Council approves budget on first reading

Tuesday evening, the Thermopolis Town Council - with Mayor Mike Mortimore absent - approved the first reading of the fiscal year 2016-17 budget. Among the recommended budgets are: $101,750 for Legislative/Executive, $183,250 for Clerk/Treasurer, $10,800 for Judge, $58,200 for Law, $85,900 for Town Hall, $757,550 for Police, $288,785 for Dispatch Department, $61,000 for Corrections, $32,350 for Codes Administration, $84,800 for Fire Department, $630,686 for One Percent Sales Tax Projects, $603,550 for Streets and Alleys, $35,350 for Parks, $38,655 for Animal Control and $227,540 for Other General Accounts.

The budget will go through a second and third reading before it is finalized.

Also during the meeting, Attorney Michael Messenger swore in new Thermopolis Police Officer Michael Mascorro.

Council approved a variance to allow for a planned 15-20 chickens at Thermopolis Middle School for one year, ending and the end of the 2016-17 school year. Students Emme Norsworthy, Oakley Bowman, Regan Severance and Elisa Weber, along with teacher Becky Martinez, presented about the project.

The students noted they could use eggs to help supplement the school lunch program, and the shells for the school's new garden. The chickens could also be used as a learning tool for those who are not familiar in working with them, teach them about the ag industry and help them develop work ethic.

As for where the chickens would be, Martinez explained a greenhouse would be built and the garden moved into it, and the current garden area would be set up for the chickens' yard. Martinez would like to see it be a year-round project, with birds going to out of town people during the summer or being used for fair projects.

Permits were approved for Shorty's. Owner Deb Lackey presented four permits for: The Republican Party Dinner at the Fair Building June 11 from 4-11 p.m., a fundraiser for care packages for the military at the Armory July 2 from 3 pm.- 2 a.m., Oktobrewfest on Sept. 24 from 11 a.m.-9 p.m., and the PRCA Rodeo June 23, 24 and 25. However, a fifth permit will be prepared for the dance following the rodeo, to account for the venue change to the downtown.

The dispatch area could see an upgrade soon, with the council approving transfer of consensus dollars. Police Chief Steve Shay noted the area has not had any updates for a number of years, and money would go to items such as new flooring, ceiling tile replacement, cleaning, painting, cabling and electrical discipline and upgrades to the panic alarm system at the courthouse.

Council also approved authorizing Clarke Environmental Mosquito Management or subcontractor Dynamic Aviation Inc. to apply insecticides, approved and labeled for mosquito control use, over congested areas of Hot Springs County by low-flying aircraft for the contract period of June 1 through September 15.

County Commissioner Brad Basse presented information regarding Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital. Basse noted it is the County's intention to place a ballot measure for the imposition of a Special Purpose Tax on the ballot for the Nov. 8 election. This tax would go to fund new construction at the hospital and remodeling of current space.

The commissioners will host a public hearing regarding the tax initiative, as well as a hospital district initiative, at their June 21 meeting. The council expressed support toward the initiatives. Mayor's Assistant Fred Crosby requested Basse inform him of upcoming meetings, so he can pass the word on to council members.

Neil Miller requested support from the council on a project. He presented a list of entities that have come together to request the Big Horn Regional Joint Powers Board to ask the State of Wyoming to do a study that would include those same entities on the list. In recent discussions with Big Horn Regional, he said, they talked about including the Town in the study.

The purpose of the study is to look at the overall water situation in the county. Miller added the Town's inclusion would not cost anything, as Big Horn Regional is sponsoring the study, and does not obligate the Town for anything.

Town Engineer Anthony Barnett noted services have been hooked up in the upper Fremont area, and the final painting of the Cedar Ridge tank is scheduled for this week.

Attorney Messenger presented information regarding political signs, noting there could be a possible variance that would allow the Cheney campaign to put up larger signs. There are a couple of oversized Rammell campaign signs in town already, and Rammell's office has argued the point that the signs are free speech. Political signs are an expression of free speech, Messenger explained, and pursuing a case in this issue could wind up costing the Town a lot of money with an already tight budget, and granting the variance might be a more economical approach.