City Council - Regular Meeting

October 15th, 2026.

Good evening and welcome to all. As is usual, we have Mr. Ryan Kaith here from KERM, KGOS Radio. This council meeting is being broadcast live on both radio stations, also on the YouTube, and will be up on YouTube. We also have with us here from the Torrington Telegram, Mr. Ryan Dickey. Welcome to the press. Our first order of business is the Pledge of Allegiance, and I've asked Councilman Dennis Kelly to lead us. Next item on our agenda are the Mayor's informational items. Thursday, September 17, 2026 is celebrated as Constitution Day. September 17 to 23, 2026 is known as Constitution Week. Each year the President of the United States declares and proclaims September 17 to 23 as Constitution Week. Tonight, as part of the regular agenda, I will be asking council to authorize my signing as mayor, a proclamation declaring Constitution Week in the city of Torrington. As I've noted at previous council meetings, our well-known individual rights, summed up in a phrase, the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, are ours as citizens because the rights are given to us by God, the sovereign of all. Our United States Constitution lists some of these individual rights and serves as our founding fundamental law of the land and as our unifying social compact. As citizens, it is incumbent upon us to study our Constitution both to understand our individual rights and our individual responsibilities as citizens to work to ensure that this great American experiment in self-government does not fail in our time. Join with me this week in pondering our individual rights, liberties, and responsibilities as citizens and the great privilege and blessing it is to be a United States citizen. On Saturday, the annual classic car show sponsored by the Scottsdale Valley Street Rods was held on Main Street. This was coincidental with the ongoing Farmers or Artisans Market event that was held at the Goshen County Library parking lot at 2001 East A Street here in Torrington. Both the Car Show and the Farmer's Market were great events held in Torrington this last Saturday. The Car Show started in 1973. This year it had over 90 entries. There were local entries and entries from all over. Some of the entries from Nebraska were from Gehring, Minotaur, North Platte, and Scotts Bluff. There were There was an equestrian horse team in town that was participating in walking around looking at the cars from Golden, Colorado. So we had exposure from Golden. And in Wyoming, we had entries from Guernsey, Wheatland, Cheyenne, and Buffalo. It was great to see all the beautiful cars on Main Street with so many being shown by local owners. It is also great to show off our beautiful downtown Main Street to folks from all over the area. Thanks to the participants in these two great local events, the Scotts Bluff Valley Street Rods Car Show and the Artisans Market. On a more serious note, domestic violence continues to be a grave problem in our city and county. Once known as battered woman or battered wife syndrome, It was then changed to battered spouse syndrome. It is now clinically called IPV or intimate partner violence syndrome. Women are most often the victims, but men can be victims too. It all comes under the general term domestic violence or DV for short. At our next council meeting on October 6th, 2026, I will be reading the proclamation proclaiming domestic violence awareness month in the city of Torrington. On October 6th, 2026, I will be asking council to approve the proclamation. In further recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, on Friday, October 2nd, 2026, at 5 p.m., again, Friday, October 2nd, 2026, at 5 p.m., the Goshen County Task Force on Family Violence and Sexual Assault will be presenting their Silent Witness Ceremony at Eastern Wyoming College Auditorium. I will read the proclamation of Domestic Violence Month at the ceremony. I want to read a part of the email about the ceremony that I received from Michelle Powell, the executive director of the Goshen County Task Force, regarding the October 2nd ceremony at the EWC auditorium. And I quote, the Silent Witness Initiative uses life-sized red silhouettes to represent individuals whose lives were taken by domestic violence. Each silhouette bears the name and story of a victim, helping to ensure that their lives are remembered and their voices are not forgotten. The statewide ceremony brings together victims' families, advocates, law enforcement, community leaders, and supporters from across Wyoming to honor those we have lost and raise awareness about domestic violence. Domestic violence has deeply affected our own community. Goshen County has lost four victims. They are Ashley Craig, age 21, Deidre Strauch, age 56, Madison Cook, age 20, Kimberly Apple, age 48. We are also honored to welcome Wyoming Attorney General Keith G. Kautz as our guest speaker for the ceremony. Since 1984, the task force has provided confidential advocacy, emergency shelter, crisis intervention, safety planning, and other essential services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault throughout Goshen County. We want our residents to know that domestic violence is taken seriously in Torrington and throughout Goshen County. Please join the ceremony again at EWC Auditorium on Friday, October 2nd, 2026 at 5 o'clock p.m. The annual fall cleanup this year will be from Saturday, October 10th through Saturday, October 17th. You may bring your garbage to the baler from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and on Saturday, October 10th, and equipment tires. No hazardous chemicals or paint, freezers, and refrigerators must be tagged as free on free by a licensed agent. So again, fall cleanup this year, October 10th, which is a Saturday, through October 17th, which is a Saturday. Also, if you haven't been south of the River Bridge, there's a new addition, the Jim Kelly Barn to the museum down there. If you haven't noticed it, you're not looking. But anyway, the Homesteaders Museum and Visitor Center will be celebrating the 100th birthday of the South Torrington Depot. There will also be the grand opening of the Jim Kelly Barn. That is Monday through Friday, October 12th through 16th, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 495 Main Street, Torrington, Wyoming. Again, Monday through Friday, October 12th through 16th. We have a new museum director, and she is very enthusiastic and is doing a great job, Adeline Walker. To get you to come, sugar cookies will be served daily in honor of the 100th year of the sugar factory. So the depot is 100 years old. The factory was built in 1926 also, and I think the sugar factory and the depot kind of go together. So that is October 12th through the 16th. As always, please slow down. Please watch out for pedestrians, motorcycles, bicycles, and scooters. And please do not use your cell phones while driving. Thank you. All right. Our next item is approval of the consent agenda, which includes the minutes from the September 1, 26 council meeting as published.

