Council approves request for landfill permit extension

At the May 16 Thermopolis Town Council meeting held at Town Hall, Town Engineer Anthony Barnett reported that they had a meeting with DEQ to extend their permit for the landfill. Barnett said they recommended at first extending the permit for one year but then said they could extend it for two years. Their current permit expires on June 9. Currently, the town is filling up cell #10 and maybe move to cell #11 next. Barnett added, “It’s one of those where the discussion goes back and forth and they want to see what’s best and when the funding will be available.”

Mayor Estenson said regarding the landfill and transfer station matters that they had a meeting in Cheyenne and “I told them that we as the governing body are in favor of making a decision and getting moving because time is getting shorter. So there are a few options on the table that are being vetted and we’ll be presenting to you as they’re properly vetted and prepared and going from there.”

Barnett requested a vote to approve the mayor’s signature on the landfill permit extension. The council voted and passed the approval unanimously. 

The council members voted and passed the approval of their budget in its first reading.

Mayor Adam Estenson held several public hearings. The first was for Theresa Gergen requesting a home occupation permit for an art studio for the purpose of selling original art for shows, galleries, and online sales. There were no public comments given. The council voted and passed the approval of the home occupation permit.

The next public hearing was a request for a variance from John Duesing to install an iron fence in the town right away and to have a height of five feet. The council held a discussion with Town Codes Administrator Jim Jeunehomme who said there were two issues. One was the variance request would go against the town’s code of a four-foot height and the other issue was the rod iron rows would hinder the visibility of drivers as they approached the intersection, which is a safety matter. If the fence were a mesh chain link and at the proper height it would be legal. Council member Bill Malloy motioned to deny the variance. Council member John Dorman seconded the motion to deny. Council members Rachel Hughes and Dusty Lewis voted in opposition to the motion to deny. However, Mayor Estenson also voted to deny it, thus the motion prevailed to deny the request. 

Town Codes Administrator Jim Jeunehomme also presented a matter regarding a fence that was already built on the property of Eric Osbon. Jeunehomme said that Osbon was unaware of the rules at the time of installation. The fence does meet the town’s rules for right of way and does not interfere with traffic. The only issue is that the sidewalk involved only reaches halfway and leads to the front of the property. If the sidewalk were to be continued, it would have to step down in its height. Council member Lewis made the motion to approve. Council member Malloy seconded. In the vote to approve council member Hughes opposed the approval, however in the vote tally the motion prevailed. 

Mayor Estenson swore in a new Thermopolis police officer, Guadalupe Rodriguez. Also, on Thursday, May 18, a second police officer, Ryan Loving, was sworn in. 

Mayor Estenson provided an update to the council on the recent May 11 meeting in Cheyenne with the Wyoming Water Development Commission (WWDC) regarding the Hot Springs County Rural Water Joint Powers Board application for a Level 2 study. Estenson said, “At the request of the senators present, they wanted us to step back and to do a study of regional water and what the best option for Hot Springs County would be, whether it’s a well or surface water either.”