Council - Regular Meeting

student. You're live. I'd like to welcome everyone to the January 26th Pine Gloves Town Council meeting. Please join me for the pledge of

allegiance. I 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. First item on the agenda is the consent agenda. Approval of the consent agenda. I'll first move to approve the agenda as presented. I'll second that.

I hear a move a first and a second to approve the consent agenda. All those in favor? All those opposed? Hearing none. Motion carries. Second order of business is new business and action items. review review and approve the address for Prairie View development, the residential area.

So, I have uh attached a draft of some addresses um and what I did was I uh had a conversation with a couple of different individuals in construction as well as uh package delivery. Um, and you know, we agreed that there should be some spacing also because we talked about um allowing duplexes out there. So that would leave space if we were to divide a lot to put in a duplex or if down the road um a future governing body allowed a lot to be uh one of the larger lots to be uh divided. Um, I think the only thing that I I probably need to change on this is on on the south side of Highway 30. So, this portion of town as it exists, um, the odd numbers are on the north side of the street and the even numbers are on the south side of the street. So, I didn't know if that made a difference out there. If so, then I just need to flip-flop these numbers so that the odds are on the north side.

Probably for emergency management reasons, I would keep that consistent. Yep. Okay, I would too.

Got it. Then I will just kind of keep that same numbering pattern. Just flip-flop them. just I just wanted you all to take a look at it and uh let me know your thoughts before I uh sent that off to the county. And I know that there was between lots 8 and 19 and 9 and 30 which are on the outside of Buffalo Drive that there's a larger than just a couple of number house difference. That was just for visual appeal on my part, but it doesn't have to be that big of a gap. I don't see any problem with that. Okay. I think it looks good.

Okay, perfect. Then I will flip-flop that those numbers and get that uh sent off um sent off to the county. And then the county also when we fill out the address forms uh it we have a form for each uh parcel out there. When we fill that form out to submit to the county on there it gives us an option to check who it goes to and one of them is emergency management. So then once emergency management receives it they will um

update their system. So, it'll be with all those folks. And I'm not 100% sure, but it might actually include the post office on those, too. I don't think so, but it might. Right. I move to approve the proposed addresses for the Prairie D view development with um the caveat that we flip-flop north and south numbers. Second. I hear a first and a second. All in favor I

hearing none. Motion carries. on to application review of the Pineluffs Town Council seat. Applications will will be reviewed and three candidates will be selected for interviews. I think we currently have five. Six, I believe. Six. Can you weigh in on this, Alex? What do you We're doing this. Well, there's not a hard and fast rule. There isn't. No. So,

so you guys can either narrow it down to three and move from there, or if you would prefer, you could take all six, have them come to a meeting and do their spill, and then vote. I I would prefer to narrow the the scope of it. Okay. Down to three if you guys are good with that. Yeah. And Alex, does this need to be an open discussion or can they Okay. Have you guys I looked long and hard at that. You did? Okay. Yeah.

So I suppose we would each am I part of this? Yes. Okay. So starting with myself, I would propose that we interview, Amy Curry, Kevin Marort, and Mark Knots. Those are my three nominations. Okay,

Jana, how about you? Where are you at on it? Um well, first I want to say I'm I'm very pleased with the town of Pine Bluffs that we got six um very solid applicants and I think any of them would be good to fill the seat. Absolutely. Um so thank you to all all six of them.

Um for my three after looking at all their applications um I would say Amy Curry, uh Kevin Marquad, and Don Randall. Those would be my three. How about you, Dave?

I probably would uh go with Amy Curry, Mark Knots, and Terry Stigy. Yeah. Um, for me, I would like to um nominate Amy Curry, Mark Knots, and Kevin Markwart. It looks like then we will be interviewing Amy Curry, Kevin Markhort, and Mark Knots.

What I got, if I counted that right, that's what I got. I got too.

And again, I would like to reiterate that. I'd like to thank everybody for putting their name in. I know everybody all of this was a tough decision to to narrow it down to this field because all of them were great citizens and and had their strong points that they could add to the community. And so this this really was a difficult decision on part of all of us. And I'd like to thank them again for their for their application. Alex, is that something that that the council needs to do in a regular public meeting? Correct.