Mr. Mayor, I move to approve the consent agenda as published.

I have a motion from Councilman Deal to approve the consent agenda as published. Do I have a second?

Second.

Second. Councilman Kelly, any further discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor of approval of the consent agenda, signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed, signify by saying nay. Hearing no nays, the consent agenda is approved. Next item is approval of the agenda itself.

Mr. Mayor, I move to approve the agenda as presented.

I have a motion from Councilman Victorin to approve the agenda as presented. Do I have a second? Second. Second. Councilman Warren, any further discussion? Hearing and seeing none, I'll call for a vote. All those in favor of approval of the agenda as presented, signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed, signify by saying nay. Hearing no nays, the agenda is approved. Next item on our agenda is what we call the public forum. I would know there were a taker for this if I saw a sheet in that black box in front of Councilman Warren. I don't see anybody, but I'd like to explain it for those who are listening on the radio and here in the gallery. This is a spot on our agenda for non-agenda items. There is a time limit of two minutes and the speaker must sign up before the meeting. This is a time for the council to listen. No action will be taken. So in the future, that's available for you. And those sign-up sheets are in this room somewhere. We are now down to action items. The first action item we have this evening is a proclamation proclaiming September 17 through 23, 2026 as Constitution Week. And I will read that proclamation. And then I will invite Mrs. Lucy Martin and maybe Ms. Nancy Zimmer up to the podium. And they can, from the Daughters of American Revolution, and can explain why they requested that we put this on the agenda. So the first thing I'll do is read the agenda, or excuse me, read the proclamation. Proclamation reads as follows. City of Torrington, Constitution Week, September 17 to 23, 2026. Whereas the Constitution of the United States of America, the guardian of our liberties, embodies the principles of limited government in a republic dedicated to rule by law, and whereas September 17, 2026, marks the 239th anniversary of the framing of the Constitution of the United States of America by the Constitutional Convention, and whereas it is fitting and proper to accord official recognition to this magnificent document and its memorable anniversary and to the patriotic celebrations which will commemorate it, and whereas Public Law 915 guarantees the issuing of a proclamation each year by the President of the United States of America designating September 17th through 23rd, 2026 as Constitution Week, Now, therefore, be it resolved that by virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the City of Torrington, Wyoming, I do hereby proclaim September 17 to 23, 2026 as Constitution Week and urge all citizens to study the Constitution and reflect on the privilege of being an American with all the rights and responsibilities which that privilege involves. In witness whereof, I have here unto set my hand and cause the seal of the City of Torrington, Wyoming to be affixed this 15th day of September 2026. Herb Dobie, Mayor, attest Lynette Strecker, Clerk, Treasurer. And with that reading, I would invite Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Zimmerer to come up. And we already have your sheet. I think each of us has one of those. Hopefully. And I want to point out that you have your DAR, Daughters of the American Revolution, flag there.

That's awesome. Thank you, Mayor Dobie, and for proclaiming the signing of this proclamation this afternoon to help kick off Constitution Week. I will introduce Nancy Zimmerer. of Lingle, member of the Elizabeth Ramsey chapter of the Daughters of American Revolution out of Wheatland, Wyoming. She has been a member for 44 years. Thank you, Nancy, for coming tonight. You're welcome. I'm Lucy Martin of Torrington. I have been a member of the Catadane chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution out of Scotts Bluff, and I have been a member for three years. This evening, I am going to give a little history of the Constitution Day. It originated from the final session of the Constitution Convention on September 17th 1787 in Philadelphia while 39 delegates signed the US Constitution Congress in 1940 we jump quite a ways there established it to be called I am American Day In 1952, President Harry Truman signed a bill moving the date to September 17th and renaming it Citizenship Day. The Daughters of the American Revolution in 1955 petitioned Congress to set aside September 17th through the 23rd annually to be dedicated to the observance of Constitution Week. The resolution was adopted by Congress and signed into law August 2nd, 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He also declared it should not be just a day, but a week-long observance. Not until Senator Robert Byrd successfully attached a provision to the federal spending bill, officially naming it Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, requiring all schools and federal agencies to receive government funding to teach about the United States Constitution on September 17th. This only took 48 years, happened in 2004. Celebrating Constitution Week emphasizes citizenship, responsibilities for protecting and defending the Constitution, informs people that Constitution is basic for Americans' greatest heritage and foundations for our way of life. encouraging the study of the framing of the Constitution, not last or not least, encouraged the signing of the Constitution week proclamation for the great city of which we can call home. If you will please stand, and on your tables you had the preamble. If you will please stand and we will read this. We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for a common defense, provide general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our prosperity, do ordain and establish the Constitution for the United States of America. Thank you so much for allowing us to present this information for Constitution Week. Mayor Doby, will you please continue to put your signature on the proclamation.

