time spent and that uh working uh maintaining planting trees uh they they have a uh a total expenditure of about $45,600. We're required to spend uh $2 per capita. Uh that equates out to about $3.84 84 cents per capita. So, uh we more than meet that requirement. Uh as far as a little bit of tree management statistics, uh there there were uh 72 trees planted uh this year, uh the number of trees pruned and maintained uh 300 300 plus trees. So, and number of trees removed, we had very little six trees removed and that and and again that's uh with uh parks and recreation and what they have done. So

nice. Thank you. I'll call for an introduction on this resolution 2573. I'll make that motion. Mr. Shers, you're introducing with the motion. Is that what you're doing? I'll second. Mr. Welling seconding. Any discussion? Let's hope these 70 mph winds don't take out a Yeah, we're predicted tomorrow take out a bunch of trees. So, supposed to get some wind, aren't we? Further discussion. When's Arbor Day this year? Do you know? Oh, it says in here, uh, yeah, we we we

kick it back a little bit because of weather. as generally I'm I'm trying to recall that it was May 9th this year. Yeah, late spring. I think the first Friday in May. Okay. Thank you. When we generally hold that first Friday in May is what we said. Yeah, I believe. So, let me take a look at the uh might have a We need new calendar. We got a date on the application. May 9th. Is it May 9th May this year? So yeah, it's my recollection this year. First month first Friday. May 1st May was the first Friday. May be May 1st. Yeah.

Yeah. May day. So yeah, we'll kind of play it by ear a little bit. Kind of keep an eye on weather that uh gets to be a little bit of a challenge with and that's kind of a fun day for me. I I've got to watch kids plant trees now in I think every and ECDC and um it's just it's kind of a fun day. So it's that's what I look forward to every year. So that's cool. Yeah. If uh there's no further discussion, all in favor say I. I. I. Are there any opposed? That is approved. Thank you, Wayne. [clears throat] Resolution 2574. Mr. Harris, please.

Thank you, mayor. Resolution 2574 is a resolution of the city of Evston, Wyoming, amending a portion of the city's master plan to authorize a highway business established HBE zone for the real property designated herein as requested by Tracy Lakeok on behalf of Wyoming Downs LLC. Thank you, sir. Mr. Jacobson again,

so this is the other part to the zone change request. Uh so what's being proposed with the uh comprehensive plan is to change land use uh for lots 1920 19 and 20 block two of the Evston Industrial Center second edition uh from industrial established land use to a highway business land use. That is the areas that are shaded in the gray within that red highlighted section on the map on the screen. Excellent. Thank you. Is there introduction on this resolution? I'll introduce with a motion to pass. Mr. Lyn with a motion. Is there a second?

I'll second. Is he seconding? Any discussion? We've talked about this quite a bit, I think. There's no discussion. All did you have something you No. Oh, you have no discussion. All in favor say I. I. I. I. Sorry. I [clears throat] thought you wanted to say something, so I was going to let you do it. That is approved. Thank you. Thank you. Resolution 2575. Mr. Harris, please.

Thank you, Mayor. Resolution 2575 is a resolution authorizing the city of Evston, Wyoming to accept and approve a renewal offer with Delta Dental of Wyoming to provide dental insurance for city employees. This is our annual renewal for the Delta dental insurance for the employees. Um, second year in a row we've had a 0% increase. So that's crazy. Don't think there's too much to argue about. Seems like Yeah, we ought to pass this resolution before they change their mind. That's right. No changes in coverage. Pretty incredible that there's no increase. So I'll just I'll quickly ask for an introduction on this resolution. 257 2575. I'll introduce with a motion to pass.

Second it, Mr. Welling. Seconding. We'll second it. Got a second right over here, but we'll we'll add your third if that's all right, Mr. Is there any discussion? Just wait till we get the Blue Cross Blue Shield one. I'm pretty sure that won't go up. That happens in the spring. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We can hope for the same thing. I will say though that the uh that the county's renewal this year actually had a decrease in premium. It really did. Hard to believe, but it was I still don't believe it. No way. I didn't either, but it uh it was Any further discussion? If there is none, all in favor say I. I.

I. Are there any opposed? That is approved. Thank you, Trudy. Comments from departments. Trudy, you have anything more for us tonight while you're right here walking away? Yes, sir. All right. Thank you, Mr. O'Neal. Merry Christmas, everybody. Thank you. Appreciate you too, Mr. Newsome. Merry Christmas. Enjoy the new year.

