Digging Hanna

The Hanna Town Council met at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at the town hall after a meet and greet with Ashley Mayfield Davis, candidate for Carbon County Attorney that began at 5 p.m.

Davis stayed for the entire meeting and talked with residents after the council was finished. She was joined by Walter Hagan who is running for Carbon County Sheriff.

It was business as usual as the council approved the minutes the for June 12 regular council meeting and June 20 special meeting. The agenda was approved as were the financials.

Lenard Gonzales, chairman of the High Country Joint Powers Board said the board had raised fees for junk cars taken to the landfill. They will rise from $25 to $70 and a $100 fee for having to open after hours. He said the new manager operator for the landfill, Garrett Irene was doing a good job.

Larry Korkow, Public Works Director, said the Hanna Recreation Center's pool was almost finished being drained. Once done, work can be completed to get the pool up to code for licensing. He said he worked on a schedule that had a worker at the water treatment plant seven days a week.

David Sutter, chief water operator, said the water plant had pumped out 14.1 million gallons this month in comparison to 10 million gallons the month before. He attributed the increase to the weather having drier conditions and people wanting to water their yards.

Craig Kopasz, from Engineering Associates, updated the council on progress of the water main project. In Old Town, the work on Third Street was nearly complete. He said some issues had been uncovered such as unforeseen groundwater and different pipe sizes and types. The groundwater situation is being looked into and he said after the old main is shut off, the problem will be solved.

Madison Street was being worked on and Taccalone will have a line from Madison to Jefferson Street soon. The work on Elmo's lines will be worked on after Old Town is complete.

Kopasz said he was keeping track of issues to process one change order if needed. He said there was a possibility some lead pipes could be found, especially in Elmo. He gave the town options on how to proceed if they did uncover lead pipes. He recommended if lead pipes were found to replace the line to the house or where it ended. Kopasz said they were making up time to get on schedule. He said they were about two weeks behind on the project.

Jeff Neimark, Marshall of Hanna, said Sinclair Wyoming Refining Company (Sinclair) sent a check for $3,500 to help with the cost of town vehicles. He thanked Ryta Sondergard, Sinclair Community Relations Director.

He said the State Homeland Security department had preliminary awarded the Hanna Marshal department a grant of $14,250. These funds, if granted, will be used for a generator to back up the Marshal's office if there is a power outage.

He said the half dozen vehicles that had been abandoned around town by contractors who had been hired to clear out a foreclosed home had been rounded up and impounded. The town would be billing the company responsible for the vehicles. He said there was still one more to get.

Vivian Gonzales, Recreation Director said King Coal Days was being pulled together for July 20-22. She said the pool needed to be drained because the covers for the suction drains had to be updated to code. She said there was some more minor work to be done, but once done, the inspector would come out and check it. She was hopeful to have the pool open at the beginning of August, but she could not guarantee that time frame.

Matt Cox, South Central Wyoming Emergency Medical Services (SCWEMS), said the ambulance director job posting had come to a close. He said the board would review the applications. He said Linda Crane, the bookkeeper for SCWEMS, had resigned and that job had been posted. Cox said the third reading for the budget had been approved at the last meeting. He told the council that the next meeting would be in Riverside because the board was now rotating among all the towns.

The Hanna rep for Carbon County Visitor Council said representatives from Rawlins and Saratoga had resigned. He said the Fossil Cabin House was doing fundraising to move to the Medicine Bow Museum.

Donna Pipher, Hanna Housing Board, said the council would be getting updated minutes in a timely manner. She said construction was being done on a unit and another was complete. Pipher said the board was requesting residents get utilities in their name. She said if they were elderly and disabled arrangements would be made.

The council approved the third reading of Ordinance 2018-379. It is an ordinance amending section 13.08.30 on sewer rates and penalties. It also amends section 8.04.100 landfill fees and penalties.

The council approved two resignations on the Cemetery Board and approved V. Gonzales to be on the board. There is still one seat open.

The council finished the meeting by approving publishing the town's salaries.

The next scheduled Hanna Town Council will be at 6 p.m. on Aug. 8 at the Hanna Town Hall.