Yes, ma'am. And I will entertain a motion from Councilman to approve the proclamation for Constitution Week and my signing of it. Mr. Mayor, I'd make that motion. I have a motion from Councilman Deal to approve the Constitution Week proclamation and my signing of it. Do I have a second?

Second.

Second, Councilman Kelly. Any further discussion, gentlemen? Hearing none, I'll call for a vote. All those in favor of approving the Constitution Week Proclamation and my signing of it, signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, signify by saying nay. Hearing no nays, the proclamation is approved and I will indeed sign it. And do you want a photo?

Yes, please.

Somebody guide us. Do you want us down there or up here? We'll come up there. Okay.

I don't know who's taking pictures.

Smile.

Tell us where to look. You got everybody in here.

Say, Constitution. All right.

Thank you, Lucy.

Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you, Lucy.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thanks, Nancy. All right, thank you, ladies. I will now open this for a public hearing. We are on item number two, public hearing regarding potential community development block grant, CDBG application, available from the Wyoming Community Development Authority, WCDA. And with that introduction, I would first call on Mrs. Lynette Strecker, our clerk treasurer.

Thank you, Mayor and Council. We do have a project that we'd like to apply for with the CDBG program at WCDA again this year. We were successful two years ago with two very good projects. And we'd like to do another sewer lining and manhole replacement project. And I will let Jeff explain the project and the next steps.

Thank you. Basically, this project that we're planning to do through the CDBG will construct, I think it's approximately 15,000 feet of sewer lining and replacement of around 62 brick manholes in the areas of the Hillcrest area, the vistas, and north of the hospital.

And I know we go over this but the sewer lining project that is generally that old clay sewer pipe that was state of the art 5060 years ago right correct and that can be interrupted by tree roots and so on in the sewer lining is this new technology that you can fill the inside of that sewer pipe and and make it sort of watertight so to speak right.

So to speak, yeah. I mean, the only areas where routes could possibly get into is where they do the service reinstatements for the individual residences.

And then when you talk about brick manholes, I know nowadays manholes are made out of concrete in sections, prefabricated and placed in the ground. So back in the day, apparently they used bricks to create the manhole, right?

Yeah, very labor-intensive process.

So those are old and some of that pipe's old.

Yeah. Okay.

Gentlemen, do you have any questions for either Mrs. Strecker or Mr. Harkins? And just one thing, I know that the staff worked very hard. We have to be eligible for these CDBG grants. And I know there are surveys that have to be done. And staff worked especially hard because you've got to get citizens to, it's anonymous, but to fill out basic questions regarding their yearly income and so on so that we can be qualified for this type of a grant. And I congratulate staff for being able to get that done, which then puts us in line and qualifies us to even apply for these grants. So that's a bit of the background on there. OK, now we are in public hearing. So are there any public comments for this grant application? Seeing none, I will also ask, are there any public comments against the city applying for this grant? Don't see any. OK. Thank you, staff. And I will go ahead and close the public hearing, which will then take us down to item number three. All right. Public hearing is closed. Item number three is a resolution number 2026-11, and I will read that resolution. It's related to the Community Development Block Grant, Application to Wyoming Community Development Authority for the FY27 Sewer Lining and Manhole Replacement Project. The resolution of support reads as follows. Resolution of support, resolution number 2026-11, a resolution authorizing submission of a community development block grant, CDBG, application to the Wyoming Community Development Authority for the FY27 sewer lining and manhole replacement project, witnesseth, Whereas the governing body of the City of Torrington desires to participate in the Community Development Block Grant CDBG program to assist in financing this project, and whereas the public benefits of this project will repair deteriorated sewer infrastructure in Torrington, a rural community, whereas this project will meet the national objective of benefiting low and moderate income persons, and whereas the governing body of the city of Torrington plans to provide cash match to this community development block grant project from the following sources, a city sewer fund in the amount of $100,000, And whereas in the event of any project cost overruns, the city of Torrington will provide funding in the amount necessary to complete the project utilizing city sewer funds. And whereas the city of Torrington held a public hearing on September 15th, 2026 to solicit testimony from citizens and gave full considerations to all comments received. And now, therefore, be it resolved by the governing body of the City of Torrington that a grant application in the amount of $1,895,000 be submitted to the Wyoming Community Development Authority for consideration of assistance in funding the FY27 Sewer Lining and Manhole Replacement Project be it further resolved that the mayor of Torrington, as the chief elected official, has designated the city clerk slash treasurer to be the authorized representative of the city of Torrington and to act on matters related to this grant application, passed, approved, and adopted this 15th day of September, 2026, by Herb Dobie, mayor, attest Lynette Strecker, clerk slash treasurer, certificate. I, Jim Eddington, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the city of Torrington at a public meeting held on September 15th, 2026, and that the meeting was held according to law, and that said resolution has been duly entered in the resolution record of the city of Torrington. Jim Eddington, city attorney. So that is the reading of the resolution. If there's any questions for staff, you may ask them. If there aren't, I would entertain a motion to approve.

The cost of the project is approximately $1.9 million, right?

Yes.

And I know we had this done before. Were those companies, weren't any of those companies local, though, were they?

No.

that we don't have somebody torrenting and put that $2 million to use?

It's a possibility. I mean, we've never done the manhole replacement part before. There are contractors within the city that may be interested in doing that part of the contract.

