Grants, grants, grants

The Medicine Bow Town Council met at 7 p.m. on Dec. 9 at the Medicine Bow Community Hall. Mayor Sharon Biamon was present as were council members Lyle Flansburg, Lucy Schofield, and Trevor Strauch.

The council quickly approved the agenda the minutes of the regular town meeting on Nov. 12.

The approval of the financials was the next order of business.

Biamon said she wanted to apologize for remarks she had made at the meeting on Nov. 12 regarding the fire department. She had thought the Fire Department had been training people to write grants, but because the entire department consisted of volunteers, they were not able to do this. She said the department should provide a list of equipment needed so expenses could be approved and funds allocated. Fire Chief Peter Andrews thanked the mayor and said the department would help find grants.

Kristi Wickizer, operator of the Old West Bar, requested a 24 hour operational permit for Dec. 14. The permit was approved.

Biamon said she was unsure as to how much money for expenditures needed to be approved by the council and how much could be spent by department heads without council approval. Town Attorney Kelly Neville said if the amount was over $35,000, it had to be put out to bid, but an ordinance could be written on how the mayor manages town employee expenditures. Town Clerk/Treasurer Karen Heath said there was no written policy but it was understood the Mayor could approve expenditures up to $200 without council approval.

Strauch suggested a workshop to discuss the situation. Biamon set a workshop at 7 p.m on Jan. 8 to discuss a purchase policy.

Biamon said there were two trailer courts that didn’t have meters. Public Works Director Charlie George said he would be able to buy two meters for $9,600. The council approved the purchase.

Biamon said George had been to a meeting where it was mentioned all emails and texts could be made public in an investigation even if it was on a personal device. Neville said any government communications could be subject to the Freedom Of Information Act. Heath uses her personnel cell phone for government communications sometimes. The council approved a cell phone for the town hall.

Biamon said Boswell Springs has a new memorandum of understanding because they have new developers. Medicine Bow will receive about $76,000 less in impact money, which leaves the Town short for the street project. She said public works has already spent all that allowed on equipment, and the Fire Department had $19,082.15 left. She said in her opinion, the streets should come first and they might be able to make the difference up with grants. Biamon said she hated to do it, but they could take their money and match it with grants, whereas they could not match money for streets.

Biamon said there were some areas in town that had zoning problems. She asked Chairman Jim Colman of Planning and Zoning Commission to make recommendations. Colman said they would work on the following things. Zoning should conform to use. There were six areas needing zoning. All outlying subdivisions would be zoned agricultural except for Troy Maddox’s impound yard, which had already been rezoned. There would be two new land uses: agricultural and parks and green spaces. The recommendations were approved.

Mark Davidson from Sunrise Engineering said they were moving along with the Spruce Street Drainage project and everything was on schedule.

Biamon said Prairie Dog Electric gave a quote for three generators and was confident the Town could get two with grants. Freight charges would be saved by ordering three generators, and he had bid $21,750.00, which didn’t include installation. She will look into the grants.

George said he was waiting for assistance on the Water Treatment Plant valve. They were running the plant manually. George said they were plowing snow as needed and had chains made for the loader and blade.

Neville said the probate was finished on the Howell estate and deeds went out for the heirs to sign. Once recorded, the Town would own those lots.

Frank Fisher, Adam Barron, and Hayden Bricker were approved as full members of the fire department.

High County Joint Powers Board Toby Smith said board went over applications for the landfill operator job.

RNB State Bank and Bank of Commerce were approved as the Town depositories.

At 8:27 p.m. the council went into Executive Session. At 9:53 p.m., the council came out. The council approved Heath a $2 per hour raise. The council approved interviews to hire a Deputy Clerk/Treasurer. Approval was given for George to purchase materials for the W. Spruce St. drainage project and hire H & H Construction to install it.

The next scheduled meeting is at 7 p.m. on Jan. 13 at the Medicine Bow Community Hall.