TORRINGTON – The Torrington City Council convened for the first council meeting for the new year on Tuesday, January 7, at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers. Herb Doby, mayor, called the meeting to order prompt with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present at the Tuesday meeting were councilmembers Wayne Deahl, Shane Vikortin, Dennis Kelly and Richard Warren.

Upon calling the meeting to order, Doby added re-elected council member Dennis Kelly to oath of office item. Next, Jim Eddington swore new councilmember Warren and re-elected Kelly into office. 

Under the mayor’s information items, Doby thanked the community and contractors for the recent snow removal. Doby also mentioned Torrington Office Supply would be closing and Hop’s Tech Shop would open at the same location and the mayor invited the community to the new store. 

“The Torrington Office Supply part of TOS, or Torrington Office Supply, will be closing. But the business will continue operation as Hop’s Tech Shop, dealing in computer sales and service.” Doby said. “Please patronize this local business and all our local small businesses. Thank you to the Hoppal family for all your hard work and dedication to our community. We all wish you, Rick and Greg Hoppal, with continuing success with computer sales and service business at the same location.”

Doby also mentioned this is the 40-day general session of the Wyoming State Legislature and he provided the community the contact information for the local government officials. Doby also mentioned Tammy Kerns would be retiring from the police department and a retirement party would be held for Kerns in the Constoga Room on Friday, January 10 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Moving on, the council approved the consent agenda which included the meeting minutes from the December 17, 2024, council meeting as published. The evening agenda was also quickly approved. 

Next the council heard from Jess Oaks, representing Wreaths Across America, with a request to have use of the cemetery for the 2025 National Wreaths Across America event to be held in December. Oaks stated she would be responsible for laying the wreaths out and picking them up after the holiday season, also noting she would like to see more involvement in the community. 

Under action items, the mayor made the following one-year appointments, which were approved by the council: James Eddington (city attorney), Matt Johnson (police chief), Luis Correa (fire chief), Lynette Strecker (city clerk/treasurer), Jeff Harkins (director of public works), John Patrick (municipal judge), Kenneth Brown (associate municipal judge) and Anna Barnes (associate municipal judge). Dennis Kelly would be appointed to mayor pro-tem for one year. David Arland, Michael Richey, John Otten and Randy Baugh were appointed to the airport board with a four-year term. Lynette Strecker was appointed to the Consolidated Wyoming Municipality Electric Joint Powers Board for a three-year term. Moving on to council committee assignments, Doby appointed himself for the following committees: streets, sanitation, museum, investment, parks, cemetery, pool, golf and care center. Kelly was appointed to the following committee assignments: mayor pro-tem, water, sewer, shop fire department, vehicles and buildings. Deahl was appointed to the wage, ambulance, electrical, police department, vehicles and buildings. Viktorin was appointed to the industrial park and airport committee and Warren was appointed to the health insurance committee. Brian Young (one-year term), Dana Yotz (three-year term) and Brett Spencer (three-year term) were appointed to the industrial park committee. Deahl would be appointed, indefinitely, to the investment committee. For the information technology committee, Doby appointed Matt Johnson, indefinitely. Wayne Deahl (one-year term) and Christine Nichols (two-year term) were appointed to the performance evaluation committee. For the safety committee, serving two-year terms, Gardner Pyle, Stephanie Blanco, Mark Weis and Raymond Miller were appointed by Doby. Dennis Kelly was appointed as alternate chairman of the wage committee, serving until December 31, 2028. After the mayor finished his list, he opened the floor to the remaining councilmembers. 

“Maybe not a question, Mr. Mayor, would the statement just briefly mention that, especially on the committees, this is not everybody that’s currently serving on those committees. They’re just the current terms that are for reappointment,” Viktorin remarked. 

A motion was made by Deahl and seconded by Viktorin to accept all of the mayor’s appointments which carried by vote.

Moving on to item two, the council heard on consideration to designate Doby as a “part-time” mayor. 

“When I was elected, the council approved that my appointment of part-time mayor. They re-approved it last year, last January as a part-time mayor. I give the city what it needs as part-time mayor. I get a salary of $12,000. If I were a full-time mayor, I’d get a salary of $30,000,” Doby explained. “I’m still employed otherwise. I didn’t think it was right to take it as full-time and not literally be full-time. So far so good. As far as I know, I keep track of the hours that I put in.”

Viktorin made a motion to approve Doby as a part time mayor which was then seconded by Kelly and the motion carried. 

Under item three, the council heard from Lynette Strecker, clerk/treasure, regarding resolution number 2025-1, approving the institutions as depositories and/or security broker/dealers for the City of Torrington. Eddington read the resolution by title. Doby then called on Strecker. 

“This list is the same as last year except for Computer Share Corporate Trust. That replaced Wells Fargo for custody and safety and have our electric bond,” Strecker explain. “So, that is the only change.” 

A motion was made by Vikortin which was then seconded by Deahl and it carried by vote. 

The council then moved on to item four, resolution number 2025-2, authorizing the submission of a Wyoming Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant application to FEMA for the development of a hazard mitigation scoping project for the City of Torrington, where they council heard from Chuck Kenyon, emergency management coordinator. Eddington was called on to read the resolution and Kenyon then spoke to the council. 

“I did include a detailed explanation of the project in the minutes package or the council package,” Kenyon explained. “I would basically stand for questions if you need any explanation of the project.”

Doby stated he was under the impression Kenyon had become aware of the grant on a last-minute basis, noting there was money left over which was subject to be awarded. Doby thanked Kenyon and the staff responsible for getting the applications filed out as quickly as they did. Doby also asked Kenyon what the grant funds would be used for.

“We used to do planning grants. FEMA would come up with money for planning grants. Well, there’s nothing the federal government likes more than changing the name of programs. So, this is now called Projects Scoping Grant, which is a hired engineer to look at something and come up with a proposed solution,” Kenyon explained. “We actually applied for this grant back in 2020. We were not funded at that time in the regular grant cycle because it was a competitive grant and the GID tunnel collapse was able to receive the money earmarked for planning grants at that time.”

A motion was made by Deahl to approve the resolution which was then seconded by Kelly and by vote, the motion carried and the resolution was approved. 

Moving on to item five, the council heard from Torrington Chief of Police, Matt Johnson, who spoke on the authorization to purchase a used 2019 Dodge Charger police package from the Wyoming Highway Patrol for $8,000. 

A motion was made to accept the purchase of the vehicle and issue payment before January 14 by councilmen Viktorin which was seconded by Kelly. The motion to approve the purchase and supply payment immediately carried. 

Under item six, the council approved the bills from December 18, 2024, to January 7, 2025, as presented by Strecker. 

A brief discussion was conducted between the council and Strecker regarding the firefighter’s incentive listed on the bills.

Next, the council moved on to public comment where Doby turned the floor over the Torrington Fire Chief, Luis Correa, for the monthly fire report. 

Bob Peterson then spoke to the council on the mayor’s appointments, noting the appointments should be more spread out throughout the committees. Peterson also expressed his disapproval of the sanitation fee increase. 

The council meeting was then adjourned at 6:29 p.m. to reconvene on Tuesday, January 21 at 5:30 p.m.