Speed problem in Encampment

Encampment resident Robert “Bob” Herring commanded the floor during a short Encampment Town Council meeting at 7 p.m. on June 14, 2018 at the Encampment Town Hall. Herring, owner of Good Things, stood in front of the council to express his frustration with people speeding through town along Wyoming Highway 70 as they descended from Battle Mountain.

Mayor Greg Salisbury and council members informed Herring that they had tried many things over the years, but with no lasting affect. Salisbury also told Herring that they had requested the Wyoming Department of Transportation place rumble strips in the road as people came into town, but no action was taken.

“We can only do so much, though, without the help of the state,” said Kim Loftice, Encampment Town Council member.

“Do I need, as a public person, to write a letter to the state?” asked Herring.

Salisbury and the council told Herring that a letter from a resident might do more good than a request from the municipality. Further discussion centered around what actions could be taken in the mean time to reduce the amount of speeding vehicles. The council requested Encampment Police Chief Grayling Wachsmuth to focus special attention on the corner of WYO 70 as it comes into town.

During the report from the Department of Public Works, Katrina Nuhn informed the council the Encampment transfer station had received a Department of Environmental Quality violation due to a downed fence on the east side of the facility. According to Nuhn, the fence had been removed during the winter to keep it from hindering snow removal efforts.

Nuhn also made the council aware of a malfunctioning air pump on the sewer lift station. The council moved to repair the air pump at a cost of $860 plus labor.

In other business, the council approved a conditional use permit for Barry Cole to operate a Bed and Breakfast at 1008 Heizer Avenue as well as a tap application for Shaylee Burgess at Block 82, Lots 7 -12.

The council also approved the grant agreement from the Carbon County Visitors Council (CCVC) to advertise for the 12th Annual Music in the Park and Barbecue. Due to the CCVC no longer funding musical acts, the town deposited $1,000 from the Fiscal Year 2017-2018 recreation budget into the FY18/19 budget.

Finally, the council discussed buying fireworks for the upcoming July 4 holiday.

“The concern is making the purchase and the having a fire ban and having to sit on those fireworks,” said Doreen Harvey, Encampment town clerk and treasurer.

It was decided that it was better to have the fireworks and not use them then to need them and not have them. The council made the motion to purchase fireworks with the price not to exceed $2,000.

With no other business to conduct, the Encampment Town Council adjourned. The next regularly scheduled Encampment Town Council meeting will be at 7 p.m. on July 12 at the Encampment Town Hall.