Tire dumping at landfill cut off until November

by Mark Dykes

The public will not be allowed to dump tires at the Thermopolis landfill for the next couple of weeks.

Mayor Mike Mortimore, speaking at Tuesday night’s Town Council meeting, explained there have been issues regarding tires over the past several days, such as them being found in ditches. However, he said, a couple “entities” took out something to the equivalent of 1,000 tires each to the landfill.

Council recently approved an ordinance that created a fee schedule for tire dumping, and were expecting people to bring out small loads to avoid those fees, as the ordinance does not take effect until Nov. 1. The massive amount that has come in, however, resulted in tire dumping being cut off until November. Tires will still be accepted from tire vendors, Mayor Mike Mortimore said, as they’ve been very reasonable in dealing with the Council, and they are working on factoring the dumping fees into their costs.

Mortimore said it would be best to have the tires shredded, but to take care of all of them it would cost over $27,000. Mayor’s Assistant Fred Crosby pointed out bringing equipment to the landfill would be expensive, and require some electrical upgrades as well. Crosby noted Liberty Tire would accept tire shreds for $125 per ton and full tires from $150 per ton, or come and take them away and process them for $275 per ton.

Mortimore said another company with shredding capabilities could come out to take care of the tires possibly in the next week.

Also during the meeting, Council approved the first reading of an ordinance regarding fire pits. According to the ordinance, no fire permit is required for outdoor fireplaces, fire pits and other recreational fire appliances, provided they meet the ordinance guidelines.

The guidelines included in the ordinance state solid fuel burning appliances may only be fueled by cut or split firewood. A recreational fire is an outdoor fire with a total fire area of three feet or less of diameter and two feet or less in height for pleasure, religious, ceremonial, cooking, warmth or similar purposes. Outdoor grills, barbecues and charcoal grills are exempt.

Materials such as rubbish, construction materials, paper products, yard debris, branches, leaves, garbage and similar materials cannot be burned unless a written permit is obtained from the fire chief or his designee.

Fires in outdoor fireplaces should be no closer than 15 feet to a building or combustible materials, and an appliance must have a screen or spark arrestor in place while burning. Fires shall not be within 25 feet of a structure or combustible material if not in an appliance, and any condition which would cause the fire to spread to within 25 feet of a building shall be eliminated prior to ignition.

A fire extinguisher of at least a 4A rating or a charged water hose must be in close proximity to the appliance while burning, and fires must be constantly attended by a person knowledgeable in the use of extinguishing equipment provided. Fires shall not be ignited on days where Red Flag warnings are issued or burning is banned by order of the mayor, or on days when winds create a hazardous condition. Fires can be ordered discontinued if they are determined to be hazardous or a public nuisance.

With regard to recreational fires, they can be done only on privately owned property, and anyone who has a recreational fire is responsible for any damage caused.

Council also approved a catering permit from Debra Lackey and Shorty’s Liquor, for the FFA Harvest Moon Ball, 5 p.m. until midnight at the fair building. It was noted this event is for adult FFA alumni.

A street closure was approved for the Moonlight Madness event Oct. 27, for Fifth Street south from Broadway to the alley. The closure would be from around 5 p.m. until 9 p.m., and allow a safe area for the planned Trunk or Treat during the evening’s festivities.

Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Meri Ann Rush, who proposed the closure, said there would be time to get vehicles out of the parking spaces.

Rush also spoke of the Shop Small event coming Nov. 26, and requested Mayor Mortimore be there to turn on the lights. The event will also feature an appearance and pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and the crowning of the snow royalty.

Rush mentioned the fire department’s demonstration of a burning room and the effectiveness of sprinkler systems, during the Gift of the Waters Pageant weekend, and mentioned the Shop Small event would be a good opportunity to educate on fire safety and demonstrate how quickly a Christmas tree could go up. Though there was some concern expressed regarding the safety and appropriateness of the demonstration, a closure was approved — again for Fifth south from Broadway to the alley — for 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Nov. 26 to allow time to set up for the demonstration.

With regard to lights, later in the meeting Council also approved of the expenditure to replace the lights in Bicentennial Park with solar lights. One light has already been replaced.

Another item Rush addressed is the upcoming Aug. 21, 2017 solar eclipse. She emphasized people are already talking about it, and Thermopolis will see an influx of people prior to and the day of the event, and the best thing the town can do is be prepared. To this end, there have been meetings, and she invited council members to attend the next one, at the fire hall on Nov. 15 at 10 a.m. Being prepared and making sure people have a good experience, Rush said, will help to keep them coming back.

Rush said there have already been contacts from tour groups who are coming in, an further noted people are coming in three days ahead of the event, which works out well, because it means they will be in town for the demolition derby.

Town Engineer Anthony Barnett said things are ahead of schedule on the million-gallon tank painting project, with a little over half of the walls, 100 percent of the floor and about half the roof sandblasted. The tank is in better shape than those previously painted, with little welding repairs needed. If the weather holds, it should be ready for filling around the first week of November.

Council supported a request from the Town of Kirby to provide remaining fiscal year 2015-16 county wide consensus funds, for the Town of Kirby Storage Tank Supply Line project. The project had been placed on a list of alternate projects in 2015, and much of the funding allocated for the South Thermopolis Water & Sewer District project was returned.

Barnett noted the Town of Kirby was informed two or three times this past summer that it was completely out of water and on the verge of issuing boil orders. The project, he said, is more than just a compliance issue; it’s compliance with health and safety issues.