Thank you. Actually, I knew the tree USA reminded me part of that program is the community tree program and people don't think about buying trees this time of year, but um part of tree USA program and our tree board is the community can get a very nice tree for $50. They retail $200 or more dollars a piece. The applications are at the rec center now and they are due January 17th. So go to the rec center, pick up an application. They also come with free watering bags, stakes. So it's a great deal. Um people

need to do some pre-planning for that kind of stuff. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Person. M Harris. Merry Christmas everyone, Mr. Harris. Excellent. Public participation. Is there anyone here in the public that would like to address the council for any reason? Please.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. Uh Steve Yuing, 112 Hathway Avenue. the uh volunteer group that's been working to restore to operation the UP 442060 switcher locomotive and tender since August of 2021 are proud to announce that a limited liability corporation has been formed and applications submitted to the state of Wyoming with the name of Evston Railroad Corporation. The LLC is required to provide necessary oversight from the Federal Railroad Administration to certify the boiler of the locomotive for legal operation and establish the railroad entity. [snorts] The relationship between the railroad and the FRA will also provide the guidelines and oversight using modern standards to safely operate the railroad. JSJ Locomotive Restoration from Silver Plume, Colorado was contracted and began work on December 1st to survey the boiler jacket and provide data of metal density every 4 in of the boiler length and diameter. Their report will be provided to the FRA for certification of the boiler jacket. Upon completion of this first phase, the next phase includes installation of the boiler tubes followed by a hydrostatic test under boiler pressure. When all goes well, the FRA for uh uh I'm sorry, when all goes well, the FRA will issue approval for the railroad to fire the newly certified boiler. JSJ has reported that the 4420 is one of the most viable restoration projects due to

its condition and completeness yet seen by them and that it is possible to gain certification of the boiler by the FRA before fall 2026. Recently, [clears throat] significant public, corporate, and private donations have boosted the efforts to restore the 4420 and spurred a new, faster pace progress rate brought on by those new donor participants. These are all major steps to operate the 4420 safely and reliable reliably to enhance tourism, increase commerce, and preserve Evston's railroad heritage. Myself will head up the group with Rich Hartman as vice president. A volunteer mechanical program is established for qualified individuals as well as other support positions such as IT and communications director. We'd like to thank the city of Evston for their assistance to perform the heavy lifting of components during this phase of work as well as providing the new public restroom for our use. We also have come to recognize the professional nature and expertise of JSJ locomotive and industrial restoration to asssure federal compliance and efficiency of our rebuilding of the 4420. Rich Hartman is to be commended for his diligence and long hours to perform the boiler needle scaling, many times exceeding to over double the length of our typical workday, as well as performing five to six days of work per week rather than our former two-day per week schedule. Other significant cleaning and repairs were performed by all volunteers

including Gan Bell, Daryl Porter, shop foreman John Davis, Ken Smith during the fourth quarter of 2025, too numerous for this format. We also thank UTLX employee Gavin Wagstaff for the loan of his 60-gallon compressor for the last four and a half years, which has provided trouble-free service to complete a lot of work. Gavin has also donated muchneeded fabrication work with his professional welding talent. I'd like to answer any questions you might have about this. What What pressure do they hydra test that thing at? 175. Okay.

175. That's typical for switchers of that S4 class and comparable to those that are running today. Wow. Excellent. Sure. I said it's it's exciting compared to where we were six months ago. I was wondering how it was going to keep going. So, it's it's exciting compared to three weeks ago. Um the true

the significance of of this survey has proven uh what we all suspected in the very beginning and that was this was an extremely worthwhile restoration project. It compares to no other that's been done. uh only because it was treated with kid gloves throughout the uh the 30s and 40s. And that the citizens that operated that locomotive or were responsible for maintaining it did advanced maintenance and early component replacement and certification and is demonstrating its uh ability to run once again in a very short time. Uh there is a [clears throat] estimate by JSJ that the completion of this locomotive will cost 1/4th of the roof of the rec center to run.

Wow. That's impressive. Um I appreciate the information. Excellent. Thank you. Dreams of the railroad still include planning track. Uh we have some realistic uh notions that are ready to we're ready to put into motion and investigate. Thank you, sir. So, thank you. You have a new railroad in town. Sounds good. Thank you. Is there anyone else that would like to address the council? If not, I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. I'll make that motion to make motion to

I'll make a motion to adjurnn. Have a motion to Is there a second? All in favor? I We are journed. Thank you everyone.