Vaping discussed at council

WORLAND — Should the Worland City Council consider prohibiting the sale of e-cigarettes was a question that council member Delayne Renner posed Tuesday night at the regular council meeting.

Renner said the topic of vaping, the use of e-cigarettes, came up at the Washakie Prevention Coalition last week.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, e-cigarettes are sometimes called ‘e-cigs,’ ‘vapes,’ ‘e-hookahs,’ ‘vape pens,’ and ‘electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).’ Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars or pipes. Some look like USB flash drives, pens and other everyday items.”

Renner said she believed the coalition would like to have e-cigarettes prohibited from being sold in the city of Worland regardless of age. City Attorney Kent Richins and Chief of Police Gabe Elliott said another Wyoming community is considering prohibiting the sale of e-cigarettes to anyone under the age of 21.

Elliott said he made a presentation to the group last year, noting there is a problem with vaping among Worland teenagers in junior high and high school.

“It’s definitely a trend and it’s being addressed,” Elliott said. He said there have already been several juveniles this school year cited for using e-cigarettes. Since they contain nicotine, Elliott said the juveniles are charged with minor in possession of tobacco.

He said despite presentations about the dangers of vaping, “it didn’t slow anything down,” adding that they issued a citation on the first day of school at the high school and have issued several since.

He said that he would have a hard time seeing adults in the community buy-in to a full prohibition against e-cigarettes.

ORDINANCE 849

In other business Tuesday, the council amended and then approved Ordinance 849 on second reading. The ordinance updates the city code regarding maintenance of the exterior of real property.

Changes in the ordinance include a more detailed definition of “junk.” The current code defines junk as “Material, appliances, automobiles, machinery, and other items that no longer function as they were originally designed or intended to function.”

The new definition under the proposed ordinance adds the following to the junk definition “Articles such as, but not limited to appliances, furniture (except furniture intended for outdoor use and is being used as intended), parts thereof, boxes, cardboard, paper, glass, plastic, scrap lumber, wood other than firewood, pallets, tires, auto parts, mattresses, batteries, machinery parts, rags, combustible or flammable waste, litter, refuse, rubbish, building materials, and any other materials that no longer function as they were originally designed or intended to function.”

The current code states regarding notification and enforcement that upon notification, “The responsible person or entity shall have ten (10) days to comply with the notice to abate the nuisance.”

The proposed ordinance changes the notice to read as follows, “The responsible person or entity will be give only one warning with a 10 day grace period for the violation per calendar year.”

There are also changes to the definition of improved parking surface and changes to vehicle parking and storage on property in a residential district. Under the proposed ordinance a maximum of two operable vehicles may be parked in the backyard of a residents and one vehicle in “disrepair” as long as that vehicle is “screened from ordinary public view.”

The ordinance states that parking or storing of motor vehicles, recreational vehicle or utility trailers are prohibited on side yards unless the vehicles are in a storage building, garage or on an “improved parking surface.”

According to the ordinance, “Vehicles in disrepair shall not be parked or stored in the side yard of any residence.

City Attorney Kent Richins said he made one change based on discussions from first reading on Sept. 17, regarding half-moon driveways. The ordinance as proposed states, “The so-called ‘half-moon’ driveways are acceptable only with approval of the Board of Adjustment and Planning Commission (BAPC) as a special exemption use.” Those currently established are considered grandfathered in.

He said guidelines would be established to assist the BAPC.

The ordinance was amended with Richins’ recommendation and then approved on second reading. Third reading is scheduled for the next council meeting, Oct. 15.

OTHER BUSINESS

The board approved a six-year, 2% curb and gutter loan to Clayton Draggoo with Atwood/Veile Mortuary. Draggoo plans on replacing sidewalk and curb at 301 S. Eighth. The loan is in the amount of $23, 554.50.

City Clerk/Treasurer Tracy Glanz said the city has about $190,000 in the loan fund for curb, gutter and sidewalk projects. The funds were provided through an EDSB grant.

The council also approved the mayor to sign the contract for High Plains Power to relocate existing electrical facilities at the Worland Municipal Airport in order to prepare for the expansion of taxilane C.

Glanz reported that in September the city sold 26 building permits, seven were gas pressure tests, 10 were replacement of roofs, one was a fence, one was repairing sewer line, three were installing furnace or air conditioning and four renovations or new builds.

Chief Elliott said last week there were several door-to-door salesmen in town. Officers contacted the salesmen and told them it was prohibited within the city. “They ended up finding their way back into town and one of them actually found himself in jail over the weekend,” he said.

He added that this is the first incident his department has had with it since the city changed its code.

“I thank you. It was a good decision. We had so many complaints from members of the community about these people. It definitely helps us,” he said.

Airport Manager Lynn Murdoch reported that they are still waiting on the contractor to do the painting of stripes on the runways. The project has been delayed several times since July, most recently last week. She said weather is delaying the company this week.

Public Works Superintendent Brian Burky reported that 140 elementary students visited the sewer lagoons and heard presentations regarding the Clean Water Act, bacteria and “your toilet is not a trash can.”