C.C. Commissioners Unapproved Minutes...

C.C. Commissioners
Unapproved Minutes...

Unapproved Minutes, Board of Commissioners of
Converse County, February 21, 2023
The regular meeting was called to order at 8:00 a.m. on Feb. 21, 2023.  Present were Commission Chairman Jim Willox; Vice-Chairman Rick Grant; Commissioners Mike Colling and Trent Kaufman; and County Clerk, Karen Rimmer.  Commissioner Robert Short was excused due to attendance at the WY Legislative Session on behalf of Converse County the WY County Commissioners Assoc. Mr. Todd Mattson, HDR Engineering, provided project updates the BNSF bridge near Irvine Road. Mr. Jason Wilkinson, Road & Bridge Superintendent, and Mr. Dave Shaw, Road & Bridge Special Projects, provided departmental updates.  Mr. Colling moved to approve the Construction Agreement between Converse County and Knife River for the 2023 Jenne Trail Paving Project in the amount of 1847500.00 with final completion by June 26, 2023; Mr. Kaufman seconded; motion carried. Mr. Grant moved to approve a bore permit for Tallgrass Midstream Gathering, LLC on CR32/Highland Loop for a 12” HDPE natural gas pipeline; Mr. Kauffman seconded; motion carried. Mr. Clint Becker, Sheriff; Mr. Nate Hughes, Undersheriff; and Mr. Tom Kelly, Sargent, provided recommended changes to the Oversize/Overweight Rules and Regulations. The Commission concurred with the revisions and directed the document to be presented for approval at a subsequent meeting following the required public hearing. Following further discussion,  Mr. Grant moved to authorize the Sheriff’s Dept. to purchase a 2023 Tahoe for 42000 plus associated outfitting in FY2023; Mr. Colling seconded; motion carried. A draft resolution to allow Pari-mutual wagering at 1450 North Riverbend Drive, Douglas, for Wyoming Downs, was reviewed by the Commission. Ms. Jill Jarrard, Wyoming Downs, provided an overview of the operations.  Following lengthy discussion, the resolution was amended to limit the number of terminals to a maximum of fifty and limit the hours of operation from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Following further discussion and final comments, including concerns over ensuring one pari-mutuel wagering establishment was operating prior to a second being approved to understand the benefits and impacts on the community, Mr. Grant moved to approve Resolution No. 03-23, Converse County, Wyoming, Approving Wyoming Downs LLC to Conduct Pari-Mutuel Wagering on Live Horse Racing, Historic Horse Racing, and Simulcast Events Within Converse County, Wyoming; Mr. Kaufman seconded; motion failed 2-2, with Mr. Grant and Kaufman voting in favor and Mr. Willox and Mr. Colling opposing the motion. Mr. Hal Hutchinson, Project Manager, and Mr. Tim Schenk, GSG Architecture, provided updates on the CCJJC Phase 2 construction project; following discussion of a change order, Mr. Colling moved to approve Change Order No. 7 in the amount of 28018.00 which brings the project total to 24679702.00; Mr. Grant seconded; motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 12:07 p.m. and reconvened at 1:00 p.m. The minutes of the Feb. 7 and 8, 2023, regular meeting and Feb. 7, 2023 Executive Session were approved and ordered filed as amended. Mr. Colling moved to approve monthly reports for Dec: Public Health: 7877.62; Road & Bridge: 46025.88; Sheriff: 2957.96; VOID Warrant #64403 3500; Mr. Kaufman seconded; motion carried. Mr. Colling moved to approve the Agreement for Technical Services Between Converse County and the City of Douglas for 8333.34 per month plus overtime rates as stated for a one-year term; Mr. Grant seconded; motion carried. Mr. Colling moved to approve the MOUs between Converse County Sheriff’s Office and Douglas and Glenrock Police Depts. for law enforcement assistance from 2023 until Feb. 2027; Mr. Kaufman seconded; motion carried. Mr. Grant moved to approve the MOUs between Converse County Sheriff’s Office and Albany, Campbell, Johnson, Natrona, Niobrara, Platte, and Weston County Sheriff’s Depts. for law enforcement assistance from 2023 until Feb. 2027; Mr. Colling seconded; motion carried. Mr. Kaufman moved to approve the MOU between the Converse County Commissioners and High-Country Behavioral Health for the utilization of opioid grant funds in Converse County in the amount of 127466.52 for calendar year 2023; Mr. Grant seconded; motion carried. A revised lease agreement for three CAT 160-15AWD motor graders with more favorable terms was reviewed. Following discussion, Mr. Colling moved to approve the lease agreement between Converse County and KS Bank in the amount of 1247343.00 over a period of seven years with an interest rate of 5.99%; Mr. Grant seconded; motion carried. Following an overview by Clerk Rimmer of administration difficulties and new associated costs, Mr. Grant authorized the phase out of Mass Mutual/Empower 457 Plans for County employees; Mr. Kaufman seconded; motion carried. Ms. Darcey Cowardin, Public Health Nurse Manager, provided departmental updates; the Commission authorized Ms. Cowardin, a State employee, to apply the State’s policy in her department. Chairman Willox was excused from the remainder of the meeting at 1:30 p.m. Ms. Dru Palmer, DRU Consulting, provided an overview of various federal agency interactions and ongoing projects. An update on the recent meetings attended in Washington D.C. will be provided at the next meeting when all Commissioners will be present. Mr. Hayden Truscott, Mr. Brad Gentry, and Mr. Terry Herroff, representatives of Thunder Creek Gas Services/Meritage Midstream, provided updates on a submitted Notice of Industrial Activity for a compressor station on Twenty Mile Creek Road; following discussion, the Commission approved a letter to be submitted to WYDEQ for the project. The regular meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m. A regular meeting of this Board will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, March 7 and 8, 2023, at 8:00 a.m. unless otherwise posted, at the Converse County Courthouse within Commission Chambers, located at 107 N. 5th Street, Douglas, Wyoming. The public is invited to attend.  To get on the agenda, call the County Clerk’s Office by the Thursday prior to the meeting. Per W.S. §18-3-516(f), access to county information can be obtained at the County’s official website, www.conversecountywy.gov or by calling the County Clerk’s Office at (307) 358-2244.
/s/ Karen Rimmer, County Clerk    /s/ James H. Willox, Chairman
Publish: March 8, 2023    2769