Good. Are those manholes like a precast?

Yes.

Replacement ones.

But this company that does the sewer lining that will likely bid on it, they haven't yet, but we've had good success with a certain company that has worked for the city before. Yes. And it's open to others.

Yeah, we usually get at least two, sometimes three bidders on the sewer lining portion of it.

Now, I know in previous projects, mainly with the prison, we've had those sewer manholes sprayed with a lining, correct?

Correct. Those were concrete manholes that were starting to degrade because of the H2S acid that kind of eats away at the concrete. So we did have those sprayed with a liner to prevent further degradation of those manholes.

We don't need to really worry about that in these areas of town, correct?

No, these are mainly just because they're brick manholes. They're old, they're brick, they're subject to decay.

All right, any other questions, gentlemen?

Mr. Mayor, I would move to approve resolution number 2026-11.

All right, I have a motion from Councilman Victron to approve resolution number 2026-11 as presented. Do I have a second?

Second.

Second from Councilman Kelly. Any further discussion? I'll call for a vote. All those in favor of approving resolution number 2026-11 as presented, signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, signify by saying nay. Hearing no nays, that resolution is approved and I'll sign it. Thank you, gentlemen. All right. Next item on the agenda. We're on the second page. Item number four, mayor's appointment, requesting council approve my appointment of Christopher Rood. He's a truck driver for the streets department. Approve his having a term on the safety committee from September 15th today 26 to December 31st of 27 the reason for my request For your approval of this appointment has been Morgan who is no longer with the city resigned and we need to replace a member from street sanitation and landfill on to the the safety committee and safety committee one meets once a month and It's on the first Thursday of the month, and that's the background. We just need to replace a gentleman that resigned from the city. And I'd entertain any other questions.

He has accepted the appointment. Should we approve it? Yes. And I clarified that with Ed Hawley this morning. In that case, Mr. Mayor, I make a motion to approve the appointment of Christopher Rood to the Safety Committee from 915 of 26 to 1231 of 27.

All right, I have a motion from Councilman Deal to approve the appointment of Christopher Rood to the Safety Committee from 915 26 through 1231 27. Do I have a second? Second. Second, Councilman Kelly. Any further discussion? Hearing none, I'll call for vote. All those in favor of approving my appointment of Christopher Rood to the Safety Committee for a term of 9-15-26, 2-12-31-27, all in favor of that, signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed, signify by saying nay. Hearing no nays, Mr. Rood is appointed. Thank you. Next item on our agenda is item number five, Special event permit, Sean Keith and Melissa Wilhite with Torrington High School are requesting a special event permit for the annual Homecoming Parade to be held on October 1, 2026 from 8.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. on Main Street. The applicant is also requesting that the special event permit fee be waived. And I would first call on Chief of Police Matt Johnson.

Thank you, Mayor and Council. We've done this event for a number of years. The kiddos at the school really enjoy doing their homecoming parade downtown, and we see a lot of business support for those events. The kids at the high school did a really nice job of getting around to all the businesses, probably with some staff support. And if they were unable to contact, they left a very effective notice to let everybody know what was happening. Our planning is very similar for this as it has been in prior years. The only substantive change that we made for this year is a little more planning for the elementary kiddos that are coming in on East A Street. In years past, we have not closed East A. We've just had the buses park basically facing southbound so the kids could exit directly on and off the sidewalk there at City Lot 5. Because they're bringing a lot of kids in for all the elementaries, they've got buses facing both directions, which is not conducive for unloading the kiddos straight onto the sidewalk for the Main Street parade. So we're going to close West A there from 21st down to 20th. The businesses have been notified and have signed off on it, and that way we've just got a little bit safer ingress and egress for the elementary kiddos. um the middle school kids will walk as usual we've got i think a good safe route really no concerns we looked at costs on it total cost for the city is running right around 445 excuse me 445 dollars and i'll leave that up to you folks to determine if you got any questions please let me know

Just when I think you misspoke chief, you said the bus loading would be on West Day. It's East Day.

Oh, I'm so sorry, did I? It is East Day. Yes, thank you.

The reason for closing that street is so that you'll have elementary kids on the east side of the street and then they can safely cross the street to get to the parade because the street will be closed.

The elementary kiddos pretty much take over the whole block of Maine on the east side from 21st down to 20th. And we utilize that route there from East A over onto Maine, basically through City Lot 5 there at Vandals. And yes, you are correct. We're trying to avoid having the kids cross the street while there's traffic going through there. And my apologies for misspeaking.

And this parade, once, I mean, they're asking for between 8.30 a.m. and 9.30 a.m., but I think once the parade starts, it's like 45 minutes, isn't it?

Usually less, yeah. 15 to 20 is pretty tough.

So we're not tying up the downtown for very long.

Yep. It is a total freeze on downtown for that 15 minutes, though. I mean, we ask people to, if you park your car diagonally going in there, we ask you to stay in place until the parade's passed. The kiddos do a nice job of putting together some posters so that we can notify folks what's going on that day. Emergency manager Kenyon has the new signboard We're going to try to utilize that so long as the battery charging and everything else works for that situation. So we'll try to put some notice up a couple days in advance as well.

And I think October 1 is a Thursday.

That is correct.

