Serving rules

The Medicine Bow Town Council met at 7 p.m. on July 9 at the Community Hall and started business as usual with approval of the agenda, the minutes for the June 11 meeting and the special meeting convened on June 25. The bills were ratified and approved.

LeeAnn Stevenson, candidate for Senate District 11, introduced herself to the council and people present. She said she lived in Riverside and was a candidate for Senate District 11, the largest in the lower 48 states. Stevenson told the council she was running to bring Medicine Bow’s concerns to Cheyenne. She said her background was in social services and had worked with many agencies in Carbon County to keep families safe. Stevenson said this gave her experience to bring people together. She said she also owned Lazy Acres Campground along with her husband. She said there was a candidate forum at the Bear Trap in Riverside on Tuesday night and one in Baggs on Wednesday night if anyone was interested in attending (see Politics in Bar, front page).

Kristi Brennan, an owner of The Old West bar, said as of July 1 new Wyoming liquor laws had taken effect. Brennan said she called the liquor commission to clarify if there was a distinction from the liquor serving area and liquor dispensing area. The commission told her to abide by the local liquor laws, which had not changed. Brennan said if the laws were going to change they should have a meeting. The Old West bar is considering adding a screened patio in back of the existing building and wanted to be positive of the local liquor laws. She said they were going to serve food out back and wanted to know if someone under 18 could serve alcohol in that area as long as they weren’t dispensing it or opening it. Kevin Colman, mayor of Medicine Bow, said the alcohol had to be dispensed by someone over 21 who hands it to the 18 year old. Brennan said, according to local ordinances, there is an exception whereby the 18 year old can come into the dispensing room as long as he doesn’t open the alcohol or dispense it. Colman said from what he understood, the person who was over 21 can hand it to the server.

Brennan asked if the alcohol could be served on the patio if minors were present. Colman said it depended on the predominant use of the room. He said some establishments served alcohol in the dining area before 10 p.m. but minors were required to leave after that time, because the predominant use of the room changed from serving food to serving drinks. He said if the room was designated for serving food, then alcohol could be served, but if the use was to serve alcohol, minors could not be present. He said the area had to be delineated.

Shane Blakeman, council member, said they should have Karen Heath, Town Clerk/Treasurer, send the chapter of the municipal code to the town’s attorney to make sure everything is clear. Brennan said she didn’t think minors should be in bars because it was a liability to bartenders who had to be vigilant that alcohol wasn’t being furtively given to minors. Colman said Carbon County had been supposed to call a meeting of all the government entities last year to discuss this, but the meeting had not materialized. Brennan wanted to make sure their operations were following the liquor laws. Colman suggested from, the business owner’s point of view, he would send the minors out of the patio at 10 p.m. to be safe.

Hal and Kay Embree, Medicine Bow residents were celebrating their 40th anniversary in the park and the council approved the 24-hour malt beverage permit the couple were requesting.

Charlie George, Public Works Director, said an individual was considering purchasing lots to build houses. He said the person questioned the sewer tap fee because the purchaser said it was an investment fee. He said he thought the water tap fee had also been changed to $1,500 but it was still $350.

Heath said the investment fee was still $350, but there was a clause that added cost of parts and labor. George said he agreed with the current fee structure. George said the garbage truck had broken down and the repairs cost $2,300. He said a microburst had taken out the fence by the park restrooms. George said public works was buying materials to repair it. He said they were looking at a new ground fogger to replace the one they could no longer buy parts for. He said they had the money for it in the Mosquito Fund. The council voted to approve buying a new fogger.

George said he needed $700 to buy stain for the Memorial Park fence and the council approved the funds.

Marlene Morss, from High Plains utility company, called on the speakerphone to discuss the idle service fee. Colman said there had been discussion about the idle service fee where if someone wanted to turn off their service, but keep the pole and equipment if they could actually take the pole. Morss said High Plains owned the pole because they maintained them at no expense to the member. High Plains owned the equipment, pole, and facility. Colman said many original landowners were given the option to buy poles and install them. He said those poles didn’t have a High Plains tag on them. Morss asked if there was a meter on the pole. Mayor said that High Plains had put the meters on the poles. Marlene Morss said she would like to come to Medicine Bow and look into the matter. She asked to visit Medicine Bow on July 19 or 20 and have someone show her around and the mayor asked her to make arrangements with Heath.

Sharon Biamon, Medicine Bow Museum Director, thanked public works for the work they did on the museum. She said she was trying to get permission from the Union Pacific to move the Fossil Cabin on to the museum grounds which were rented by the town from the railroad. She said she had submitted the paperwork and was waiting to hear from Union Pacific.

Jim Colman, Medicine Bow representative to South Central Wyoming Emergency Medical Services (SCWEMS), said their budget had been approved on third reading. He said they had received a donation from the Health Care Coalition and planned to use impact money to contract with Classic Air of Rawlins for ambulance air lift services for the people covered by SCWEMS. He said the job description for the ambulance director had been published and might be filled this week. He said Linda Crane, their bookkeeper, had resigned and they would advertise the position.

Kenda Colman, High Country Joint Powers Board (HCJPB) representative, said they had a meeting and there would be a small increase in fees to the towns this year. Heath said the three towns had already approved the budget and it couldn’t be changed. Mayor Colman said by the bylaws, the budget had been presented by the HCJPB in April and had been ratified by the three towns. K. Colman said she would take that back to the HCJPB. She said Mike Martin, landfill operator had retired.

Biamon was approved to represent the town on the 6th Penny Tax Board .

The next scheduled Medicine Bow Town Council meeting is at 7 p.m. on Aug. 14 at the Community Hall.