Council - Regular Meeting

Yeah, sure. I'll open

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Heat. Heat. I now call the January 6, 2026 Finance Committee meeting to order at 6:46 p.m. Consideration of claims. Chair would entertain a motion for the approval of claims. You're on a motion to consideration of claims to be paid in the amount of $386,998.51

manual check in the amount of $5. Payroll and liabilities for 1226 2025 in the amount of $529,534.34 a total of $916,537.85. Second. Oh, brothers. Brothers.

I have a C or a motion by Councilwoman Johnson and a second by Councilwoman Brothers [clears throat] to accept claims or recommend approval of claims to be paid in the amount of $386,998.51. Emanuel a check in the amount of $5. payroll and liabilities for December 26, 2025 in the amount of $529,534.34 a total of $916,0005 916,53785. Is there any discussion or questions? No sir. All those in favor say I. I. I.

All oppose same sign. Motion c passes. Is there anything additional to come before the committee tonight? Director Harris, Mr. Chair, no, I do not have anything to add. Thank you. Perfect. Happy New Year. Uh with there without objection, we'll adjourn at 6:48 p.m.

I pledge algiance 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. Our [snorts] [clears throat] dearest heavenly father, thank you for the many blessings that we enjoy, especially that of being able to live here in this wonderful city of Riverton. Please bless us tonight as we go about the business of the city that we will make good decisions that will be inspired to fulfill the needs of our citizens in the best way that we can. Please keep all of us safe, especially our police and first responders and emergency personnel as they go about doing their jobs and keeping us safe. We ask you to bless us all as we travel home tonight that we will be safe and bless all of us that we will serve you in every way that we can. We ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Amen. Amen. Miss Harris, could you uh please conduct a roll call? Yes, your honor. Council member Eric Carr here. Council member Rebecca Brothers here. Council member Mike Bailey here. Council member Carla Borders here. Council member Kyle Larson here. Council member Karen Johnson here. [clears throat] Mayor Tim Hancock, I am here. I declare we have a quorum. I'd entertain a motion for the approval of the agenda as it has been presented. So moved. Second. Motion by Councilwoman Borders. Second by Councilman Larson. Any discussion, additions, corrections. All in favor say I.

I. Any oppose say nay. I vote I. Motion passes. Start things off right with the introduction and oath of office for patrol officer. Chief, if you could please give us your report and introduce us to the fine young man back there at the ripe old age of 24. I got it. Okay. Thanks, Chief. Go ahead.

Thank you, Mayor and Council. Uh, tonight we have the pleasure of adding another officer to our department. At this time, I'd like to ask uh Gilen Faxton and his family to please join me up front. grew up in Casper and graduated the Toronto High School 2019. He joined the National Guard and has served in the Guard and also performs one of his duties as the military funeral honors. He enjoys hunting and fishing and um tonight he'll be pinned by his father, Greg Faxton. Greg, do the honors. With that, your honor, we're ready for the oath of office.

Thank you. I'll meet you down there. [clears throat]

All right. Say I. And I'm going to leave a space there. You're just going to repeat after me, but you're going to say your name. I'm not going to say your name because I'm not you. Okay. Sure. Then just repeat after me after that. Got it. Raise your right hand. I I Gilan Faxton do solemnly swear do solemnly swear or affirm or affirm that I will support obey and defend that I will support obey and defend the Constitution of the United States the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Wyoming and the Constitution of the State of Wyoming. I have not knowingly violated I have not knowingly violated any law related to my appointment any law related to my appointment nor caused it to be done by others

nor caused it to be done by others and that I will discharge the duties and that I will discharge the duties of my office of my office with fidelity with fidelity. Welcome aboard. [applause] [applause] Yep.

All right. Thank you. We'll give this to me. and you've not been here at a meeting before, but it's usually tradition to go around and shake everybody's hand. It's not like you're going to be sworn in again. I mean, that has happened. We have had that happen once. We had an officer. Then he left again after that. Anyway, um shake everybody's hand and then after that, if you could kind of introduce the people here real quick. Do you mind? Because there's a lot of them. There is. And um then if you want, you could line up here and we can take a picture if you want. Okay. Sounds great. All right. Welcome aboard. Glad to have you.

Thank you. Congratulations.

You got to go. [laughter] This is new, by the way. Them making you go all the way down. [laughter]

Almost there. Now you have to get everybody in the audience. No, I'm just kidding. [laughter] All right. Who do you have with you, Dylan?

Um, well, my dad, which you've already met, my mom, Tracy, my grandpa, who just moved down here from Washington. Um, two family friends from back home and Casper, uh, my little brother Jacob, [laughter] my sister and her char her little baby Charlie, and my brother-in-law. All right. And then, if I understand correctly, we've got some Lander and Casper here. Everybody's kind of split up between the two. I mean, Lander is close to being the best place to live, but Asper's pretty far away.

Well, good. Well, did you guys want to grab a picture together with everybody? Up to you.

Yeah, you need to be in front. escape from Washington. All right. [applause] [applause] And Officer Faxton, I was curious, what's what were your duties for um funerals? Um I worked full time as a regional coordinator out of Lander um coordinating services and then when then I would go to those services

my brother would usually do military funerals and he'd play he's he's a trumpet player so that's what he'd do. So I would say you would have met each other but he's up in Alaska. Yeah, probably not. Yeah, it'd be a little weird. All right. Well, thank you. Thank you very much, family, for coming in. You're [clears throat] welcome to stick around if you want to. I know that these meetings are riveting, but if you want to step out now, it's just fine.

Thank you. All right. Thank you, Chief. We'll move on. Uh we'll start with council committee reports and council members roundt. Uh we didn't have it specifically on the agenda, but once a month we have a report from our uh Riverton Youth Council. We have a representative here tonight, the chairman, who I gave a ride to get here and who wants a ride home and not to stick around the whole meeting. But Mr. Hancock, you're probably going to have to stick around the whole meeting, man. You want to come up and report on the youth council? [laughter]

Oh, yeah. We have two other representatives as well. I didn't mean to skip you. I'm [clears throat] sorry. I just had to tease Royce because he was wanting to go home rather than staying here. You can get a good look at them. Yeah, maybe you don't have to give him a ride if you don't want to.

All right. Sorry, we're just getting back from break. So, you know, this is this is insane. So, greetings once again, esteemed council members. Despite the chaos of transitioning out of break, we are still very excited to meet in front of you once more to update on what the RYC has been working on. Haven't had many meetings due to like the break and like multiple things going on, but I have Kaylin Bower and Capri Miller to back me up and hopefully not judge me too harshly. But uh just real fast, kind of the big thing we've been working on, and I know you guys have been wanting an update on this is the snow angels program. So, we have the online applications complete with contact information as well as drafts for physical copies of applications, updates on like kind of who to put there and who we want to be the contact information, but we do still have everything if we want to bring it out. Now, uh we have draft posters ready to put around town, information to put on social media once we get that working and every bit and piece kind of figured out to make it work well. So, we just kind of need that goto to put up posters, get this actually happen cuz we have everything figured out. Um, we did send a uh Aurora Baldez sent an email to Kyle uh city administrator Butterfield and uh Councilwoman Brothers, but that's the stuff we have and it's pretty much done. So, really

effort. Miss Bower, anything to add?

Um, yes. So, at our past few meetings, Carol Harper has attended and we've been talking about the resource guide and so she wants us helping with it and she wants the first few pages done and then after the first few pages we're going to start like getting business information like the main businesses in Riverton and then getting their information like contact information like where they're at on there and then um we just need to emphasize like who's doing what in it and then we will really get on that and start working in it and then get it by the deadline that she hopefully wants and that you would also want. And then our Instagram has not been approved yet, but as soon as that does get approved and we know what we're doing with that, we'll instantly start working on that. And Patty Granland has visited and she talked about the youth mental health first aid program and some of our members are actually interested in doing it and we will definitely like talk to the to the other youth about also doing it. And she also talked about the maybe us like representing at the DUI task force meeting and we do have two [cough] members that are interested in doing that as well.

Well, that's a great idea. DUI task force is a good group. Awesome. Miss Miller, are you adding anything? Uh, yes. I've I've gotten to see your guys' tradition in terms of how this works. So, [laughter]

um, well, I've been working, uh, alongside the Chamber of Commerce a bit, and I've been keeping up with like their minutes and agenda, and I attended one of their meetings about a month and a half ago when I could. And we've I've just been keeping updated on the projects that they're doing to make sure that, you know, what's going on and if there's any way to help. And um we the three of us were the people that also helped and helped to volunteer at the Festival of Trees. And that was really great and it was really [cough] incredible seeing so many people from the community come out and just have a good time and celebrate the Christmas season together. and uh one of our other council members, Terod Brown, helped represent the RAC at the high school athletics department and showed the possibility of us helping show visiting teams what they could do in Riverton.

So, kind of the big thing there was like a lot of people as they visit kind of don't really know like are the good places to eat at, what's like easy, where can we stay, stuff like that. And it was a big consideration that hey, if we're doing a bunch of this media stuff and we're working with trying to get information out across the city, then it'd be pretty cool to have a little bit like, hey, if you're visiting Riverton, here's some information.

So, your honor, um, if I may, one of the things that like Cindy um over the summer got a hold of me and what they're trying to do is like turn they're trying to look at turning Riverton into like a hub of economic activity. um to where um when businesses and um schools do conferences, they come here. Um so um is that and so TK went to this this um first meeting to kind of discuss that. Um so I know that um Dr. Tindle um at CWC was in on this and um uh Max Mills um our new activity director and some of these individuals have been discussing this. I think it's a great idea. I know that like um we're thinking about for speech and debate putting in a state bid like we like to do that because we're central you know and so um so yeah like this thing that Caitlyn was saying this guide is like wonderful to try to get that out but also like you know it's great for our businesses and everything um but like it would be really really good to you know not only schools but you know to try to just get that out to to everyone around Wyoming like make Riverton, hey, if you've got a business, if you're trying to do some kind of conference, come here, we will make it really good for you to to do the thing, you know. So, that's what they're trying to to to do. I mean, CWC is a great place for that. We have that the intertribal center where um conferences are held all the time. And so, I think that they're they're trying to think about like how to promote that, how to make that happen. And I think that was the first meeting for that and it was awesome that the ROI could be in on that and you know um and grab these kids in on this idea. So

perfect. Yeah, sounds good. Great work. What do you need from the council? I mean currently not much now. I mean, maybe just getting some of the little bit more figured out with Snow Angels, just like if you guys are 100% on what we have figured out and then just some sort of time that we can get out and start making it a reality. We could have a vote on whether we want it to snow, but yeah, it's it's not really going to We've been holding it off just so you can get this [laughter] going. So, [clears throat]

I will say I have people that have expected somehow that we're in charge of the weather. And I just want to be clear, we are not in charge of the weather. There's no secret room in the back. No, it's not a [laughter] secret room. No secret button that says snow, no snow, that kind of thing. [snorts] Well, keep up the good work. Really appreciate you. You're doing great. Uh, Miss Miller, Miss Bower, glad you're here doing good work. Miss Miller, I appreciate that you're working closely with the chamber. That's awesome. Good crew there. Your honor,

I just want to say thank you. You guys have been absolutely amazing. You took the idea, you ran with it, you put it into life. Um, even though we don't have any snow for you to work with yet. Um, but I have had several people actually reach out wanting to know when it will go into effect and how they sign their elderly neighbors up and and things like that. So, um, I think you're going to have a good turnout and people who want to volunteer for the program, too. So, I just want to say thank you. You guys are doing a good job. There's a lot of people that are saying very, very nice things about you. Thank you. All right. Well, thanks for coming in. We'll let you go. Right. Well done. Appreciate.

Well done. Thank you. All right. We'll go next to uh I don't know. Have we started with you for a while, Councilman Carr? No. No, I don't think we have. Thank you, your your honor. No. [laughter] It was like we don't have to. I was trying to remember. I'll be brief. I haven't had many meetings through the holiday season. Uh [clears throat] just looking forward to the new year and uh just appreciate everybody on council and certainly staff. Uh you guys do such a wonderful job and looking forward to another good year. Thank you.

Thank you. I appreciate it. All right, Councilwoman Brothers. Um yeah. Uh no meetings. Um same. Uh appreciate the city and all they do. And um yeah, my my daughter uh started her student teaching today. She said this uh she's back to kindergarten, she said. So um [laughter] um pretty excited to have her back home anyway. Yeah. Well, I'm glad she's here. Yeah, that's a lot of fun. Yeah, she's at Willow Creek, so Oh, good. A lot of fun to have her home. She's excited to be back. Kindergarten. Kindergarten.

It's not a bad grade to teach. It's so much fun. She comes home with all these pictures. And I was like, "Well, my high schoolers don't draw me pictures. Where's my pictures?" Yeah, that's right. [laughter] They still have nap time in kindergarten. Did you hear that? You three her high schoolers don't draw her pictures, guys. [laughter]

All right, Councilman Bailey. Thank you, Councilwoman Brothers. Thank you. Um, again, over the Christmas holiday and everything, I we did not have any official meetings. Um, but this last Friday, the Chamber of Commerce sponsored a meet your legislator uh meeting at the Riverton Library. And so, myself and Mr. Butterfield attended that and we went around and talked to all of our legislators and talked about some of the stuff coming up with the city and airport funding and all of that kind of stuff. And so again, it's wonderful to live in this great state where we actually get to know our legislators and they're accessible and you know, you can talk to them and

they'll listen. whether they listen thoroughly to us. We'll find out here soon since the legislature is going to be going into session in February. So, um don't be bashful about reaching out to them and tell them what you think because like us here at city council, a lot of times we sit here in a room roughly by ourselves and don't get a lot of input and so don't be bashful about reaching out to us or them. So, other than that, I had a wonderful holiday. I didn't have to travel. I wish I would have this year since the weather was so nice and cooperative, but uh

pretty amazing. Over New Year's we went up to Jeffrey City and hung out with a friend of ours and it was about 50 degrees and the wind wasn't blowing. So that was a rare occasion. Wow. So rare. Are you sure that you didn't get lost on the way to Jeffrey City? So all right. Well, thank you. We had plenty of wind here in Riverton. Yeah. So wasn't bad. Yeah. Councilwoman Borders.

Your honor, I have not had any meetings. Um, I did want to just say thank you to our first responders, our city workers who have to work during the holidays. Uh, it's much appreciated. Luckily, we haven't had much snow removal, so that's been kind of nice, but they would be there if we did. So, um, and then I also wanted to just mention I'm starting my eighth year on city council and I'm very happy and fortunate to be here and that's all I've got. Oh, we're glad you're here. Thank you. And glad you're keeping track of that. [laughter] I am,

Councilman Larson. Uh, your honor, I like the rest did not attend any meetings, but I did drive up and down Main Street several times in the dark and I did notice how beautiful that was set apart. Um, it would have been better had there been some snow. Mhm.

But, um, being as I have a sidewalk and parking lot to attend to, I didn't miss keeping it clean. But that, uh, main street is well lit and it looks nice and very inviting. and to the um workers that put up those lights on each one of the trees and maintain the lights. You've done a great job. Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman Johnson.

Um yeah, [clears throat] I have not attended any meetings. I enjoyed the holidays with family. Um looking forward to a fun month. It's a big month for me. um headed to Florida at the end of the month for my birthday, which is a big one, which we're not going to talk about, but won't be here to celebrate it. 30, huh?

Yay. Got it. Yes. Um other than that, I've just been working um with some citizens on a couple different issues. Um I did want to put kind of a caution out. I did see some social media on in the Belinda Drive area where there was several juveniles out at about 4:30 in the morning checking car doors. Um, so just a general reminder, keep your doors locked if you have cameras. It's always a good idea. Um, that's about it.

Okay. Well, I appreciate that and that is a very good reminder. Um, I know this sounds a little bit as a prosecutor and as someone who grew up here and has lived here most of my life, I can say that for the most part, if you lock your doors or your cars, you're not going to have anything taken out of there. Some places people break windows and get in and steal stuff out of vehicles. We don't have hap that happen very often here. I hesitate to say that because I don't want to, you know, jinx yourself.

Yeah. But really, if you lock your doors for the most part, you're not going to become a victim of anyone stealing your car or stealing anything out of your car. And I know it gets cold and it's very tempting to warm your car up and that kind of thing, but just to be aware. Good reminder. Thank you, Councilwoman Johnson. And also, if it's 4:00, please know where your kids are. You remember those commercials? You know, 4:30 in the morning. Yeah. 10:00. Where is your kids? Yeah. All right, Mr. Butterfield. Thank you, your honor.

Um, by way of announcing upcoming meetings, there will be a planning commission meeting this Thursday at 5:30 here in the council chambers. We definitely invite the public to attend that. And then this upcoming Monday, there will be a fix our road citizen committee meeting at 11 o'clock. And that will be in the bullpin area of uh city hall. And again, we invite the public to attend that and interact with both of uh those groups as they provide valuable work um to the city and then also suggestions to you as the elected body. Um pursuant to state statute, the city of Riverton is required to disclose um financial interests of the elected officials, myself and administrative services director Mia Harris. Um these disclosure statements have been circulated among council members pursuant to statute they are in writing and um in essence it says I hereby disclosed to the best of my knowledge I've received a pecuniary benefit or I conduct personal business with or have had a financial interest in the following deposiitories or firms where funds of the city of Irvton are invested uh pursuant to state statute. Um, we are required by statute to announce this publicly in a meeting each year. And so, um, this serves as our announcement to the public that each council member, myself and Miss Harris, have filled out these disclosure forms and they are on file with this city clerk. I'd like to highlight something uh, fun that our police department was able to engage in over the holiday period. Um thanks to the generous donation of a local business owner, [clears throat] uh police officers were able to catch uh community members that are doing good. So they were able to um interact with members of our community who are who were found to observe traffic laws or found to do good things in the community and they were given gift cards um that were provided by this uh business uh entity in town. And um I'm sure if you

want more detail on that, the chief and his team could provide more, but um I had opportunity to accompany the chief on a few of those and it was uh really enjoyable to observe and watch. So we do thank Bot Monument for that and also the ple police department for engaging and and providing some positive cheer during the holiday season in our community. As we finish uh 2025, I'm happy to report that Central Wyoming Regional Airport recorded a record number of implainments. Um exceeded over 25,000 employments for the year. And as a reminder, employments are uh folks departing from the airport. It doesn't count the folks that are coming into the airport. So really, we had roughly 50,000 people coming to and from our regional airport. To put that in perspective, 10 years ago when we had a different air service provider in 2015, our annual employment mark was below 4,000.

Wow.

So, in a 10-year period, we have significantly improved and I think captured the market that is in Fremont County and provided a valuable service and also supported economic development opportunities. Um, and I I believe it's thanks to the good hard work of the Fremont Air Service team, our elected officials throughout the county, and many others that that support that project because in the transition from the previous air service provider, um, we do participate in the state program. It does have a service contract that we invest in, but we're seeing by the numbers that that investment is is um, providing service to not just a few, but many people uh, in our county. Completely unrelated question, Mr. Butterfield. When did you move to the city of Riverton?

Uh 2014. Okay. [laughter] Just curious. You've done a good job. Don't ask me what it looks like in another 10 years. [laughter] At this rate, we'll have uh let's see 125,000 implainments. If we keep We expect the same results. What we expect in 10 years. I should have kept my mouth shut. [laughter] your honor.

But it it does uh speak to the good work of many people and and me being the least of them. Um we like to announce sadly that Chris Franks has retired from the city of Riverton. Um he has served as our backup chief operator at the wastewater treatment plant after 17 years of service with the city. He's decided that he can move on to greener pastures and we're very happy for him um as he is able to do that and enjoy his retirement. he was invited to uh come to the meeting and uh his personality is such that he just doesn't want any fanfare. But I I think it's appropriate that I highlight him and say thank you because uh the wastewater treatment plant is a 247 operation and it's uh something along with several of our other of our services that we just need good people there and people that can be there all the time. Uh the police department continues its investment in um equipment and technology. Um they have installed new radar uh equipment in the patrol vehicles. Um we do have an officer who is certified to train our officers in the use of the radar. So, um, we are continuing that investment and thank the city council for that because it does provide better services to our community and provides the tools to our our officers as they provide that. Um, and with that, your honor, I'd like to approach the podium if that's okay.

Sure.

Every year around the December time frame, we get to highlight our employees for their years of service. Particularly, we like to highlight our employees that have five, 10, 15, 20, 25, and Brendan, we hope one day it'll be 45 for you and and many others. But, um, we leave it to the supervisors to highlight their team members in in a way that they feel is appropriate, and I don't know if my staff member will feel this is appropriate, but I do. So, I'd like to call Miss Mia Harris up, recognize her.

Yay. and uh publicly thank her for the years of service that she's provided our community in the city of Riverton. It's been 15 years that Mia has worked with the city. [applause] [applause] It's been an honor and I would love to say I'm going to give you another 15, but I'm not. [laughter] But I will celebrate this. Wonderful job. Thank you.

She didn't know I was going to do that, by the way. But I really want to say like so many of our team members, Mia is just the best. And there's so many things that happened smoothly in our city over the last 15 years because she's here. So, thank you, Mia. I have the opportunity to work with uh a lot of other organizations with people that handle finances, right? And um a good financial person is worth their weight in gold and Mia is more than good. So, thank you and very glad to have you here for 15 years. I uh I remember right when I came on the council, you still felt pretty new and you were I'm not trying to say anything, [laughter] but you've done very well and you've really grown into an incredible role and you are appreciated. So, keep up the good work.

Appreciate that. Anything else, Mr. Butterfield? No. Thank you, your honor.

All right. Okay. Um, I would just note and I I want to piggyback a little bit off of what M Councilman Larson was saying. We often highlight different departments in the city of Riverton. Um, lately a lot of the highlighting has been for the police department. uh when it the snow comes around or when we have uh broken pipes or that kind of thing, we sometimes will highlight the public works department because you may not know this, but it's not fun to dig a hole in the cold and be down somewhere where there's water gushing out and be considered that you have to do something about it.

It's not fun. I I I guess I've not done it, but it's not. So, appreciate those members of the public works, but we don't talk very often about our streets and alleys crew. You may not know it because it doesn't sound like it to say streets and alleys. That's not tree decorating, but that's what they do. Streets and alleys are the ones that decorated the tree that's over near the depot. They put all the decorations up on Main Street that every year I look forward to and I'm always disappointed when they take them down. I'd kind of be all right if we just left them up year round. It'd be a little weird and people might make fun of us, but you know, I'd be okay with it. So, um, I I just want to specifically mention, you know, in terms of, I guess, unsung heroes, but Streets and Alleys did a very good job of getting everything up. And, uh, it all looks great and if you can certainly pass that along, Mr. Tolman, I would appreciate it because they don't get a lot of compliments be. It's just the way it goes of all the people that are mentioned. Absolutely. Honor, thank you very much. I will pass that along.