And I have the school folks there, Ms. Keith and Ms. Willite and some students, and certainly the adults get to come up, but I want the kids to come up if you want to come up and address council a little bit. If nothing else, you can say that you've been up to the podium at a council meeting. So who's sponsoring the homecoming parade from the school's perspective?

Well, I'll introduce myself. I'm Shawn Keith, and I am the Torrington High School, one of the counselors at Torrington High School, and then I'm also a sponsor for student council. And then I'll let the rest of them introduce themselves.

And I'm Mrs. Wilhoyt, and I'm the librarian at the school, and I'm also the student council co-sponsor.

OK.

I'm Addie Hager. I'm just a student council member.

I'm Katherine Reimer, and I'm just a student council member. Not just.

I'm Cason Morris and I'm a junior at Torrington High School, also a student council member.

Well, welcome to you all. I was commenting at staff meeting, I think the high school was built in 1922. I imagine they've had a homecoming parade since then. I don't, maybe they skipped during the war. I don't know, World War II or something, but... As far as I know, it happens every year. Okay. Are you guys looking forward to that? So you guys on student council with your staff here, you organize this and figure it out and get everybody lined up to do whatever?

I'll talk a little bit. What's going on this year? Are you brave?

Who's brave? Our student council makes posters and signs advertising safety procedures in just a order to how everything's going to run.

Along with the parade, we also are doing our pep rally, which is a big deal to all the schools, and during homecoming week. So we definitely enjoy planning the parade and all the homecoming things. So yeah, we're very excited.

And who are you guys playing for homecoming?

We are playing bighorn, so we'll see how that goes.

Beat the rams. Right.

That's right. So typically in the past, the student council has kind of been in charge of organizing the homecoming, and then we ask for volunteers to help throughout the school, like staff and students. This year we have... a new program that's been implemented within the district the last couple years called Leader in Me. And I don't know if you guys are familiar with that. But it's a program that the school district has implemented to help build leadership skills and to teach all students how to become a leader. Because we truly believe that every student that walks our hallways is a leader in some way. And so this year, it's looked a little bit different on our homecoming planning. We're trying to adjust and we're trying to have open minds about it because it's a lot of moving parts. But we've also been excited because it's incorporated other student body members to be a part of this planning process. And so it's had its bumps and little bit along the way but it's been really good because our student council members have gone out into the we called what's blazer time one of our periods during the day is called blazer time and it's a 30-minute period of kind of like a study hall but you can work on other things within the school and so our student council members have gone into those and helped the other student body members of Torrington High School plan some of our events so some of the the other student by all of student body is included in the planning of our the homecoming so that's been a neat twist this year and yeah so that's kind of who's been in charge of planning it's it's student-led which is really awesome because they always do a great job and they come up with great ideas that a lot of the adults haven't thought of and we try and keep some of the traditions as well but they come up with new ideas every year too so it's it's a student body led homecoming which is nice to see so

It's great, and this year it's not like on the first game of the season like it was last year.

They gave us a little cushion. Yes. It was nice.

Right. Gentlemen, do you have any questions for the staff?

Well, back in the days of leather helmets when I was going to Torrington High School, the various clubs contacted the businesses downtown and had a contest for the window painting and everything. Do you still do that, or is that student council then?

Yeah. We're still doing window painting.

Come up to the microphone.

We're still doing window painting, but like Sean said, it's kind of like student-based now. So instead of just student council, it's kind of like a whole school thing. So one of our blazer times is going to be in charge of window decorating, which is also good to include student involvement. So yeah, we'll still be doing that this year.

It's not necessarily competition, which is a good idea. I mean, maybe we should make it a competition. But yeah, it's more just the students going downtown and decorating the business building or windows that give us permission. And then they go back and clean it up, which is a process. It's a lot of work.

What have you planned for the rest of the week? leading up to the pep rally and the football game?

We kind of do the same things every year. It's just kind of like tradition. So Monday night, we're doing a bonfire with the whole high school. And then Tuesday night is Buff Puff, which is the boy football team gets to play a game of volleyball. Like, all the families are invited, or it's open to the public to watch. And then Wednesday, or then Thursday, we don't do anything Wednesday night. And then Thursday night, we do Powder Puff, is where the girls get to play a game of football. That's also open to the public. So yeah, that's some of our activities. So Wednesday, we are planning something. Oh, and then Wednesday is the thing at the golf course. I forget what it's called. Oh, a fugitive game that the cops are putting on.

Yeah. interesting so that's a new thing this year in the past the students have come up with a game that they've created called fugitive and it's basically a game of tag and they've gone through town playing this game and we've seen a lot of concern and a lot of worry about the safety of that game and so the Torrington Police Department have always been very supportive of our students and they've come forward and and with their concerns along with other people and and had an idea this year to do something else. And they've been so gracious as to volunteer to host a event for us out at the Cottonwoods golf course this year on that night. And so it's going to be a game of tag, but it'll be hosted on the golf course. And they're going to supply all the supplies for the tag game and then also provide pizza and drinks for the kids. And it's open to the whole student body, which I think will be a lot of fun. It'll be a new tradition that we're hoping to start.

And I think to follow up on that I think their funds are going to be used for that getting an affirmation from chief Johnson. It's it's archery tag is my understanding that's got to be fun. It sounds like a blast. It's going to be dark out there so all of that and it's going to be you know we talked to the golf course Dave Dent this morning and he's for it and chief Johnson and then some of the SROs are going to be involved in it. So I hope that there's buy-in from your students on this.

