Redding resigns

Two years and over $300,000 in fines after he established the Medicine Bow Marshal’s Office, Dave Redding has resigned.

Redding announced his resignation during the Medicine Bow Town Council meeting on July 11.

The Council had Lucy Schofield, Cindy Chace and Dawnda Yocom in attendance, along with Mayor Sharon Biamon. Councilmember Sharon Kahl was not present.

Before Redding’s announcement, which shocked many residents in the audience, the meeting had few surprises.

The financials were read aloud by town clerk/treasurer Karen Heath which totaled $59,477. The Council had no questions and ratified the bills.

Shawn Kelley, a candidate for Carbon County Sheriff introduced himself to the Council and audience.

“I am not a politician whatsoever, and you aren’t going to hear promises that if I am sheriff, this will happen and that will happen,” Kelley said. “Another disclaimer, I am under-sheriff for Carbon County and if you have questions about that position, don’t hesitate to ask.”

Kelley said he was 4th generation Carbon County and his grandchildren 6th generation. The under-sheriff said he knew the north of the county well when he worked highway patrol for the sheriff’s department for two years.. Kelley went over his career with the sheriff’s department and said Sheriff Archie Roybal promoted him to under-sherrif.

Kelley said he came to the meeting to learn what Medicine Bow wanted from the Sheriff’s office. He said a goal was to make the different towns with law enforcement come together stronger as a team.

“Working as a team is crucial,” Kelley said. “Coverage for all the county is essential and that can be done working with different town’s law enforcement departments.”

Sunrise Engineering said the road projects were going according to schedule. The work would be starting on July 13. The roadwork is hoped to be completed in six to seven weeks.

Resolution 2022-7 which allowed the town non-observance of the recent federal Juneteenth Holiday was approved. The Council decided the expense of observing the holiday did not have merit for the town.

The Council approved a reimbursement for ranches which paid for mosquito spraying but didn’t receive the service. Heath told the Council the new service from Ft. Morgan, Colorado was double the expense of the old service, which had closed.

Heath said at the present rates, the town can only afford to spray the town and no place else. She said the town could not afford to spray outlying areas. The Council decided to table the discussion on outlying areas until next year.

Schofield said the Food Pantry opening up in Medicine Bow Community Hall would have its first delivery on July 28. She asked for volunteers to help unload the truck. The Food Pantry will take donations of food or money, but the products are free to the public. It will be open three days a week.

There will be a blood drive at the Medicine Bow Community Hall on July 18. The Council waived the rental and deposit fees.

Water rates were recommended to be raised by a water analysis company a significant amount. The Council tabled the discussion until more research could be done on how to balance the increase for the residents. There has not been a water increase for 10 years.

Bob Davis, candidate for House District 47 introduced himself to the Council. He said the district is 11,000 square miles and is the largest district in the lower 48 states. The district is basically Sweetwater and Carbon counties.

He went over his background as a businessman, past Carbon County Commissioner, and boards he served on. Davis said he wanted to bring Wyoming conservative values back to Cheyenne.

Public Works Director Hayden Bricker said the new meters were on for the town and when they came, he would be finishing up installing those who needed them. He said he was not sure when they would come into town.

Redding said the Marshal’s department had handled 102 incidents in the past month. He told the Council since he had come two years ago, he had brought in $304,000 in fines. Then he gave many people in the room a shock when he said he was retiring and his last day would be August 12.

“We aren’t accepting it,” Biamon joked and then said. “You are going to be missed.”

Deputy Marshal Roger Hawks will take over as Marshal.

Biamon, who is the director of Medicine Bow Museum, said the museum will have a new website designed by VIP Marketing.

Fire chief Robert Maddox asked residents and ranchers to let all the fire departments nearby know when a controlled burn was taking place. He said too often several town fire departments would show up when they didn’t know it was a controlled burn and it was turning into a problem.

Carey Lake, chairman of South Central Wyoming EMS (SCWEMS) said he was asking for the town for a resolution to allow SCWEMS to purchase radios. For this purchase all the member towns of the organization had to ratify the purchase. Resolution 2022-8 was approved allowing the purchase. Lake said SCWEMS still needed a representative from Medicine Bow.

Trevor Strauch, chairman of planning and zoning, said he hoped there could be a quick way to permit small garden sheds and buildings.

“I know we should probably talk to our attorney before we make any move like this, but sometimes these small shed owners have to wait four weeks before we can see them,” Strauch said. “I was just wondering if we could come up with an exemption for these small buildings and greenhouses.”

A resident noted other residents had gone through this trouble.

“That is the difference between the past and what is the present,” Yocom said. “We are in the present.”

Biamon said she wanted to have conversations with other towns on how they handled this problem and confer with the town attorney. The Council agreed.

The next regularly scheduled meeting will be at 7 p.m. on August 8 at the Medicine Bow Community Hall.