I just wanted to add while you were mentioning that, the sense of humor of our streets and alleys. We had an elf on the shelf strapped to a light pole by one of the streets and alleys guys, and I thought that was hilarious. They said there was something else, but I never did see what that was. They they like to put things up there, and if you see something unique that's inter woven with lights or whatever. That's them, too. You're exactly right. It's a good That's funny.

So, anyway, thank you, Brendan. And and you've got some good people that work for the city, and um I I really do want to say they do a lot of good work. And I know I know it's stressful and as citizens to try to interact with city employees and you have something that you want or think is important and and and it and and maybe you don't get the response that you like, but I hope you recognize just how hard they are always working and how much extra they tend to put in. So, not that I'm saying, you know, still feel free to let us know if there's issues, but I I appreciate them.

Thank you, your honor. I really appreciate that. I'll pass that along. Thank you. Um, I also had another citizen um who came up and spoke to me about our uh our chief treasurer. Uh, is that is that her title? Deputy

chief deputy treasurer. Chief deputy treasurer. Yeah. and said that he had had a a large bill. It surprised him. He was trying to figure it out, trying to figure out paying it and everything. And said that Riawa Gautarn, our chief deputy treasurer, really put in the time and he felt treated him fairly, did well at uh interacting with him and took the time out of his day as he had his son taking off on a flight that day to come and talk to me and mention her by name. And I just wanted to say thank you and appreciate her hard work. Citizens may also not know this, but as the people that get maybe some of the people that get the brunt of complaints and and issues that they're dealing with, especially when it comes to snowfall, um our [laughter] our uh administrative services department, they take a lot and they do a lot. And um [snorts] so just wanted to note that Rewood did a great job and appreciate her. Um I also did not though well I guess I don't remember when I had FKAg. I I left my phone down here. I don't want to look it up. Um we've been pretty busy with FKAg. We've had some changes there in terms of some employee changes and everything. Um we have a good crew there though. They're doing good work. uh really appreciate how hard they've been working and uh I guess be prepared. You had Mr. Nichols come in and report I think at our last meeting with some changes that are probably going to be coming. Uh and just be prepared for some adjustments as they work through some changes with federal funding and that sort of thing and just keep your eye out for that. But they're certainly trying to do well at providing service to the community. I think that's all I had. Let me double

check my phone. Councilwoman Brothers, you tried to catch me for something while I looked this up. Did you have anything to add? Um, yeah, thank you. I just wanted to say thanks to Mia. So, yeah, I'm just from day one was impressed with you. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. And then, um, also, um, uh, Mr. Butterfield. Um, who did you say? Did you have a name for who donated the uh gift cards for the police thing? Yes. Uh, your honor, Councilwoman, it was Spot Monument.

I had a friend that was pulled over for that. And anyway, I just thought sending a thank you card. Pulled over for obeying the law. Oh, absolutely. Okay, good. Yes. I think that's I thought that was very kind of them.

That's awesome. Um I guess the only thing that I was going to add uh yes had not really reported on the FCAG meeting. Um I I guess what I would say is just be aware and and uh we'll have a report I think from the um from the committee that was discussing different funding options and and we'll hear from them at our next FCAG meeting I think is the plan and certainly appreciate their hard work on that including Mr. for Butterfield, who I kind of wrangled into doing that, and he said, "Fine, I've got all the time in the world to spend on this, and he's [laughter] been doing great work." So, thank you for being willing to do that, Mr. Butterfield. It's It's been a good committee. All right, communication from the floor. Citizens comments. Anyone in the audience who wishes to address an item that's scheduled for a public hearing uh can address us during that public hearing. However, if you want to speak about something that's not currently set for a public hearing, this would be a good time to get up and uh tell us your name and tell us what you want to speak about. I'd ask you to keep your comments to five minutes. We have a new fancy timer here so you can keep track of and police your own time. Max over here, my uh capable timer person, Dana White something, um he is going to keep track of that. And then so once you get down to time, we don't have an alarm, but if you could just start beeping, that would be I'm just kidding, Max. Um, but he'll let you know if you're running out of time, but if you're an individual, I'd ask you to keep your comments to five minutes. If you're a part of a group, I'd ask you to split up the time between your group members for 10 minutes. Uh, you're welcome to come up and speak to us now about something that's not on the agenda. If you want to speak about something that is on the agenda, just get my attention while that agenda item is being called. But please do keep in

mind if you do that, I'd ask you to keep your comments again to five minutes or 10 minutes. Introduce yourself before speaking. I would also ask you to keep all comments directed to me as the chair. That's just a matter of procedure. It has nothing to do with the fact that I want you to address me. It's just so we aren't talking over each other. I'd ask you to avoid indecent, obscene language, fighting words, something that might be disorderly to the meeting. I'd also ask you to keep your comments addressed to whatever the topic is that we're talking about if it's not right now. So, if you'd like to come up, please feel free to come on up and if you can tell us your name and any organization you're with.

Your honor, again, I I spoke to Brian before the meeting and so I'd like to welcome Brian to the meeting. This is his first time coming to speak in front of city council and he's a little bit nervous, but I told him that none of us bite and we're all just people sitting up here trying to listen. So Brian, come on up and tell us what's on your mind today.

Your honor, I'm sorry. I just received it. First off, um I just want to say all you guys when I first moved here back in 23 during a big blizzard with my uh passed on father-in-law, which I don't even call him father-in-law. I call him my father. He was such a great man. Um but anyway, um I do deal with mental disabilities every day. It's hard. Some days are harder than others and like what I'm doing right now extremely nerve-wracking for me. Some I I'm surprised I'm doing so well right now.

Um but anyway, since I've moved to this town, this town has been the best town I ever move lived in. I was born in Los Angeles. I'm really regretting sometimes I I've been born there because everything is happening and I move moved to Vegas back in 200 and three I believe that Vegas I got sick and tired of because everybody's about themselves just all about themselves there basically that's all I want to say about that and but since I moved here it's been the best time I've ever had I don't ever want to move out of this state and out of this town. And um there's a couple things I want to say. There's one thing I want to say about mental health facility I go to, which is Fremont Counseling Services. They have been a big big help in my life and major change in my life. And I wish they would get I was hoping they can get more funding, but basically like more mental health uh activities, stuff like that. Maybe going going out of town like the Casper again because we did that once before. That was majorly fun for us and benefited us really well. and or if you just give us funding just to stay in town and do do events, not just mental health like art classes and stuff like that. Just fun stuff to benefit us hasn't make us feel like a normal person basically, which what is normal? [laughter] Mhm.

But anyway, um but there's one one intersection in town I think that could use the traffic lights up where I live. Okay. Is um North Hill Street I believe it's called where it turns into River Riverview Road

at Main Street. I've seen a lot of close claws calls there and a lot of traffic that's going through the intersection on Main Street where I think if you guys could do a study and maybe see if you get a traffic light there mainly during like the peak hours because it makes a lot of it's really hard for people to turn on a rivery road onto Hill Street and go across Hill Street and everything like [clears throat] that cuz and because that's one intersection I think we need a traffic light at. Okay.

And also I want to say you guys since you guys have been working with WRTA and Riverton public transportation. I'm glad you guys did that because it made a big improvement on transportation for everyone, including me. Because when I first got here, I could only get around town limitly. Now I feel like I can get around town wherever I need to go on on time. And [snorts and sighs] basically that's pretty much it. I just want to thank you guys and I'm really appreciate your time. Thank you, Brian. Thanks, Brian. Appreciate it. Nice. Thank you, Brian. We've talked some about the Hill Street intersection and

we should keep talking about it. Absolutely, your honor. And uh they are going to be rem rebuilding Main Street in 2027. And I'm sure Y dots already got their eyes dotted and tees crossed, but again, it might be an opportunity to bring that up again with them because I know they've studied it and they don't think it's quite got enough traffic volume to justify a light. But that'd sure be the time to do it when they got it all tore up anyway. But absolutely.

Well, and it's it's interesting, too, because that's we hear [clears throat] a lot about close calls, and I've been there when there's been close calls. We actually had a a death there a couple years back. It was a DUI, but Um, it wasn't as much to do with the intersection or anything, but it's just I agree. It's not a fun intersection to be at that when people are coming around that corner. If you're getting off of College, if you're getting off of Hill Street and you're turning left, that that speed is deceptive because of the way people come around that corner.

And uh, it would certainly be nice to have a a traffic light there. Cody Beers, who doesn't have anything to do with doing traffic lights, but he works for Y Dot, and I just want to say that. Thank you, Brian. All right. Aha. I was looking for you earlier, Cindy. I didn't see you and I was like, well, we're not going to have Cindy here tonight. You didn't look out. [laughter] Good evening, uh, mayor and council. Uh, happy new year. Uh, just wanted to um go over a couple of things. I'll pass out some flyers like I always have. Okay, we had a really successful shop local uh promotion. Uh we're really happy with that. So, we're excited for for doing that again next year. Uh we've got had some good participation. I think that'll uh grow from year to year as people get familiar with it. Uh and as Mike said, we did have our legislative event last week that was uh well attended. Uh we had six out of the eight uh county or state legislators for our area there. So that was good. Uh it was kind of an awkward day, but um most people wanted to talk to uh Senator Tim Salazar and that was the only time we could get in with have him attend before he goes to appropriations. So um that's why that timing is is the way it is. So we have a ribbon cutting Saturday. Uh as you can see in the packet I gave you, uh the Spudman is moving to the old 381 subs and Salad building. So, we're really excited about that. Come by at 10. And I know he's really excited, Mr. Jim, as he calls himself, Spudman. Um,

so that should be fun. Uh, we've got a lunch and learn next, not this Friday, next Friday. Uh we're going to have Kyle um Trumble from the SBDC giving a presentation to the members and whoever else wants to attend about what they offer for small businesses. So I think that'll be a a good uh a good one to come and learn if you're a business owner or manager. Uh should be some good information. They actually do have a lot of services available for small businesses. So um let's see here. And then we have a ri another ribbon cutting that afternoon on the 16th which is also in the packet. So AT&T I think we all know where they were going in cuz we thought we were getting a crumble but wasn't crumble it's AT&T. [laughter]

Well sometimes that's the way the cookie crumbles. Crumbles. Yes. So yes they um became a new chamber member. We're going to do a ribbon cutting for them. So, uh, that should be exciting. We're going to go ahead. I request just in terms of that ribbon cutting if there could be crumble cookies there to [laughter] celebrate. We'll see. There's some connection with Little Caesars and the crumble cookie truck. I I don't know what it is, but I'll do some research, see what I can come up with. Just [laughter] I could make a request.

Okay, I'll tell them the mayor requested. That should get him moving. Uh we're going to meet on our 250 uh quint semi-quincentennial meeting next week and start really hammering that out. We'll probably start meeting twice a month hopefully. Um so we're going to get on that. Uh we the chamber if any of you have seen the emails uh we have an annual meeting this which we have every year but on the 22nd but uh the significant part of that is is we have four uh director positions uh coming up at that time and so we've got seven nominations and so at the annual meeting uh members will be voting for those uh four positions. Uh we are going to put out an electronic vote for a real short period of time. We encourage people to come to the annual meeting which is at the library on the 22nd at 7, but there will be that electronic option. So that'll be exciting. We'll see um you know out of the seven uh which four will be our new directors. We have two rerunning uh that have been previous directors. So a lot of excitement there. Um, one other big project that is the first six months besides our 250 is uh we're working with um YO today on a visitor's guide. Uh so we're hoping to have that um hammered out and done we hope by May. Um and I know that the Riverton Youth uh Council, they're talking about a resource guide and it's it's two different things. The visitors guide is more oriented for tourism. You know, something we can hand out to tourists, put in our event bags. Um, and I think the resource k guide, you know, there is going to be some

overlapping. Um, but that's another great publication that um I've talked to uh Carol about and so we'll do what we can to help with that as well because like I said a lot of overlapping but I think both publications are very needed. Uh so hopefully we can see those both come to fruition uh soon. So that's all I have. if anyone has questions or anything. Thanks for being here. Appreciate your hard work. Thank you. I appreciate it. Have a have a good month. [laughter] Did you get someone to You had sent an email out looking for a sponsor

for the after hours. Yes. Did you get someone? No, we just put that out today. You know, we'd love for anyone to do it. It's really easy. We do most of the setup. So, if anyone would like to sponsor an after hours on the 29th of this month, we'd love just give me a call down at the chamber or shoot me an email. Chamber members. Yeah. If they're not, um, I maybe could coax them into being a member and doing an after hours and, you know, do some arm twisting.

Yes. Yes. So, thank you for bringing that up. Okay. Good evening. Uh, my name is Brenda Moore. I live at 429 Elizabeth Drive next to um the house that we all know has some major issues. And I was here two months ago to address the council. Um, a week after that last appearance here, I hadn't heard anything about the situation with this house, particularly the open outdoor sewer and all the garbage. So, I texted and called with Karen Johnson, and two days later, the garbage was gone. Thank you, Karen, and the other people in your group, including Mr. Butterfield, who were there and cleaned it up. Um, and I know Karen put some personal money of hers into it. And Karen, you got done in two days what took 10 months of the city failing to get done after I began complaining last January. Besides expressing thanks, I'm primarily here to ask, if not beg, the city to do something about the open sewer behind the neighbor's house. I expressed last time I was here that that was my main issue I wanted addressed, more than the illegal activities that go on there, the violence, etc. I am still wondering what the west wind blows into my yard. I have had still had to pick up disgusting toilet paper. I can't understand why this biohazard has been allowed to persist despite my repeated inquiries and pleas with officials. No one here wants to live by that. I failed to believe that especially the top officials of a Riverton would have allowed this to go on month after month after month if they had to live by it. My guess is that not even one month would have gone by with nothing done

about the garbage, the outdoor sewer, and the blowing toilet paper. I understand that there are legalities involved with the eviction of the people that persist to live there, and I am not here to address that process. I want to know what the city is going to do with this outdoor open sewer. Now, I am tired of not getting any response to that question. Is the current owner, Fanny May, being heavily fined or cited until they address it? Also, what is the city going to do once the squatters have been evicted? When and how is that sewer going to be cleaned up? Thank you, Miss Moore.

Your honor, do we have an answer for her?

I can tell you right now where we're at in the process is uh we have a uh the folks that are living there, as I understand it, have been served with a notice to quit. the uh notice to quit. They're told that they have a certain amount of time to leave. Once that time goes by, the owners of the property can file uh a forcable entry and detainer and then it goes to court. Uh so that's dependent on the court's calendar. Uh after that happens the uh um once it goes to court there has to be a hearing. At the hearing then the court will decide if you know it's clear that number one they have to be able to ensure that the title is valid and then they have to be able to say that uh the person who is staying there is staying there in violation of uh the person who owns the property. Then uh from there they would make a finding and they would rule that they can be forcibly removed. That's the whole point of the of the title of it. Um probably we're in a situation where until we get the folks who are there at the point where they're removed, it's difficult to be able to act on any of the issues with the residents. So that's the first focus and then from there we'll get to the next point. But we're at the point where we've had the notice to quit served and then we're we've been in contact, as I understand it, with the attorneys for the owners of the property and uh we'll keep you posted as to where that goes.

Your honor, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. No. Oh, okay. Sorry. Thanks.

Yeah. And I understand that there's a long eviction process and that that really isn't my question. I can't understand why people can defecate and urinate by two houses and AC basically across from a school. And I don't care who owns that house, whether it's Fanny May or somebody in LA. I don't see how that matters. And I don't understand why such a biohazard is continually allowed to occur. There has got to be a way to address that. If I did that after all these month after month after month, I would assume I'd be fined. And if I kept doing it over and over, put in jail. And I should be. I still I just that's the eviction process is not what I'm questioning. I get that. It's long. It's complicated. And I have repeated here said I can deal with all the stuff that goes on at that house and there's a lot [snorts] not maybe so much lately but what throws me over the edge is that outdoor sewer and some of that's going to eventually leech into the street into the alley and I'm going to get double on that because where the the street drain is.

So that's what I'm here to ask about. And then like I said, once we get the eviction process completed and and which we don't do the eviction, that's the property owners that do it, it's a it's a civil procedure. So the only thing we can do at this point is get them going on that. And we've been working on that. So once we get that going, then we can address that. But we are just taking it a step at a time. I understand how frustrating it's been. We've been in communication for I was looking at it coming up on a year here in just about a month or so. Well, I started complaining about the garbage a year ago and that it had been accumulating probably a couple months before that. Yeah.

But again, I'm not even here about the garbage and again, thanks for cleaning that up. I I still don't understand there there is an ordinance that says you can't defecate in your yard. So, if the city won't address that with this situation, are they ever going to do it again? I mean, if someone else starts to do that, I just I don't understand and I don't feel I'm getting an answer as to why. I I understand the eviction. I'm not here about that. I'm here to have the sewer cleaned up and I know they'll go out and do it again, but once the those squatters are out of there, what is the process? How soon will that be cleaned up? No matter who owns that house, the city has to force Fanny May. A council member said, "I should call Fanny May." Well, what do I have to tell Fanny May? I'm a nobody. I'm and I don't want to spend all the time and money for an attorney. So, I feel that is what the city is supposed to be doing and I don't understand why it's still allowed to occur.

I hear you. Like I said, that's just the process we're following in terms of getting that finished. Anything to add, Mr. Butterfield? Thank you, honor. I apologize. I didn't mean to cut you off.

And thank you for being here. Um the police department um has been instructed to uh ensure that they're there to cite any of this behavior that is a violation of the ordinance. Um and we also are engaging with our community development department along with our community service officers. So, as it relates to the individuals that are violating the ordinance as it relates to um public defecation and public urination, um the police department will do everything they can to enforce the law and the ordinance. As it relates to property violations, the same directive is um with the police department. They have every right to enforce violations. Those would go against Fanny May now because they they do hold the the title to the property. As we've gone through this uh with other properties, we do have a due process component where we have to notice violations as it relates to property condition and uh we we continue to work through that and and have with the previous property owners. We also have an ordinance on the books as it relates to disorderly house. The police department has started the process to enforce the dis disorderly house as well. Um, Councilwoman Johnson uh discussed this with me on Friday. I met with a couple of our lieutenants. But another option that we're exploring is increasing our patrol in the area. In fact, I've asked that when our officers are in between calls that they utilize the new technology that we've provided them, those MDTs, to fill their reports out in their patrol vehicles while stationed next to this property. And hopefully that will en enhance our ability to do just what Miss Moore's asking, and that's enforce the law. Well, and especially even with the concern being the

defecation, I it's so crazy to me that we even have to talk about this in a public forum. I agree.

Um but uh in your honor, if I if I could also add, we appreciate Miss Moore and the neighbors for providing evidence and photos and video of some bad behavior that's been provided to the police department. My understanding from the chief, the last update I have is they do have a summon for one of the violators. They were a able to identify who that was and will continue to do so so that those that are breaking the law will be held accountable. So, we we appreciate um your efforts and helping us do that. So once kind of like I said, one step at a time, we'll get that sorted out to where the property is actually going to be vacated and then we'll have to go through that process to get things cleaned up.

So in the meantime, is this going to be an open sewer then by a school and and buy houses? Well, I think what Mr. Butterfield is telling you is we're going to take the steps we can to ensure that it's not. Thanks for your time. Mr. Warpness, Mayor Hancock, Council, uh, happy new year. Happy New Year.

And, uh, I thought about staying home, but I thought I needed to start to move the year off. And I could stay and hear some more about Maduro, but I've heard so much there that I can't take anymore. And I've really enjoyed the the council meeting so far, the diversity and whatnot. And I think uh Councilman Bailey hit the nail on the head that we're so blessed to live in a country where we can come and come before our leaders that are representing us. And that's a great gift. And u so we want to keep that door open. And I abuse it sometime probably and I apologize for that. But uh and I uh appreciate uh Councilman Larson's comments um you know on our main street. I went to my Lions Club meeting last night and as I was driving down Main Street, what a beautiful Main Street. It really was. Looked great. And so I didn't mean to pile on, but I wasn't sure that anyone would say anything. So, it's good to hear that it's being recognized and pass that on to your your streets and alleysmen. They don't get enough accolades, that's for sure. Um, regarding um the new city direct directive signs that are around town, I think they're very professional. They look nice. They really do. And uh I've enjoyed them a lot. Um, another thing that's I see it as a positive, uh, we right before Christmas, why we had another analopee that was hit right at the entrance to the, um, cemetery and going up to the airport road. And I said, I wonder how long that one will lay there before it's finally picked up. It only laid there for three days. So, uh, we're doing better. Um, [snorts]

I appreciate it, Mr. [laughter] the last two just evolved into the ground and it's I don't know I I get obsessions about things and you try to turn loose of them but you see something like that you just can't let it go and so it's good good [clears throat] to see that we're uh starting to get that handled and regarding Brian um I've spent a little bit of time here and I still get nervous so he shouldn't have any it takes a lot of courage to get up and and speak. It really does or to have an issue. But um I'm I'm glad to hear that you're going to have a report on FKAg. I've been following that closely and uh Mr. Butterfield attending the FKAg meetings and and whatnot. Uh the need is still there in the community that that funding that we lost when we lost the half cent went away. the needs are still there in the community, but it just needs to be structured in a way so that we don't have the problems that we had. So that's good. And the only other thing that I would say is that um when Mr. Butterfield came on board in 2014, okay, and then the inflamement started going up, I left office in 2015. That's so I hope I don't get blamed for holding them down over that time. But at any rate,

that's an example of correlation, not causation. [laughter] When I heard that, I thought, "Oh dear, didn't realize it was my problem." Anyway, we certainly appreciated your service as mayor here. Uh Mayor Good. You guys are you it's a difficult difficult job but somebody has to do it and you have to do it as thoughtfully as you can and and uh when you have outstanding employees like Mia good job. Thank you Mr. Warp.

Hello council and mayor. I'm Mary Axom and Addie Thomas with She's Addie Thomas with our recreation and we're just here to give you guys a quick summary of like quick summary of 2025 and we're so looking forward to 2026. It was an honor to serve and strengthen our community um this past year. And a few notable programs that we offered that we focused on families that we were able to do were the free movies in the park. Thank you to your staff for ensuring that the sprinklers didn't ever come on. [laughter] We worked with them to make sure that didn't happen. So, we were really grateful. But that was a free program that we um offered to the community. We had a tailgate party at the last home football game that was well attended and that was for the families and the kids. And then um three sessions of open gym rounded out our year and we had over a hundred people attend those three sessions. So, it was very popular. And then new classes that were wellreceived this year, we did a splash mob during the summer for little toddlers and that was so much fun. We did a wild game processing class, which we're pretty sure we're probably the only wreck program in the state that does something like that. And then we had um our dad and princess event that may or Mr. Herado attended where the dads brought their princesses, their daughters, and learned how to braid their hair and we just treated them like royalty. That was a lot of fun. And then the last program we ended our year with was our Jingle Bell bus ride. And that was really interesting. It was not in our brochure. And Addy came one day and she said, "All of my friends, several friends have told me that their kids are obsessed with bus rides. How could we do a kid bus ride?" And I was like, "Well, let's add Santa and you've got a bus ride." So that's literally what we did. And they we just put it on Facebook. and it filled at 26 people

immediately. So we opened a second session and that one filled within a day. It was wild. It was awesome. Um so we are looking forward to 2026 and I'll let Addie just briefly speak about that.

