Enforced Ordinances Discussed

The Hanna Town Council met at 6:30 p.m. on July 15 at the Hanna Town Hall. All council members were in attendance along with mayor Lois Buchanan.

The agenda and minutes from the June 9 regularly scheduled meeting and the special meeting held on June 23 were approved in a quick manner.

Buchanan told the council that the High Country Joint Powers Board (HCJPB) at their last meeting decided to go to with last year’s budget as a blue print for this year’s budget. She asked Ann Calvert, Hanna Town Clerk and HCJPB bookkeeper, if there were other topics.

“They awarded the bid for the landfill closure from 4X Construction out of Colorado,” Calvert said. “This company came in way under than any other company.” (See “High Country gets extension” on page 3 of the July 8 Saratoga Sun).

Buchanan said there will be an engineering firm overseeing the closure by 4X and that the Hanna landfill extended taking in construction and demolition debris until July 15.

Public works said Abandoned Mines Lands (AML) was pumping grout into wells at the elementary school and Columbia Street. AML has started drilling near the high school.

Council member Sammy Sykes said that dust left by the AML trucks was extremely bad by the firehouse. Public works director Larry Korkow recently discussed the problem with AML and trucks will do their best to contain the dust they churn out.

The dumpsters coming to town now the landfill is closed are still controversial to some residents according to Buchanan. Some residents want most of the dumpsters located in one area instead of distributed throughout town. Medicine Bow and Elk Mountain both have the dumpsters scattered around town.

It was noted by the council the residents that were complaining to the Town Hall about dispersing the dumpsters around town did not come to the council meeting.

Councilmember Bob Patton said that people complaining about the dumpsters being spread throughout the town like Medicine Bow and Elk Mountain should come to the council meetings to voice their opinions and be constructive.

“I’m almost at the point of telling people that they can take the trash themselves to Laramie,” Patton said. “Getting this situation taken care of with the landfill closure has not been easy and input is welcome, but instead of just complaining outside the town councils, they need to be here.”

Buchanan said the dumpsters had to be put in place in the immediate future.

Marshal Jeff Neimark said code enforcement throughout town had seen a major push through the month. He reported there had been multiple complaints of raccoons in an abandoned property on 2nd street. Six raccoons were trapped and Neimark said there likely would be more to be captured.

Neimark said the nuisance ordinances were being enforced because it is the law. He said he had completed 85 nuisance inspections of properties throughout the town. He said violations were written up and presented to owners.

Neimark said violators were taking care of their properties. He said people that lived outside of town have been coming in to take care of their yards too. Neimark noted not everyone was happy in receiving a letter notifying they were in code violation.

He said most were not aware that the letters were asking violators to make an effort before 14 days. Neimark said the goal was not to persecute residents or owners of property in the town, but to get the town’s ordinances adhered to.

A citizen in the audience brought up that toxic plants sited on his property were coming from the town’s streets and curbs. Neimark said he did not realize this. Buchanan interjected that Korkow and she had discussed this problem earlier in the day, and the town would be doing its best to clear up this problem.

Neimark said for those residents who have problems taking care of their yards, there are ways to take care of the problem as long as they are in contact with the Marshal’s office.

“I have said since my campaign for office that we in the town need to take pride in our appearance and since it is the law, we as a town need to support getting yards up to code,” Buchanan said. “I am sorry some people are upset, but I took the oath to support the laws and that is what I am going to do.”

Neimark said, at the moment, all that has happened was to make residents aware they are in violation.

“I haven’t written any tickets yet,” Neimark said. “I hope I don’t.”

Buchanan said she felt that 90 percent of those who received violation notifications had made some attempt to comply.

Hanna Parks and Recreation director Vivian Gonzales said that the Hanna Recreation Center had opened successfully (See “Good numbers in Hanna” on page 3 of the July 8 Saratoga Sun).

“We have been open almost a month with reservations and I am happy to say almost every hour has been filled up,” Gonzales said. “Everybody is happy although there is a little bellyaching about the locker rooms not being open. All in all we have to say the opening has been a success.”

She said that a company in Casper will come out and look at replacing the hot tub. Gonzales said there is a brand new water heater available for $500 that the recreation center will purchase. She said the Feeding the Rockies food truck came on July 10 and the operation went smoothly. Gonzales said perishable and non-perishable items are boxed making distribution simpler.

The Carbon County Visitor Council (CCVC) met in Hanna on June 24. Grants were gone over and the Riverside Visitors Center signage was discussed. Lodging tax was down for most of the municipalities (See “Visitors council talks tax” on page 2 of the July 1 Saratoga Sun).

Donna Pipher from the Housing Board said the development was almost full. She said the speed bumps that were laid down recently need to be spread out more.

After the department and board reports were approved, the June financials were approved.

Jon Nelson, town engineer said projects tied to the 2019 specific purpose tax were waiting to see when the bonds will be sold. Nelson said he had been in contact with Brierley Associates and the firm hoped to have Main Street and Front Street grouted by fall.

The 2020/2021 fiscal year budget submitted by HCJPB stayed tabled.

The council approved Resolution 2020-526 that allowed the Parks and Recreation board to submit an application to the CCVC for a grant for a community event slated for September 12.

The council approved a Request for Proposal to do the gym floor at the Hanna Recreation Center.

A joint resolution authorizing the Carbon County Treasurer to make an initial distribution of $1,524,549.26 in the 2019 Specific Purpose Sales and Excise Tax collection to Carbon County and municipalities was approved.

The council approved Ann Calvert and Lois Buchanan to be signers for the Bank of Commerce. Outdated signers were removed.

The council approved to allow AML to work on Saturdays.

The domain townofhanna.com was approved by the council which had the council approve the Town of Hanna to have its own website. John Singleton was approved to maintain the Town of Hanna website.

The council approved wireless point to point from the Town Hall to the town shop to provide internet access.

Resident Felicia Million was approved to have a hobby kennel license located at 2204 4th Street.

Robert Young was approved a conditional use permit for fowls at 613 2nd Street. Kyle Young was approved a conditional use permit for fowls at 106 Main Street.

Ann Calvert was approved to the town representative for the Special Purpose Tax and Pam Paulson as the alternate. Currently Paulson is the representative.

The hours of the Town Hall and Hanna Recreation Center were discussed and decided to be kept the same until the next council meeting.

The council approved HCJPB to move their computer and files to the Hanna Town Hall office until the trailer is relocated with electricity and internet hook ups.

The next scheduled meeting is at 6:30 p.m. on August 11 at the Hanna Town Hall.