Tax, workers & public works

The Hanna Town Council met at 6 p.m. on April 9 at the Hanna Town Hall with mayor Lois Buchanan and council members Bob Patton, Sammy Sikes and Linda Schisel in attendance. Council member Tracy Fowler was absent.

The agenda and minutes from the March 12 council meeting were approved in the first few moments.

Patton gave the council an update on the Carbon County Council of Governments (CCCOG) meeting on March 20 in Sinclair (see “Tax talk at CCCOG meeting” on page 1 of the April 3 Saratoga Sun). He said three legislators spoke about the economic situation of Wyoming and that the Specific Purpose (6th penny) Tax materials were given out.

Patton went from reporting on CCCOG to giving an update on the Carbon County Economic Development Council. He gave out a report that estimated the amount of workers that would be in the county from 2019-2026 for 10 projects slated to start in the next month. According to the report the number of workers in April will be 430, May, 757; June, 1059; July, 1402; August, 1489; September, 1466; October, 1233; November, 972; and December, 696.

The High Country Joint Powers Board (HCJPB) filled the vacant Hanna representative spot with Sikes being confirmed and Marcia Beals reappointed to the other town seat.

Buchanan told the council that two public works employees had received waste water certificates. This gave the town two level one and two level two waste water certified employees.

“We are well over compliance with certified workers,” Buchanan said.

She said that public works would be going to summer hours where a rotation schedule will ensure five day a week coverage. There will be summer help hired soon.

Craig Kopasz, of Engineering Associates and town engineer, said there was work being done in Elmo to fill in areas with millings from work done on pipes before winter set in. He said there was still work to be completed, but it was almost done. It was a matter of waiting for good weather to dry the area.

He said the water lines that will be worked on in the coming weeks are waiting for the weather to stabilize.

Jeff Neimark, Town Marshall, said the town was still vetting candidates for the full time deputy position. He said fire alarms were still available from the Red Cross. At the end of April there will be Red Cross training. Neimark said the department was working on a grant for school protection from the Department of Homeland Security.

The council approved the Marshall’s office to apply for the grant.

Vivian Gonzales, Recreation Director, said the Food of the Rockies truck would be coming to Hanna on a monthly basis starting in May on the second Friday from 10 a.m. until noon. She said the first game for Utah Jazz had happened in Encampment and said Saratoga would be coming to Hanna on April 19 and Encampment on April 20. Gonzales said there were two positions open for grounds workers as the weather started to warm. Jon Ostling and W. Michael Armstrong were approved by the council to the two open seats on the recreation board.

Gonzales indicated the Memorial Celebration at the Hanna Cemetery is scheduled for May 27. She said clean up day for the cemetery will be May 4.

The council reappointed W. Michael Armstrong to be the Hanna representative to the Carbon County Visitors Council (CCVC).

The financials were approved after the department reports had been approved by the council.

The council approved public works to remove the snow at the Hanna Senior Center and Hanna Fire Station in emergencies.

The council approved Tony Poulos, Linda Wagner and Vivian Gonzales to be taken off as signers from all town accounts. Buchanan, Ann Calvert and Patton were put on in their stead.

Ordinance 381 for the budget for fiscal year 2020 was approved for its first reading. Ordinance 382, an ordinance amending chapter 2, section 02.05.010 subsection A. titled Municipal Judge was approved in its first reading.

The council approved an environmental review to apply for a grant from the Community Development Block Grants.

Resolution 2019-502, a resolution supporting the submission of an application to the CCVC for a grant in the amount of $4,000 for King Coal Days was approved.

Sikes said the Hanna Fire Department has been struggling to get funds. He was grateful for people that attended the last fundraiser where they raised $1,000 but it was not enough to get bunker gear, which was getting old. He said the newest gear was 10 years old and grants applied for had not materialized. Sikes said, when discussing the budget, he felt the town needed to consider how little funding the fire department received to keep it operational and any cuts to it would be detrimental not only to the department, but also to the town.

The next scheduled Hanna Town Council meeting will be at 6 p.m. on May 7 at the Hanna Town Hall.