Tipi Retreat supporters attend gathering

Prior to the February 21 Hot Springs County Commissioners meeting, around 30 supporters for the "Save the Tipi" campaign peacefully gathered in front of the Hot Springs County Courthouse and then attended the commissioners meeting at the annex. Michael and Michele Stevens, owners of The Tipi Retreat, LLC, are currently in litigations after the Stevens' filed a lawsuit against the commissioners over their denial of a land use change for the couple's commercial business, Docket No. 2022-23.

A January 3, 2023, letter from Budd-Falen Law Offices, the attorney's office representing Hot Springs County Board of County Commissioners, to Lucas Buckley of Hathaway & Kunz, LLP, the attorney representing The Tipi Retreat, LLC, states the following:

"It has come to our attention that your clients in the above-referenced matter are planning to attend the meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Hot Springs County on February, 21, 2023, 'to discuss the public's concern as to the actions that Hot Springs County has taken against the Tipi Retreat, LLC,' including a request to 'cease and desist all legal action against the Tipi Retreat.' Please advise your clients that the matter is currently in litigation and will not be addressed or discussed during the February 21 meeting."  

At the February 21 County Commissioners meeting, Chairman Tom Ryan was absent due to a previously planned engagement. Vice Chairman Phil Scheel and commissioner Paul Galovich were present and they suspended the Robert's Rules of engagement for the meeting.

At the beginning of the meeting, commissioner Galovich made a motion to amend the agenda to give the public 15 minutes to speak their minds. However, Vice Chairman Scheel denied the motion. The meeting continued with the agenda, as presented, with both Scheel and Galovich voting in agreement in order to continue the meeting.

Les Culliton, contract special projects manager for the county, gave a county projects update and said regarding the Fair Building roof project that engineers QC10 were supposed to be on-site last week, but due to the weather, they weren't able to come. They will try again next Friday. Also, Culliton said he is addressing the air conditioning unit at the Extension office and that maintenance supervisor Frank Davis is taking the lead with it and working with Long.

Regarding the detention center plumbing project, Culliton said that it is about ready to go to bid. The other project involved at the detention center is the fire alarm system. Culliton said that Laramie Fire Protection is "really struggling to get up here to look at that space." If Laramie Fire Protection doesn't work out, Culliton said that they may need to find another contractor.

Commissioner Galovich discussed with Culliton about spray foam insulation as well for the Fair Building. Culliton added, "It might be a viable option."

Commissioner Scheel recessed the meeting for 20 minutes until IT consultant Dean Peranteux could arrive to discuss the video streaming project. When Peranteaux arrived, he presented his research and budgeting information to purchase an Owl Labs camera, which costs about $1,200, a one-time cost, and a Zoom webinar software license, which costs $552 per year. The commissioners discussed with County Clerk Becky Kersten how to address the budget with this proposal as it was not originally planned for. Kersten said there is room in the emergency expenditure and that they would add it to the budget for the following year. The commissioners voted and passed the approval of Peranteux's proposal.