Town Council hears comments on parks, property issues

At the April 15 Thermopolis Town Council meeting held at Town Hall, during citizen participation, the council voted and passed the Double D LLC 24 hour Alcohol Beverage Permit for the Figure 8 Race on May 10 at the fairgrounds.

Brooks Jordan, District Manager of Wyoming State Parks, also provided the council an update on the Hot Springs State Park. Jordan gave similar information as he did when visiting the Hot Springs County Commissioners board meeting earlier the same day.

The council and Jordan also discussed the construction on Broadway Bridge and its closure. Jordan said that the new pavement project in Hot Springs State Park is not currently scheduled but will occur after the completion of the Broadway Bridge work.

Citizen comments included Madison Moak approaching the council and discussing the Family Park and the Glade Edwards Park having grass or grounds that were uneven or had holes in them. She said this is a safety issue for anyone using the parks and asked that dirt or sand would be used to fill the holes. 

Debra Davenport addressed the council about her concerns over issues at 117 Fremont Street and its clean up since its recent fire. According to Davenport, there is no electricity in the property and the resident is living in an inoperable RV. She added that the town promised “a more permanent solution”, that her “property values have decreased”, and she is concerned “another disaster” might occur. 

Mayor Adam Estenson held a public hearing for a Conditional Use Permit for Madison Moak regarding a proposed barber shop at 408 N. 7th Street. Moak explained her business is a one chair barber shop that would operate about eight to ten days a month. There were no public comments given. The council voted and passed the approval of the permit.

Mayor Estenson held a second public hearing for OEB’s Retail Liquor License Transfer. The license will move from the old brewery to their property across the street. There were no public comments given. The council voted and passed the approval of the liquor license transfer.

Police Chief Pat Cornwell gave a report about the emergency training exercise on April 14. This occurred at the baseball fields in the state park near the Armory.

Cornwell said there were “no big complaints” and the first responders “worked well together”.

One concern brought up by Chief Cornwell was that the dispatch of Washakie County was not informed of the exercise and that dispatch in Thermopolis could only handle a limit of about three calls at the same time. More than that is redirected to Washakie County. Law enforcement in Worland ended up responding to their baseball fields for the crisis. Chief Cornwell said he apologized to Washakie County for the miscommunication.

He also said he wants to have his police officers receive trauma medic training to be more prepared since they were first on scene. 

Mayor Estenson responded with gratitude to all who were involved. Also, the Mayor and Chief Cornwell discussed how the mental health of dispatch operators is very important.

Town Attorney Marshall Keller presented the Carport Ordinance for its third and final reading. The council voted and passed the approval of the ordinance. 

The Mayor and Council members will visit the transfer station in Saratoga on April 24 to review its facility as it is similar to Thermopolis’ coming.