We're trying hard for that.

It sounds like a great thing to do out there.

Yeah, some of these students got up and spoke to it last Thursday at an all-school assembly. So, how did, Jason, how did that go? Because I know you were one of them that talked to the student body about

I believe it went pretty well and we are encouraging the other student body that used to play fugitive throughout the city of Torrington to come play at the golf course and so that is our main goal is to encourage other students.

I appreciate your getting the word out there. When I first heard about the idea, I thought it was a wonderful idea and a safer idea, but will be just as much, if not more fun. And I'm happy to hear that it sounds like you're getting some buy-in from the student body on that. All right.

Where is your bonfire going to be?

At the old Wiseman Field, so just west of the high school, just like the soccer field.

Did you call in the fire burn yet?

Yep, they come every year. They're very happy to be there.

I think they're called the Chainsaw Crew. Probably. From the fire department.

Yeah, they do a nice job, and they're always so willing to be there and help us. So we appreciate them as well. And then Brent Anderson with Big Wood Tree Service is the one that donates the wood for us, and he delivers it and then also takes it away if we need him to. So that's nice as well.

Which night is the bonfire?

So you three are on the council, the student council. Are either of you officers of the council?

We don't have officers yet because we're doing a new organization of student council, so technically we all kind of get a say, volunteer for everything. We do split into different committees for student council, so we have the parade committee or our... pep rally committee so yeah not really we don't really have council member or not like a board yet or like officers but yeah we kind of saw work together yeah any further questions for this crew

I think there should be an alumni fugitive kind of worked into the week. You're still young enough.

I was going to say, if Herb and I were to do that, it would still be a very short event.

Well, maybe that's in the future. All right. Well, we appreciate your coming up here. For one thing, that takes courage. And we appreciate you doing that and appreciate all this planning that's gone into this. And we hope for fun, but we want it to be safe and orderly. And it sounds like we're on our way to having a safe and orderly and fun homecoming week.

We want to thank you for listening and always being supportive as well to our students. We really appreciate you guys. All right. Yes, thank you.

Thank you. Thank you.

Mr. Mayor, are you ready for a motion? I am. I would move to approve the permit, waive the fee, and waive assessment of the costs.

All right. I have a motion over on item 5 from Councilman Victorin to approve the special event permit, waive the special event permit fee, and waive the city costs. Do I have a second to that? Second. I think Councilman Deal got it, so I have a second from Councilman Deal. Any further discussion? Hearing none, I'll call for vote item number five. All those in favor of approving the special event permit, waiving the special event permit fee and waiving the city costs signify by saying aye. Any opposed signify by saying nay. Hearing no nays, that event permit is approved. The special event permit fee is waived and the costs are waived. Thank you. All right. We are on item number six. FY 27 Pioneer Park Irrigation Improvements Project. And there's two parts to that subpart a award request for proposal. Staff recommends awarding the project to Landscaping Plus of Torrington, Wyoming. in the amount of $88,500 and a reserve of $11,500, which is 12.9% for contingency for a total project of $100,000. And then Subpart B, agreement for professional services. Staff recommends approving the agreement for professional services with Landscaping Plus regarding the FY27 Pioneer Park Irrigation Improvements Project. And with that introduction, I know Dennis Estes, our buildings and grounds superintendent, is here, and he's standing right there.

Thank you, Mayor and Council. Just a little background on this. We've been trying to get this irrigation system replaced for three or four years. This year, we finally were lucky enough to have the money and the budget. We did get two bids, two good contractors. Both of them are great contractors. The local contractor did win. He would like to start if approved the first of the month and he should be done in two or three weeks With the whole project first of October first of October He should be done two or three weeks if that all happens We want to keep the system live and then run it for a while and then he will blow it out Do the first blowout on it and then it would be under warranty for a year after that after acceptance. I

I know you've been wanting this project for a long time. Yes. That current irrigation system is how old-ish?

It's probably as old as Councilman Deal, I guess.

I don't know. I started it.

As you were mentioning earlier on the last group that come up, the leather helmet thing is what got me.

So it's ancient, and it needs replaced. It does. We got some really. I'm not replacing it. I said it yet, not you.

Yeah, we got some pipes down there that a lot of galvanized and all rusted out.

All right, and you got a local contractor to bid $88,500. And you've had experience with Landscaping Plus?

He does a lot of work around the area and does everything for the colleges and the schools. And so, yeah, he's very rough. He does lots of stuff for us. He fixed a leak for us this week at the cemetery.

Gentlemen, you have any questions for Mr. Estes?

I only have one question. Is that water that you're using in that park, is that non-potable water?

Yes, sir. It's all in a well.

Good.

I did notice one. There is a typo on the substantial completion date. On the front page, it says March 30th. And then on page number two of the agreement, it has June 30th. So we'll get that fixed before we get that signed. If he does start, once he starts, he has to finish. He can't quit. So it's not like he can do part now and part in the spring.

So which is the correct date, the March 30 or the June 30?

March 30.

And the reason we're doing it this way is because we're relying on the contractor to basically design the system, right?