Correct. Okay. Would you all like to hold a special meeting for that? Um as opposed to waiting for the next meeting, which is Monday the 9th. Um or is Monday the 9th the So the interview needs to be a public meeting? Yes. And what would you recommend? Are you thinking in terms of timing somehow like Sure. Yeah. Let's go. So when they do the interviews, can they make the decision that same day? Sure.

Okay. just trying not to push it off until every single council meeting. Then it would be February 23rd before we had a decision. And yeah, you know, the sooner the better. Uh when's the first February one? February 9th. Yeah, you could, which is in two weeks. Talk with them and they could, you know, argue with one another, arm wrestle and all that good stuff. And the event. I think I would re I think I would recommend that we develop a standard set of interview questions. Okay. That we not deviate from those and we ask each candidate the same questions.

Yeah, I agree. Is there a way we could do like 5 5:30 before the meeting just to like would we not be here and individually or at a panel? I Well, that's why I just didn't know if you wanted to do this as a separate special meeting so that it wouldn't run into a regular meeting. I'm fine. I just need 24 hours notice to advertise a special meeting. Probably the sooner the better to get the seat filled soon. I'm fine with with that, too. I think I probably would prefer a special meeting. I think I would too.

Okay. Okay. So, when are you all available? Well, we need time to think of the questions and make sure that our three interviewees are available. So, Okay. So, tomorrow. Yes. that at 10:00 a.m. Maybe next week, early next week. Sometime next week. Yeah. Do you have to advertise it, Kim? I do. 24 hours in advance. Okay. 24 hours is all. So, you know, we could consider next Monday the 2nd. Um or any day next week, but it starts on Monday, February 2nd.

Let me look at my calendar. Or we could do it February 9th, which is the day of our regular council meeting, and just hold this uh earlier, as I've also suggested, start this process at 5 instead of 6.

I'm pretty free next week. Me, too. After four o'clock. I am too. Okay. I am too. So, Monday, would that work for you guys? Monday at 5. Monday at 5 works for me. Okay. Okay. Should work. That's the second you said. Yes. And we will check with these three candidates and make sure that they can all come. So, are we going to do them each individually or like as a panel and like do they need half hour, hour slot? Oh, I would say I would take them individually if you have a set of questions. So, should we start like 4:30 then or is that too hard?

Either or. Time or how much time? Mayor, if I might, it would probably be appropriate to, you know, just have a random drawing as to what the order is going to be. Okay. But then typically what happens is after you go through that initial segment and if they have anything they want to add to it, you might have like a twominut round for each of them to go say their last words of wisdom having heard the other. Okay. Participants kind of level the playing field a little bit. Okay. Point taken.

So 4:30. Are you guys good with 4:30 on Monday? 4:30 workshop. 4:30. Okay. And I I take it you all are going to develop the list of questions apparently. So, yes, I think maybe we just uh come up with we each come up with one five or six of our own and we we should probably separate. I was thinking like two. Yeah. I wouldn't too many questions. No, I was thinking like each of us came up with two maybe ask 40 questions. 20 questions. 20 questions. Can we do that? Is that too many? That seems like a lot.

That seems like a lot. A lot. Okay. Um half that. Yeah. Okay. 10. I'll compromise. I I'd be good with 10. Do you allow um the public to ask questions or No. Well, not generally just because it's, you know, council, it could go along. Yeah. Um, and then as a reminder, this council seat will be filled until the next general election which is in November.

In November. And then they very short. The term will end in January at the first council meeting which I believe is the 17th of January in 2027. Yes. Or no, sorry, the 11th of January 2027 is when the term ends. But this will give them enough time to see if they like being a council member so that they could put their name in uh for the elections which begin which they have to have that information into us by May end of May end of May

and all that information will get pushed out here in a couple of months. Yeah. And even though The next general election we elect somebody to it's just to fulfill the remainder of the term. Yes. Correct. It would be a two twoyear term. Actually, isn't that term? That is the end of that term. So that would if it is.