Yeah. So as we look forward to 2026, Mary and I are both excited to serve on the rendevous activity center committee. Um and then also we are just getting started with our spring brochure which we will hand out to you guys in just one second. But just some notable things that we wanted to mention for that is we are doing the first Fremont County self-care summit where health and wellness um businesses can come and be vendors and people that are interested can just be participants and there will be classes and different information for that as well. That's in just a couple weeks actually. And then we also have our our family and me series and that is split into three different segments. We have grandparents and me, mom and me, and then dad and me where they just get to make a craft or do an activity with grandparents, dad, and mom in those three different programs. And then we also have our second annual community garage sale, which we loved doing the first annual one last year and it is, you know, the only place that you can attend 20 garage sales in one little location. So, yeah.

So, thank you guys for your support and always supporting us. We appreciate it very much. Keep up the great work. And have yet to have your first uh meeting regarding uh um multisport complex and that kind of thing. I just got an email from one of the other members who was like, "When are we meeting? Are we there yet?" Yeah. Yeah. And I said, you know, we kind of figured we'd wait until the new year before we get started. So, actually, I sent that email a few minutes ago while I was here just Well, mayor, when you said about people call about the weather, the one cold day that we had in December, I told Addie, you wait, someone will call us about the ice skating rink. And sure enough,

I just going to open the ice skating rink. Are you kidding? It's been 50°, 50 mph winds. No, but we're ready. We're ready to go. I would like you to do that. Get it done. [laughter] Is there an ice getting ready? Crazy. But your honor, seriously, there the hockey team can't practice this year. My son's on hockey and it's really sad that it's all cancelled and everything. Um, so this is going to be exciting for us. So, thank you. Yeah, we appreciate and as you can see, our we're having a new citizen in our community in 2026, so we're excited about that as well. I was laughing when you were speaking for Addie and I was just thinking in my head Addy could actually speak for two people. But [laughter]

that's so exciting. And you look so cute, Addie. Oh, thank you. Thank you, Mary. This is so exciting. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank [clears throat] you. All right, Miss Watson, are you going to bring your uh young associate with you up here? I think he's just here for moral support more than anything. I I think he should come up. That's my opinion.

Good afternoon, m Mr. Mayor and council members. Um I am Andrea Martinez Watson from Winder JobCore. I am the business and community liaison as well as the workbased learning coordinator. Um, I do have for you guys a little update on um some of our statistics and um as well as a hard copy of our newest December newsletter in case you didn't get my email. I just wanted to give you guys a quick update on how things were going. Um, in the last few months, I've um haven't made it to the council um meetings on time to give a report on how things are going, but I've been meeting with um Kyle Butterfield and the mayor uh on and off on different things just to kind of give a quick report to you guys on the status of Wonder River JobCore. Um, as of today, um, there is a couple of changes to this little packet that I gave you. On the third page where it says outcomes, um, these are statistics from June of 2025, which was officially after um, the do pause. Um, so as of today, we have actually officially graduated 72 students. We have 49 of those students that are in full-time trade match jobs. 11 of them are in apprenticeships. Four of them are in college enrollments. Two of them are enlisted in the military. And three of them have been transferred to advanced training programs. [snorts] And then I gave you guys, like I said, a hard copy of the December newsletter that I emailed out to all of you. Um, I do have to double check on some of your guys' email addresses because some of them bounce back. Um, Mr. Bailey, yours bounces back every time I send you an email. [laughter] Um, and then just to give you guys a

quick update on um, we are as of today, I think we have 104 students at center. We have been enrolling new students um, ever since the um, background checks were lifted in September. We've been bringing in students since the very first week of October. Um, today we brought in 19 students. Nice. Great job. Um, so we are at 104 as of today.

Um, December was amazing for our students watching them um, decorate the the the dorms and decorate the recreation rooms and decorate the hallways. our uh class classes teamed up together and they had a decorating competition between the different departments and it was really fun to watch the different creativeness that went around. Um I also went around and I handd delivered some certificates of appreciation for business owners that donated um supplies and things to um our center. Twice as Twice But Nice um received a certificate for donating Christmas decorations to our center and Aaron's um Rent to Own um received a certificate for donating a washer and dryer to our center so that our our our students can wash their their rags and we have washers and dryers and stuff in the dorms, but this is for the for the trade department. Um we had an great big huge Christmas party before our students left on winter break. I don't know if all of you guys are aware that our school is year round. The only break that our kids get is in winter break. Um we don't have summer break. We don't have spring break. We we get about a little over two weeks off in the winter time for our students. And not all of our students go home. A lot of our students don't have a home or a place that's safe. And so we are their safe place. And when the students stay on center, we try to do fun things for them. Um they went to like um Ichibon with staff members. Um we did a angel tree and our uh staff members bought every one of our students got a prize got a present before they left for winter break. And then the students that stayed at winter stayed on center for winter break. They all woke up Christmas morning to presents under the Christmas tree in the dorms. Um they got to go they were supposed to go ice fishing but you know Mr. Mayor hasn't pushed that magic button. he's got in the back to

get us snow and ice. So, they just went shore fishing. Um, they went to Jackson, they went on a sleigh ride, they went to do boys, and they went bowling. You know, we try to give them all the things that our beautiful county has to offer. Um a few things that we have coming up is um in February we are going to be joining for the first time our center will be joining the job cores national groundhog shadow job shadow day. So, by the end of this week, I'll be sending out invitations to local businesses um that align with our trades to see if they would be willing to host one to two students so that our students can um job shadow for a day in the trades that they're in. Um just so that they can kind of see what it what the dayto-day is, help build those relationships with the community members in with our students as well as the business owners. Let those students get to understand what networking is. Um in March we are partnering with um Tarot to do a two-day event where we're going to highlight Union Day. Um we're going to do one in I believe Eth and one in Arapjo. I believe those dates are going to be March 9th and 10th. Um and JobCore will have a booth there as long as as well as our unions that we represent at Wind River JobCore and all the other unions that we have access to for our students. Um and then as soon as we get a set date on when our planned graduation date is, we will let you guys know.

Thank you. Um also I think and we had maybe brought this up before but had gotten notice back in November that uh the federal government elected to renew its lease for another year. So that was good from February 2026. So at least we'll continue on until February 2027. I know some of that has been very frustrating to have some of that doubt in terms of what's going to happen, but I was glad to see that that was done and look forward to your next upcoming graduation. I'm sorry I don't work in a field personally that I get to interact that much with Wind River JobCore students. Maybe I could Do you do a phabbotomy program at the We do.

Maybe I could start doing that. Okay. Anybody want me to take their blood? [laughter] Maybe you could let them take yours. There you go. You know, they're always looking for volunteers when they need those clinical hours. Sounds good. I um I will not [laughter] any questions or anything for Miss Watson. All right. Thank you for the report. You're welcome. I think you were telling us that you're going to try to be here maybe once a month to just kind of let us know. That is my plan. That is my New Year's resolution. Good. We'll keep you to it. I'll I'll just send you an email or something and say, "Hey, where are you today?" That works. Okay. Thank you.

Not trying to stare anybody down. I was just waiting to see if anyone else was Casey Ky Labor. I live over there. Your honor, council members, I have a real problem that Pit Stop doesn't have Coca-Cola products anymore. I'm very concerned. I thank you for the feedback. I'll try to [laughter] um I actually have a question. I um our fire department, they all have pagers, I would imagine.

I I'm not as familiar with their process in terms of whether they continue to use pagers. I know that they um they kind of take turns who's going to be hanging out at the fire station, but then they can also call out folks um if they need to. Um depends on the time of the day. We fund the firefighter pension fund and that sort of thing, but other than that, we don't have any directing authority over the fire department really. Right. I didn't I didn't go next door and ask my neighbor, but

you could. And you know, a good way you could find out all the inner workings of the fire department is to volunteer with them. It's an option. I can't [laughter] my legal background. Oh, well, great. Anyways, I just bring that up. You know, 1964, Ernie Ko made a song, Mother-in-law, like we're meant to not like them, but my mother-in-law lives right there. And I thought this for years. I'm like, why does that thing still go off, man? Like, do we really need that? Is it necessary? Because I know a lot of people are annoyed by it. Really? The siren and everything? Siren. Yeah. You think modern technology would give them a better way of notifying?

Well, I mean, I I've been volunteer firefighter for years. Was when I could and we all had pagers. I mean, that was forever ago. It's a good point. And when I worked ambulance, I mean, I wonder if the, you know, part of the idea is just, you know, be aware there's going to be some trucks out and kind of keep an eye out. I've I've considered that, you know, in my thoughts, but I mean, Pedro's best way to do it, but that thing is just sometimes too much. I can understand living right next to it. It'd be frustrating. My wife did. She lived in upstairs a bartend. She said it was the worst thing ever. [laughter] Like back in the day, that was close. Yeah. Yeah. That's like close to the worst thing ever. Or close to the siren. Very close to the siren. Yeah. Yeah.

Anyways, I was just wondering just something that popped in my head the other day. I'm like, you know, maybe I should go and if we don't have pagers for everybody, let's let's do it. Figure out a way to get that. Yeah. Yeah. It's as quick a response, too. So iconic. It's been around for years and actually there used to be two different sirens. One for the honor farm. Well, and it's agoing. It's a good point. I mean, is a tradition? Is there a You know, sometimes we They used to just shoot it off at noon just to let everybody know it was noon. They did. I I recall that very well. I don't think so. You don't do that anymore. Not that I've heard. [laughter] We can make that happen. I'm sure. No.

Yeah. It's, you know, it's and it's all about response and stuff. I mean, back in the day when my grandpa was on the department, you could hear it out at the family farm. But just a question popped in my head. they don't have pagers, let's, you know, maybe think about funding them. So, we I'm sure they do. Yeah. And, you know, it's a good point. We have so many different things that it's always a good idea to say, okay, why are we doing this? Isn't it still necessary? Yeah. Yeah. Yep. My favorite saying. Well, we've always Well, we've always done it that way. Well, do we need to? I mean, I can understand saying, "Hey, we want traffic to be aware that there's going to be fire trucks coming out." But they already are pretty I would hope

right and loud and you can pick it up pretty quick even if you didn't have a citywide siren that everybody can hear. So not that big a deal. I mean maybe like a small ballot some votes of maybe some city members. Mhm. Hey, what do you think? You know, I think it'd be a worthwhile question and I I I appreciate you bringing it up. I do know that we we actually have a member of the police department who's a member of the board and and might [clears throat] be able to I don't I it's a worthwhile discussion at the very least to say is this something that still makes sense. I had I read a story once about someone who would always cut the ends off her roast. Yeah.

And she never knew why. She asked her mom and her mom said, "I don't know why. That's what my mom always did." did. And as it turned out, the reason they did it was because the oven that her grandmother or great-g grandandmother great-g grandandmother was using was too small to put in a full roast. So, she would cut the ends off her roast because it was too small. And three generations later, they finally are asking the question like, "Do we need to have a siren that's so loud with, you know, the way things are in our modern world?" Yeah. Do we need to cut the ends off our roast when we have an oven that is very well large enough to fit it in? Good question. No, it was just a question because if they don't have them, you know, maybe fun.

And while we're at it, we could have a petition to ensure that, you know, Pit Stop has Coca-Cola, too. You see that, Councilman Bailey? I do. I had to go elsewhere. I apologize. All right. Thank you for Thank you for the levity. [laughter] All right, we'll move on. Uh, Miss Harris, could you please read the consent agenda items by title only? Yes, your honor. Minutes of the December 16th, 2025 regular council meeting. Minutes of the January 6th, 2026 finance committee meeting and finance committee recommendations from January 6th, 2026. Thank you. And uh, Councilman Carr, could you please give us the report from the finance committee?

Thank you, your honor. The finance committee met at 6:46 this evening and recommend consideration of claims to be paid in the amount of $386,99851. A manual check in the amount of $5. Payroll and liabilities for December 26th, 2025 in the amount of $529,534.34 a total of $916,537.85. All right. I'd entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda as has been presented. So move second. Councilman Bailey with the motion. Councilwoman Borders with the second. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I.

Any oppose say nay. I vote I. Motion passes. Council president and vice president selection. Um Mr. Butterfield. Thank you your honor. Um every uh January you have opportunity to select the council president and vice president. Um, in essence, the council presidents serves in the absence of the mayor and the council vice president serves in the absence of the mayor and the council president. Um, so you have opportunity now through an open voice vote to make those nominations and selections. And mayor, I'll turn it to you to to run that process.

Thank you. Um, so [clears throat] those who have been here for eight years or more or longer, a little bit of a change in how we had done things previously. Uh, and I think it's good. We'll follow the process that I think is the correct way to do it. I just call for nominations for the council president and then once we get the nominations in order, we'll call for a voice vote as to that and then we'll do the same thing for the council vice president. So, I'd call for nominations for the council president. I nominate, your honor, I nominate Mike Bailey.

Okay. Second if you need a second. Don't need a second but it doesn't hurt. [laughter] Any other nominations for council president move that it be closed and well I'm going to call one more time just to for the sake of

usually we call for nominations three times in terms of in Robert's rules board. So call for nominations for council president. All right, nominations are closed pursuant to the motion by Councilman Larson. Uh we could do a v voice vote or just have uh I mean if that's the only nomination, it just be by acclamation, but we'll call uh for the vote for approval for um Mike Bailey as the council president. All in favor say I. I. I. Any oppose say nay. And no opposition. I guess I should have asked. Are you willing to do it again? Yes. Thank you. I'm honored. Yes.

Okay. [laughter] Next time I'll ask. I think I said the same thing last year, too. Didn't ask until after it was Didn't hear any. [laughter] Okay. Yeah, that's right. You could have said nay yourself. So, all right. I'd call for nominations for council vice president. Your honor, I nominate Carla Borders. Okay. We have a nomination for Carla Borders. We have any other nominations for council vice president? Any other nominations for council vice president? All right. Closed nominations. Uh all in favor of uh appointment of Carla Borders as the council vice president say I. I. I.

I'm not going to ask you because [clears throat] you said I. [laughter] Any oppose? Say nay. All right. I would declare that both of those votes were in the affirmative and that uh Carla Borders is uh appointed as the council vice president and Mike Bailey is the council president. So, thank you for being willing to serve in that capacity. Thank you, your honor. Thank you. And everybody. Yeah. And we don't have to change up chairs at all. Right. [laughter] You've shown up. You'll be fine. It's a new year and we should do that. We should do that just for the heck of it, right? Just swap around. Yes. Um, I think I've only had to have you step in one time. Once or maybe twice. I can't remember.

Maybe twice. I think I was late one meeting, too. Yeah, you were. I try not to have you do that too often. Okay. Approval of the council meeting uh calendar for 2026. Miss Harris, if you could tell us anything we need to know about this item.

Thank you. Riverton Municipal Code section 2.04.070 070 provides that regular city council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7 p.m. When a meeting falls on a legal holiday, the meeting is then moved to the next succeeding business day. Included in your packet tonight is a calendar outlining the proposed city council meeting dates for 2026. The council retains the ability to amend the calendar prior to adoption by minute action. For reference, there are no regular meeting dates in 2026 that conflict with legal holidays. And based on this information, the staff would um recommend that the city council adopt the 2026 city council meeting calendar.

Thank you. I'd entertain a motion to adopt the meeting calendar for 2026 has been presented. So moved. Second. Councilwoman Borders with the motion. Councilman Carr with the second. Discussion. Your honor, just as a point of um in June, June's a long long month and with all of the uh celebrations that are going to be taking place this year in July, the 250th, 4th of July, all that good stuff. I don't want to move them, but maybe consider having one additional meeting that month, maybe on the 30th, the following Tuesday, just to touch base and

could be um you're saying we work or whatever. I don't as a possible work session day. There's no reason we can't. I'm trying. I think we actually had a work session that was on a fifth Tuesday this last year and we didn't have it on the calendar as a possible work session day, but I there's no reason we couldn't put that there. Not to add extra work. I just thought it would be a good opportunity to make sure dotted and tees are crossed. How about our and then our special meetings too that we have in terms of the budget? Would that help to have that June 30th as a possible day? I know it's the very last day of the month, but not necessarily helpful. I just thought of that, too.

Mr. Mayor, your honor, we have normally called or the council has called a meeting uh typically on June 30th so that we can do our year-end budget amendment, but that is something that you have the ability to call later on during the year. It's nothing that you would need to establish as part of the regular council meeting calendar, right? Yeah. And I agree with you there. Um, but I guess there's also no harm in just having that one of our [clears throat] yellow days, so to speak, on the calendar as a Does anybody have any problem with that? We're going to meet that day anyway. Yeah, we'll we'll be here anyway. So, at noon, as per usual, [laughter]

there I mean, that'll work. I guess since we're operating under a motion here, are you making a motion to add June 30th as a possible work session day? No. Oh, well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it in June. [laughter] Okay. All right. Any other discussion? All right. All in favor say I. I. Any oppose say nay. I vote I. Motion passes. City Council Committee appointments. Um, do you have anything to report on this, Mr. Butterfield?

Uh, your honor, uh, essentially this is your opportunity as mayor to make appointments. Um, this happens, uh, typically at the first meeting in January. Um, and what you have proposed, I can run through that or if you mayor would like to do that, but this is your chance to u make those appointments and then seek confirmation from the other council members.

Okay. Thank you. And I guess I will run through those. And part of the reason I will is because u between Mr. Butterfield and I had made an error and so I want to make sure that I I fix that error. So the appointments would be that I would take on Fremont County Association of Governments which I've been doing and I've also expressed willingness to continue to serve as chair and that I know it looks like I'm pretty lazy with this but I am not. just saying that I do appreciate that our council members serve on a variety of committees and put a lot of work in. Uh then also as the county commission liaison, councilwoman borders for the pause board, tribal liaison, senior center endowment board, Fremont County School District 25 recck board, Councilman Larson for Fremont County solid waste disposal district aka trash talker uh and the downtowners liaison uh councilwoman brothers finance committee uh Fremont County School District 25 rec board rendevous activity center committee and then also would add to that as the youth council liaison. Um had missed that between Mr. Butterfield and I and I just would note that that was another appointment. Councilman Bailey uh in a tie with Councilwoman Borders and uh Councilwoman Brothers for the most uh committees. [laughter] Three of you are doing a lot of work. I appreciate it. Not to diminish any of the work the rest of the council's doing. uh airport board, fix our road citizens committee, Riverton Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, Riverton or Rendevous Activity Center Committee, Councilman Carr, Finance Committee, Wind River Visitors Council Liaison and Planning Commission liaison, Councilwoman Johnson, Finance Committee. So that would be my proposed appointments. Uh I'd consider a motion to approve those committee assignments

as I have proposed them. So moved. Second. Second. Councilman Bailey with the motion. Uh, Councilwoman Borders with the second. Any other discussion? All in favor say I. I. Any oppose say nay. Motion passes. Thank you for your support. And I would note anybody that looks at this just being aware it this is a lot of meetings. You could sit there and say, "Oh, it's only a once a month meeting." It's not. most of these

it turns into a lot of work. So I appreciate your willingness to serve and we've added to this as well. I mean the rendevous activity center committee for example that's not a standing committee so to speak but it is one that we're going to be having for the next little while as we continue to explore possibilities in that area. I would also note, and these don't appear here, but we have also had a committee that has been made up of three members of the city council to consider the uh tourism asset development uh funds, and we're going to have to get that appointed as well. We don't have them listed here, but we'll discuss once we get close for that. Okay. Community committee and board appointments. Mr. Butterfield, if you could give us your report on this as well.

Thank you, your honor. Right now, the city council has seven standing committees or boards and um in addition to that, the council can always call for an ad hoc committee to serve at your pleasure. For example, when you solicit and receive tourism asset development applications, you usually form an ad hoc committee to review those. But as it relates to your standing boards and committees, uh that consists of the airport board, the construction board of appeals, the Fremont Air Service team, the fix our road citizen committee, the planning commission, the rendevous activity center, the rendevous balloon committee, and the tree board. Uh there are vacancies um on some of these committees and boards as terms are expiring. Uh the boards and committees that have expiring terms and vacancies are the airport board, the board of appeals, the planning commission, and the rendevous balloon committee. Um the administrative services team uh solicited interest from community members and advertised the vacancies. Um letters of interest were provided to uh the city clerk and the administrative services team. The mayor has had opportunity to review those and proposes the following um appointments for the airport board. There are two vacancies and is proposed that Mick Prior and Ralph Estelle Jr. be appointed and then also Dean Piranto be appointed as an alternate to that board. The board of appeals has uh vacancies uh for four positions and it's proposed that Alan Paige, Gary Bernett, Gary Fister, and Domingo Rico be appointed to fill those vacancies. The uh planning commission has two vacancies and it's proposed that Robert Shidamanel and Leo Kasarog fill the vacancies there. And then the rendevous balloon committee um is an annual appointment. So, the entire committee is is vacant at this point, but it is

proposed that um Ryan Preston, Andy Samuelson, Pat Nulan, Carla Kelly, Jerry Bash, Michelle Hower, Luke Walker, and Kelly Davis be appointed to fill those vacancies. Um your honor, you have opportunity to discuss these and and make changes. Um but this is what is proposed and the council now has opportunity to confirm your appointments.

Thank you. Um I would note just for the council's information we had already had um Mr. Panto serving as an alternate and had the expiration of that as in terms of um December 2025. So the recommendation is reappoint him to an alternate position. We do anticipate there might be some changes on that board going forward. So just keep posted. Um and I do hope that um Mr. Gors is doing well. I know we had talked a little bit about him. I've appreciated his service on the airport board. Uh also would note on the board of appeals uh Mr. Dtoore had uh expressed that he did not wish to serve anymore and has served for a period of time and I appreciate his service uh and also appreciate that Mr. Rico was willing to step into that role. Um Mr. Shidamanel, Mr. Koserog [clears throat] uh both are willing to continue on the planning commission. Not trying to give anything away in terms of personal information but for Mr. Koserog, but he's not going to be at the next meeting because I think they're going to be welcoming one of the newest members of the uh uh citizens of the city of Riverton here shortly. And so he had expressed he's not going to be at that meeting. Um I appreciate Miss Hmel who served on the rendevous balloon committee I think for a year, possibly two. Looks like she was not interested in continuing to serve. Um, I guess I would note it might be worth considering changing those terms. It always feels silly to reappoint the whole board every year.

It might be worthwhile to consider like two-year terms or something just because for the most part it it I I always feel bad going and saying, "Hey, write a letter and tell us you're still interested in doing it." But I know that one of our newest members, Mr. Preston. Appreciate him being willing to continue. And so anyway, all of those recommendations are in there. Um would appreciate a motion to approve those appointments to the boards and committees as noted. So moved. Second. Councilman Carr with the motion. Uh we're going to say Councilwoman Johnson with the second because it was a three-way tie again. Any other longer? Let her have the glory. Oh, no. [laughter] That's okay.

