FORT LARAMIE – The Fort Laramie Town Council met on Wednesday, April 10 at 7 p.m. The meeting quickly began with the Pledge of Allegiance.
The first item on the agenda was the approval of the agenda. Mayor Joyce stated she had two additions to add and she added a discussion topic of the Lingle rest stop sign dedication and the invitation to attend the ceremony. She also added the next policy work session dates under the announcement portion of the agenda.
There was a motion to approve the amended agenda which was seconded and carried.
An executive session was also added to the agenda, before the meetings adjournment.
A motion was made and seconded to approve the amended agenda, which carried.
A motion was then made to approve the minutes from last month’s meeting, March 27, which carried.
The April 8 special meeting minutes were also approved.
No action was needed for the item d, a review of financial documents, banking statements, and payroll-related documents.
The next item was the approval of the consent agenda, which was carried.
The first action item was the Fort Laramie Bar and Grill liquor license renewal. It was noted all paperwork and fees were completed. The council voted to approve the renewal.
The council then heard a request for an open container permit for a summer event/catering event for the Fort Laramie Bar for a car show with live music on June 15. The bar has requested the streets be blocked off from the morning of June 15 until midnight. A motion was made which was seconded.
“It will be similar to the event we did last year,” the bar owner said. “We will be doing a car show. We will have vendors. I’m trying to put together a cornhole competition. We will have a band, actually, we will have two.”
The owner requested the street be closed early in the morning so cars could be lined up by 10 a.m.
The motion carried.
“Thanks, guys,” the tavern owner said to the council.“It’s going to be fun this year.”
The next item under the action section of the council agenda was to establish an account for utility deposits.
After a brief discussion on the banking institutions, the council agreed to continue to research the possibility of changing banking institutions. Evans advised the council it had been brought to her attention the town needs a separate banking account for utility deposits per Wyoming state statute. A brief discussion was held on utility deposits being a liability in the town’s general banking account.
“It’s really a good idea because that is a liability in our books because anybody could come in at any time and want to have their deposit back so if we have a separate account it would track that more clearly,” Evans explained.
The council agreed to continue to explore options with other banking institutions.
A motion was made to ‘Open a utility deposit account by July 2024 which bares the best interest rate possible,’ which was approved and carried.
The next item on the agenda was depreciation accounts where more discussion ensued, and no action was taken.
Moving on to discussion items the council heard a report on the policy work session.
“I really appreciate this council,” Evans said. “They are putting in a lot of thought and energy into getting these policies where they need to be.”
Volunteer fire report, Pete Howes, chief, reported on training hours attended and a short report of the Easter celebrations.
“Breakfast went fair, I think it’s been better,” Howes said.
“I want to toot the horn of the members of the fire department for a sec,” one council member said.
The council commended the fire department for their recent participation and support in the local Easter egg hunt held at the park.
Evans noted the town clerk was ill and therefore no report was read.
The treasurer’s report was read and approved, and mayor Evans authorized the purchase of a new desk for the clerk.
During the law-enforcement report, it was noted that an SRO would be hired for additional patrol services, and it was requested that funds remaining from last year’s SRO contract be reallocated to replace the bulletproof vest. The excessive cat problem was also discussed during the town council meeting law-enforcement report. The council was advised until there is a way to dispose of cats in the community, very little resolution was seen, however, options continue to be evaluated by the council and law enforcement. It was noted the SRO would be available during the car show summer event.
During the emergency management report, it was advised the town of Fort Laramie tested their tornado sirens last week. Some repairs and maintenance will need to be done to ensure proper communication for the remainder of the storm season.
Evans announced Christian DuFresne was hired as a permanent department head for public works and she reminded the council and community of the dedication of highway signs on May, 2 at 2 p.m. and the Sunrise Mine tours on April 28.
Evans then moved on to announcements where she reminded the community of the health fair held Thursday. She also notes the budget work session at 2 PM on April 17 was open to the public. Evans then mentioned The next town Council meeting is April 24 at 7 p.m. And municipal elections are May 14 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The council then entered an executive session and the meeting was adjourned thereafter.
