City Council members thanked local volunteer groups in Tuesday’s meeting for their help in Laramie Christmas tree removal.
Due to its financial restrictions, the city cut its Christmas tree removal program in 2016. Local volunteer groups from the Knights of Pythias, Laramie High School, Laramie Rangers Baseball, Wyoming Technical institute, Veterans of Foreign Wars and other Laramie residents stepped up to fill the service.
“The fiscal condition of the state of Wyoming and the city of Laramie resulted in budget cuts recently and have impacted certain services available to residents,” Councilor Bryan Shuster said. “These volunteer services greatly helped residences in Laramie in disposal of these holiday remnants.”
On Jan. 7, volunteer groups barrowed trash routes from Laramie’s Solid Waste Division and spent the day collecting and disposing trees left curb-side.
The council decided to omit discussion regarding the Casper Aquifer because it was the main point of discussion in the council’s last meeting on Feb. 2.
The council unanimously approved the Community Recreation Board’s request for 2018 funding for a list of projects for Laramie, Albany County, Rock River and the Albany County School District.
In 2004, Laramie entered in a Memorandum of Understanding with the Albany County Recreation Board to agree to a commitment of a portion of the $1 million recreation property tax given the city’s approval of the projects list. The city has funded the Recreation Board just over $360,000 on average the last eight years, according to City Council Resolution 2017-10.
The council also unanimously voted to authorize the submission of Federal Mineral Royalty Capital Construction Account Grant not to exceed $500,000 to the State Loan and Investment Board for the design and construction of a storm drainage detention pond near Regency Drive.
“We want to construct a storm water detention pond at the South end of Regency Drive cul-de-sac,” Public Works Director Earl Smith said. “The pond would be designed to detain storm water to essentially meter it as it goes downstream, we hope to alleviate potential flooding.”
Council member Vicki Henry asked Smith why the city was not focusing its efforts instead on neighborhoods in West Laramie.
“I just wonder how we chose that particular area,” Henry said. “To me, there are other areas in town that are much worse off, such as West Laramie.”
Smith said once the city-wide storm drainage master plan was complete, the Public Works Division could prioritize funding for more storm drainage projects, which would include West Laramie.
“I was prepared to vote no on this, but after seeing the money is coming from our Turner Tract land sales, I’ll vote yes,” Henry said.
City Council will next meet in City Hall on Feb. 21.
