Town approves FY 2019-20 budget

Following a brief public meeting during which there was no comment, Thermopolis Town Council approved the budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year, as well as Resolution 552 to adopt it.

According to the budget, revenues for the upcoming fiscal year include: $3,992,540 in the General Fund, including a $1,289,510 cash carry-over; $3,184,580 in the Enterprise Fund; $1,795,300 in Enterprise Fund-Depreciation Reserve for transfers, loan, grant and cash carryover; $804,800 in Insurance Trust Fund; $5,500 in the Nicholson Trust Fund, including a $4,5000 cash carryover; and $600 in the Revolving Loan Fund.

Budget expenditures include: $3,992,540 in the General Fund, including a cash reserve of $100,000; $3,044,100 in Enterprise Fund – 100 percent depreciation; $1,795,300 in Enterprise Fund – Capital Outlay; $804,800 in Insurance Trust Fund; $5,500 in the Nicholson Trust Fund; and $600 in the Revolving Loan Fund.

In other action, council approved a 24-hour malt beverage permit for the rodeo this Friday and Saturday, June 21 and 22, and a street closure for the parade route, presented by Heather Hayes. Additionally, Hayes presented the WYDOT transportation permit for the parade that will run at 10 a.m. Saturday, starting at Washakie and travelling along Sixth until Broadway, where it turns east. Hayes also showed the insurance and liability for the event, and assured council she would work with the Thermopolis Police Department for security.

Resolution 553 was approved, to accept the provided $20 per capita in assistance from the Transportation Commission of Wyoming, for the town plowing Sixth Street Shoshoni, Broadway and up over Hospital Hill. The assistance totals about $60,000 per year.

Mayor’s Assistant Fred Crosby noted Derek Burrows is again wanting an area near the armory to set off fireworks prior to the main show off the top of T Hill. The idea was cleared by Fire Chief Mark Collins and Hot Springs State Park Superintendent Kevin Skates. Council approved allowing people to set off fireworks in the area, though Crosby further noted it was suggested using the old airport next year might be better.

Also during the meeting, Compliance Officer Ame Longwell recognized youth Alternatives Coordinator Barb Rice and youth in the program for participation in the Community Clean Up. Longwell said she has 122 nuisance yards on her list right now. Of those, 60 percent are unresolved; of that 60 percent, 15-20 percent will be assigned to community service because they’re either abandoned property or the owner has passed away. The youth program will be handling those properties.

“They’re picking up the ones that we can’t get done,” Longwell said. Those helping with the clean up are Karen Wedor, June Wedor, Ana Mosser, Aiden Cox, Sean Slagle, Liz Weed and Logan Smith.

Longwell is also working with on a list of abandoned properties, of which there are 110, and 30 of those are addresses on the cleanup list and have been repeat nuisance yards over the past three years she’s been recording.

Rice said they enjoy their relationship with the town through Youth Alternatives, as it is a county program, and they’ve really jumped on the opportunity to develop that relationship. “We just wanted to something with the town in a way that would benefit you. I think we have a great crew working.”

Longwell would like to remind residents that they are responsible for their yard up to the curb, not just what is inside a fence. Those who would like to be put on a list for the program to clean up their yards can contact Longwell at 864-3114 and she will visit with them and determine if such services are needed.

There is a suggested donation of $25 for small lots, $50 for large, and people can also make donations of money or equipment to help keep the program going.

Forrest Coleman-Weisz expressed his appreciation to the police officers for helping during the Hot Spot Car Rally.

Coleman-Weisz also spoke to the upcoming centennial for the Thermopolis Volunteer Fire Department, noting several vehicles will be coming from Cody, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, police department, ambulance and other agencies. As Cody is bringing a big ladder truck, he said the plan will be to utilize that truck along with the Thermopolis ladder truck to display a very large United States flag people can travel underneath along the main route to the fire department. He said he’s been approaching homeowners and hasn’t had any conflict yet, and the flag itself will not impede traffic.

Town Engineer Anthony Barnett reported the painting at the water clarifier has been completed and water is back in it.

The contracted firm, he said, has gone above and beyond, providing some additional painting that wasn’t in the contract because of the water plant crew’s patience with the project.

Barnett also reported that the SLIB staff is recommending approval of the Springview Street sewer project, for the $150,000 grant to match the town’s other 50 percent. The project would address and fix an older section of sewer line running from Maiden Street to about in front of Taco John’s.

Mayor Mike Chimenti and council member Bill Malloy reported on the recent Wyoming Association of Municipalities (WAM) convention in Sheridan they attended. Chimenti said the session s they had were outstanding, covering topics such as leadership, liability and team building.

There was also a lot of discussion, Chimenti said, about chamber of commerce and economic directors from different communities in the Big Horn Basin promoting activities of all towns in the basin rather than just their own.

Longwell added she’s seen such collaborations where she used to live in Colorado, and it had a tremendous positive impact on the tourism of the involved communities.

Also at the WAM convention, Malloy noted, the Department of Environmental Quality representative spoke to him and said she was impressed with how Thermopolis continues to follow all of the agency regulations.