Sorted by date Results 476 - 500 of 1180
The Carbon County Council of Governments (CCCOG) met at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Rawlins for their regularly scheduled meeting. CCCOG usually meets every other month, but met in December to make up for the November meeting that had been canceled due to weather. Although there were several towns not represented, there were enough representatives for a quorum. The council quickly approved the minutes from the December 18 meeting and the agenda. The treasurer’s report was approved next after Travi...
The Hanna Town Council met at 6 p.m. on January 14 at the Hanna Town Hall for their regularly scheduled monthly meeting. All council members were present with the exception of council member Tracy Fowler. Before the actual meeting started, the council went over the bids for the new police vehicle. The money for the new truck came from impact funds given to the town by the Wyoming Industrial Siting Council. It was a full house and several members in the audience asked if the new vehicle was...
Plans for Memorial Hospital of Carbon County (MHCC) to establish a clinic in Saratoga appear to be moving forward, though not with the property in which MHCC had originally shown interest. The plans of the hospital came during the January 14 meeting of the Saratoga Planning Commission. As was reported previously (see “Medical debate continues” on page 1 of the November 27, 2019 Saratoga Sun), MHCC interim CEO Bob Quist had appeared before the Saratoga Town Council on November 19 to express int...
During the first Saratoga Town Council of the New Year on January 7, Mayor John Zeiger made changes to council representation with the recreation department and commission, and the department of public works. Zeiger also appointed two members of the Saratoga Police Department to new positions. Council Representatives There were very few changes when it came to appointing council representatives. Councilmember Steve Wilcoxson remained Mayor Pro-Tem and as representative to the Upper Platte River...
During the January 7 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council, the governing body approved a water tap for Saratoga resident Randy Stevens. Following the approval of the tap, however, it seemed that where the town council dictated the placement of the meter pit was not the location Stevens was requesting. As was reported previously (see “Tap tabled by Town” on page 13 of the December 25, 2019 Saratoga Sun), Stevens was sent to the Saratoga Town Council following a 4-3 vote from the Carbon Cou...
The holidays have just finished and, with them, have come in messages from friends all over the world. There were a few from friends overseas that wonder when I am going to come back. It is a fair question in a way. Although I bought my first home in Saratoga back in 1998 and my second house in Hanna a couple years later, for almost the past two decades I made my living out of this country. I would come back to Wyoming for a few months and then head back to where jobs were a bit more plentiful.... Full story
A special executive session was held before the Encampment Town Council meeting on January 9 where the Council interviewed an applicant for the vacant police officer position. Encampment has been without a police officer for approximately three months. During the meeting, the motion was passed to hire Carbon County Sheriff Deputy Kevin Shue as the chief of police starting February 1. The floor was opened to guests Sid Fox, Carbon County Planning Director, and Sue Jones, County Commissioner who...
Carbon County is large, diverse and has the most municipalities in one county in the state. The county also has a strong year round travel industry with outdoor activities for every season and a joint powers board that promotes tourism (see “Advocating for tourism” on page 6 of the January 1 edition of the Saratoga Sun). The Carbon County Visitors Council (CCVC) is tasked with promoting Carbon County as a destination and is funded through a dedicated county wide lodging tax levied at two per...
It has been said that a community needs its newspaper. This is true. The community often depends upon its local paper from coverage of high school sports to reporting on the actions of the town council and everything in between. The newspaper, in many ways, serves as the conscience and the heart of the community. What’s not stated as often, but perhaps should be, is that a newspaper needs its community. Any newspaper that strives to succeed realizes this and a good community newspaper should have involvement from its readers. Much like a g... Full story
The mines are closed in Hanna but there is a museum and recreation center that could draw people into the town. Medicine Bow has wind projects, but the main building in the municipality is the Virginian Hotel. It also has a museum that will soon be home to the oldest house in the world, the Fossil House. Encampment and Saratoga have already turned into major tourist destinations for Carbon County with their attributes. Carbon County also has several resort ranches that are gaining attention as...
“A year ago, I knew we wouldn’t always agree, but I never thought so much of what happens here would happen on the other side of the wall behind us, outside council meetings and too often without council approval. I’m talking about everything from signing MOUs to ordering appraisals to writing leases, terminating leases, all the way to how every dollar of public money is approved and reported and spent.” During the Dec. 17 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council, Councilmember Jon Nelson reflect...
While it appeared that the Town of Saratoga and Platte Valley Little League (PVLL) had come to an agreement during the Nov. 19 Saratoga Town Council meeting, comments made by Councilmember Steve Wilcoxson and Mayor John Zeiger during the Dec. 17 Saratoga Town Council meeting seem to suggest otherwise. As was reported previously (see “PVLL moves forward” on page 8 of the Nov. 27 Saratoga Sun), after months of debate between members of the non-profit group and the governing body, the issue looked...
The last meeting in 2019 had all council members attending along with mayor Greg Salisbury and town clerk/treasurer Doreen Harvey. The council quickly approved the agenda and minutes from the Nov. 14 regularly scheduled meeting. The next order of business was Harvey going over the financials. Harvey reported that at 41.65 percent of the budget year the revenues were at about 28.65 percent of budget and expenses were at about 20.57 percent. Harvey said WYOSTAR interest had not posted yet....