Eight years. That's right. [clears throat] We have lots of ties around here, so it's all good, um, any discussion on those appointments, your honor. Yes, ma'am. Um, I think it would be a good idea just to make the balloon committee four years like the other committees that we have. I think it would be something that would require a change in the bylaws and I Yeah, resolution.

Okay. if if we could let's look at that as a possibility um because I really not that I'm I definitely appreciate everybody that's willing to to serve on that committee and it's a great committee um but I would like to have them serve and have an idea how long the service will be so it's not just yeartoear and it also gives us an idea of how long it will be um if if we could look at changing those terms up whether it's staggered two-year terms terms or staggered four-year terms and even just for some consistency, right? Planning commission is four-year terms and we have them staggered, your honor. Yes, sir.

The that balloon committee or the rendevous balloon committee uh one year and you're and it's over and you're going, damn, I wish I would have thought of that. We could have made this and this and this. And that's what Carla is talking about is a shortness. There's a there's a learning curve and and so consequently you lose that. All [snorts] they're doing is constantly just covering turf and not building. Yeah.

So we need to uh visit that and figure that out a little better. And that lightens the load also because they know what they're doing and what needs to be done. I agree. I think it makes sense to do that. As someone who served on the rendevu balloon committee, we're all sitting here talking about it, but someone who served with a couple couple of years on their councilman car. Um would that make sense? Does that match do you think with your experience?

Uh yeah, thanks your honor. Um absolutely. Yeah, I think longevity in the position and retention of your institutional knowledge of the event of the the pilots that that visit is very well regarded. I I would recommend prior to drafting a resolution for change visiting with the current members to make sure that they're okay with extending their potential service. Well, in in whatever changes we would make, we could just have it be starting next year so that if they wanted to reup for four years and know what they're getting into, and half of them would be for four, half of them would be for two, and then we'd just go from there into the four-year terms being staggered. Um, could you come with a proposal for that uh going forward? And I guess it doesn't have to be staggered. We'd probably stagger it yearly. So it would be

we'd change over a quarter every year I think would make sense because that's what we have on planning commission is 29 28 27 26 so but if you could visit with them about that miss Harris and then um or Mr. Batista I know that tends to be [clears throat] um and then report back and we could look at a resolution and go from there. Sound good? Thank you and thank you for serving in that area. I didn't mean to. You do good work. All right. Any other discussion? All in favor say I. I.

Any oppose say nay. I vote I. Nope. I don't vote I. I mean I don't vote nay, but I don't vote. Motion passes. I was doing well at that until there. Okay. Municipal Court Judge, alternate judge, city attorney appointments. Uh, Mr. Butterfield,

your honor, thank you. I'll be brief because I know you have a lot of business left to do. Basically, municipal code requires that you appoint a judge, the first meeting in January. It also requires that you appoint a city attorney. The mayor has proposed that uh Terresa McKe serve as a municipal judge, Aaron Vincent serve as an alternate judge, and Mr. Rick Soler serve as the city attorney. Um, if appointed, uh, Judge McKe will continue as an employee of the city with a bi-weekly salary of 2,35616. If appointed, Aaron Vincent will bill the city at an hourly rate of $100 and Mr. Solers will bill the city at an hourly rate of 125. Other information is included in your packet.

Thank you. Um, and I guess just in terms of to let everybody know just a little bit about the three and what their service entails. Um, we have the, uh, municipal court that meets every Wednesday at noon. They handle a number of cases. Uh, the vast majority of them tend to be cases like public intoxication, DUIs. Uh we do now of course in the last four or five years, six years I think have a possession of marijuana charge. A lot of different things that they deal with. We've recently had a lot more uh traffic citations that have been going through the municipal court. Um little bit of background. I was the the city prosecutor right when I first moved back in uh 2012. served in that capacity until I think 2014 [clears throat] or 2015 perhaps

whenever I got on the council whenever that was. I'd have to think about it and you know it's eight years for you and I just don't remember right now. So um in that time one of the things that I've appreciated in working with uh Judge McKe is uh she knows most of the people that are here frequently. uh she has a a good rapport with them. And when I say that, I mean she can call them on the carpet and say, "Knock it off." And feels comfortable doing that, which it takes someone that can actually do that. Um we had a change a couple of years back and the three older I don't mean older as an age, but that have been here a little longer. Those with some seniority on the council may recall that we had that modification when I came on in terms of public intoxication actually being a jailable offense rather than just being finable. And you would probably see in your uh reports on a periodic basis that this number of people were sentenced to long-term jail sentences in the Fremont County Detention Center. Those are situations if you keep an eye on those. Those are situations where we've had folks that have been there a number of times and Judge McKe has said you are going to go sit in jail for this period of time and it can be up to 180 days and we've had them that have been that long. And then behind the scenes, you have work by Megan, our court clerk, who does an excellent job, uh, that will go through and try to help them through the process of getting to treatment. It's a very interesting position for Miss Miller because it means that she is serving as a as a court clerk, yes, but somewhat almost like what probation agents might do, what lawyers might do, what a I don't know. She does a great

job and she will go through and help them through the process of getting into treatment. And that's the purpose of the longer term jail sentence is to say, "You're going to serve this jail sentence or you're going to go to treatment." I know that I've had a lot of people that have come and talked to me about that and said, and I I don't mean to diminish, but said, "Why haven't we considered treatment?" And we do. We deal with people going to treatment regularly. Um, and all of that is due to what I think is some excellent work by Judge McKe and recognition. When someone comes here and it's about the third or fourth time that they've been there for a public intoxication in the last two months, she's like, "No, there needs to be something different." So, I would say I feel like she's doing a great job. I spoke with um Mr. Vincent. He's willing to continue as an alternate judge. I know that he's done that maybe once or twice in the last year. He was telling me um Mr. Sers uh is been doing very well for us as the city attorney. He's willing to continue to serve and um he has a lot of experience in municipal law that I think would make him qualified and has done well in that position. So, all of that is just to say I I'm trying to pull the curtain back a little bit because this is stuff that I just am familiar with through the years of working with the municipal court, but to let you know a little bit of what has been going on behind the scenes and what happens. Um, I will say that uh, Judge McKe has um, people don't show up to court if they're not paying their fines, if they're not doing what they should be doing, is very willing to jump on it and we get a warrant out and we bring get them to take care of it. We have people that might have employment

that will allow their checks to have a certain amount that's paid to the court uh, every month. Uh, one of the biggest employers that does that is the Wind River Casino. They're like, "If you have a warrant, you have to go take care of your warrant." And not only do you have to take care of your warrant, you have to have your paycheck be going towards getting your fines paid off. I I love that the Wind River Casino does that. And uh, our court clerk, our judge, they follow up on that and ensure that that's done. So, they do good at making sure that their fines are being paid as well. Anyway, all of that is just to give you a little bit of an idea of how the municipal judge works, why I believe that Judge McKe is is appropriate to continue in that position. Um, I'd entertain a motion to approve the appointment then the respective salaries of each of these individuals as have been indicated by Mr. Butterfield. [clears throat]

Moved. Second. Councilman Bailey with the motion. Councilman Carr with the second. Any other discussion on these? Your honor, Councilwoman Johnson.

Um, I appreciate you giving a little bit of background um on on Judge McKe. Um, I asked for it last year. I'll ask for it again this year. Um, I would certainly appreciate an opportunity to meet who we are appointing. um as a sitting council member appointing to uh somebody to such an important position, I I feel that it's fair that we get an opportunity to meet and um I would like that. Um I trust your judgment as it relates to uh Judge McKe and her her success. In fact, I read she just received a an award. Um, but I would just like an opportunity to get to know who these folks are.

I think it'd be good. Um, I would definitely say when it comes to uh getting to meet Judge McKe, uh, going through uh, Ms. Miller to to get that arranged, I think would probably be [clears throat] appropriate. Um I don't necessarily think and this is just my observation and in terms of separation of powers so to speak having Judge McKe or uh here [snorts] and and speaking to us here would make as much sense but I think definitely on an individual basis would probably be a really good idea.

Yeah. outside of a council meeting would be just fine. I would just like an opportunity to get to know who I'm actually appointing to that position. Sure. I think that's something we can definitely try to figure out. Thank you.

Thanks for the reminder to uh Councilwoman Johnson. Any other discussion? I would also encourage if you want, and this is something that I would invite any of our council members or our citizens in the audience today, Wednesdays at noon right over there, we have court every Wednesday. Uh it's an educational thing to attend, be able to get a chance to see what happens. I know a lot of people, you know, they get this idea that, oh, nothing's being done about some of these issues that we see within the community. And being able to see what exactly is being done, I think can be helpful. So would certainly encourage you to do so. Former chief, I'm just pointing you out for no reason. All right. Uh, any other discussion? All in favor say I.

I. Any oppose say nay. Motion passes. Consideration of resolution. Can we take five? Oh, fine. Since we're two hours in. Yeah, we've had a lot of potatoes yet. Geez. All right. Yeah, let's do that. That's a good point. I forget that it's nine o'clock and other people don't stay up as late as I do. Uh, I'd say let's do a recess. That's at 8:58. We'll take a recess until 9:05. Yeah. Okay. Be in recess until 9:05. But could you please read us resolution number 1535? Well, actually first give us the report on this and then read the resolution, please.

Thank you. So, state statute does require that the city designate official depositories through action of the governing body. Uh the resolution addresses applications submitted by financial institutions seeking designation each of which has been certified by its respective board of directors as well. U staff did solicit our local depositories requesting applications and resolutions for to serve as an official depository of uh funds for the city of Riverton. We received applications from Central Bank and Trust, US Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, and Wyoming Community Bank. Um while US Bank does not maintain a brickandmortar building um here locally, the city invests funds through the Wyoming class program and public trust advisor serves as the program's investment advisor with US Bank acting as the uh program's custodian bank. Uh so with that, staff would recommend that the city council adopt resolution number 1535 designating official depositories for the city of Riverton transactions.

Thank you. I'd entertain. Oh, now if you could read the resolution by title only 1535. Thank you, Miss Harris. Certainly. Proposed resolution number 1535, a resolution designating official depositories for the city of Riverton, Wyoming, requiring joint signatures on all orders for payment of money from city accounts and designating certain individuals [clears throat] as signitories and alternate signitories on city accounts at said banks. I'd entertain a motion to adopt resolution 1535 designating official depositories. So moved. Second motion by Councilman Bailey, second by Councilman Carr. All in favor say I. I. Any oppose say nay. Nay. [snorts]

Uh, I vote I. Motion passes. I should have allowed discussion. Did we have any discussion? I'm sorry. We could go back and do the vote again. The only discussion I have your honor is there is quite a bit of publication on US banks. Um financial backing and um I think that three banks that we have here would be adequately served. They all have brick and mortar and [clears throat] uh US Bank doesn't and they're not in the state that I'm aware of.

Appreciate it, Mr. Larson. [clears throat]

I do know that the wildlass fund that we have um basically for investment and that sort of thing is through US Bank. But other than that, is there anything else to add to that? Miss Harris? Wyoming class is a Wyoming based investment firm, but their their public they run their investments through public advisor trust who uses US Bank as their custodial bank. Um we currently do have um several million dollars in uh funds in held in reserve um through Wyoming class and they are approved by the state of Wyoming, the Wyoming state treasures office actually to sell securities to public agencies in Wyoming. But other than that kind of I don't want to say shell that has a negative connotation to it but that shell so to speak involvement from US Bank we're not really talking about a lot of involvement or or tell me more about that I suppose

so Wyoming class partners with public advisors trust who is the fund that administers and holds money but the funds are held at US bank as the custodial I think. Okay, that makes sense. Okay. All right. Well, I apologize for skipping over the discussion there and thank you for the discussion. Uh, Councilman Larson, does that change anybody's vote? Are we good to go forward? Okay. Do better at that with the next one. Consideration of resolution 1536, designation of legal newspaper. Mr. Butterfield, could you give us your report, please?

Uh, yes. Thank you, your honor. Um, your staff report is going to provide a little bit more detail than what I'll go into, but um, you have before you several statutes that require that you designate a legal publication and it set forth it sets forth the threshold required um, by statute of the publication that you designate. Um, currently there's only one publication in Riverton that meets the statutory requirements and therefore um this resolution designates the Riverton Ranger um for the city's official legal publications. Again, there's more information in your staff report, but that essentially is what your uh resolution does is it designates your legal publication for uh 2026.

Thank you. Uh, administrative services director, Miss Harris, if you could please read resolution 1536 by title only, please. Yes, your honor. Resolution number 1536, a resolution designating the official legal newspaper for the city of Riverton for calendar year 2026. Thank you. I'd entertain a motion to adopt resolution 1536. So moved. Second. Carl. Councilman Carr with the motion. Councilwoman Borders with the second. Any discussion on this?

Um, in terms of a newspaper of general circulation, how is that defined, Mr. Butterfield?

Uh, thank you, your honor. It does state that a newspaper must regularly publish at least once per week for 52 weeks, have a paid circulation of 500, and that each published page must not be less than 10 in by 12 and 1/2 in. Um, that is one that I think creates a certain specificity where um, if the council were to look at a digital publication, I'm not sure how they could meet that current definition that the legislature has put forward of having a a 10 by 12 1/2 inch uh, publication page.

It's an interesting uh, question for that, isn't it? And then um, in terms of the circulation is is I'm [clears throat] assuming that we have at least a circulation of 500 for the ranger. M uh your honor, yes, that's correct. We were able to confirm with Mr. Shields. Um we did have a council member that uh wanted to get verification on that and Mr. Shields did verify that they do have more than the um baseline 500 paid subscriptions. Okay. All right. Any other discussion? [snorts] All in favor say I. I.

Any oppose say nay. I vote I. Motion passes. Ordinance 1537. Pause for life animal shelter fee adjustments. We have everybody here from Pause for Life in the first row. So that's great. Um Chief Herado, could you give us your report on this matter?

Thank you, honor. I'll be brief since we do have pause board here. Uh the last few months we've had discussions with the pause board regarding increase of uh cost incurred to them for uh the animals turned over to pause. Uh in 2023 council approved a increase from resolution then 1472. uh pause board is requesting increase of fees which is included in your packet. Uh in summary, the costs roughly $250 uh for each animal to get vaccinated, microchipped, and altered. Uh currently the fees for those that turn in the animals are $30 and hardly cost uh covers the cost that they [clears throat] have to take care of the animals. Uh before you is uh proposed increase in adoption fees. Uh also in the increase of prices uh there are uh prices based on actual veterinary uh records that in case any animals do go through the shelter they're verified through the staff to make sure that all records are up to date. Uh there is a request to set some discount rates for uh veterans and senior discount item. Uh those that want to adopt and also request to add additional hours for service uh for their

open for all the business transactions. that your honor myself or pause are here to answer any questions. Great. Glad to see uh some additional hours. That's good. Awesome. All right. Um administrative services director, if you could please read resolution 1537 by title only. Yes. Resolution number 1537, a resolution revising fees for registration, adoption, surrender, reclamation, or redemption of dogs or cats at the Riverton Animal Adoption Center within the city of Riverton, Wyoming. I'd

entertain a motion to adopt resolution 1537 revising current resolution 1472 uh regarding the fee schedule for Pause for Life Animal League. So moved. Second. Motion by Councilwoman Borders, second by Councilman Carr. discussion on this matter. Our honor, I do have a few questions. Sure. Go ahead. Councilwoman, one of you guys are available to answer. [laughter] Mayor, council, members, my name is Lonnie Slack. I'm the director of PAUSE. Go ahead, Ashley.

I'm Ashley, formerly known as Prince [laughter] Co-director of Pause. Councilwoman Johnson, I just had a quick um a couple of quick questions actually. Um on the increase prices um proposed increase to surrender fees, are surrender fees charged to like the general public if they happen to find a dog on the street and they bring it in? Yes. Yes. Yes. So, they're going to automatically be charged $75 because they're not going to know if the animals up to date on their vaccines. They're not going to know if it's been altered.

Well, yeah. And we advise them to call animal control.

It the problem that we have at times at the shelter is that um a person could come to us and say, "I found this dog." but it's really their dog. So, they're trying to they're trying to surrender it. We do work with RPD on trying to work that surrender and not just take them. Plus, we're always full and that causes a a little bit of a tension point with us having space for RPD. And so, we just like to have that. It it just has to be there. And so are you do you see yourself as being full because there's just an overabundance of of loose animals or are you having difficulty adopting them out?

Every time we gain six spaces, eight get taken up. Uh it it's just we're not the only shelter that is having this current problem and it's been going on for a while. So on an average and I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt you. Um, on an average, how many do you adopt out a week? Both dogs and cats. Do you have that number? I don't have that number. No, not at the top of my head. We haven't closed out our complete for this last year. I mean, we have our complete intakes and outtakes that we give to the city. Um, do you have that? Yes. Um, where were we? The Yeah,

the numbers. Okay. Well, I gave that to you, that other paper to you. Okay. So, 2025, we took in 470 animals. Uh 70% of the 470 animals were from RPD. And perou have to keep so many kennels open for RPD. Um, so we don't take very many owner surreners as is because the majority we get are from our PD. Um, so that being said, um, miss each week like last week we Saturday we adopted out three dogs and a cat, but then we brought in four dogs, 12 puppies and a cat. So yeah.

So, so just if you had to give me a number off the top of your head, like throughout the week, do you do you think you adopt out 10 to 15 animals, 15 to 25 animals per week? Um, I would say not that much. No, I was I I would I would put that number around eight to be a conservative number because sometimes like we say we get a bunch out and then we stall for a little bit and then some we have a bunch of intakes and then that takes over that space. What was it for the year for adoptions of the uh adop so outcomes for adop do you want adoptions or just outcomes in general? Just adoptions. How about you shoot that up? Okay, adopt.

We'll just divide that by 52 and then we have a number. Okay. 319 adoptions out of the um 470 intakes. It's one less a little less than one a day. About six a week then. So you're just you're pretty close. Yeah. So but then you got we had 115 return to owner. Um we had some transferred out to other shelters. Um some that were just too old or too sick. [clears throat]

Um they have to be but adoptions about six six a week. Yeah. Okay. And the and the return to owners can happen quick and then often they do not. Uh people will leave their animals with us for couple two or three days. I don't know if they're trying to I don't know what's going on there. save on dog food or what? What in the world? Maybe. But there's that takes a while to figure out that their dog has been taken.

Maybe, you know, it it's just uh I guess that's just part for the course. It would be nice that I could come back up here again later that to help uh there needs to be stronger laws on dropping in and banning your animals more than what the city has now. Well, and it's an interesting thing because it sounds like it's kind of a a catch 22 because you're saying if somebody wanted to come and bring an animal that they saw at large to you, you would make them pay a surrender fee because your concern is that it's somebody abusing the system to try to get rid of their own animal. Makes sense. I can understand that. But then the the the problem with that then becomes is then if I wanted to get rid of my animal, all I would do is call the RPD and say, "Hey, this dog's running loose in my yard with a collar on it." Hancock,

right? And and [laughter] yeah, but and then we'll just call you. Yeah. That's pretty much what people do anyways. If they call to surrender, say we have no room, then they just let their dog run loose. So, animal control ends up picking it up anyway. So, we advise them if you see an animal, whether it be yours or not, contact animal control first. Yeah, it it works. It seems it may it's probably a flawed system. We're always working on things. If RPD or animal control is notified, animal control, she's quite savvy, she is, she will know

whose dog it is. And so that gives it a little bit of a different bite on the city part than us just having dogs. Yeah. So Bailey, your honor, and I guess to me, some of your fee structure again seems to me to be counterproductive. Like you said, you want people to come pick their dogs up, but you charge them for that. And I'm not saying they shouldn't pay anything, but to me, it's in your advantage to have me come pick up my dog if he got loose and I want him back. Okay? Because if not, you got to take care of him right

now. If I want to get rid of my dog, knowing the public and their frugality, if I'm going to get rid of my dog, and you're going to charge me $75 to put him in the pound? Well, yeah, because we're going to be throwing money into I understand. But then I can just take the collar off him, turn him loose, and call the police and say, "There's a wild dog in my yard, and they're going to come get him." And for some reason, he keeps coming up to me and sneaking my hand. And Okay. So, to me, I think your fees are a disincentive for people to do what you want them to do, which is come pick up their dog if they want it back. Right. Right.

Okay. So, you know, and we need to encourage people to adopt. So, again, I I we we know you have to cover your costs of dealing with that animal and spaying them and all that kind of stuff, but to me, the fees have got to be kept as reasonable as possible because if not, people aren't going to do it. And and you know, they charge $80 a ton to haul your garbage to the dump and people go on Gas Hills Road because they don't want to pay $40 to throw their trash at the dump and drive 12 miles. So they go on Gas Hills and throw it out in the ditch and this is just garbage. So I mean are your suggestions on surrender fees to be none? Uh

or reclamation fees to be none. Councilwoman Brothers, yeah, your honor, I want to be very clear. I value what PAS does and I understand the financial pressure that you guys are under. However, I I can't support the increase in the reclamation fees. Um and I understand Hold on just a second. That's not part of I I hear you. Go ahead, Councilwoman.

Um, pause is already over capacity. Um, the situation that you guys are under, the strain that you're under is I mean, it's uh, horrendous. Um, um, [snorts] but but increasing both of the fees um, and then looking at the structure of other animal um, fees around the United States, I've already looked at that. Um, it's it is counterproductive. exactly what um what Mr. Bailey says. Um it worsens the crow overcrowding rather than solving the problem. Reclamation should be the easiest path um not the most expensive one. If somebody wants their animal back, if it gets back, if they say, "Hey, I'd like my animal back." Um there are other options for that right now. Um even, you know, if you're leaving them in there for a few days, they're probably looking for money to try to get their animal back. Um, if an owner is willing to take responsibility to reclaim their animal, we should be encouraging that outcome, not discouraging that outcome. Um, my guess is you're probably going to have more animals that stay. Um, and people that can't reclaim their animal because of that problem. Uh, my question to you is I was personally bitten by two dogs. Um and they did not quarantine these animals due to even though it was legally required that um they do so the the police did not. Um did you guys have space at pause to do this

to quarantine animals to quarantine? There were two dogs that bit me. The police were legally required to quarantine these animals. Did you have space?

I don't know about that specific date. Uh I I I will might have to let the chief completely give you the back thing on it. I do not feel as the director that we are completely capable of handling a very vicious animal at the shelter. We have done it. The stock dock has held some for us. And in case I'm misspeaking, Chief, you they can quarantine at home. That is a RPD call, not a pause call. I didn't know because you guys did just say you have to like legally keep so many spots open. So, I didn't know if it was yours or RPDs, but I was just wondering because I didn't know

that. That is specifically the deal that we have tried and we try to maintain with RPD is always try to keep a couple kennels open. Okay. They have a chain of command. They let's say somebody gets pulled over with the DUI and they have a dog. And do you guys still do that or are you like over capacity right now? What's your situation? You can still make quick arrangements for a quick overnight stay. Is that way the lieutenant and I and Ashley have worked a number of them things out. I mean, yes, we're full. If you came in and thought, "What are you going to do?" You have you have no open space. What we do is we start moving the smaller dogs into kennels and and put them in the run.