Oh, okay. It would be that term. Yeah. Okay. So, do I hear a motion to proceed with 10 questions on an interview on Monday, February 2nd? So moved. Seconded. Favor. I

opposed. Hearing none. Motion carries. Mayor would probably be appropriate so that it's in the minutes to uh have a motion as to who's being interviewed. Okay. Um I will move to choose or nominate uh Amy Curry, Mark Knots, and Kevin Markwart for interviews for the council's vacancy. Second. All those in favor?

Opposed? Hearing? None. Motion carries. On to visitor comments. Please approach the podium and announce your name. And my name is Mary Chs. I'm the curator at the local museum. I have been there for 11 years. Um, thank you for giving the Texas Trail Museum this opportunity to come before the town. Our museum is only open for five months during the summer. So this past summer we had 380 visitors. We had visitors from Sweden, Scotland, England, East Coast, West Coast. Many of the visitors and the assessions have a direct connection to the museum. Most of the visitors that come to visit are small town museum hunters. So, we're very lucky to have them. Some of the visitors have said they have stopped by the Veterans Memorial and they think it's beautiful. Um the ones that haven't stopped there, I tell them they really need to go there before they leave town. just like I tell people where they can eat in town. Um, many of the visitors have mentioned the fact that they didn't see any advertisements anywhere for the museum or the Veterans Memorial and the museum would like to change that. We would like to have a billboard for the months of June and July. That time covers our busiest season, our busiest time during the season. It also includes trail days and all the events, the community garage sale and Cheyenne Frontier Days. We would like to have a billboard that

has a picture of the Texas Trail Museum and the Veterans Memorial downtown on display for a billboard. We have picked out a sign on the west side of town. It's at milepost 402 from the state line. This is what we're proposing for a billboard. Since the museum is a nonprofit, we depend on all of our donations to help us do extra things like this. So, we're asking if the town would help us with half of the cost of the billboard. Half of the billboard is $1,240. That's cost for the production and installation at $880 and then $800 each month for June and July. We would like to have this billboard be very impressive and to have these two items on display on a board that is 10T by 32 foot. The board is illuminated and they the company says that they have impressions of 29,800 people have seen this every month. So we have decided that maybe if we could ask the town to help us pay for it, which with a $1,240 over two-month period, we could do this out of our minimum budget. We have done the research on this sign and we would continue to follow through, have the sign put up and maintained if we could get the town to help us financially. Thank you for the time and we do appreciate anything you could do to help

us. Thank you. Thank you. We we will certainly discuss it and see if it could be something that could be put in the budget and be approved for Okay. consideration. Thank you. Thank you. Can I ask one question? Yes. Does the museum take uh donations currently or? Yes, we do. Okay. We have a donation box for visitors that come in. We're lucky if we give $500 out of that, but yes, we do take donations. It's free to come in the museum.

Our other donation money comes from selling individual memberships. A single membership $15. Families $25. Both of those are just yearly. And over the years, I have figured out that people don't understand it's yearly. People say, "Well, I joined back in whenever." Well, they think once you donate $15, it's good forever. And that's not true. So any help we could get would be awesome. Does the Does the museum have a an an endowment currently?

We do have an investment. Yes. That we got in 2014. That's how we can pay for my wages and our monthly utilities. We also get a stipen from the town. It's $4,000 a year. So, it's $1,000 every quarter that pays our electric, our gas, our phone, insurance, too. Okay,

Mary, I have a question. Um, have you checked um, of course happy to have the discussion with my counterparts here, but also curious if you have explored the options of like grants through the Wyoming Board of Tourism or something like that that could possibly help pay for um, advertising of tourism. Sure. Visit Cheyenne for instance also

that um, you know, I know they provide the trail days committee with a check every year. So, you know, if uh visit Cheyenne knows that the purpose is for a billboard, they may be also happy and uh I can email a point of contact. I do have a contact there. Oh, do you? Okay. We did get half of a grant last year. We got $100. So, that didn't work very well. But that doesn't say that we're not going to try again. Sure. Yeah. But did you present all those numbers to them last year? No, last year it was on a different Oh, got it. Yeah. So, maybe if we went to them with these numbers and said maybe. Okay. In fact, I'd go to them with the grand total and

Yeah. Okay. I'll do that. Definitely do that. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your time. You're welcome. Thanks for all that work, Mary. Thank you.

