TORRINGTON – The Torrington City Council approved a handful of catering and special event permits and issued a pair of proclamations during its regular meeting Tuesday night at Torrington City Hall.
The council proclaimed November to be Epilepsy Awareness Month in Torrington, and Mayor Randy Adams asked that citizens wear purple today (Friday) in order to show their support of people afflicted with epilepsy.
“I’m sure that affects a lot of families in Goshen County,” Adams said.
The proclamation, read by city attorney James Eddington, asked all citizens, schools and businesses to recommit to their understanding and awareness of epilepsy, a neurological disorder that causes seizures in people of all ages.
“One in 26 people develop epilepsy, and one in 10 people will have a seizure in their lifetime,” the proclamation read. “Epilepsy can affect anyone no matter what their race, age, religion, background or socioeconomic status.
“Epilepsy is more common than Parkinson’s Disease, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy combined. It affects 65 million people worldwide.”
The city also honored apprenticeship programs, including the city’s own powerline worker apprenticeship program, by proclaiming Nov. 11-17 as National Apprenticeship Week in Torrington.
Electrical Department supervisor Dana Youtz, who oversees the lineman training program, introduced the council to two of his apprentices – Wyatt Miller and Michael Schuler.
“We’ve been an accredited apprenticeship program for a couple of years now,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of good apprentices and this is a good way to recognize apprentices all over the state.”
The proclamation said recognizing National Apprenticeship Week is a way to recognize the roles apprenticeship programs play in building a skilled workforce not only in Torrington, but across the country.
“The City of Torrington recognizes that robust apprenticeship programs provide tangible value to both job creators and apprentices, with the potential to increase productivity, improve diversity and inclusion, and reduce recruitment and training costs while providing a pathway to a prosperous career to job seekers,” the proclamation said.
Youtz said his apprentices have begun to be leaders in their organization, which drew praise from Councilman Bill Law.
“I think it’s great to see young people stepping up and taking leadership roles in their jobs,” Law said.
Both proclamations passed unanimously.
The council approved a pair of permits that did not make the deadline for the council’s previous meeting on Oct. 16 due to an abnormally long period of time between meetings.
The council voted 5-0 to ratify a special event permit, as well as to waive the fee, for the Halloween Safety Trunk or Treat hosted by the Goshen County Economic Development Corporation on Oct. 31.
The city also ratified 5-0 a catering permit for Brandi Hiser, of the Goshen Hole Grill, for an open house event on Nov. 1 and 2 at 21st and Main.
The council also unanimously approved another pair of catering events for Hiser. One permit is for a Two-Horse Tuesday event on Nov. 19, which will feature an appetizer paired with a wine and a spirit, at the Homesteaders’ Museum.
The other permit was for Hiser to cater an anniversary party on Nov. 23 at 21st and Main.
The city voted unanimously to allow the Cottonwood Golf Course to join the Nebraska Golf Passport. The passport allows golfers in Nebraska to travel to try different courses. Assistant golf shop manager Taylor Troxel told the council it will increase the course’s exposure in Nebraska and bring customers to local businesses.
“It creates exposure for our golf course to the eastern side of Nebraska,” Troxell said. “They do that through their website and social media. It will bring more attention to our golf course. They have good quality golfers that are a part of that and it would bring golfers to our community not only to see our golf course, but to go to our restaurants and stay in our hotels.”
Councilman Ted Kinney said it makes sense for the course to be a part of the program.
“It sounds like a wonderful thing for us to do,” he said.
