MINUTES OF THE REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

TOWN OF LUSK

October 7, 2014

The Town Council of the Town of Lusk met in regular session at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Town Hall on Tuesday October 7, 2014.

Council Members Present: Mayor Patricia Smith, Councilmembers Rebecca Blackburn, Ed Tirado and Doug Greenough

Absent: Mark Kupke

Also Present: Linda Frye, Clerk/Treasurer

Cassandra Russell, Deputy Clerk

Todd Skrukrud, Director of Public Works

Dennis Meier, Town Attorney

Cory See, Golf Course Superintendent

Royce Thompson, Electric Superintendent, Airport Manager

James Santistevan, Cemetery and Parks

John Eddy, Water/Sewer Superintendent, Fire Dept. Chief

Chief Sean Dreesen, Police Department

Kathy Johnson, Animal Control

MAYOR SMITH called the meeting to order.

COUNCIL MEMBER TIRADO MOVED, to approve the agenda has printed, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKBURN. MOTION CARRIED.

VOUCHERS FOR PAYMENT

Absolute Solutions / Supplies & Equip. Repair / $1,504.59
AFLAC / Payroll Deductions / $1,937.85
Akers, Kester / Emergency Mgmt. Salary / $367.16
Allbrights True Value / Supplies / $2,300.42
ALSCO/American Linen / Office Mat Rental / $122.76
BankCard Center / Supplies/Postage/Misc. / $1,983.86
Bar-D Signs / Parts/Supplies / $590.00
Blue Cross Blue Shield / Insurance / $25,366.91
Bluffs Sanitary Supply Inc. / Supplies / $52.99
Body Builders Body Shop / Vehicle Repair / $1,167.67
Bud’s Radiator Inc. / Vehicle Repair / $1,108.94
Bush-Wells / Rec. Dept. Uniforms / $4,254.37
Caselle Inc. / Software Support / $1,496.00
Casper Fire Extinguisher / Fire Dept. Supplies / $29.95
CenturyLink Business / Long Distance Charges / $23.76
Century Link / Pool Phone / $23.05
Childrens Advocacy Project / PR Support / $2,500.00
Connecting Point / Copier Lease / $86.00
Crescent Electric / Parts & Supplies / $476.60
Davies & Lund, LLC / Municipal Judge Salary / $1,000.00
Decker’s Food Center / Supplies / $116.06
Dee’s Painting / Building Upkeep / $380.00
Distinctive Homes / Parts and Supplies / $330.00
Energy Laboratories In. / Water Samples / $604.00
Fire Nebula Web Design / Office Support / $569.95
Frye, Lorn / Recycling Pickup / $400.00
Gary’s Truck & RV Repair / Vehicle Repair / $98.55
Golf & Sport Solutions / Supplies / $1,226.36
Great American Financial / Copier Lease / $422.00
Griffith, Cory / Recreation Misc. / $422.57
Hawkins, Inc. / Pool Supplies / $258.00
Heilbrun’s Farm & Auto / Parts & Supplies / $723.94
Hiway Super Service / Fuel / $2,457.93
Hometown Country / PD Uniforms / $73.50
The Hon Company / New Equipment / $2,871.18
Hytrek, Dale / New Equipment / $200.00
Interstate Batteries / Parts & Supplies / $442.55
Jensen, Chris / Supplies / $200.00
Jirdon Agri Chemicals / Fertilizer & Chemicals / $1,356.68
Johnson, Kathy / Monthly Wage / $500.00
Meier Building / PD Rent / $600.00
Juarez, Elisa / Deposit Refund / $45.45
Source Gas / Gas Utilities / $3,339.71
Krein, Johnny / Meal Reimbursement / $14.05
Matthew Bender & Co. / Supplies / $339.04
Skogen Cometto & Assoc. / Audit Expense / $19,700.00
Lusk Appliance / Repairs / $40.00
Lusk Herald / Advertising / $2,303.35
Lusk Lodging Tax / Tax Distribution / $7,875.98
Meier Law Office / Retainer Fee / $2,800.00
Metropolitan Life / Payroll Deduction / $29.84
Midland Implement Co. / Supplies / $322.82
Neve’s Uniforms / Police Uniforms / $110.97
