Alec Schaffer
aschaff3@uwyo.edu
The Laramie city council approved two motions Tuesday to grant a combined total of over $3 million toward upcoming private and public projects, the construction of Tungsten Heavy Powder and Parts and the continued development of the Imperial Heights Park.
Tungsten Heavy Powder and Parts received a $3 million loan grant combination. The approval of this grant by the city of Laramie is the result of a ten-month initiative by the Wyoming Business Council to bring Tungsten Heavy Powder and Parts to Laramie.
“I am pretty excited about Tungsten Heavy Powder and Parts coming to Laramie,” Mayor Dave Pualkas said.
Paulkas said the company will be good for the community, as it will bring jobs, it is a growing company and the jobs will provide a livable wage.
The factory is scheduled for completion in September 2016. Tungsten Heavy Powder and Parts will then begin production of munitions for the U.S. Department of Defense immediately.
The factory is predicted to create 25 jobs within the first year, and it is predicted to grow quickly, Joseph Sery, owner of Tungsten Heavy Powder and Parts, said.
Although the company is providing a promising business opportunity, Councilor Paul Weaver previously voiced concerns as to the moral and ethical implications of bring a munitions company to Laramie.
Despite these previous hesitations by Weaver, the motion passed with all counselors in favor of, providing the $3 million loan grant combination to assist in construction of the new Wyoming factory.
The council also passed a motion to approve a smaller sum of $37,745, which will be allocated to the development of Imperial Highs City Park. It will be located in east Laramie between Sherman Hills Drive and East Bill Nye Ave.
DOWL LLC. of Laramie has been hired for the design of the park. The plan consists of natural play elements, a basketball court and a playground.
Councilor Joe Vitale voiced concerns about the asphalt he believed being used for the basketball courts could potentially leach into the Casper aquifer that the park will be located on.
Director of Parks and Recreation Paul Harrison assured counselor Vitale that because concrete will be used as the material for the basketball courts, no threat was posed to the safety of the aquifer.
The motion to allocate $37,745 for the development of Imperial Heights Park passed with eight members of the counsel in favor and Vitale opposed.
