Big Horn Basin Nature and Discovery Center’s Toddi Darlington came to the Town Council requesting a signature on a letter of support for an application to the National Endowment of the Arts for the Our Town Grant their joint powers board will be applying for.
Darlington explained that they had been struggling over the years to apply for grants because they are a joint powers board and they have been borrowing the nonprofit status of the Greater Learning Foundation. They decided that the best way to approach this was for the joint powers board to create their own nonprofit. This has been extremely helpful in applying for grants because they no longer need to go to an outside nonprofit organization.
The Our Town grant will help them continue to work on the Children’s Outdoor Learning Area. They were going to do more work in a playground area and then COVID hit. However, now they are back on track.
Additionally, they have been able to put a new trailhead on their property which takes hikers up on T-Hill and will eventually connect to other trails and pathways. They also put a skating rink on the property, which Darlington said was really well received and well used.
They are planning to do an interpretative petroglyph wall and already have two grants to help with that. The Our Town grant will go to help finish these costs. Darlington said that the purpose of the wall is to show good stewardship of our public land and also teach what is graffiti and what is truly rock art. The Discovery Center brought in an archeologist and they drew up plans for this.
Not only are they doing this, but they are also planning on putting in a water table exhibit that will teach the story of water. Darlington explained that we are a water community because of the lakes, streams, creeks and the hot springs. The water table will also teach good stewardship to our children. The exhibit will be interactive and the children will get wet and dirty as they learn. The Our Town grant will help them push forward on finishing the park and complete these other projects. The grant will also help lay a line of water, power and sewer to the park as well.
Also present during citizen participation per the request of the Town Council, was Frank Toth and Kevin Simpson, representing the Thermopolis Golf Course Board of Directors. In the previous Council meeting Council member Tony Larson reported his concerns about the condition and care of the golf course grounds. Toth and Simpson wanted to address Larson’s comments and to report on the course.
Toth said, “We believe there’s some misrepresentation or misunderstanding.” Toth and Simpson expressed their thanks to the Town for their assistance in filling their sinkhole and for fixing their water line in two places. Toth said, “We really appreciate your help and also value our partnership.”
Toth said that he knows the Council is concerned with the condition of the grounds and that they are addressing it. Toth said there were some personnel issues that are private and those issues are being addressed. Toth added that the Big Horn Basin area is considered to be in a severe drought and that issue has contributed to the grounds care. Last year there were 8.21 inches of rainfall from May to August 4, and this year the Basin has only had 1.65 inches of rain in the same time period. Temperatures have also been hotter this year compared to the last. Toth said this is why they are grateful for the city’s help in fixing the waterline.
Toth also provided their board’s financial statements to the Council. Council member Bill Malloy asked about the number of members at the course. Toth replied there are 80 to 88 members. Simpson said this amount was up from last year where membership was in the 60s and that he is tracking and said, “membership is up.” Simpson added that they are working with their accountant on the coding of their finances as there are some miscellaneous transactions of income.
Mayor Mike Chimenti requested that the golf course board provide their meeting minutes on a regular basis so that the town council can be better informed.
Assistant to Mayor Fred Crosby asked the golf course board about their fundraising efforts. Simpson explained that last year they had a highly successful fundraiser, but they decided not to do another one this year because they didn’t want to ask the community for the same monetary support year after year. Last year they were able to raise $37,000.
They were considering doing a big function every two years. This year they were planning to do sponsorships of golf carts to do advertising on the cart. However, COVID hit and the financial ability of sponsors didn’t work out.
Mayor Chimenti asked about the issue of replacing sprinkler heads and saw in the documents provided that it was incomplete. Toth explained that they had applied for money for a Blade Edwards grant and sent the application, but the application was lost in the mail system. Toth said, “We were waiting to see if we were going to get the funding from them to buy some more sprinkler heads.”
Council member Tony Larson said he understands not following through with the sprinkler heads but said, “If you’ve got a financial statement and know how much money you have in an account, there is no reason to not allow somebody to buy sprinkler heads.”
Larson added, “The last five, six, seven years you’ve noticed a steady decrease in the way the golf course has looked. The brown spots are getting larger. You’ve quit watering in certain areas where it used to be green. It’s just sort of hard to see something going this way.”
Simpson responded on how in their recent board meeting they restructured their committee assignments so that there are more people helping and not just one person shouldering the load. Simpson explained that the infrastructure of pipes in the course was built in the 60s. Pipes are cracking and they are chasing leaks everywhere. He said the replacement for every sprinkler would cost half a million dollars.
Mayor Chimenti said that they were glad they are addressing the issues they have and that their minutes will be helpful to understand what is going on.
Brad Basse spoke and pointed out that the fairgrounds are an income generator for the community and he said he assumed the golf course could be one as well and even much more than that. Basse said that the course is a beautiful place and has wonderful views of the surrounding area and that he differs in points of view than Council member Larson.
Basse said, “The course is in better shape than it was when I first started, which is about four years ago. It was in worse condition about four years ago. Last year we were benefited by a lot of rain in the spring but we were also benefited by a tremendous amount of volunteerism on a part of the board members and members of the club that were up there running mowers and digging up sprinkler heads… Last year that course looked better than I have seen it in a long, long time. This year the weather and various infrastructure issues have hindered them.” Basse explained there is a tremendous amount of in-kind maintenance. “It isn’t as dire as it has come across.” Basse also said that the atmosphere of the course is better and friendly. “It’s a great asset.”
Simpson concluded his report saying that he agrees it is a great asset to the community and that more out-of-town or out-of-state patrons are utilizing the course, some more than even locals.
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