Yeah. And I mean, I would love to even support higher surrender fees, but if people are just letting them run loose and RPD is picking them up, that's using their resources. Um, which is a situation on its own. Um, that's a situation in the city that's a problem. I mean, we're trying to solve this. We're thinking about, you know, the we talked about like bringing in the I think that we had talked about how we have like where we bring in the third party that brings them to different shelters in different cities like Colorado, Denver, and things like that. I know that you guys use that sometimes, but like I don't know if we can increase that or something, but we have to do something to solve this problem. I mean, it is a problem. Um, and I think that, you know, it does need looked at this year. And I don't know that the fee structure is the answer. I think that there's other answers.

Well, there there you're you're absolutely correct. There should be other avenues that the city, the pause can take um until we can come up with some of these. I mean, you we do get money from the city, but we're still Ashley and I are still in charge of a $300,000 a year budget. That includes not only animal care, but we have to have a small little army of people down there to take care of. And maybe the city looks at giving you that money instead of relooking upping the fee structure because upping the fee structure is going to make it worse. I really

Well, I will say just to be clear too and and and she was trying to say this previously that [cough] this resolution to keep on point here a little bit is not proposing any change in the reclamation fees. The only changes here are for um the adoption fees or I'm sorry the surrender fees and the adoption fees. Correct. Okay.

That's the only change that's proposed here in the resolution. I I agree in terms of you know it's hard because every time we start talking about pause it's like it's opening this door that has all this in it and there's so much history and so much everything. And I certainly appreciate the hard work you guys are doing trying to keep track of all the animals, all the people, all the money, all the everything. There's a lot of It's like hurting cats almost. Exactly.

There you go. So, um, but I guess just to be very clear that this this resolution is is not proposing any changes to the reclamation fees. If we want to look at that and discuss that, I I think that that's something we could talk about and might be worthwhile to speak with the pause board about. As Mr. Bailey said, I understand the idea behind, you know, it's like, why do we have a tax on booze? Why do we have a tax on cigarettes? It's a sin tax, right? It's we're trying to say we don't want you to use this, so we're going to tax it. And so taxing or cost are something that we sometimes use to incentivize or disincentivize. Same thing with a a a child uh I'm not suggesting anything with children by the way. Just be aware you know that we get a a with your income tax that you have a

dang it. What's the word I'm thinking of Mr. Butterfield? Tax credit. Child tax. Child tax credit. Thank you. You're welcome. Why do we have that? not because the government wants to incentivize you having children so we don't have a issue with population and the fact that there's nobody working in the future. So I I guess if we want to look at that I would propose that we come back uh with some of that as a discussion and rehaul reooking at that. Um, and if that's the case, if we want to make some other changes, we could consider that and come back with another resolution down the road, right, with some feedback from the council. Your honor,

hold on just a second. Go ahead, Mr.

It is It is not our intention to try and make money. Is it is never been our intention to raise the raise the cost so bad that people can't get animals, but everything's getting expensive. I mean, the jump in dog food, the jump in cat food. We're just trying to inch our way up to not be so much in the negative. We're trying to get a little closer to the positive. You know, it it is um you know, I've worked with we've worked with Mr. Butterfield. If there wasn't a problem with money, we wouldn't have this problem. You know, if we had a bigger space, we wouldn't have this problem. Uh, I wouldn't have to [clears throat] be texting the lieutenant almost on a daily basis to let him know, "Yes, I've got one space for RPD. We're good. We have three." And that's a communication that he and I have almost on a daily. Yeah. Every evening, damn near. Uh, and it is it, but I understand the concerns or the thoughts that you guys have. If we get too expensive, why why would you come and get an animal? But in the same sense, if we we can't offset that, we can't just keep operating and working and never getting ahead. Not that we're trying to make money off of it, but I mean, just even to be able to tread water against even our vet bills, let alone the dog food and the cat food.

And I guess that's where my question comes in a little bit is how much do these fees make a dent in your budget? How much of your budget, and this is maybe something we if you don't have this right there, but how much of your budget actually is coming from fees versus um donations with, you know, paws and pearls versus the city? Have it. Great. Yeah, she would have it. Awesome. Thank you. In one of these papers. Okay. So, what do we need? What numbers do we need? Just curious from your budget about 300,000, right? We're talking about a total. What is it? Where are the fees in there? So the program income 48,000

48,000 about a sixth of your budget. Okay. And um paws and pearls we get 42,000 in 2025. Um kennel sponsorships we got 7600. So the program one is is where yeah the program everything else is where we step in as as pause. It's a pause board to make up the shortcomings so that we can make it to the next year.

So to a to a certain extent if we said hey we have an issue with the fact that there's these surrender fees. We want people to surrender their animals if they need to. There's these adoption fees. We want people to adopt without any cost. The point would be the city would probably have to step in and say we'll cover 48,000. Correct. And on top of the other 40ome thousand that you give us on a yearly basis, right? But we would still have to be careful because we're limited by space, right?

So if we just decide to take on 30 dogs, the lieutenant's going to be texting me saying, asking me, Lonnie, why do you not have any space? Um, so we would have to be careful with that. We we have a buffer space. Um, we'd like to do three surreners. Yes, we we'd like to be able to keep three to facilitate RPD. Gotcha. And I know I'm not supposed to bring this up because every time I bring these bad things up, they happen. If we run into a a big large hoarding case, I don't know what we're going to do. I just honestly do not.

So, the biggest issue is space. Councilwoman Johnson, I didn't mean to interrupt too much, but

please do. I apologize for that. Um, the reason I asked and and I just wanted to finish my thought before we moved on. The reason I asked about how many that that you adopt on an average out a week is because um I like Mr. really um a to me it would make sense to lower the costs so that they are in and out of there without costing you the amount of money that it's costing you currently. I feel like some of it and I could be wrong but I feel like some of this is um a policy issue that maybe can be revised, looked at, talked about, whatever. Um, but when I look at the fees, specifically even giving a senior discount or a veterans discount, um, it raises the the cost to adopt an animal for a senior citizen. And and those people, they're on fixed incomes. And if they want to have a companion, they can't afford one. And, you know, some of these dogs that aren't being claimed, um, and I'm not going to dredge up old stuff. However, you know, my daughter just called down there last week. um and asked about a dog that she had adopted five years ago trying to get the chip information because she's switching vets. The the information in your system is incorrect. The information provided to her was on a dog that was adopted three years ago. It's not her dog.

Well, it and let me finish, please. Okay. Um so I have trouble swallowing that the information being provided to me is correct and accurate as it relates to cost for these pets. Um, I think that that that needs a new start over from when you guys started going forward because I know you guys had worked through some other issues with the previous management there

and you guys were trying to fix that. Um, so I would like to see new data before something like this would be considered um since you guys have taken over um with fair and true accurate data. So she so she adopted her dog 5 years ago. She adopted the dog in July I believe it was July of 2020 or 2019 or 2021. I'm sorry. I don't remember correctly what she told me. And but the [clears throat] dog listed in your system is from 2023. the microchip in general or she just needed the microchip information.

When they get microchipped, the animals get microchipped. They're they're they're given the information to register their own chip.

Was not provided any. So, and that's aside the fact, but I'm just using that as an example, but I think that there is some misinformation in the system, and I think that the costs need to be reviewed once you guys have been there and then bring it forward again. But as it as it stands tonight, I don't think increasing costs for people, specifically people who are trying to do a good deed and just get an animal out of the street to keep it from getting hit and they know nothing about it. I think it's wrong to charge them. [snorts] And um so for those reasons, I won't be supporting that. I support the the hours of operations change. I think that's great. Making yourselves more accessible so people can come in. But I think if we raise prices at eight adoptions a week, you're going to go down to two or three and there will be zero space for anything.

Any other questions or discussion? Your [clears throat] honor. Um, Councilwoman Borders, I I just see the pickle that P is in. And when you're paying $250 on average for vaccination, microchipping, and being altered, and you're charging, the maximum for an unaltered is $75. It's a pittance.

It's not even a drop in the bucket. If I wanted to, uh, I could see, not that I'm saying this should happen, but I could see if I had an animal that was running a muck that I wanted to adopt as my own, I'd turn it into the police, have go through the process, wait a couple of days, and there now I have this animal spayed or neutered and chipped. Chipped and ready to go. and all I had to pay is $70. I'm not saying that that's something that people do, but you're right. It's hardly a

thing. You can't you can't be in the black if you're fighting an uphill battle constantly. And I know there have to be some solutions. Um I don't see a problem with these surrender fees, honestly. I I feel like it's necessary. Um maybe maybe the fee structure could be looked at. Um one question I did have is so what makes that determination on whether you have an animal altered. Does that happen to every animal that comes into PAUSE?

Yes. Before we adopt it out or finalize an adoption, yes, it will be altered microchip vaccination. So those fees are just they're always set. Yeah, they're set. And so if somebody wants to adopt a puppy who's not old enough to get um altered yet, they still can fill out the paperwork, take the animal home, but it does not become their still pause animal until it is the everything is finalized. It's all [clears throat] pay for that. Even if you have someone adopt that animal, you're not coming close to $250 just for those items, let alone all the food and paying the staff. Correct. You know,

well, and that's where it really and this is the battle I think always that PAUSE has internally, right? Are we an adoption agency or are we and I say we as in pause, right? or are we, you know, here for health and safety in terms of are we making sure that animals are spayed and neutered, which by the way is one of the most important things. Spay and neuter your pets, please. Correct. Because we're talking about the issue that we have here where you've got [clears throat] way too many animals and not enough people who are interested in them. Spay and neuter your pets.

Yeah. Um, so I I guess my question then becomes though, is your motion to to table this or what is your or are you just saying you're against it? Councilwoman Johnson, you were talking about wanting further information?

Not necessarily further information. No, I just I'm I'm I'm not going to be able to support this just based off of current information. And I I I think that there's other things that could be considered to reduce cost? I mean, for instance, have you have have you guys talked I'm sure you probably have, and this is going to sound like a dumb question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. Have you guys considered talking to other veterinary services to see if they could take Yeah, they they can't. We've tried Lander and Garg, and they're just they don't have the capacity to take on all of our population. and the new vet that's here in town. You visited with them.

Yeah. They just can't take on our all of some of some of the medicines uh can be handled at the shelter. Our our our shelter manager is is a vette. We're not currently I I don't understand it, but apparently in Wyoming, unless there's a vet on site, we can't administer the rabies. [snorts] So now we have to load them all up, transport them somewhere. And obviously we cannot handle a spay or neuter happening down there. So then they're loaded, but it tends to be done all at the same time. Could you uh do you want to go back to school, Lonnie, and become a vet? [laughter] Yeah, I think

you know. Yeah. [laughter] Uh you know, I'm this this close to retiring everywhere anyways. I don't need to start another profession. Well, I appreciate it. Um, is there any other discussion? I we could spend all night just talking about your program and and I agree that it it it feels like we should have I I wish we had a silver bullet that just we could solve all the issues. And I mean, we we each have different ideas. You know, for example, I would almost say the adoption fees should be higher and the surrender fees could be zero. For example, if you're going to take on an animal, I want to make sure that you're financially able to take on this obligation of an animal.

So, to me, it makes sense to have higher adoption fees and then have something zero for surrender fees. Yeah. But if you do that, then it's almost like you're creating this financial incentive for us to bring you in dogs and not take them out. Yeah. Right. Yeah. So, it gets it's there's just man, we need Do you have an economist on staff? That's my question. We need to get one. Mhm. So, do we have any other discussion?

Just real quick, um I I I have trouble following the logic that it's okay for him to work more, but not okay for him to charge more. Everything has gone up. We talk about this all the time. And if if we're going to raise rates, let's do it. Let's try something because what's been happening hasn't been working. So, let's try something. If it doesn't work, let's look at something else.

Well, and my question too is is, you know, as we're talking about this, we're talking about these, it it'd be helpful for me to know what kind of a difference is this going to make in your budget, you know, just going forward because if we're saying it's about 42,000 and we're talking about an increase of what are we talking like 10% or something, we're going to increase by 12 hours is all the more. The hours you make is that what we're talking about? No, no. I'm talking about what difference would this make on your budget? Because if we're talking about, for example, this is only going to increase what you're bringing in for program fees by like $1,000 a year. Is that really worth it? Is it, you know, so but none of us really know that.

Well, but then also we don't want to raise it so much that people can't afford it. That's why it's just a $25 increase. So, it'll be a little bit extra. It's not gonna um our fees are pretty low. If you look at um Casper Metro, the Humane Society, they're they're several hundred to adopt. Yeah. So, we're still sitting lower, but it's still expensive,

right? Um, you know, and looking at our capacity, Ashley and I have thought, you know, if we moved our hours by adding a day, so we're only open, we're only closed on Sunday, where it used to be Sunday and Monday. So technically, people would see it that if your dog came to jail on Saturday, you're not getting it out till Tuesday. There was mechanisms in place, but and we're still toying that there'll be a number that they can call. We I'm not going to get up at 3:00 in the morning to come and get your dog out, but it'll be reasonable time even on a Sunday. You know, our aspects of the senior discount. Um I I get the senior part, but at first we thought we're just going to move our older critters out, but then we thought about what about senior citizens? So, when you look at it that way, I didn't get a little sticky there. with the senior citizen. A senior citizen can come and get a senior critter and now you're at 50% off. So it's not really impacting that much as you said.

That's like gauge discrimination to me. Yes. Yes. But a positive way, right? Positive way. A positive way. Oh, thank you.

You're welcome. So just trying to a way to fluctuate a little bit a little bit more ease the ability for if you really did care about your animal and really want it back. We're trying to facilitate that your animal doesn't have to stay there overnight. It's a scary it's loud. It stresses them to no end. And if we can get them out of there as quickly as possible, I mean I get it. sometimes somebody doesn't close the gate and next thing you know your dogs living large you know just like someone left the gate open. I guess my question would be, and if this is something you're willing to do, kind of in line with what Councilman Carr was saying, if we pass this today, and I don't know where the vote will be, but let's say we pass this today, is there a way we could look at what difference it makes over like a three-month period, you could come back and talk to us in March and let us know kind of for the last three months and then the next three months, kind of compare those and see, did this make sense? Did this help? Did it make a dent? Did it take a bite out of the issues that we're having here in a positive way?

Oz is more than willing to do that. We I Ashley and I, we can't sit here and say we have the answers to everything. We're always open for ideas, somebody to come and help us, give us better ideas, let alone always we're willing to take money. But we're always willing to look at things. I can't say that we're doing everything 100% right by any means. Always open for ideas. You know, I I think if we do that, if we look at January, February, March intake out, we should match it to the ne the last year at the same months. That's a good point. October, November, December might be different. You might have

Yeah, we have fluctuations. If we look at what did you do the last three months as we was coming into the holidays and we staggered, you know, we stagnate out. But yes, some more willing to do that. But we'll look at whatever three or four months this year and we'll match it back to whatever was happening last year. I'm not going to say it's going to be exactly, but I I would I would assume that the takes out very similar. Councilwoman Johnson,

just one final question. I'm sorry. If this does pass tonight, um whereas we're already having issues with Riverton City impounds having space and availability. What is the backup plan in the next three months if there's zero? We have zero periodically.

But but I'm that this is a true scenario because weekly we're running into there's no space. we have nowhere to take them. So over the next three months, what is the backup plan? Where are we going to put Riverton City Animals when your shelter is completely full and no adoptions are happening? Or on the flip side of that, there's all these openings, but in the event that there are zero openings for the next three months, what does the city of Riverton do with impounds?

I wouldn't say we would have zero space for three months. Uh, we run into a little tight areas, but uh, I don't think I've ever had to have a conversation with the lieutenant and tell him just let the dog out of the back of the patrol car. We've figured something out. I mean, yeah, sometimes we are pretty full, but but we haven't people. It's a good question. Have we ever discussed that in terms of I'm trying to remember that was a discussion a little bit ago, chief or Kyle?

Uh your honor, I I regret to say that we haven't been able to close that loop. I made several attempts to get with uh the fair director and we just weren't successful. And so, um I apologize, but we haven't been able to make that happen. Chief, did you have anything to add to that?

Sure. I can make it more confusing for you. um before you tonight is uh basically two things. One is to basically allow more hours for pause to be open. Uh something that comes to mind and it's probably going to throw a wrench and everything. Um, I I ran a a shelter in a previous life and we wouldn't incur the cost of altering the dogs until the time of adoption. And then we used a voucher system because we we didn't have the money flow like this. and would just do the vaccinations uh hold the adoption uh times, but uh basically we put a deposit on on file to make sure that the new owner would go and get the the animal altered, but that'd be a procedure that pause would have to discuss. Um,

well, I might be a good idea to talk about the fair going forward. I know that they've had a a lot going on. Fremont County Fair, but that's an option to discuss and and some of these other ideas I think are options to discuss. But appreciate you being here. Appreciate what you do. Appreciate you trying to answer all the questions. And I know it's a pretty thankless job, but I'll say thank you to you both. Thank you. Um, I it's hard to keep everybody happy. I don't know if anybody knows that really.

Um, and I know [clears throat] that's Yeah. So, uh, all right, let's vote on this and see where we stand. Uh, all in favor of passage of resolution 1537, say I. I. I. Those opposed say nay. Nay. Nay. I vote I. Motion passes. Four eyes, three nays. Nay, nay. Nay. Sorry. Uh, Councilman Larson, Council Bailey, Councilwoman um, Brothers, and I was going to try to give her the wrong last name. Bailey was nay. Bailey was nay. I'm nay.

And Councilwoman Johnson was nay. I'm sorry. I said Councilman Larson was nay. He's He's an I. I was for it. Thank you. So, I have just for clarification, I have Councilwoman Johnson, Councilwoman Brothers, and Councilman Bailey Nays. Yes. Thank you. All right, moving on. Thank you for being here. Have a good night. Have a good night. Thank you. We still have a lot more to go. So, you are welcome to leave if you would like. If you don't want to talk about emergency management, which is our next item, by the way, Mr. much. Uh, consideration resolution 1538, Fremont County Emergency Management Operations Plan, Mr. Butterfield.

Thank you, your honor. Uh, we're also pleased tonight to have Milin Vinage with us today, who is the Fremont County Emergency uh, coordinator, I believe, is the correct title. Um, it's always a pleasure to have him, especially for the years of service he put to the police department and also to the airport. Essentially, what's before you is a resolution to adopt the uh Fremont County uh municipal tribal uh emergency operations plan. This needs to be considered and adopted every two years. The plan provides a framework for coordination of response and recovery efforts within the county in coordination with local, state, and federal agencies. Uh oftent times this plan is is tied to recovery efforts and also funds that could be um made available as it relates to recovery efforts and so having this plan in place is very important. Uh Mr. Vinich uh circulated a copy in October for our review of this plan and now it's your opportunity as the governing body to adopt it via uh resolution. [snorts] Um, this is a document that is exempt from public dis disclosure because it does contain information pertaining to the deployment, mobilization, and tactical operation of Fremont County in response uh to emergencies. However, uh the document is available for your review, just um if you haven't had opportunity, feel free to coordinate that through me. Um staff has reviewed it and it does uh meet in our opinion the needs of the county and more specifically our [clears throat] municipality and um we'd be happy to stand for any questions and I know uh Mr. Vinich is also here to provide information should you have it.

Okay. Should you need it. Excuse me. Thank you. Um Mr. Mr. Larson, can we get through the resolution by title and then a motion and then could we have Okay. Uh, Miss Harris, could you please read resolution 1538 by title only? Yes, your honor. Resolution number 1538, a resolution adopting the Fremont County Municipal Tribal Emergency Operations Plan for the city of Riverton, Wyoming. I'd entertain a motion to adopt resolution 1538. So moved. Second. Councilman Larson with the motion. Councilwoman Johnson with the second. Discussion. Councilman Larson. Uh, has this significantly changed from the previous one? Mr. Butterfield.

Your honor. Councilman, I did not see major significant changes. Mr. Vinich, any big changes that you can disclose to the council? emergency management. During the review period, there was some minor tweaks here and there, but nothing structurally changed. Okay. Any other questions? I move to call for the question. Call for the question.

Thank you, Mr. Vinich. And thank you for your time as chief. I was I just had to basically recognize you there and your time with the airport. I know you when we especially when we were so short staffed for a period of time. It was good to see you in uniform and back at work. That was rough. When you can't see anymore, you can't hear anymore. and you're trying to listen to that radio, you know, and you know, and I it just brought back memories when we uh when you swore in a new officer, you know, it was like 36 years ago almost to the day that I did the same thing. Oh.

And uh so I spent uh you know, I retired from the police department and then was fortunate enough to go up and do emergency services at the airport for another 13 years. So uh 33 years with the city. It was a a real blessing and uh a very uh rewarding career. So, I wish the police department's uh new staff members all the best of luck. I know things have changed a lot since uh I was uh you know in the police department a lot of changes have been made. No typewriters anymore. Yeah. Actually, this patch still have one. They still have a typewriter. I thought they did. [laughter] Yeah,

I'm sure there is on a shelf somewhere. Who was the mayor at that time, Milin? Was it Was it Mayor Brown or Mayor Brown? Okay. Mayor when uh I was sworn in. That's what I was thinking. I actually one of my earliest memories and this is just a complete sidetrack that we have no time for. One of my earliest memories of anything political was going to the day at the park when I was very young. So you said 33 years ago and this is what I thought of and I still remember that at that young age that I was that I will not disclose. I supported Mayor Brown because they had brownies for Brown. Oh my gosh. I don't remember who he was running against, but I remember that Mayor Brown had brownies. [laughter]

So, I will tell you in the years since when I ran for mayor, I did not have brownies, but I did have something to eat because somewhere out there there's a 10-year-old boy that's going to say, you know, I remember when Mayor Hancock was running and we had pie. It was a good pie, by the way. Except for you graduated to crumble cookies, though. Yeah. [laughter] Yeah. You know, I mean, a lot of you, you know, uh, mayor or, uh, Councilman Bailey was working with his father at the 66 station. Uh, Councilman Johnson was in high school. But, uh, do you want to tell us the story about when you arrested him? No, I'm just kidding. [laughter]

But thank you for your time and your support for uh, this emergency manage uh, operations plan. Uh, this gets uh, the resolution gets attached to the plan. we send it into Homeland Security and that way when Chief Herado applies for his grants, you have a resolution that's that states that you have a a supportive plan that meets the criteria. So, thank you very much. Thank you. Thanks for your effort.

Um, just a quick question before we vote on this. Also, Mr. Butterfield, we talked a little bit about the emergency riverton emergency management organization, emergency management policy group consisting of the mayor, city council members, the city administrator. We had talked a little bit a few years ago about possibly looking at that and updating it or considering some modifications to that. I guess I would just remind you and see if we can look at ways we might want to adjust that going forward, making it more so it would comport, I suppose, with the county plan as well.