Any other visitor comments? Hi. Hello. How's it going? Um, my name is Seth Tangan. Um, I am currently, um, building a building on the top of Beach Street. Uh, I got a invoice for the utilities, building permit, and inspector fee. Um, my concern is on the utilities portion of this, uh, I ordered the utilities for the lot, uh, two summers ago is when I first came into the town and then started talking to Lauren. The plan was that they'd be done the fall of two summers ago. Uh, the reason I was trying to get them done is because I knew I'd put a building on there eventually, and at that point, they were less expensive than they are now. the utilities didn't get completed. And then this last summer, I again tried to tried to get them done and I think Lauren said after trail days and then he said after hunting season and hasn't um hasn't really been nothing's been done with that yet. So twofold. One, I was wondering if the town would honor the price for the utilities for when I first asked for them to get done. And two, I was wondering what the time frame is on on actually getting the utilities done.

Well, I can't answer that directly because I don't know the schedule of the the utilities. Mhm. As far as addressing the the cost of the utilities, do we generally provide vacant lots with utilities?

Um, generally not. So generally the building permit serves as the document that is signed by the property owner that says they want certain utilities at a particular location whether the the property is vacant or not. Um because that's generally where we put in our pricing information. I had filled one out when I did that. Um, I left the building portion blank obviously and I just two years ago you had done that. Yep.

Okay. Then if you could just bring that those documents into me so that I can see what's going on and talk to Lauren, I'll be happy to coordinate that with you and then I can get a a full picture back to you guys. I What is the difference in the cost? Um, well the water was 1,600. Now it's 5,800. Sewer was 500. Now that's a,000. The electric was five. That's the same. Electric's the same. Obviously, the building permit and the inspector fee are higher, but I didn't ask for building permit back then, so I'll pay the current rate on those. Sure. So, it's just the utilities get flip-flopped on that. I think that it's the this

and I can go over that with you. I think what has happened is in the meantime in the in since this uh since two years ago we have passed a new connection fee resolution. Yes. And so with that there was an added $1,800 development fee. Um and so I can understand where there might be a concern there. And so the the water shouldn't have gone up. it would have been the sewer that I think they transposed two lines on that. Um,

so if you would all maybe consider waving that development fee that we had never considered in the past. Um, and then um, I can make sure that the other numbers on that building permit are accurate and that we can um, work with Mr. tangent to make this happen. Think that would be satisfactory? Sure. Yeah. You guys good with that? Yeah, I'm good with that. If you'll work it out with Kim, then All right, we'll do that.

And then if you can Yeah, we can work it out and then I can get you a firm date on on the installation. I just look at the building, make sure we have all the materials on hand. Perfect. Thank you. I appreciate it. Yeah, you're welcome. Thank you. Any other visitor comments?

Hearing none, we'll move on to department reports.

Do you have anything, Jamma? I do not. How about you, Dave? Do you have anything new? Sadly, no.

I did attend the landfill board meeting and not a lot had changed. Mostly the wind blew and they weren't open and and it was a very challenging month and and so not a lot happened there. Ellie, you have anything? Um, no. I think just gearing up and keeping our ears to the ground to prepare for the upcoming legislative session as far as Wham is concerned. Um, so right now everything's kind of quiet, the calm before the storm

and I'll keep you guys updated with if anything's pressing, I'll send you guys an email. Okay. You have anything, Alex? Nothing terribly urgent on the legal front. Okay, we like that. How about you, Leanne?

Um, I have just a few things. I just wanted to remind you guys about the quarterly elected officials dinner. I think you guys are coordinating something car pooling. Um, and then also I just got started on the mayoral scholarship. I want to make sure that you guys are still okay with what we've done in the past, which is two $500 scholarships. Are you all good with that? You had talked about maybe raising that number. I don't know the year fiscally for us to do that.