Nio. Chamber of Commerce / Town Promotion / $187.50
Niobrara County Library / Internet Contract / $250.00
Nio. Co. Treasurer / Communications Contract / $6,301.50
Niobrara Electric Assoc. / Utilities & Business Park / $340.59
Northwest Pipe / Supplies & Repairs / $2,958.93
Orbitcom / Phone Service / $875.80
Whitaker Oil, Inc. / Fuel / $4,546.48
Pavone, Leo / Recreation Reimbursement / $100.00
Pitney Bowes Purchase Power / Postage / $520.99
Public Safety Center / New Equipment / $826.65
CenturyLink / Phone Service & Internet / $195.09
CenturyLink / Airport Utilities / $37.96
Rawhide Drug Co. / Supplies / $15.56
Ross, Randi / Reimbursement / $106.88
Sanitation Products, Inc. / Dumpster Purchase / $3,921.15
Silver Cliff Vet Clinic / Animal Control / $223.48
Smith, Patricia / Reimbursement / $19.00
Tims, Mark / Reimbursement Rec. Dept. / $50.00
Torrington Office Supply / Supplies / $107.97
Town of Wheatland / Electric Line Upgrade / $2,760.94
Turbo Diesel Service / Parts / $79.84
Vaisala / AWOS Maintenance / $1,373.75
Valley Motor Supply / Parts & Supplies / $1,005.75
Verizon Wireless / Cell Phone Expense / $138.28
W.E.B. T. / Employee Life / $68.75
W.M.P.A. / Power Purchase / $114,131.52
Walt’s Lathe & Machine / Parts / $375.77
WAM/WCCA / Lease Payment / $825.00
Warne Chemical & Equip. / Parts & Supplies / $436.99
Western Medical Management / Ambulance Billing / $675.96
Wilcox, Cory / Reimbursement / $92.76
WY Assoc. of Rural Water / Water Conference / $325.00
WY EMS Association / Supplies / $245.70
Western United Electric / Electric Line Upgrade / $1,343.00
WY Dept. of Revenue / Sales Tax / $4,320.87
WY Dept. of Transportation / Quiet Zone Fee / $114.42
WY Public Health Lab. / Water Samples / $48.00
Wyoming Retirement / Retirement Contribution / $11,696.30
WY Dept. of WorkForce / Workers’ Comp / $3,033.26
Total Vouchers for Payment / $262,244.75
MANUAL CHECKS / September 2014
WY Dept. of Revenue / Uniform Assessment Tax / $1,969.24
WY Dept. of Revenue / Sales Tax / $5,533.51
Whittney Coon / Pro Shop Salary / $1,181.82
Clerk of District Court / Assignment of Wages / $200.00
Clerk of District Court / Assignment of Wages / $227.00
Patricia Smith / Assignment of Wages / $250.00
BankCard / Golf Course New Const./Equip. Repair / $214.11
Sanitation Products, Inc. / New Equipment / $137,824.00
Florence I. Canaday Revocable Trust / Shop Lot Lease / $480.00
WY Depart. of Transportation / License Plate / $5.00
Whittney Coon / Pro Shop Salary / $1,181.82
John Eddy / Mileage & Per Diem / $477.37
Patricia Smith / Assignment of Wages / $250.00
Postmaster / Utility Billing / $231.76
Total / $150,025.63

COUNCIL MEMBER TIRADO MOVED, COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKBURN SECOND, to approve the list of vouchers as presented. MOTION CARRIED.

COUNCIL MEMBER TIRADO MOVED, COUNCIL MEMBER GREENOUGH SECOND, to approve the Treasurer’s report which includes the financial condition and manual checks. MOTION CARRIED. The Treasurer’s report will be filed for audit.

COUNCIL MEMBER TIRADO MOVED, COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKBURN SECOND, to approve the minutes of the regular Council Meeting held September 2, 2014. MOTION CARRIED.

COUNCIL MEMBER TIRADO MOVED, COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKBURN SECOND, to approve the minutes of the Special Council Meeting held September 29, 2014. MOTION CARRIED.