Your honor, absolutely. That's one of your goals this fiscal year. And um Chief Ertto has taken that on as his primary assignment. He provided me an update just this week that he's hoping to bring something to you in February. Okay, good. Well, then I'll harass him if I need to. I know who to bother now. Thank you, Mr. Butterfield. Any other discussion regarding resolution 1538 and the sealed record of Michael Bailey's arrest back in Just kidding. All in favor say I. I. All oppose say nay. I vote I. Motion passes. Public hearing consideration retail liquor license transfer ownership and location from Bridget and James Bunker to Luxury Liquor LLC. Miss Harris's report, please.

Thank you, your honor. Under Wyoming statute title 12 and river Virginia municipal code, any change in ownership or location of a retail liquor license requires approval by the local licensing authority. On Janu in January of 2025, last year, the city council approved this license for Bridget and James Bunker doing business as Bunk's Barbecue for a one-year nonoperational period, which is now expired, effective this evening. State statute allows the local local licensing authority to grant one additional one-year extension upon showing of good cause. On December 18th, staff received an application requesting a transfer of ownership and location of a license from Bunks Barbecue at 514 West Main Street to Luxury Liquor LLC at 210 West Main Street. The license is currently nonoperational and the applicant is requesting that it remain parked until a permanent business location is secured and the establishment is ready to begin operations. State statute does allow a license to be non-operational with approval from the local licensing authority. And given this instance, it would be a change of ownership. So, it does allow for up to one year up to a one-year extension um for the license. Approval of this request would allow the council to approve the transfer and extend the non-operational status for up to one additional year consistent with state statute. The applicant uh Justin Humphre is in the audience um this evening and available to answer any questions you may have for him. And with this report, staff does recommend that the city council approve the transfer of ownership and location of the retail license belonging to Bridget and James Bunker, Doing Business as Bunks Barbecue to Luxury Liquor LLC, Doing Business as Luxury Liquor for the remainder of the

2526 licensing term. Now, should you approve this, then uh Mr. Humphre and Luxury Liquor are going to need because we are in the middle of a current uh renewal process for licensing. You're approving this to be um effective through March 31st of 2026. So, he will immediately need to turn around and file an application for renewal of the liquor license should this be approved tonight. Okay. Thank you. Uh to entertain a motion to open the public hearing. So moved. Second. Councilwoman Borders motion. Councilman Bailey second. All in favor say I. I. Any oppose say nay.

I vote I. Motion passes. I declare the public hearing open. Hearing will be conducted in accordance with state statute and other applicable laws. I'd ask individuals wishing to address the council on this item to approach the podium. Identify yourself for the record. Is there anyone in the audience that wishes to speak? Seeing uh none, your honor, move to close the public hearing. Second. Motion by Councilman Carr, second by Councilman Larson. All in favor say I.

Any oppose say nay. I vote I. Motion passes. Declare the public hearing closed. I'd entertain a motion to approve the transfer of ownership and location of a retail liquor license number 180 from Bridget and James Bunker doing business as Bunks Barbecue to Luxury Liquor LLC doing business as Luxury Liquor for the remainder of the 2025 2026 liquor licensing term which would be until the end of March. Authorize issuance of the license in an oper operational status for an additional one-year period contingent upon pal final certification by the liquor division. So moved.

Second. Motion by Councilman Larson, second by Councilman Bailey, just to mix it up and write his name down more. Any other discussion? Your honor, I do have a question. Mr. Humphre, if you're available.

Um, the lease that's included with the application of the for the transfer shows the address of 210 West Main, which is actually, I believe it was the old layman studio is now correct, a 50 foot square. But what the council is actually approving tonight um is that location for service. Even though you're not going to be serving out of there, do you have an idea of where you're going to be opening? We're [clears throat] looking at several lo locations right now. Okay. Um but you don't have anything in mind. Nothing say yet. Nothing say still looking.

Okay. All right. Thank you. Um one of the things going into the new year is I want to understand these licenses much better. and I've started reading through them. Um, and I don't know if Mia, you're able to provide any clarification on that last that I that I sent you. Um, the state of Wyoming has an application process and it outlines all of the details of what you have to do in order to make it an accurate application before it's submitted. And one of the one of the requirements is that if you don't have a disclosed location or known location um you have to submit architectural plans to have a complete application which is why I asked because otherwise we by law we shouldn't be approving it. Um, I think that's a technicality honestly in this situation because I feel like this was pushed along. But whatever we agree to tonight, that's agreeing that's where he can serve alcohol.

Oh, your honor. Yes, sir. It's a little bit of a chicken and egg scenario because you can't lease a building to put a business if you don't know you have the license to do the business yet. So basically they have to find somebody who will let them park the license at a spot which he has a lease for. Yes.

Temporarily after he gets the license then he can go out and find a place that he can appropriately. Then he would have to come back to us and go I want to move it from 210 West Main to XYZ. And I understand what you're saying, but what I am saying is Wyoming state statute 124102 clearly states that if you don't have a location determined, that is part of the application process. It has to be submitted with the application in order to make the application valid. But he does have a place. No, I'm talking about where he's where he's where he's going to conduct business. He has to provide that with the application.

It's parked right now. So before it can become active, it he has to have that done. Yes. I I would I would request if Mia could read the actual statute. So maybe it would make a little more sense. I'm I may not. I just And I'm not opposed to transferring it. I just want to make sure that we're doing it correctly. I want to make sure that you've submitted everything correctly so you don't have any hiccups going forward and we don't get in trouble for approving something that we don't have complete and full information for. So that makes sense to you. So I don't know if Mia can read the the statute so that we understand. Do you have that there, Miss Harris?

Yes, your honor. Uh Wyoming statute 124102, application for license and permits, contents, signature, and verification. A any person desiring a license or permit authorized by this title shall apply to the appropriate licensing authority. The application shall be made under oath upon a form to be prepared by the attorney general and furnished to the licensing authority. The application shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the appropriate licensing authority and shall contain the following provisions. And this is section I where um Miss Johnson is referring the location of the license building in which the applicant will sell under the license if the building is not in existence at the time of application. If the building is not in existence, the location and an architect's drawing or suitable plans of the licensed building and premise to be licensed.

Tell me more about where the uh requirements in terms of a license being parked for a period of time come from. Is that just our own ordinance or is that state statute, Miss Harris?

Well, I I believe it's interpreted under state statute 124102 and and Mr. Humphre has disclosed that the location of the license building in which the applicant will sell under the license. It says if the building is not in existence at the time of application and I'm thinking that this because he has provided an address where the license will be parked that that is the address that is sufficing. We're transferring it to that location and the building currently does exist. Um, I did speak with the compliance manager for the Wyoming Liquor Division today and he did certify the application as complete and did not require requesting uh if a building is not in existence, he didn't require um architectural drawings. And I think the reason behind that is because Mr. Humphre applied for location of a license at a building that currently exists. That would be my interpretation and I'd certainly defer to Mr. Butterfield as well. So, with the idea that if there were going to be any alcohol sold, I mean, um, would you have permission from your from the person you're leasing the building from to actually sell alcohol there if you needed to?

You know, I'm not too sure, [clears throat] your honor. Weird question. I know. Yeah. The lease specifically has to say that it is approved for selling of alcohol for the lease to pass the muster for the license which the state checks. Good call. Thank you. Good point. You've got some experience in understanding that. So

your honor, if I may, um what you are approving tonight is a nonoperational license. So he does not have the authority to sell alcohol at that location because you were granting it as nonoperational. So typically what would happen in an instance like this is it is being approved as nonoperational until he can find a location at which point he is going to need to come back to the city of Riverton or to the city council and apply for a transfer of location moving it from its current nonoperational existence seeking approval for a new location and permission for to now move into an operational status. So with your approval tonight, you're not approving him to sell liquor at this location. Even though it specifies in the lease agreement that he can, you as a governing body are saying no, it is nonoperational at this time.

It's a little bit funny some of the things we do for state statute and to be in compliance with our laws that are saying you have to have a lease that says you can sell it there. We're not going to grant you the ability to do it because it's nonoperational. It's always fun, isn't it, Mr. It is. Any other discussion?

Can we do the approval contingent upon clarification of that state statute? So, we're protecting him and us in the process. Well, I guess what I'm hearing from Miss Harris, not that I'm saying I don't know if we can or can't, but what I'm hearing from Miss Harris is the liquor division is saying we're okay. Well, I just gave it to her tonight, so I would like clarification from the state that that that we're interpreting that correctly.

And I hear you on that. We could do that. And if we wanted to do that, we could um table this and come back to it at our next meeting. However, that's a little bit odd because we're in a situation where today's the last day for the status for the bunkers. Is that correct? That's why I said with the contingency of interpretation of that

the state approving the license means it meets all the specifications call for the question that state statute reference local authority not state call for the question. All right. Um all in favor of passage of uh the transfer as we have indicated um say I I any oppose say nay. I vote I abstain from that vote until or do I have to? I don't think you have to vote. You I'm gonna abain from that vote. Noted as not voting. That's fine.

Thank you. Okay. Um, I vote I. Motion passes. Thank you, Mr. Humphre. Thank you, council. Mayor, good luck. If there's a hope, we can get something figured out soon. We don't want this to just be sitting nonoperational. I mean, to try to get going within the year. I mean, we only have so much wiggle room. I think we're only able to do the one extension. Yeah. So, after this, if there's any other issues, um I think the license would just cease to exist. Okay. Appreciate it. Good luck to you both.

I drive by your house often, by the way. I was looking at the address and I was like, "Oh, I know that house." [laughter] Silly thing, but anytime I look at addresses in the report, I look them up because this one I didn't even really have to look up. You've been by there a couple of times. I've been by there many times. You have, too. I have. Back in the day. He used to be my backdoor neighbor, [clears throat] your honor. In the day. Can I move to take a small break, please? Sure. Yeah, let's do that. Um, we're at 10:19. 5 minutes sufficient. That's perfect.

We'll take a five minute recess and then we'll come back for more riveting discussion. Ordinance 25009. So, we are in recess at 10:19 until 10:25. Would ask everyone to be in their seats at 10:25. This one says,

"All right, we're back in session at 10:26. Thank you everyone for getting back. I was chatting about uh just how delicious these uh uh desserts are." All right, our next item, third and final reading, liquor license violation point system, Ordinance 25009. Mr. Butterfield, if you could give us your report.

Thank you, your honor. We've been through this proposed ordinance several times, so I'll try to be a little bit more brief tonight. But essentially before you is an opportunity to make a revision in how the city council um is able to handle violations against um statute and municipal code as it relates to holding a liquor license. Currently, our ordinance is set up that when there is a conviction of a violation, so if um an agent or employee of a liquor license holder violates any of the municipal ordinances or state statute as it relates to their license and there's a conviction as it relates to that violation, the court notifies the city clerk. The city clerk then notifies the liquor license holder and requests that um and I'll I'll use the correct terminology here. Excuse me asking for a time frame to mitigate the violation. So, when there's a violation and there's a conviction in court related to that violation, after a citation is issued, the city clerk notifies the liquor license holder and then asks for a reasonable time frame to mitigate the violation. If the license holder fails to mitigate the violation, city clerk notifies the city council. At that point, the city council has a right to hold a hearing with the license holder and ascribe penalties to the license holder as it relates to the convicted violation and the failure to mitigate the violation.

The current ordinance also um has a time period of three years that the city council can take action on any of these convicted violations as notified by the court to the city clerk, city clerk to the license holder, and then also the city clerk to you as the governing body. So, I hope that helps clarify what your current ordinance empowers you to do and how it helps address violations that occur um as it relates to a liquor license holder or their agents. What's proposed tonight is a slight change in an attempt following direction of the city council following a work session to quantify the process as it relates to ascribing penalties for these convicted violations. The change really comes into play when there is a citation issued and the license holder or their agent has opportunity to um go before the court and if the court determines guilt and convicts the individual or the license holder, the court notifies the city clerk. That process is the same. The city clerk then notifies the license holder of the convicted violation. But the change now is that you have a point system established against the already established violations for someone who holds a liquor license. Once the city clerk notifies the license holder of the conviction and the potential attribution of points and penalty, the liquor license holder um has opportunity within a certain time frame to request a public hearing before

the attribution of points. The public hearing is conducted by a third-party hearing officer appointed by the city administrator and after second reading the ordinance has been changed so that the fees related to the requested hearing are in essence borne by the city of Riverton. The new language in your ordinance states that the cost of the hearing examiner shall be paid by the city unless the points assessed against the license are upheld by the hearing examiner in which case the lency shall pay the cost of the hearing examiner up to $250 with the city of Riverton paying any costs over $250. That change now in place following second reading. The ordinance continues the process where the hearing examiner has opportunity really to do three things. And I'll just reference that briefly. After the hearing examiner holds the hearing that is in line with administrative law, the hearing examiner can order an either, excuse me, order no assessment of points against the lency's license and no penalty. The hearing examiner can also order the assessment of points against the liquor license liquor lency's license and issue a warning fine or suspension as outlined in this proposed ordinance. The hearing examiner also has the opportunity to order the assessment of points but also order no penalty

based on the mitigation of the violation by the lency. With that order, the hearing examiner is required to prepare a findings of fact and conclusion of law and submit that both to the city and the license holder. If the license holder is still um unsatisfied with the outcome of the first remember the conviction potential attribution of points and then if they choose the ruling of the hearing examiner they still have opportunity to to appeal the ruling of the hearing examiner to you the governing body. If that um is the case, you as the governing body have the opportunity to determine if the hearing examiner's action is arbitrary, capriccious, or otherwise not in accordance with law, without observance of the procedure required by law, or unsupported by substantial evidence as it relates to the points in the proposed ordinance. What this uh brings forward is the attribution of values against already existing violations. This table of violations was adopted by the city council in 2019. There's no change to what was adopted by the council in 2019. There's only the attribution of a point value to the violations that are either in municipal code or state statute. As it relates to the penalties that are associated with the acrual of points, the proposed ordinance brings forward the following. 25 points in a 12-month period shall receive a $250 fine. 50 points in a

12-month period shall receive a $500 fine. 75 points in a 12-month period shall have the license suspended for not more than three days. 100 points in a 12-month period shall have the license suspended for not more than five days. And then it declares a gross violation. That's a term consistent with state statute where um the council has opportunity or through this ordinance opportunity to declare a gross violation of the lency wherein the city council can recommend the city attorney file with the court for a revocation of the lency's license. The city council does not have authority to revoke a liquor license. That can only happen through the court or through the liquor division. And that's as allowed in state statute. I think it's important to note that the points and the potential penalties ascribed with the points or associated with the points only acrew for a 12-month period. They refresh or don't carry over, I should say, to the next 12-month period. So, a liquor license holder has an opportunity to start fresh is a better way to say it, every 12 months. Your current ordinance carries things for three years. So, that the proposed ordinance has a shorter time period for the attribution of points and the potential penalty for the um requested accountability that the council brought forward in its October work session. I believe that's a brief rundown that accurately portrays this proposed ordinance and [cough] happy to stand for any questions. You, as a council, obviously have opportunity to make any changes or amendments as you see fit as you consider this on third reading. Thank you, your honor.

Thank you, sir. Uh, Miss Harris, if you could please read ordinance 25009 by title only. Yes, your honor. Ordinance number 25-00009 an ordinance amending title 5 business licenses and regulations chapter 5.04 alcoholic beverages section 5.04.180 revocation suspension of a license or permit violations and penalties of the Riverton Municipal Code and repealing all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict therewith and providing for an effective date. I'd entertain a motion to adopt ordinance 25009 on third and final reading. So moved.

Second. Councilman Barailey with the motion. Councilwoman Johnson with the second. Discussion amendments or otherwise. Um, your honor, I again I'm getting messages that the live streams not again. Well, I'm glad people are enjoying it, Miss Harris. Do we have any idea of uh reaching out to it now? Thank you. Sorry. Oh, it's just glad we have people watching.

Your honor, Mr. Bailey. Um, I've gone through this pretty thoroughly and consulted with you also, just so everybody knows. Um, I've got I I guess to start off, I think what we're trying to accomplish is a way to keep track of the people that are not following the rules. And basically selling to minors, selling to intoxicated people, selling, you know, I mean, that's the biggie. Um, I don't know that this really is designed, you know, to punish somebody for not hanging their license on the wall correctly or things like that. So, my amendment, my proposed amendment would be as follows. So, I would move to amend on the page eight of our packet item D, which is violation chart and point schedule. Um, I would suggest that we eliminate number two, number four, number 7, number 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, and 19. leaving number one and changing the point value to 10 points. Number three, changing the point value to 60 points. Number five, changing the point value to 10. Number six, changing the point value to 40. Number eight, changing the point value to 40. Number nine, changing the point value to

20. Number 14, changing the point value to 20. Point. Number 15, changing the point value to 40. All right. Just in Do you want to Are there other changes? Let me clarify what we've got so far. So, the motion and you still have more in the motion. We'll get there

is to remove two, that's the failure to notify of changes in corporate and limited liability company information. Four, failure to post liquor license. Seven, drive-in area conditions. 10, gambling or other prohibited acts. 11, failing to obtain a limited use permit for sexually oriented events. 12, limited retail liquor license. 13, failure to pay sales tax. 16, manufacturing, rectifying or sale. 17, furnishing to a minor by allowing an employee under the age of 18 years to serve alcohol. 18, failing to comply with regulations. 19, failing to maintain operational status. So that that would have 136 89 14 and 15 left with the point values as you've indicated. Is that correct?

Correct. Okay. And you said there's more to the motion. All right. Then on section I which is the penalties change number one to 20 points, number two to 40 points, number three to 60 points, number four to 80 points, and change number five to say that the license um let's see for a L E to have its license suspended three times. change that to two. Okay. So, when is 20? Your honor, could we just go through that a little bit more slowly? And we're trying to track this live as well. Okay.

Got it. So, on on item I which was on page 11 of the packet, sub item one from 25 to 20 points. Item number two from 50 to 40 points. Number three from 75 to 60 points. Number four from 100 to 80 points. And number five on the third line changed three times to two times.

So it's it's a gross violation. Rather than having to have three suspensions, it would be two suspensions in a 12-month period. Okay. Anything else? Just a point of clarity. You're talking about changing the the the point value the point value for the violations and then just the response the responses after x number of points. So but but then just a zero number of points for the other regulations that are listed not include those violations in this at all.

So how do we I'm sorry I just need clarification. So, how do you how do you pick and choose which regulations we're going to enforce and the ones that we aren't? Okay, hold on just a second. Your honor, far down the road. Just for point of order, I I I'm I'm sorry. I got a little behind. We 20 40 60 80. Mr. 20 40 60. Yes, sir. And then 80. And then for five, it's two. Two instead of three. Thank you. Okay. And then before we have further discussion on the motion, was that in full then, Mr. Bailey?

That's what I had. Okay. So, that's the motion. Do we have a second on the motion to second? We have a second by Councilman. [clears throat] Okay. Now, Councilwoman Johnson, I'm just looking for clarification. So you want to assess points only to the major violations and you just want to get rid of the points for the not they're still enforcable just not a point value assessed to them. Right. Correct. Okay. I don't think the law Yeah. Okay. It's still a violation and I suppose you could be cited for not hanging your license on the wall but I don't think that's something we want to keep track of that we're going to suspend somebody's license for.

And so my apologies. Which ones did you want to get rid of the the point value on again? Um, two, four. I'm just I had to write it down. You're good. [laughter] I was listening and not writing. Sorry. Yeah. 2 4 7 10 11 12 13. I'm checking against the ones. 16 17 18 19. those two. So, is the proposal then they would just be removed from the table completely?

Well, I'm I'm good with that or or no points. It's really the same thing. Um, I I guess I think [clears throat] the city would more than have the authority to write somebody, you know, a warning that they haven't got their license posted, but I don't know that we want to have it be so egregious that that's something we're going to use to re, you know, to suspend or revoke somebody's license. I think the ones that I've left in those eight are the egregious ones that what I consider, you know, selling to a minor, selling after hours when you're not supposed to, all of that kind of stuff. Transferring a license,

transferring a license without permission, which means you're totally violating you're selling without a license. Well, it'd be completely void from the get-go, right? So, okay. Any other discussion on the Okay. So then you're saying you could see it going either removing the point values on it and just having them listed there which I think maybe would create a little bit of confusion or just if if they were removed altogether it's still a violation of law still a violation of law it's still in statute some and still could be considered in terms of renewal it just would not necessarily lead to suspension right that could make sense

and and you know originally I was sort of against this alto together. But I think looking at it from the point of view of okay, we have a bad actor, which again 99% of the people do the job, do what they're supposed to, follow the rules, all that. You know, in this, you know, one out of a 100 case that you find that this person is just totally not paying attention. us as city council don't really have a remedy to go you're being bad and you're being good short of a citation from for them. Okay. So for us to get to a point where we say okay we're going to turn into the district court

and revoke their license or renew and let them appeal our renewal to district court. We have to have a score pad. And so that's why I I think these eight items encompass the things that I feel are the most important. Some of the other ones I think are covered by other areas of law. If you don't pay your sales tax, the state's going to come after you. I don't know that, you know, whether I'm selling donuts in a doughnut shop or selling liquor, if I don't pay my sales tax, I'm going to have somebody knocking on my door. So I don't know that we need to rehash that. So that's why I picked those eight.

Well, and those are the things that we've expressed as we've been trying to talk about modifying and and address some of the issues that we've been seeing in the community. Right. Those are the things that we've expressed concern over. Uh any other discussion on the amendment? Your honor. Sorry, it's getting late. But I kind of like the idea of leaving those on there, but just zero points. That way it's still listed in the table in terms of expectations and that sort of thing. Mhm.

just would not necessarily. And one of the things that as I was looking at this and thinking about it, I was like, all of these are creating all 19 19 of the original ones are creating an obligation on MIA, no matter how small. Mhm. To then send a letter to the liquor license holder and say, "Hey, you received word that you've been charged with this and you're going to be assessed these points. This is drastically shrinking that list from 19 down to how many did you say? Eight. Eight. [clears throat] So you But you would say leave them there. Just don't have points there. Just no points assessed. No value in there.

Violation chart says the number of points specified below will be acquired by a lency as a result of a conviction. I guess where that would create some issues, a little bit of confusion there, but well, it would just show zero point value, but it would still list the statute as a requirement. I see what you're saying. So, it's it's tangible. It's still we can't say, well, this is a law, but it's not in our table. I see what you're saying. So, it's all just not points, right? your honor. Yes, ma'am.

Um [snorts] I I would agree with Mr. Balan all of them except for number 17 and that is in respect to the next two um considerations of ordinance. It we have servers in different capacities. I'd like to keep that one on there. So that's the furnishing to a minor. Yeah. And I I read this statute and it was a little bit even the statute was weird. Even a smaller point system I would be okay with, but I would prefer to keep that on there. And your honor, go ahead.

