The Saratoga Sun -

Concerns over a proposed tower to be constructed by Skyway Towers, LLC were expressed during the Encampment Town Council meeting on Aug. 9 at the Encampment Town Hall. The communication tower is projected to stand approximately 310 feet tall which will require Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lighting on the tower.

Following a public notice in the Saratoga Sun on July 18, Cindy Hamilton, Encampment Town Council member, sent a request as a private citizen for an environmental review to be performed before the construction of the tower. Since then, a handful of other pleadings have been submitted to the Federal Communications Commission including a request from the Town of Encampment, dated Aug. 10.

The pleadings, submitted both by the municipality and by private citizens, request another site be considered for the location of the tower due to its proximity to the town. Hamilton informed those gathered at the town council meeting that a hearing will be held by the Carbon County Planning and Zoning Commission at 10 a.m. on Sept. 10 at 215 W. Buffalo in Rawlins.

As of Aug. 17, a petition circulated by Robert C. Kelley of Encampment has obtained 134 signatures in opposition of the proposed location for the communications towers.

The Encampment Town Council also informed those gathered in the council chambers of the success following the Grand Encampment Cowboy Gathering and Sierra Madre Muzzleloaders Mountain Man Rendezvous held in July.

“We had a tremendous amount of people here,” said Mayor Greg Salisbury. “It turned out great from everything I’ve heard of. Everything was excellent. I want to give great thanks to both organizations because, when they left, they did an absolutely fantastic job of cleaning behind themselves.”

“I walk my dog down there twice a day,” said Kelley. “I’ve never seen so many people leave anything that clean.”

Additional business included Salisbury informing the council that the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) would supply Encampment with temporary rumble strips to be placed along WYO 70. According to Salisbury, WYDOT also informed him that the town could move the flashing speed sign to a location they deemed fit but that the sign would need to be on it’s own post.

The council also asked Encampment resident Robert “Bob” Herring if he would be interested in serving on the Upper Platte River Solid Waste Disposal District board. Lloyd Buford, who represented Encampment for six years, recently reached the end of his term and can no longer serve on the board. Herring informed the council that he would consider their request.

The next meeting of the Encampment Town Council will be at 7 p.m. on Sept. 13 at the Encampment Town Hall.