Kester Akers, Emergency Management, informed the Council that he is turning in his resignation and he is recommending James Santistevan as his replacement. Niobrara County Commissioners requested a letter of resignation and Mr. Akers will present a letter. Mr. Akers has been in this position for 40 years. Mayor Smith and the Council thanked Mr. Akers for his years of service.

Travis Evans from Solid Waste Professionals of Wyoming, Inc. explained the changes that have been made to the PER for the USDA loan/grant. Todd stated that the Town met with USDA and the biggest concern is the transfer of solid waste. USDA recommended that the Town haul the solid waste to Casper. Mr. Evans explained the difference between hauling solid waste to TDS in Torrington and the Casper Landfill. Also the scale was not part of the original PER scope. The Casper Landfill has a buy in fee and TDS at this time, is not fully permitted but should be a fully lined facility by 2017. Mr. Evans feels that TDS is the best option for the Town. TDS will take construction and demolition waste. There is a concern over the difference in mileage. Attorney Meier asked if the Town needed to be committed to a contract before moving forward. Todd and Mr. Evans stated that the Town needs to be committed to a contract for the haul and the disposal. Todd suggested that we get estimates on the difference of hauling to TDS in Torrington and hauling to Casper. TDS is a four year contract. There was a conversation on the possibility of a back haul. This item was tabled.

Department Heads gave updates on their respective departments.

The Fire Department would like to sell the 1968 Kaiser Jeep and the 1942 Willey Jeep that are owned by the Town. Mr. Eddy will move forward on this. John Eddy explained the information on the water sample test.

Todd and Mayor Smith attended the Office of State Lands & Investment Board meeting in Cheyenne. The Board approved the grant/loan for the closing of the landfill.

The Town will schedule a “Fall Clean-Up Week” from October 20th through October 26th.

The Town of Lusk received an offer to purchase the lot next to the city shop. Converse County Bank is the Successor Trustee of the Florence I. Canaday Trust and the Trust is the owner of Block 2, Lots 9-10 Lusk Original Townsite that is now leased by the Town of Lusk. The asking price for the lots is $14,500.00 COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKBURN MOVED, COUNCIL MEMBER GREENOUGH SECOND, to approve the purchase of lots next to the city shop, MOTION CARRIED. COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKBURN AMENDED HER MOTION, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER GREENOUGH, to have Town Attorney Meier to draw up the contract for sale and give Mayor Smith the authority to execute the contract, MOTION CARRIED.

COUNCIL MEMBER TIRADO MOVED, COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKBURN SECOND to approve Ordinance No. 11-5-200, An Ordinance Amending Existing Ordinance No. 11-5-200, Which Establishes Amended Garbage and Refuse Collections Rates, on third reading. Mayor Smith, Council Members Tirado and Blackburn voted aye, Council Member Greenough voted nay. MOTION CARRIED. COUNCIL MEMBER GREENOUGH voiced is concern on the hardship to the senior population.

VYVE Broadband J, LLC who are the new owners of the cable company that serves the Town of Lusk presented an Ordinance of the Town of Lusk granting a franchise to VYVE Broadband J, LLC, its successors and assigns, to build, construct, operate and maintain a cable communications system in the Town of Lusk, WY; setting forth conditions accompanying the grant of the franchise; providing for regulation and use of the system; and prescribing penalties for the violations of its provisions. There was a discussion on having the percentage be 2% instead of 1% and a pole charge of $1.00 per pole. The Council decided to table this until these changes could be negotiated.

MAYOR SMITH gave the Council information on the US Highway Historic Signs that she is proposing the Town purchase. COUNCIL MEMBER GREENOUGH MOVED, COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKBURN SECOND, to approve the purchase of Historic Route Signs be place in the Town of Lusk pending approval by the WY Highway Department. MOTION CARRIED.

There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m.

The next regular Town Council meeting will be Tuesday November 4, 2014 at 5:00 p.m.

TOWN OF LUSK, WYOMING

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Patricia L. Smith, Mayor

ATTEST:

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Linda M. Frye Clerk/Treasurer