Correct. We want them to hire the engineer and the consultant and design it, come up with the pressures. And out of that, we want an end document that we can use electronically that shows us all our pressures, what we're using for heads, the flows, all that stuff. We want to get that all down correctly before we ever start. We have a lot of water hammer down there off that well. And of course it drops down at the bottom of Pioneer Park. They're probably six, eight feet. So by the time we hit the bottom of that, we have a lot of issues with a water hammer.

And the old system will just be abandoned in place.

The system will stay there. We're going to reclaim all the heads and the valve boxes and the valves, and we're going to keep them, put them back on our stock. We're going to clean them over the winter. There's a lot of heads down there. We can use a lot of valves that we can use and valve boxes as well.

Good question. Okay.

Now, the cost for the professional services is included in that $88,000?

Correct. That's lump sum price. I don't anticipate any other issues. There are some maybe additions we might add to the clock, like the new systems now, if you know sprinkler systems in the past, they had a wire, two wires going to each valve. So if you had 15 valves, you had that many wires. These new systems have two wires total. So it's called a two-wire system. And there's a lot of stuff you can put in that system where we can turn on and off valves. We can see if there's flow problems. We can see what's going on. We can put rain delays on them. We could put rain sensors on them. A lot of that stuff can happen now. It's just a lot easier with this new system. It's all electronic. If we ever get Wi-Fi down there, right now, if we have one person down there, they have to go to the clock on the street on 15th Avenue, drive all the way down to the bottom of the park to see what's going on, drive all the way back up and shut it off. So now we can just hopefully run it off our phones or some kind of iPad that we get for them, some device, if we get Wi-Fi down there eventually.

So because he can get this done so quickly, you're going to have some experience with it this fall. Correct. And work out any potential bugs.

Correct. Hopefully that works.

He can blow it out for the winter, right? Yeah. Did you say will he be back for startup?

He'll be around town, so he's really good about it. If something happens, I mean, in two seconds he's down there. So that's what's really nice about the local contractor.

And the controls are all going to be located where?

They're going to be on 15th. But instead of being mounted on a pole, we're going to have them on a pedestal by that well. So we can stand there and run it. And then we can get it remotely ran, too. So we can be anywhere in the park. Hopefully, if everything goes right, if we have enough money, you can run it from your desktop.

Is the controls going to be inside the fence for the well? Or are there going to be some?

It's just a standalone pedestal, much like they have at the golf course, where you unlock the cabinet and you get into the clock. It would no longer be attached to a pole.

And then a technical drawing about where everything's at.

He's supposed to supply an as a belt when he's done. Before he starts, he's supposed to supply us a design drawing. We'll look it over and have everybody make sure it's good with our consultant. So it's all good to go before we ever start, hopefully. When he's done, we'll get a final document of how things were put in. We can also get our heads away from our buildings and our equipment now.

Have you got any idea now where any of the piping is down there?

Yeah, we know exactly where it's all at. There's a main run all the way down north and south down the middle of that park, and then it just goes out from there. But years ago, they flattened out the bottom part of that park. They were going to put a soccer field in there, and there's some valves as you go down the hill that we have to lay on our stomach, and we can barely reach the valves. They're that deep in the ground.

Because they raised that field up.

They raised that field up and didn't raise the valves up. Correct.

They're good forefoot. Just extended the heads.

They put them on galvanized pipe, and so they put a plastic fitting on a galvanized pipe, so when that water hammers, it just strips those threads out of those heads. Those heads are about 42 bucks a piece, and they're shot.

Why don't you do that? This system might have backflow valves and everything, too.

We're going to have some water hammer arresters in it, yeah, some avenues for that stuff. There's several different ways we can do that. They're actually going to put a pipe in the ground. So if this is your main line, a straight pipe down there, they're going to put a tee off of it. And it's just like a water arrestor where it comes in and out of that tee, and it gives it some expansion. They're using those a lot. There's some stuff we can put in above ground. We really don't want to do that.

I mean, they'll have a regular backflow too, right?

Through the well.

Through the well. Yeah.

I don't think there's any backflows on that well.

But if it was potable, we would have backflow on it, yeah. Any more questions for Mr. Estes? Thank you. All right. There's, as I pointed out, item six, it's two parts. So A and B, approve the request for proposal and approve the agreement for professional services. So I would entertain a motion.

Mr. Mayor, I make a motion to award the RFP and the agreement for professional services as recommended by city staff.

All right. Item number six, the FY27 Pioneer Park Irrigation Improvements Project. I have a motion from Councilman Deal to award or approve the request for proposal and the agreement for professional services on staff's recommendation. Do I have a second? I would second. I have a second from Councilman Victor. Any further discussion?

Just one comment, Mr. Mayor. I think it's important to note that this is a city's planned project, and it's a budgeted project. Just so the public and perhaps the news media is aware. We plan for it, and we budget for it, and that's what we're doing.

Excellent comment. All right. Have a motion and a second before me. Do we have any further comment? or discussion. Hearing none, I'll call for a vote. Item six, FY27 Pioneer Park Irrigation Improvements Project. All those in favor of approving the request for proposal and the agreement for professional services as recommended by staff signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed signify by saying nay. Hearing no nays the request for proposal is approved and the agreement for professional services is approved. Thank you. All right we are on item seven now which is approval of the bills from September 2nd, 2026 through September 15th, 2026. And as you guys all know, we had some bills attached to the original agenda and then a separate handout this evening. And with that introduction, I would call on Clerk Treasurer Lynette Strecker.