During the Dec. 17 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council, the council unanimously voted to table a water tap application submitted by Saratoga resident Randy Stevens. As was reported previously (see “Tapping into town services” on page 3 of the Dec. 18 Saratoga Sun), the application submitted by Stevens was for property along Hugus Ditch. That same property has been the subject of litigation between Stevens and the Town of Saratoga for several years. Stevens informed the council he had been sen...
The Hanna Town Council met at 6 p.m. on Dec. 11 at the Hanna Town Hall. The meeting was scheduled a day later than the usual meeting day of Tuesday due to the Hanna Elementary School Concert on Dec. 10. Mayor Lois Buchanan and council members Tracy Fowler, Bob Patton, Sammy Sikes and Linda Schisel were present. The agenda and Nov. 12 regular meeting minutes were quickly approved. Buchanan said the High Country Joint Powers Board had met on Dec. 5 and talked about getting the landfill ready for c...
The Platte Valley Healthcare Project (PVHP) appeared before the Carbon County Impact Joint Powers Board (CCIJPB) during their regular meeting on Dec. 11 to present plans and request sponsorship from the joint powers board. Following their purchase of property between the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the Whistle Pig, the non-profit group is moving forward with their intent to establish infrastructure for the proposed critical access hospital. During that same meeting, the CCIJPB...
During the quarterly meeting of the Saratoga Airport Advisory Board on Dec. 11, the current state of the airport fund and concerns of funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were heavily discussed. Saratoga Town Council member Jon Nelson updated the members of the airport advisory board on the progress of the airport fund and expressed his concern about an expense of $1,000 coded to the airport fund. In addition to discussions of finances, the advisory board was asked by Saratoga...
“I was elected to try and get things done. I had somebody tell me the other day out in the public that they don’t think this council has done a damn thing and I kind of agree with them.” During the Dec. 2 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council, comments from Councilmember Bob Keel took aim at a town council that is “split and obviously non-functioning.” Keel’s statements were just part of a larger discussion that took place under council comments that centered around events from the Nov. 19 tow...
For several months now, the Town of Saratoga has been without a permanent zoning officer and building inspector. Beginning in March, with the resignation of Dan Ferrin, the position has been filled on an as-needed basis by Kent Smith while the Town of Saratoga sought a permanent replacement. That search, however, dragged on through the summer and into fall with no solution. Recent discussions about the topic at meetings of the Saratoga Town Council and the Saratoga Planning Commission made it ap...
Thanksgiving is often a time spent with family. For the past 24 years, the volunteers with Platte Valley Helping Hands have spent that time helping others. Even in a small community like the Valley, there are those who either aren't able to see family or do not have family to visit. Instead, people both young and old have gathered at St. Ann's Parish Hall for a sense of community. Not only have the Platte Valley Helping Hands opened the doors of the parish hall to those seeking food and...
In recent months, both the Platte Valley Healthcare Project (PVHP) and Memorial Hospital of Carbon County (MHCC) continue to pursue their plans of expanding healthcare in the Valley. Many of those discussions have taken place in the council chambers of the Town of Saratoga. While the PVHP has continued its pursuit of a critical access hospital, MHCC announced their intentions over the summer of establishing a clinic in Saratoga. During the Nov. 19 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council, both...
The Hanna Town Council met at 6 p.m. on Nov. 12 at the Hanna Town Hall for their regularly scheduled meeting. The agenda and minutes from the Oct. 8 regularly scheduled council meeting where approved. Bob Patton, Sammy Sikes and Linda Schisel were present. Council member Tracy Fowler was absent. Patton told the council that the next Carbon County Council of Government meeting would be on Nov. 20. There was no meeting last month. Marcia Beals, representative from the High Country Joint Powers boa...
After several requests to appear from the Saratoga Town Council, representatives from Black Hills Energy were in attendance at the Nov. 19 meeting of the governing body. The appearance from the utility company comes as they are installing new gas lines throughout Saratoga and gas leaks have been reported over the last few months. Project Update Damien Parks, planner for Black Hills Energy, presented an update to the council on the project, which has been underway throughout the summer. According...
While discussion became heated during the Nov. 19 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council over little league baseball and available fields, it appears that both the governing body and Platte Valley Little League (PVLL) may have a path forward. The discussion of providing a place for PVLL first appeared before the council in March 2019, when the Town of Saratoga sent a letter to the Wood family (no relation) asking to use Wood’s Field for one year. While use of the field was allowed, it was the g...
At the Nov. 12 meeting of the Saratoga Planning Commission, familiar discussion returned as how to approach the issue of the lack of a permanent zoning officer and building inspector. The Town of Saratoga continues to be without a permanent zoning officer or building inspector, now entering its ninth month using Kent Smith on an as-needed basis. During the Nov. 5 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council, Ordinance No. 856, which had been tabled in October, was not renewed for discussion and died on...