Number nine already covers that. So if you look, there's a lot of these that are sort of duplications a little bit. So again, if an underage person in a licensed building were not allowed by law, I think that

covers the underage person. I think that the 17 is not referring necessarily to the underage person. Like for example, the one that was just cited last week for being in a bar underage with a false ID, that person was actually cited. I don't believe the business was cited. Um, but as it relates to the the next two items on our if we're going to be serving food and we're talking about that next, I think that just covers any server in that situation. Okay. So, but all of all the other ones I would agree to.

Um, furnishing to a minor by allowing an employee under the age of 18 to serve alcohol to customers. So 126101E says the prohibitions against possession of alcoholic liquor malt beverages by a person under the age of 21 shall not apply when the person is making a delivery pursuant to his employment. So if you theoretically had someone who is under the age of 21 and they are delivering and this sounds like a delivery not like you're in a an area serving

when the person is serving alcoholic liquor or malt beverages pursuant to his employment in a restaurant which holds a license to serve alcoholic liquor or malt beverages if the person is at least 18 years of age. So, I see what you're saying is this 17 is saying if you're under 18 and you're allowing someone under the age of 18 to serve alcohol to customers, this isn't 21, this is 18, right? Then that would be a violation. Okay, I see what you're saying. And I'm and I'm just I'm I'm comparing that to places like Pizza Hut, Rusty Truck, all those places where they actually have younger servers at times. They're not mixing. They're just

They're not mixing. They're just serving. Right. And but that's allowed in statute for them to be 18 or above. But if they hire somebody who's 17 is what I'm saying. And they're they're serving. Understand? But if they serve to somebody that's not covered under number eight already, that's why I want to keep it on there. And and I'm topic. It's I just was trying to get rid of the redundancy that's sort of included in there. But I think what she's saying though is that this is talking about somebody if they're going to be under 21 serving alcohol, not mixing, serving. Correct. Then they have to be and and I've had to read this more than once because it's just a

I've read it three times and I'm still confused, but they would have to be 18 to do it. And we're saying you get points if you're [clears throat] under 18 and you're doing that. the person would get points. Your honor, I think the clearest way to say is just what you said. If a liquor license holder employed a a 17-year-old and that 17-year-old was then allowed to serve alcohol, that's in direct violation because the statute says you have to be at least 18, right? This is saying if you're under 18, the statute also clarifies it has to be a restaurant as well. Yeah. Not a package liquor. Yeah. Package liquor can't have somebody 18 years old. Correct. So, I guess

which which I I it's state statute, so I guess but I have a problem with that even. Okay. So, if the 18-year-old can carry it, but they can't consume it. Well, that gets a little tricky. It does. Okay. Well, let's just real quick with this uh amendment and then we can talk about that one. Not to belver the point, but uh if nine includes 126101 card block in its entirety, doesn't that negate the need for 17 because it's subsection E?

Yeah, I guess and and I see what you're saying. You're right. We're already referencing the entire 126101, so we don't need to reference or Yeah, but that's I like the cleanness of non-duplication of statute. Well, and I think that's a good point

because it it's it's already illegal. We know it's illegal. We've referenced 126, 101, and 9. That covers all underage. Don't do that. Here's what I could actually say that would be the cleanest way to do this and it would get what Councilwoman Johnson wants and it would get what Councilman Bailey wants and what you want would be. You're right. It says 126101. 126101 includes A CDE EF. I think that's just goes to F. I need to read it again.

Um, if you said rather than just un underage person in licensed building, you could just say underage person serving or in license building and it would address that issue where we're saying be serving you're underage. We're not saying under 21. We're saying underage. Yes. Which in that context is 18 which in that context is 18 or it could be 21 or 21. Right. And that's an easy way just to say if you're violating I mean heck you could just put as nine any violation of 1261. I mean, you could probably do that, but that'd be a way we can keep it from being too complicated. I'd agree with that. Yep.

Okay. So, let's let's do the vote on what we have now. If that passes, then we would do the other amendment just so we're not muddying the waters too much. So, if we're done with discussion on that amendment, all in favor of passage of the amendment, as has been very clearly provided on the computer by Mr. Butterfield, I can't see that far very well, and it's just Thank you, Mr. Butterfield. [laughter] Would Would you like to go through them or is is the council clear on on what is there? I think we all took notes about the third time we listed the numbers. So all in favor say I. I.

Any oppose say nay. I vote I. Motion passes. Now your honor. We have a motion for another amendment. Yes sir. And I'm sorry just for clarification purposes was the intention of that motion to remove the struck items from the table or to ascribe uh zero zero points. Um I think as the motion was made it wasn't clear. So, as we are talking about another amendment here, we could discuss that. We have a motion for further amendments.

I'll move I'll move to make the amendment to put a zero point. That's where we're going with that to strike those ones that we uh previously spoke about. And then amend number nine to include all of Wyoming State Statute 126101. Okay. So, it just would be violations of Wyoming State Statute 126101. Yes, that'd be easy enough. Do we want to keep the reference there to 5.0430C or 125201 as well? I would I would I don't think I would remove that. I would just add the 126101 as a whole.

Okay. Is that clear enough, Mr. Butterfield? I let me just Yeah, I think so. So I understand the intent but as we look at the language I just want to make sure we we meet the intention of the council. So currently the reference uh for 9 does have 126 101 in its entirety. The verbiage states underage person and I did add serving or based on the previous discussion in serving or in a licensed building were not allowed by laws. Is that what you're hoping to have? Sounds good. I think that encompasses everything and 126101's actually already on there. Yeah. So that'd be right. So I would just add add service. Okay. On there and that would be suffice.

Perfect. Okay. Um sounds good. So the motion as I understand it is to have all those other ones to be zero points and then [snorts] uh add serving or to nine. She did. Yeah. And that's the motion. Do we have a second for that motion? Second. All right. We have a motion by Councilwoman Johnson, second by Councilman Bailey. Further discussion. All in favor say I. I. I.

Any oppose? Say nay. I vote I. Motion passes. I know we have some folks here that uh have a vested interest, I would say, in this. I know we've kind of gone through some changes on third reading. I don't know. I know that we've already had our public hearing, but if you had anything to say and wanted to chime in now, all of the changes for every liquor license. I think this is something that probably especially with every meeting.

I hear you. I know. We'll make sure that if you want a copy for of this, we'll make sure you get it. And there's no I I have no problem saying we'd get a copy of this to each of our liquor license holders whether it's a restaurant or not because it applies just as much to you as a restaurant. So we'll get that. Your honor, Mr. Delgado, did you have

good deal? and your concern is confusion because we've had three readings and there's been changes every time. I hear you. We'll make sure this gets out. We don't want anyone coming back and saying, "I didn't know." Right. Your honor, if I could make a suggestion that we have this available with the new license applications, that could be a way to go. That's already been sent out though. That was sent out. Oh, have they been provided to all the lences? Okay. if that's not too much of a [clears throat] burden. Thank you, ma'am. This is why we call her the amazing master,

the 15-year veteran, which I'm just going to keep. [laughter] Okay. Any other discussion? [clears throat] This is a lot faster than I thought it would. I'm not going to lie. Your honor, you're welcome. I would only recommend putting all the zero points at the bottom of the list. Okay. So reorder it so that the points are at the top and then the zero points are at the bottom are easy. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's just that's a good idea. I think that's easy and I don't know if we'd need a motion for that. I mean they're all listed. I think just reordering the list is not scribers.

Yeah, your honor. I do I would like to just say something. Um, I appreciate the time and the effort that's gone into this and I do appreciate um Mike's efforts on this. I voted um yes the last two times. Um uh my issue with the point system I I really do appreciate it. Um but it doesn't create enforcement. I I do like it. I think it's great, but um it's a tracking mechanism that only works after violations have already happened. So, you know, and only if those violations are actually documented and acted on in the first place. So, if the enforcement isn't um happening consistently now, a point system isn't going to fix that. So this is great and everything, but um I really want to encourage that uh we we have some accountability in our police force. Maybe that uh that that they are accountable and not our bar owners for for this that we're not putting shifting responsibility on them. that we're putting the responsibility in the correct place and that the accountability is in the correct place here and that it's not on us either. You know, we can do this on our part, but I want to make sure that it's in the right place.

Okay. I um I hear you and and I would agree. I you know we can make all these wonderful ordinances and we can put them on bronze plaques and put them in the hall at city hall and if we don't get out and enforce them they are worthless. And so I think we need to come up with some kind of plan that we are doing sting operations to make sure people aren't selling to minors that we're doing. You know, I don't know if we have such a thing as undercover kind of thing, but I think we need to be checking having people hanging out in bars occasionally, which is weird paying people to hang out in bars. But um but I you know I think we need to be checking to make sure that the people are doing what they're supposed to and you know the general public needs to be when they see something wrong they need to be calling the police so they get a hint that XYZ bar is serving to minors for example because the police can't be everywhere at all times

you know and I've brought this up before I mean I get people come up to me and go well I seen a guy breaking into somebody's house and I'm did you called the police and they went, "No, I didn't think they'd come." Well, what you know, they can't be omnipresent in the entire city of Riverton at all times. You know, we got an officer parked outside of Elizabeth Street full-time. Well, that means they can't be checking and making sure nobody's selling to people they're not supposed to in a bar. So, you know, this it all has to be all of us working together. And the public's got to be giving input to the police when they see something going wrong on any item, not just alcohol. And if the bar owners are having trouble with a certain person, they need to call and the police can come in and do what they can do. And so, you know, we all have to do do this together to accomplish cleaning up the city of Riverton with the alcoholism problem, but yet living everybody else the freedom to act responsibly and do what they're supposed to do. So,

well, that's a good point. We don't want to We're not talking about prohibition, right?

We're talking about things that are already a part of our code and making it a little bit clearer. And and I agree with with both sentiments. I I think it makes no sense to have an ordinance if it's not going to be enforced. One of my hopes and one of the reasons I've been in support of this ordinance from the beginning is vague or difficult to understand ordinances make it very hard for police officers to enforce. It makes it very hard for Mia to know exactly, you know, how would she know that she's supposed to be sending out these notices and what the what the consequences are going to be if it's not clear. I think the council has been very clear in terms of its directive, its direction that we're trying to give to the police department, which is we want to make sure there's enforcement. I think that's been pretty clear and I think the council has kind of been clear on that in terms of we want to make sure that there's enforcement of these requirements and that we're taking it seriously. So I I appreciate that.

I just want to reiterate it when this was originally brought to the table, the first purpose of it was to hold ourselves accountable. It wasn't accountability to the license holders. This was accountability to ourselves. And it is a step in the ladder of dealing with the issues that we're seeing. And we have to start somewhere and we have to start in small steps and hopefully we'll see some positive progress in it. But that was the whole purpose of the point system to begin with is to hold ourselves accountable with actual data to be able to reference.

All right, your honor. Yes, sir.

I really appreciate your your work on this as a council. We appreciate your feedback. Um, when we had the work session on this item, it was brought up several times by the council that you do want quantifiable information when you're [clears throat] considering a renewal. So as uh we worked through this ordinance, it was first proposed that we bring the points system forward so that you can then have that as a quantifiable metric to consider the renewal process and also to have that accountability that you just referenced on on both sides. Um, with the changes that were just approved, I imagine it's still the intention of the council for staff to report back to you if there is a license that's up for renewal. That um, if we just take number seven here that's up on the screen that doesn't meet the statutory requirements of having the well-lit area and other uh, non-obstructions of view when it comes to a drive-in. I imagine you want that information to still come forward. um because that was the spirit of the work session

because you you wanted us to provide you information to help you consider whether or not a license holder should be renewed or not. And similarly, the failure to pay sales tax, that's actually something that's in statute. Um if the license holder doesn't pay sales tax and it's not remediated in 60 days, then uh the liquor division actually stops providing them alcohol. The statute also says that at that time if they haven't paid and the liquor division stops providing them alcohol then you as a council can take action against their license. So if if we are notified that a license holder isn't paying their sales tax. Is that something that you want to get involved in or would you rather let natural consequences with the state handle it?

I think it makes sense that we're notified. I think that part of the purpose of this whole list is that these are things we want to know about and I think part of the purpose of leaving it there even though it says zero points is these are things we want to be able to make decisions with just not have it be a process of the suspension or revocation. Okay. So, if I'm hearing correctly, what we'll do internally is we'll track um these won't be convictions in court per se, but we will track administratively when there are issues um similar to some of these that are struck out. So we can communicate that to you at a time of renewal. I think that'd be good,

your honor. I mean, I would envision it being like writing a warning and saying, "Okay, you got 30 days to get this lighting fixed or hang your license on the wall or get your sales packs up to date." Which gives them notice that they're doing something that's not within the rules, but yet it doesn't include this entire bureaucratic big old mess that selling to minors should cause. Very good. I think we're clear. Thank you. Yeah. So, all right. Uh, any other discussion? Your honor, do we need a roll call vote for the third? We do. That's where I was going to go. Okay.

Um, Miss Harris, could you please conduct a roll call vote on the passage of ordinance 25009 on the third and final reading as amended? Yes, your honor. Council member Karen Johnson. Yes. Council member Kyle Larson. Yes. Council member Carla Borders. I, Council Member Mike Bailey. Hi, Council Member Rebecca Brothers. Yes, Council Member Eric Carr. Hi, Mayor Tim Hancock. Yay. [laughter] It was late. I had to I had to mix it up to make sure we were all still The yes, the the vote is yes. I just All votes in the

We had to get a jab in because I used to say yay. She did it to me every once in a while when we were on the council together. [laughter] Yay. All right. Um, motion passes. Uh, thank you everyone and and I appreciate how much this has been discussed and cussed and uh very much appreciate feedback from our liquor license holders and uh we'll continue to hear that and try to work as best we can. All right. Uh, ordinance 26001, first reading, underage persons and bars, title five. Miss Harris, if you could give us your report, please.

Thank you, your honor. Um, I believe this ordinance is um in alignment with your discussion regarding ambiguity in our code. Um, we did have a work session uh back in October and this ordinance was also a result of the discussions from from that work session. So, title five of the code regulates the sale and service of alcohol and malt beverages within the city. Um, current code provisions address when people under the age of 21 may be permitted to enter or remain in licensed establishments. However, the code does not clearly define all of the terms in those provisions and consistently describe the conditions under which minors are allowed. Um, specifically, while the code references the operation of a commercial kitchen and relies on revenue-based criteria, the absence of a definition for commercial kitchen and the structure of the existing provisions have created ambiguity as to whether underage persons are permitted in certain licensed establishments and under what conditions. This has resulted in inconsistent interpretation and force enforcement among lences and staff. The proposed amendments are intended to clearly to clarify existing policy, define key terms, and more clearly outline circumstances under which persons under 21 may be present in licensed premises. So, we address this ordinance in two ways. Um, the first thing is that we've added um a definition of a commercial kitchen. The definition clarifies that a qualified qualifying kitchen must be a fixed food preparation area equipped and permitted pursuant to applicable and local health regulations and open and actively used for the preparation and service of meals to the public during hours which persons under age 21 are permitted on their premise. So this aligns with state health regulations and provides a clear

objective standards for licenses and for enforcement for staff. Um we also clarified underage access provisions and we are proposing an amendment to section 5.04.020 to reorganize and clarify circumstances under which persons under age 21 may remain in licensed establishments. So the amendments clearly identify qualifying establishments and revenue requirements, specify conditions that must be met when underage persons are present, including supervision, seating restrictions and time limitations, and clarify that underage persons must vacate the building if the commercial kitchen ceases operation, food service ends for the day, or revenue requirements are no longer satisfied. And I want to refer to the uh to the language that's proposed in the ordinance. Um, a commercial kitchen by definition, and this is the proposal, means a food preparation area equipped and permitted pursuant to applicable state and local regulations, including facilities for cooking, refrigeration, and sanitation, and which is open and actively used for the preparation and service of meals to the public during hours when persons under the age of 21 are permitted in licensed premises,

which is before 10:00. Just to clarify, per G4, right?

So per G4, the recommendations, yes, your your honor, persons under the age of 21 permitted to enter or remain in a license premise pursuant to subsection F1 and two F2 shall not be seated or permitted to remain in the bar or designated at excuse me, remain at the bar or designated dispensing areas. So, what we're saying is if we're going to allow minors in the bar where there's a commercial kitchen and a food menu and they are open and active in operation, they can be in there, but they are not allowed to sit at the bar or in the dispensing area. They must remain in a designated dining area or other area specifically designated for the sale or consumption of non-alcohol-related products and be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian if the person is a minor under the age of 18 and vacate the license premise before or at 10 p.m. And then uh item H is also added indicating that persons under the age of 21 shall not be permitted to enter or remain in a license premise pursuant to section F once an establishment ends food service from its regular menu, ceases to operate its commercial kitchen or no longer satisfies the revenue requirements of subsection F2. Um the revenue requirements are very similar to what is in um the code p per um related to restaurant licenses. um that they operate a commercial kitchen and actively serve food. And that for revenue that the establishment shows a breakdown of gross sales from a profit and loss statement audited by a recognized public accountant, indicating that not less than 60% of gross sales from the preceding 12 months of operation was derived from food service and other non-alcoholic products. And back in um 2017 um the Wyoming state

legislature approved changes to our liquor code where back then we were able to allow minors in establishments in um in in the buildings because we had spec items specifying the alcohol serving location. They've removed that from code and it's now licensed building instead of a licensed room. And so I think that's what's complicated our code a little bit, which we did update our code in 2017, but there was still some um confusion as to what specific places miners were supposed to be in, if anything at all. If you consider a licensed building, we have a few establishments that have commercial kitchens, but they are also bars and they're not restaurants. And so I think that's what we're seeking clarity on tonight. So I would stand for questions that you may have regarding this. Okay. Um,

your honor. Yes, sir. I guess I guess for Mia probably. So, in the example of a bar that serves food, but it does not meet the 60% qualifying spot. Nobody under 21 can be in there. Period. Correct. No. No. That is only um So, yes, they can be. So, again, they they have to be they can't be seated at the bar. They need to sit in specifically designated areas. They must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and leave the premise before or at 10 p.m. And as long as they're operating a commercial kitchen, they can be in there.

But that's okay. I just want to be clarify here in the in the example of a bar that has a commercial kitchen that does not have 60% or greater of its sales come from something other than alcohol. Can a minor under this code enter into that bar? Yes. And I think that's where the confusion lies. There's two different factors when minors were proposing minors to be allowed in a bar. The minors I should say persons under the age of 21. No. Yes. We'll call them.

So, there's two certain circumstances. One of them is if it's a bar and they're operating a commercial kitchen and they meet all the other terms and conditions. The other one is if they're not a bar, but they're a licensed retail liquor holder, but they sell other product other than food. That's when that 6040 percentage is going to need to come in. So, if we're thinking about and and if you'll remember, um Miss Cox came to the council meeting and she's proposing a retail um establishment, but she doesn't have a commercial kitchen. That's not their primary um source of their revenue. It's going to be from the sale of product that they're serving or that they're selling, but they also want to be able to offer me or alcohol. So, they wouldn't fall under the conditions of operating a commercial kitchen because they don't have one. That's when they're going to be able to they're going to have to prove that their primary source of revenue comes from something other than the sale of alcohol. And that's where the 6040 um percentages come into play.

And so that's going to be so food is not the 60% thing. Correct. But to be a to have a restaurant liquor license, you have to show that you're selling more than 60% food, don't you? Yes, your honor. You do, but this is this is pertaining to retail license holders. Okay. So, it's only retail. We're not talking about bar and grill. I forget the others, but there's there's restaurant and bar restaurants, bar and grills, clubs. There's all the Yes, this is specific to retail license holders only.

Okay. So, just to be clear, a retail license holder, the way you're reading in in the proposal here, and I know we're trying we're jumping the gun a little bit. We don't even have a motion to pass it yet, but a retail license holder who has a commercial kitchen under what you're proposing here would be allowed as long as they have a commercial kitchen to have minors there until 10 p.m. So long as they are not seated at the bar, they remain in designated dining areas and they're accompanied by a parent or legal guardian if they're under the age of 18 and they vacate before 10 p.m. Correct.

And they're only allowed there while the commercial kitchen is. In other words, that the commercial kitchen couldn't be open at two, but then the minor comes over there at at 8:00 and stays there until 10, even though the commercial kitchen isn't operating at that time. Your honor, the proposed ordinance would state that the the kitchen must be open and operating and actively serving food at the time the minor at the time the minor is in the bar and they must vacate the premise by 10 p.m. Okay. What other reason would he be there? Well, that's the that's the point, right? He's going to be consuming food but not alcohol, right?

And if the kitchen's not operating, out of here. Okay. All right. Let's let's get through the typical stuff and then get into more discussion. So, [clears throat] please read ordinance 25 or 260001. We're in the new year by title only. Miss Harris,

proposed ordinance number 26-001 and ordinance amending title 5 business licenses and regulations chapter 5.04 alcoholic beverages section 5.04.010 definitions and section 5.0420 04020 sales established generally of the Riverton Municipal Code and repealing all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict therewith and providing for an effective date. Start with a public hearing. I entertain a motion to open a public hearing. So moved. Second. Councilman Bailey with a motion. Councilman Bar again. Second. We'll say it's Councilwoman Brothers this time. All in favor say I.

I. I. Any oppose? Say nay. I vote I. Motion passes. Declare the public hearing open. Anyone in the audience who wishes to address the council on this item is welcome to come forward and approach the podium. Identify yourself for the record. Mr. Delgado. Yes. Um, mayor and city council. The only question I have is from a practical point of view is that the ordinance I understand it. I read it. Makes sense to me. But I'm 21. My girlfriend's 18. She's in sitting on that side. Am I allowed to bring my beverage and sit with her in that section? No. To me, I don't think that there's anything that would restrict it. I think you're correct.

Okay. I just wanted to clarify that because, you know, a lot of times that's one way you can introduce your girlfriend who's a minor into the bar scene and that's okay if it's, you know, above board and everything and there is food there. So, there other things going on. I just wanted to clarify that because you're going to end up with a lot of people that are going to that segregated area there and they're going to have adult beverages. But as long as the council understands that and that's okay, then I understand this. But you can't sit at the bar with your girlfriend and have a pizza. No, it's funky there. It does. Thank you, Mr. Delgado. And you do not look like you're 21. [laughter] He was 21. He was

not that long ago. One boy. No more than 23. Any other uh comments from the public? Seeing none, your honor, I move we close the public hearing. Second. Councilman Bailey with the motion. Councilman Carr with the second to close the public hearing. All in favor say I. I. I. Any oppose say nay. Motion passes. It's 11:24 at night. I declare the public hearing closed. I would entertain a motion to adopt ordinance 260001 on first reading. So moved. Second. Motion by Councilman Larson, second by Councilwoman Borders. It's going to get um very interesting from here on out. Discussion, your honor.

Councilwoman Johnson. In regards to this ordinance in particular, 260001, um the only thing that I would amend is to strike the age that's associated with a commercial kitchen. If we're just defining what a commercial kitchen is, I don't see any reason to have an age on it other than just this is a commercial kitchen and its definition. Definition. Okay. So, we have a food preparation area equipped and permitted pursuant to blah blah blah blah blah and actively used for the preparation and service of meals to the public during hours. Just stop it at public.