Thank you, Mayor and Council. I'd be glad to answer any questions you may have on either set of bills.

On our AccuScreen mobile drug testing services, that is a local business or agency AccuScreen, right? So we're able to get our testing done locally here.

Yes.

Aren't they across from the sale barn in that closet?

Yes, with the geese on it.

We paid the final payments to the East Street contractor.

We are still waiting on money from the pay application we mailed to the agencies in September and then I just got another one to send in. We're getting a little one more after that I think for retainage.

And I don't know if this is on the bills yet, but if anybody doesn't know, I know that, and I don't know exactly how this worked, but I know that I got an email and I sent to staff, EWC, the CDL school up there, gives a substantial discount to the city of Torrington For CDL training and I mean it's substantial discount. So just want everybody to be aware that when we need to Have somebody trained for a CDL we get a substantial discount from the EWC CDL school

Mr. Mayor, are there no more questions about the bills? I'd make a motion to approve them as presented.

All right. We're on item seven. I have a motion from Councilman Kelly to approve the bills as presented. Do I have a second? Second. Second. Councilman Deal. Any further discussion? Hearing none, I'll call for a vote. Item 7, all those in favor of approval of the bills as presented, signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, signify by saying nay. Hearing no nays, those bills are approved. We are now on item number eight, public comment. And the fire chief let me know that he was unable. He was called out on work and unable to come to the meeting in person. But he gave me a short report. And that's good that we're having short reports, I think. He said there was one town call out this month in September. What they call the chain gang crew is going to go to the bonfire for the high school homecoming celebration. He said there will be annual hose testing on the 26th. of September there will be vehicle opera vehicle operator vehicle operator training coming up and they're going to be training in conjunction with Burlington Northern regarding hazardous commodity transport through town so that's the upcoming things for the fire department and Dennis is there anything else that's really going on that

Fire prevention week coming up next month, so they'll be busy with that. They can try to go to all the schools.

And that's in October. Okay, so that's coming up. Fire prevention week. All right, that's the fire report. Is there anybody else? Chief Johnson.

Thank you, Mayor and Council. I did want to provide just a little bit more information about Fugitive Night. I think it's going to be a great time, but a couple of details would probably be helpful. Hats off to Assistant Chief Conley and Officer Ryle and Officer Easton for coming up with this idea. We've known there were some bumps with the fugitive game for a couple of years, and we're looking for some ways to rein that in in a very positive fashion. And I think this is a win and a great solution. We also greatly appreciate the golf course for teaming up with us. And frankly, incredibly grateful to DARE donors who make this possible. We're dropping a pretty big chunk of change to get all the equipment for kids and provide pizza and everything else. And that would not be possible without the folks who generously donate to our DARE program. We were looking at trying to work with local providers for archery tag or laser tag or anything that we could. And the costs were fairly high and the number of sets of equipment were fairly low. So we did end up just buying enough to make this a long-term event. and lots of safety glasses will also be part of that process and lots of pizza as well. It's going to be September 30th out at the golf course. We'll have a 7 p.m. start time, and I have no idea when it'll finish, but I'm sure it'll end at some point, hopefully with nobody stuck in the river or in a marsh anywhere. And we are asking parents, please be aware of that. that this is coming because of the nature of the event and the fact that the city and golf course are hosting it. We are going to need waivers for kiddos to participate. So for the high school parents out there, if your kid comes home with a waiver, that's what it's for. And we think it's going to be a really good, fun, safe time and a great time for all. So happy to answer any questions if you have any.

And at staff meeting, I think Dave Denton was saying, or maybe you, it's going to be away from the river and the woods and the cottonwood.

I think they're talking it on the front nine is probably better.

So they're not going to be down by the river with this.

And I don't know how the rules of the game are going to fall out yet. There's... I think the seniors get the archery equipment and then everybody else has to try to run through the gauntlet, but we'll see how that goes. So it should be quite entertaining. It's going to be fun.

Before you leave, Chief. Yes, sir. And it's related to the fire report. Last Friday was the guns and hoses blood draw. Who won that event? I'd prefer not to comment. I think we got whipped again, I'm pretty sure. You guys beat us, didn't you?

Yeah, I think they had – I donated almost right at five, and I think they were up by three or four bleeders, and there was a couple more fire folks that fell in. So I think they beat us by five or six.

And you couldn't go back for seconds, right?

No, they wouldn't let me. I don't know why. Pretty unreasonable. So it's a good time. And according to the folks at Vitalant – sorry, Dennis, come on in. According to the folks at Vitalant, they got a lot of donations. So, I mean, that's ultimately the goal.

Good. Good. They did tell us they got 33 units, which served about, they're thinking about 100 people. So if they use that blood, it'll serve about 100 people. And that's an annual thing?

We've been doing it. I think this was year number three. Okay.

Yeah, I think we've won three years in a row.

You got more people to draw from.

We're all trying to beef up on vitamin D so we can bleed multiple times, but it hasn't worked out very well.

We were thinking about getting a traveling trophy, but we didn't see it.

There's no point in it.

And you may have to deduct one from the PD because I donated some really old bloods.

Did they have to put it in a leather football helmet to transport it?

All right. Well, appreciate that report, Chief Johnson. Is there anybody else that has a public comment? Or council? Any comments? All right.