So, that comes out of a different pot of money. Let me get that uh dollar amount for you. Um, it doesn't seem like $500 goes very far these days. No, it doesn't. Get you three books, maybe. Yeah, that feels sure doesn't cheap books. Used books. Someone else's notes are already in those. Oh, I wasn't looking for that. No, but I will. I just thought it would be good to talk about since it's the mayoral.

Then I will um while she's looking at this. So, as of uh December 31st, we had $8,500 in that account. And so, um generally every year um you know, we rely on donations from events like Christmas at home and bake sales and other uh donation events. And I would say annually we bring in a revenue of um about $2,500 to that account. So and we issued two

two in the past. We've done two $500. We originally did one and then uh we opened it up to two to try and see if we could get a little bit more interest. And it was one to originally we when we switched it we thought well maybe one to a uh collegebound student and then another one to uh trades military and I still like force we can uh definitely continue on that path. Um so financially it looks feasible to be able to go ahead and raise it to $1,000 for I think so. Yes. Okay. Yes.

I would move we raise those two scholarships to $1,000 each. Okay. Second. Hearing a motion to raise the scholarship fund to $1,000 each hearing a first and a second. All those in favor? I opposed. Okay. Motion carries. I will get those letters sent out to the seniors. I'll change that. And then I put the deadline as our last meeting in April. And that way you guys will have a chance to look them over and vote the first of May. Give them out like right before graduation. That would be good.

Okay, that's all I have.

How about you, Kim? What have you got? Um, just in case you've seen a company out there doing some tree trimming in the alleys, that's us clearing uh tree limbs out of the power lines um in the alleyways. And our W was our uh for our airport construction improvement plan was uh is due for submission this week. Um, it looks like the state is looking at moving our taxiway and apron reconstruction project from FY2031 to FY2033 and we understand the funding constraints that go along with that. However, we did put in a statement saying that while we understand the need for the change at this time, um we will continue the town to closely monitor the condition of the affected taxi way and apron area and if signs of accelerated deterioration um are emerging, then then we will alert them to consider it at an earlier year, particularly of that apron area. So um you know first the first project of course is going to be that runway project which uh will be starting in 2027

and that's substantial. That is a substantial project.

That's several million dollars. So um and uh you know at one point that you know we had talked about doing the apron first um but it has been determined that the runway needs to take a priority and that the apron and taxi way will come after that. Uh this year we are doing a generally it's a seal code and marking project. However, because of the runway reconstruction being done, uh it's going to turn into just a marking project. They will refresh all the markings along the runway and the taxi way. Um and so we'll have a little bit of a savings there. But um so uh that's that's for the airport piece. Uh we uh reviewed and uh sent off change order three to prospect construction to move forward with the uh sewer portion of the industrial park. Uh and the change order has gone on to Altitude Energy to do the electric portion of the industrial park. So uh those pieces will be wrapped up. I cannot apply for the loan to complete roads within the industrial park until we have reached substantial completion on the sewer and the electric. Um but I don't think at this time that will be a problem. I think once they get I don't think that the uh sewer and the electric will will take many working days. I think the change order is for 45 days. So um yeah, that won't take too terribly long. I think by the 30-day point, we'll be close enough that I can go ahead and apply.

When do they propose starting on that? Uh we don't have a firm date yet. It's uh spring. Right now, we're trying to uh coordinate between PCI and Altitude to try and get them on the playing field at the same time. Okay. Uh to reduce our construction management costs for that. Yes. Um but uh I'll be happy if some of the time overlaps. I don't see all of it overlapping. So, okay.

So, yeah, we're good there. And, um, other than that, again, just kind of working through audits. Uh, I had hoped to have a financial report to you for the calendar year ending December 31st. I I didn't have it ready for this meeting, but you'll have it for the next the next council meeting. And um that's kind of where we're at for now.

Anything else from anyone? Do I hear a motion to adjurnn? Second. All those in favor? I opposed. Hearing none. Motion carries.