Ward 1 vacancy official declared for city council

WORLAND — Worland Mayor Jim Gill declared a vacancy for Ward 1 on the council following the death of Gary Gerber on Dec. 25, 2019.

Worland Ward 1 Council member Gary Gerber, 68, served on the council since 2017.

Gill said, “We’re going to miss council member Gerber tremendously.”

The city will advertise for letters of interest for approximately 30 days.

Ward 1 is mostly north of Big Horn Avenue and east of 10th Street. A ward map is located on the City of Worland website.

ORDINANCES

The council also approved two ordinances Tuesday night, including one as an emergency ordinance.

City Attorney Kent Richins recommended the council approve Ordinance No. 852 by emergency ordinance regarding the West River Road Improvement District’s waterline rates for the depreciation reserve fund.

Richins said per the ordinance the district’s $1 monthly assessment fee would be eliminated, the deprecation reserve charge for the West River Road residents would be decreased from $14.88 to $13 and the funds from the $1 assessment will be given to the town, allocated to the West River depreciation reserve fund.

He said the amount will be $5,828.33 at the first of February.

For an ordinance to be passed on an emergency basis it must be for public peace, health, safety or welfare.

The council determined it fit under public peace. Richins explained that the public has had ample opportunity to discuss the rates with the three readings of the ordinance that set the $14.88 depreciation reserve charge.

Further, he said, the ordinance should be passed and take effect prior to the first utility billing for the depreciation reserve fund, which would be next week.

The ordinance states that for further consideration as an emergency, “it also reflects the desires of the West River Road Improvement District and allows such District to dissolve prior to the designated time for the election of a board of directors.”

Under the ordinance, the West River Road Improvement District “represents that there will be no

litigation with respect to the newly established depreciation reserve. The reduction in the monthly fee also takes into consideration that the West River Road line was tied into the Big Horn Regional line therefore creating a redundant water line for the City of Worland.”

The second ordinance approved on first reading Tuesday, changes zoning for residential lots at 118 and 200 North 15th from business to residential.

OTHER BUSINESS

In other business Tuesday night, the council:

•Approved a bid from Ron’s Sanitation for $22,800 to maintain the city hall grounds, Pioneer Square facilities and grounds and the irrigation system to the downtown planting beds. Tasks include weekly mowing, restroom cleaning daily, snow removal and vandalism repair.

A few council members questioned whether city crews could handle the workload to save the city the nearly $23,000. Public Works Superintendent Brian Burky said there are only two parks employees on staff in the winter. He said the bid is what he was expecting with the addition of the snow removal around city hall.

He added that he had hoped to receive up to three bids. Ron’s Sanitation was the lone bid received.

AIRPORT WATER

SUPPLY

•Approved a motion to proceed with asking Big Horn Regional Joint Powers Board to be the project leader for an upgrade to a Washakie Rural line between the city and the airport.

Burky said he and other staff members have had good discussions with Washakie Rural Improvement District and Big Horn Regional JPB to make improvements to the system that would help the airport.

“Everyone is interested in our involvement. I would recommend that we move forward with asking Big Horn Regional to be the project leader and then pursue a Level II study by the Wyoming Water Development Commission,” Burky said. He noted that the Level II study is fully funded by the state.

“We’re not committing any money, we’re just pursuing a study,” Burky said. He added that both Washakie Rural and Big Horn Regional would also have to agree.

A Level II study would answer a lot of questions including whether the current six-inch line needs to be replaced with a larger line or if there are other options to increase water pressure at the airport.

“We’re going to get good answers and know how to proceed if we want to proceed,” Burky said.

The process to seek funding and seek a Level II study can take up to a year, Mike Donnell, city engineer representative, told the council.

•Reappointed Burky as the city representative to the Big Horn Regional Joint Powers Board.

•Heard from Chief Gabe Elliott that the police department would be conducting three interviews on Wednesday for the new ordinance officer.