Water supply project complete

Completion of the local Emergency Water Supply Project was announced during the Town of Encampment’s regular Thursday council meeting.

Ken Schwerdt of PMPC gave an update on the finished project, which was completed the first week in September.

“The guys wrapped that up last week, and Friday morning we did a walk-through on it,” he said. “They were within their contract time, so there’s no issue there. It went pretty smooth, but we did end up doing more rock excavation than I estimated. There was six feet of rock we had to go through.”

Schwerdt presented the finished project and budget costs, but said final numbers for the project would be presented at the next council meeting.

“I think $149,000 is the project cost, and we budgeted $150,000,” he said. “I do not have a pay request with me because the contractor didn’t get it together in time, so I’ll get final numbers for the next meeting.”

Schwerdt also asked to be issued a certificate of substantial completion, and for approval to publish the notice in the Saratoga Sun. The council approved both requests.

“We need to publish it three times over the course of 41 days,” Schwerdt said. “It’s just in case there are claims out there, and that gives us an opportunity to voice those claims.”

Stacy Crimmins, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, spoke and passed out flyer invitations regarding two presentations by Strong Towns, a non-profit, non-partisan organization helping America’s towns achieve financial strength and resiliency. The two Strong Towns presentations would be at noon and 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 8 at the Platte Valley Community Center, and cover strategies for working with the economic realities facing America’s towns.

“The Chamber of Commerce was contacted by the Wyoming Rural Development Council to help facilitate this meeting,” Crimmins said. “The Sonoran Institute is actually paying for this presentation, and it’s a presentation geared toward town governments, smart growth and planning for the future.”

Crimmins also mentioned that Mike Cote, Senior Sales Manager for WIN Health, would return to speak about the Health Care Reform Act at November’s Leaders Luncheon. Cote had spoken about Health Care Reform at the June luncheon, and was returning to speak about any changes and give an update on what was going on. Crimmins invited the council members to attend the luncheon.

Vicki Loftice also gave an update on what happened at Encampment’s planning commission meeting Sept. 4. She said two permit applications had been approved at the meeting.

“One was from the Encampment Senior Center to do a new flagpole, concrete work and a new railing, which was approved,” Loftice said. “Another permit was for a private playhouse, and it was determined that a building permit is needed for a playhouse. We went ahead and approved that.”

A payment of $1,500 and lodging arrangements were approved by the council to hire the available Teka Brock Band, which would perform for the town’s 2014 Music in the Park and Barbecue. Council member Mary Martin said she had heard Brock and her band’s music over the summer, and asked her if she was available to play for next year’s summer gathering.

After the closing of the public portion of the meeting, the town council then went into executive session to discuss personnel.