The Town of Encampment Town Council met Thursday, without the town mayor present, to deal with routine business facing the town and to hear from two members of the public.
After approving the minutes of the last meeting and voting to pay the town’s bills, the council heard from Christy Smith of the Grand Encampment Museum (GEM) who was there to ask the town for help paying for a full-page ad to advertise the museum, the towns of Encampment and Riverside and local businesses in a travel publication.
A full-page color ad in the publication cost $890, Smith said, and GEM was prepared to pay $400 of that if the towns of Riverside and Encampment would come up with $245 apiece to cover the cost of the ad.
Earlier in the evening, the Riverside council said it would spend the money on the advertisement if the town of Encampment agreed to do the same.
The Encampment council quickly voted to put $245 toward the ad.
After speeding through several routine reports to the council, the members then discussed new matters before the council.
The council voted to renew the lease for The Red Wagon, LLC, proprietor of the gift store and coffee shop of the same name. The store occupies the building next door to the town hall, which is owned by the town.
The council also took up the first reading of an ordinance that would prohibit people from inhabiting buildings in the town after utilities have been disconnected for non-payment or other reasons. Under the proposed ordinance, occupants of buildings so affected would have 14 days from the time of notice to vacate the property or make arrangements to have utilities restored.
The council voted to hold a public hearing on the proposed ordinance at the next council meeting, Dec. 8.
The council also voted to spend $1,595 on a BlitzForce Fire Monitor after seeing one in action in Saratoga. The BlitzForce Fire Monitor, according to the device’s manufacturer, New Force Inc., of Valparaiso, Indiana, is a high-volume deluge cannon that is mounted on a tripod. Such a device allows firefighters to deliver a high volume of water with a high degree of accuracy.
Also to the benefit of local volunteer firefighters, the council voted to send up to eight members of the Encampment Volunteer Fire Department to mid-winter fire school.
The council also voted to renew a service contract with Sagebrush Senior Center worth $1,250. Council member Kimberly Loftice, who is also an employee of the senior center, abstained from voting.
In other business, the council dedicated $697.67 in street sign replacement, $150 in prize money for the Winter Carnival button contest, prize money for the town’s 13th annual lighting contest, and voted to close the town hall Nov. 25, the Friday after Thanksgiving.
The next regular meeting of the Encampment Town Council will be 7 p.m., Dec. 8.
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