Okay. So, I see why you're saying that because you're saying other areas there. We're talking about we're just defining what a commercial kitchen is. It gets a little confusing. Well, okay. McDonald's is a commercial kitchen, right? Even if it But they don't serve liquor, but they're still a commercial kitchen and they're open till 10 and then they close and open up at 5. Does that make sense to you? Was that Would that create any issues with how you've got the I don't want to say scheme, but the the way the ordinance works there, Miss Harris? No, none. That's a good catch.

Okay. So, we have a motion to remove all the language after the word public in the definition of commercial kitchen. Is there a second to that? Motion to amend by Councilwoman Johnson, second [clears throat] by Councilman Bailey. Any other discussion on that amendment in particular? All in favor say I. I. Any oppose say nay. I vote I. Motion passes. Back on the main motion as amended. Thank you for the catch there. Any other discussion? Okay. I guess back to this whole Yeah, this is where I was going to

retail bar serving on premises as opposed to a bar and grill andor restaurant that serve food and alcohol. So to me like the example was given to us. I just think it's bad news for us to have under 21 people in a bar, a full-blown bar. I'm okay with a restaurant that serves alcohol having people under 21. They still are required to make sure they're not drinking if they're under 21. Um,

so and and I'm looking at this and saying except as provided in this section, nobody shall permit any person under the age of 21 to enter or remain in the licensed building, which is defined term in regards to a liquor license hold. Oh. So, so the question if if we're going to apply that all the way across all liquor license holders, that means it's for the bar and the bar and grill and the restaurant and everything. No, because when you're talking about a licensed building, if I'm not mistaken, that is basically saying we are talking about package like liquor dealers only. So,

I don't see we maybe we need to be more clear on the wording to say that only applies to them because Bar and Grill is licensing a building to operate the Bar and Grill in. So, it's they're a license holder and they have a building that they are applying to. Your honor, maybe

perhaps I can help clarify this a little bit. You need to go to the existing ordinance, not the proposed changes. So if you go on page 72 of the packet and you look at paragraph F, uh this is your existing language as it relates to when persons under 21 can be in in a in a bar person. So it says except as provided in this section, no lency or agent, employee or server thereof shall knowingly permit any person under the age of 21 years to enter or remain in the licensed building where alcoholic or malt beverages are dispensed in an establishment that provides adult entertain adult entertainment and or is primarily for on premises consumption where the primary source of revenue from the operation is from the sale of alcoholic or malt beverages.

That's specifically saying so that's a retail bar. It's a retail liquor license. It excludes all these other licenses that you're bringing up. It it basically implies retail. Okay. But it's saying though it says it shows a breakdown which shows that less than 60% was derived from s food service or other non-alcoholic products. Okay. Right. So then it also includes okay if you have a commercial kitchen because if if you were a bar and didn't have a commercial kitchen then they can't be in there either. Right. Correct. Unless they can show that 60% is from something besides liquor.

Right. So in a convenience store that has a liquor department then they could be in there in the convenience store. Well, but the law has been changed to where those areas don't have to be segregated. Now, your honor, I would bring up this is more for on premises consumption where I guess convenience stores off premises. Okay. And um an example that may help you um sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. You're you're fine.

An example is that we do have an establishment in town that operates as though they were a restaurant license, but they are a retail license. So they they run a restaurant, but they don't operate their liquor portion of their business under a restaurant license.

They do it [clears throat] under a retail license. And so when you look at the proposed language that that Miss Harris has brought forward for F1, that really helps that establishment where they have a retail license where it may be that the majority of their revenue comes from their bar, but um they also have a commercial kitchen. So now you're allowing miners to go in so long as they don't go in the areas as as it's already outlined. They're not sitting at the and it specifies consumption on promise pro premise. Correct. So, so the package liquor that has a store with it, the grocery store, you know, Smiths is not going to qualify under this because you don't

they don't have to worry about 18 and or don't have on premise, right? Because they're not consuming on premises. Okay, your honor, that's correct. And state statute actually regulates that. United States or off premises, you can go into an area like that at a convenience store if you have a parent or guardian with you. Yeah. Councilwoman Johnson,

I struggled with this proposal. I really did. I went back and forth. I read state statutes. I read the 2017 decision from Wyoming. I went into nearly every other municipality's ordinances to see how they handle these kind of situations. Um, two days I spent on this. Um, and I really wrestled with it. Uh, there there's a morality part of it that says, and I mean for me personally, I think it's completely wrong in every sense of the word to have a child in a bar for any reason. Um, but if the goal is to align our ordinances and get rid of of ambiguity,

ambiguity, thank you.

Um, and get rid of that, then I would say we need to align with the state in doing so. But the beauty of it is is that municipalities are given the authority to make stricter rules to it. So, if we are going to align with the state, then I would amend this and I and I I'll I'll make the move if if I need to, but there needs to be a clear separation between the bar and where minors are going to be. I think that that um would help law enforcement when they're doing uh compliance checks to say this person doesn't belong on this side of the wall. So they either need to have some kind of partition wall, glass, something that separates the dispensing area from the eating area. Number one. Um but number two, I think alto together this is you can't win or lose with this with this ordinance because no matter what you do, it's going to be wrong to somebody. And for kids that live with families that have alcohol abuse, um, this is a really poorer thing to to to try to push through because they're just going to be drugged into these bars and sit for hours while their parents sit there and get drunk. And I that's that's sad to me. I don't I don't think under any circumstances this should ever pass. I think that we should align our our ordinances with the state um but put tougher restrictions in place. So I guess what what and we don't have to have this tonight but what is your motion in terms of you

were saying you were wanting to modify it to have it be a clearly designated thereition or whatever

it has to be clearly defined the serving area versus or the the dispensing area versus the serving like um for instance um rusty There is a wall that separates the dining area from the actual bar where that's taking place. Um, holiday in it's in a separate room and then there's a food service area also. It's clearly defined where adults should be and where minors or underage individuals should be. And I think that if if we're going to align with the state on what the state actually sees as okay, um [clears throat] that we can insert some definitive something there

if um if you don't have the exact language that you want tonight, would it be fair enough to say we if this passes first reading that we come back at second reading with your proposed modifications in the language you would think would make sense? I think so. Yeah. Okay. I would I would in fact I would actually ask to table this until we can get some more language together before we can actually a clearly defined for a clearly defined separation. Okay. So I would move to table this. We have a So would the motion be just to table this until our next regular meeting? Yes, please.

Okay. We have a motion to table the ordinance until our next regular meeting. We have a second by or so motion by Councilwoman Johnson, second by Councilman Larson. Uh this is a no discussion on this. All in favor say I. I. I. Uh those opposed say nay. Nay. Nay. You do this to me. I'm going to say I maybe because I want to go home. I just it it would it would be beneficial to the council I think to take some time and consideration and how to word that a little properly.

Well, we have an I from you. We have an I from Councilman Larson. Who else said I? Okay. So, that was you two that said I and me. And a nay from everyone else. Are we clear enough on that? Motion fails. We're uh we're back. Okay. So, any other discussion on the motion or on the ordinance? Your honor. Yes, sir. Just a really quick question.

Are we entering a situation where an establishment could operate at 60% more from say noon to 8 or 10 p.m. whatever and then it's okay. But at that time at 10 their revenue shifts and it and then they do they don't exceed and then it becomes a violation is am I understanding that correctly they could prove that during a particular portion of the day their revenue exceeds the 60% limit from non-alcohol sales. I

and then at the magic hour which makes it exceptionally difficult for PD. I would say that this language and I I I hear what you're saying but then it says 60% of gross sales. So that's gross sales. All sales, not times of day separated for the preceding 12 months, would say that it's not just times of day, it's all sales all the time for the preceding 12 months. Am I reading that the same way? I love what you were saying. And it's exactly the kinds of things that criminals think about. [laughter] Well, let's not go there.

Criminals and lawyers. [laughter] He's watching the watch and going, "Oh, they went to 59%." Okay, I just It was just an enforcement issue. And how how would that get attached then to the license and now you've got this witching hour, but if it's gross sales throughout the year? [sighs] Well, and and and it is a good point though because it's like, okay, now the PD is in a situation where they're like, okay, somebody's here at 10:05, correct? give me all your receipts for the last 12 [laughter] months and show me where 60% is coming from something else.

Well, in addition, number number three, be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian of the p if if the person is a minor under the age of 18 and vacate the license permisses before 10:00. So, how how are these people going to verify that they're with a legal guardian or parent? Well, usually the way that the PD does that is they ask for a driver's license and they ask for the identity of both people and say, "Hey, who are you and who's this person to you?" But I mean, I I I see what you're saying, but you can't I mean, you can't a babysitter could take them in to eat. I mean, are they going to be are they going to be asking these people? You're right. You're saying

and then you have somebody breathing down our neck that you just allowed my kid in the bar with my babysitter and nothing happened. There's there's so many scenarios that can cause this to be an absory man who's babysitting a 18-year-old girl. It happens. I know. I was just thinking of Mr. Delgado's example. Babysitting, you know, right? I I mean, a babysitter, a cousin, aunt, uncle, whatever. I mean, there's there's a lot of kids that are that are cared for by other people that aren't necessarily their legal guardian to be able to take them into a bar. And I if if we're creating ordinances, they have to be enforcable.

And I agree with you. And I think that's just the kind of thing where the law enforcement would have to use their discretion to be able to determine, you know, do I feel satisfied that this is a parent or a legal guardian as opposed to that puts boyfriend I think that also puts license holders at risk. How are they going to make that determination? They can't. Good point. Your honor, I I guess the key thing is if they're not serving people that are under 21 and they're not And again, it's sort of like saying, well, if they're sitting at the bar, they're sitting at a table, what's the difference? Well, they're they're creating a line somehow, but

yeah, I have no idea how this council is going to vote. You've you've all said a lot of interesting things, and I'm usually pretty good at predicting what the vote is going to be, but I'm going to tell you, I'm excited. Are we ready to vote? [laughter] I You bet. I'll vote. I think we move forward. We got two more readings. Regurgitate on this for another two weeks. All right. All in favor of passage of ordinance 260001 on first reading with the slight amendment as indicated by councilwoman Johnson. The amendment failed. No, that was the tableing that failed. The amendment was for the removal of the 21 commercial 21 language. Okay. Yes.

All in favor of passage of ordinance 26001 on first reading say I. I. Those opposed say nay. Okay. Well, I wasn't sure where it was going to go. I vote I. We'll move on to the next one. Uh 260002. Um first reading, underage persons in bars, title nine. Miss Harris.

Thank you, your honor. This this ties back to um the proposed ordinance 260001. If 260001 were to pass, there is a section in title 9 that generally prohibits persons under the age of 21 from frequenting or remaining in barrooms, saloons, or similar establishments. Um, so we are bringing forth a proposed um amendment to the change to that ordinance that would include the language that reads except under conditions allowed by Riverton Municipal Code section 5.404.020. 020. So it it basically it would be if you were to approve 260001, we would be creating a conflict with Title 9. So this cleans up Title 9 to um avoid that or to to uh remedy that situation.

I I still wonder what a house of ill fame is, but I that's where my head's going to. I know. All right. If you could please read ordinance 26002 by title only, Miss Harris. Yes. An ordinance amending Title 9, public peace, morals, and welfare. Chapter 9.16, offenses by or against minors, section 9.16.010, persons under the age of 21 frequenting saloons or houses of ill fame of the Riverton Municipal Code and repealing all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict therewith and providing for an effective date. All right, I'd entertain a motion to open the public hearing.

So moved. Second. Motion by Councilman Carr, second by Councilman Bailey. All in favor say I. Any oppose say nay. Vote I. Motion passes. Public hearing is now open. If you'd like to speak to the council about this item, please step forward, tell us your name. This will be conducted in accordance with state statutes and other applicable laws. Please keep your comments to five minutes for individuals, 10 minutes for groups. Anyone in the audience who wishes to speak? Seeing none, your honor, I That's pretty quick. Second. [laughter]

I have a motion to close the public hearing giving it as much credence as I can and a second by Councilman Bailey. All in favor say I. Any oppose say nay. Motion passes. I declare the public hearing closed. However, if there's anyone in the audience who really wanted to speak, you could get my attention in one. Move to approve 26002. Motion by Councilman Gard to approve. One one question second by councilwoman Borders. What's your question here? What is u our house of ill fame? Do we have a license for a house of ill on the books?

I asked chat GPT this because I was curious and my mind went somewhere and chat GPT's mind went the same place to whatever extent he said to have. Oh yeah. Well, I get it. In modern terms, a brothel or a place actually used for prostitution related activities. That's what I thought. Oh, so we have a license for that. No, we have an ordinance against Kyle's [laughter] like, don't they? It's against the law. We don't want you to have houses of ill fame. Ah, and you don't get to run a house of ill fame, but they're equal. Saloon or Yeah, I saw that. So, your honor, yes, sir. I would move to amend the ordinance and remove

house saloon or house of ill fame and just put on their licensed liquor establishment. My heavens okay because I think this was written in 1906 when the city was created. It could have been there were. So we have a motion to amend the ordinance to read unlawful for any person under the age of 21 years to frequent visit or be found loitering in or about any licensed what was your language? Liquor establishment establishment. Yeah.

Okay. But if we say any licensed liquor establishment that could be used for Smiths too, right? So could you be maybe any establishment licensed for on premises consumption? Yeah, licensed liquor establishment wi with on premise good consumption. Okay. Any licensed liquor establishment and Mia can tweak that to make it fit the way it says in ordinance. And you want to add that language that says and Mia can speak that. [laughter] I would second that motion. Okay. Um, so we're removing

and and basically any place in the ordinance that it says that we should replace it with the appropriate language that we're looking for. Okay. So, we're getting rid of barroom, saloon, disorderly house, or house of ill fame. Okay. Your honor, just to to help with your discussion on this, just be aware that there are other references in title nine to houses of ill fame. And so as you remove this, you may want to think about it from a more comprehensive effort. This this section simply says if you're under the age of 21, you just can't go in this in this type of establishment. But just so you know, you have other references in your municipal code. Yep.

All ages can't be there, right? No, no. Under the age. No, no, no. But my point is is I think other references of ill fame either, right? It applies to several different Kyle, you don't get it. Going to houses of ill fame. You need to stop trying to get around this. I want a tax. It's too late for that. That's right. Okay. So, but the motion by Councilman Bailey, the second by Councilman Carr was to change that, get rid of that reference to House of I fame, all of that any [clears throat] time of the day or night. Correct. Except under conditions allowed.

Okay, that's the motion. That's the second. Uh, [clears throat] any other discussion on that? I appreciate you bringing up the other references and we can kind of look at those and I guess bring those to us if we need to change something else. Right. I think we need to review Title 9 as a whole before we remove any wording. [cough and clears throat] Any other discussion? All in favor say I. I. Any oppose say nay. Nay.

Okay. I vote I and the motion passes. Back to the main motion now was I I want to clarify because as I'm looking at it you were saying A but it still has the same reference to bar room saloon disorderly house or house of fame and I said anywhere else that we have it listed. So so A and B was the intention there. Yes. Are we clear on that miss Harris and Mr. Butterfield? Great. Any other discussion? All in favor say I. I. I. Any oppose say nay. Nay. I vote I. Motion passes.

Well, um, as we continue to talk about this, we have two more readings and I think we've had some good discussion and we'll, uh, keep talking. Thank you everybody. Uh, we have one more item so we don't get to go home yet. Thank you, Mr. Delgado. Always good to see you. You look good for 21. Consideration of bid wastewater treatment plant ultraviolet. It says ultraviolet on my ultraviolet. [laughter] I just wanted to note that I don't know who put ultraviolet but [laughter] it's a mess.

It's making me laugh. And clarify our replacement project. It's it's it's correct on the packet but on my script it's ultraviolent. So [laughter] we have some rated R. We'll blame it on spellch check. Yeah. Clarifiers. Uh Mr. Tolman,

it is indeed ultraviolet. I can cl I can clarify that. Thank you, your honor. Um this is for a a bid um for the in fact the wastewater treatment plant um a consideration of bid um another um actually for the ultra ultraviolet disinfection unit and clarifier replacement project in the amount of two 2 million63,000 and I did say that the wrong way did I? So, uh, the city received a grant in 2024 from Wyoming Community Development Authority in the amount of of 2,600 and um in $1,000 uh to conduct a condition assessment and a process upgrade project at the wastewater treatment plant. And then from this uh grant, HR Engineering was hired to provide the condition assessment. Uh the condition assessment looked at the highest priority items uh at the plant and then it ran it ranked those items um in the most needed from that HDR was asked to design and bid the replacement for a clarifier mechanism and UV defection disinfection equipment. Um so utilizing that that grant amount the 2.6 6 million just over. HDR put together a bid package that would adhere to the critical or that would address the critical items at the plant and the the base bid package include the removal of the dome over the existing clarifier unit and then replacement of that unit and then the replacement of um the ultra violet disinfection units. Um bid alternatives are also included uh but they're not recommended to be uh awarded um based on this bid. um though they are important. There are two there are uh three excuse me um bid alternates to the project. One is to replace uh um return activated sludge metering process. And then the next is to replace um return activated sludge uh pumps. The

third would be to replace a crane hoist and trolley mechanism in the UV room. UV is probably a better term for this. Um the bids were open December 9th. Uh the base bids were um from GSSE Construction in the amount of 2,63,000. That was the low bid. The second bid received was from Record Steel and Construction. They're out of Idaho. That that bid amount was uh 2,290,000 even. Um without reading out the bid alternates um the base bid um low low bid came from GSSE construction the amount of 2 million 3,000 um if this cost is added to um the clarifier unit 122,191 and then a HCR total uh fee which is currently 288,57 72. There's a total cost um with these three items of 2,873,766. Um our grant amount again is at is at 2.601 million. Um with those two items put together um and just awarding bid alternate number one, this would leave an overage um of about uh or of $272, um76. Um so to cover that overage uh staff would recommend there's a $100,000 um project that's been um put into uh it's been included in the capital plant at the wastewater plant. This is for a digtor air grid project. Uh that doesn't need that hasn't been awarded yet. Um the quotes have been um um looked at for that project and that doesn't need to be done this year. So that that amount of that project could put could be put

towards this overage. Um then that and that would make an overage of $172,766. Um if council approves this bid award um with that $172,000 overage, none of those funds would be uncovered until next fiscal year. Um that could be put into next fiscal year budget and then be just included uh in the capital capital budget for next fiscal year. Uh just to to kind of give a little bit of a update on where we're at. Um just as far as um um how much is being transferred from savings. Uh it's 263,000 for this fiscal year and there's about 600,000 in savings. That's after the $263,000 transfer. So um so if if council would like to consider that um option to award this bid, um that would be staff recommendation. And there are a couple other uh projects that could save money as well and uh not be done this year in order to in order to keep more money into the capital um um savings um as well. Um and I can go into those in more detail if council desires. All I have.

All right. I'd entertain a motion to approve the bid for the wastewater treatment plant UV and clarifier replacement project in the amount of $2,63,000. So [clears throat] moved. Second. Councilman Carr with the motion. Councilman Bailey with the second discussion. Your honor, for clarific I am so sorry. You're good. Oh no, you're okay. So would this project be completed by the end of our fiscal year anyway? Your honor, it would not. Okay. November is kind of a um we're talking a yearish away.

So, we could easily split this between two years on the shortage if we don't do some other moving around of projects. We your honor, yes, absolutely. Councilwoman Johnson, I just can you help me understand um on page 79, the very last line where it says 98,766 would then need to be allocated from capital reserves this year to complete this project.

I can your honor. Um so if if we continue down and want to look at other cost savings for this year, uh one is a project that hasn't been awarded yet. It's the Cathedral Court uh sewer project uh where 42,000 been set has been set aside and then there's additional savings uh in the procurement of the wastewater treatment plant loader where there was uh 32,000. If if if we kind of scraped the barrel, let's say, and pulled all those items together, then we would only need to transfer 98,000 um you know, right now to make to make this project happen. Um and cover and cover it completely. Um did I I miss speak con?

No, I I guess so you're doing great, Brendan. Um the total amount is 28,000 or two 28,000. Oh boy. 2,873,766. Mhm.

We have 2,61,000. So the difference is 272766. You're saying between the digesttor air grid, if we nixed that this year, we deferred that to a different fiscal year, then we'd have 172 left of an overage. Then if we said okay let's transfer funds from cash reserve to cover the amount um we were planning on 236 to be taken from cash reserves but if we remove the digtor air grid we only have 136 that would be needed to be taken from capital reserves. I I I'm I'm understanding it all, but I guess that the point is you're saying if we wanted to do this, we would have to take an additional 98766 from cash reserves and take into account the savings on the front end loader, the digtor air grid, and not doing the Cathedral Court project.

That that is correct. Okay. Yeah, that would. So, you're saying even with this trying to scrape and save wherever we can, we're still going to be short 98,000 and we're going to have to take another 98,000 out of cash reserves unless capital reserves unless we get some savings somewhere else for the year. Correct. Yes. Or we could split this up between two years because it's not going to be completed until November anyway. And next year would be basically the overage amount which would be the 272766. Yeah. But our budget comes up in July. Yeah. That's kind of where I think Brendan was.

Yeah. Thinking we could do that. So basically we could take the shortage out of we could pay without moving all the other stuff around. We could pay the 278,000 short. We could just say we're going to do everything out of this year except for the 278,000 and put that in next year's Yeah. capital budget for sewer plant, which it isn't going to be finished till November. So that's more than reasonable to take part of it out of each year. Yeah. And the point is the money isn't going to come out until next year anyway, if I'm not mistaken, because the project's not going to be complete until November. So we're not going to pay for it until November anyway.

So basically what we're saying is we'd be accepting the bid. we'd be saying go ahead and go forward. We're going to set aside from our budget this year the 200 or 2,61,000 and then out of next [clears throat] year's budget we'd have to have the 272766. Yeah. So we wouldn't be touching the reserves. We wouldn't have to touch the reserves. Okay. And we project

I like that idea much better. Just my thought, Mr. I your honor, I think that simplifies it very well and and then next and then we can take it look at whatever savings there may be and and consider them into next fiscal year because there could be some savings in the actual project itself. Yeah, we might have snow savings. I was going to say we're not plowing snow anyway. So can't pay for that on a sewer. Do cathedral court say that [laughter] because there's three ft of snow on the ground tomorrow. Knock on wood. Yeah, I just doomed us all. Sorry. So, you're I think just for clarity, um we always want to make sure that if you award a project that we can cover it

and what Mr. Tolman is saying is we can cover it and you have several options to cover it. My understanding is Mr. Tolman would want to move forward still with the cathedral court. So, his recommendation is not to trim down this year's capital list. So much so that we're deferring all the projects. His recommendation is to still try and do Cathedral Court, forego the digesttor air grid project, and then plan for encumbering funds next fiscal year. So with this award, you just have to acknowledge on the front end that you're encumbering funds next fiscal year. Just as long.