TORRINGTON – The Torrington City Council convened for its second December meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at the Torrington Council Chambers. 

Mayor Herb Doby was present with council members Richard Patterson, Dennis Kelly, Wayne Deahl and Shane Viktorin.

Director of Public Works and City Engineer Jeff Harkins presented the winning bid for the fiscal year 2024 sewer line improvements project. The bid was from Insituform Technologies, LLC of Chesterfield, Missouri in the amount of $635,551 and a reserve of $64,449 for contingency for a project total of $700,000. The contractor has 90 calendar days to complete the project and it must be substantially completed prior to June 28, 2024. 

“We’re recommending council award this project to Insituform Technologies,” Harkins said. “This project consists of almost two miles of sewer lining within the city, including some of our larger 12-inch sewer mains.”

Harkins said the city received two bids for this project. The other bid was from Inliner Solutions, LLC in the amount of $699,917. 

Funding for this project was established in the 2024 fiscal year budget in the amount of $780,000.

The council unanimously approved the bid. 

Harkins also presented the winning bid for the fiscal year 2024 electrical department parking garage project. The bid was from Goshen County Construction of Torrington in the amount of $243,818 and a reserve of $6,182 for contingency for a project total of $250,000. The projection has a substantial completion date of November 19, 2024. 

“Basically, this parking garage consists of a 50-by-50-foot parking garage area for the city of Torrington and the electrical department,” Harkins said. “It’ll be steel construction, 16-foot walls, insulated roof, with three 14-by-14-foot doors, there will be some windows and some man doors.”

Harkins said the city received three bids for this project. The other bids were from Triple O Construction in the amount of $325,000 and Paul Reed Construction for $560,109.

Funding for this project was established in the 2024 fiscal year budget in the amount of $225,000. The remaining balance of $25,000 will be budgeted for the 2025 fiscal year. 

The council approved the bid.

City Clerk and Treasurer Lynette Strecker presented the winning bid for the new ambulance. The bid was from Sawtooth Emergency Vehicles of Shepherd, Montana in the amount of $192,297 and a reserve of $7,703 for contingency for a total price of $200,000. The contingency will be used for potential fluctuations in the chassis price. 

“We opened bids on Dec. 6 at 2 p.m., but unfortunately, we only had one bid,” Strecker said. “It’s a strange environment out there, as we’ve talked about for over a year now. Apparently, Chevrolet will not give a final price on the chassis until the vehicle is built and invoiced.”

As a result, the city worded the bid in the same way as they do for construction with contingency for fluctuation in price. The delivery of the vehicle is estimated to be 18 months to 1.5 years. 

According to Darin Yates, the EMS executive director, the department is having several issues with one of the DEF systems on the ambulances. As a result, they are hoping to use that vehicle as the trade-in for the new gas-powered ambulance. 

The full $200,000 for this project was funded by an ARPA grant in the 2023-24 fiscal year budget.

The council unanimously approved this bid. 

The council approved extending hours of operation on Sunday, Dec. 31 until 2 a.m. for private club liquor licenses as requested by Nathan Kendall, with the Elks Lodge 1726. 

Chief of Police Matt Johnson explained that liquor license hours are restricted to midnight on Sundays. However, since New Year’s Eve falls on a Sunday this year, it was requested to extend hours for the holiday celebration. 

This extension will be applicable to all private club liquor license holders. At the last meeting, the council approved this extension for retail liquor license holders. 

Johnson presented a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the city of Torrington and Eastern Wyoming College (EWC). This MOU is an agreement that allows a collaboration between the city and the college, so the college can use the airport area for training CDL students. As a part of the deal, the city will be able to send one employee a year for free CDL training. 

The council approved the MOU with a four-to-one vote. 

Strecker presented two policy handbook amendments. The amendments were to the bereavement leave and compensation and performance evaluation policies. Strecker explained that since these policies are fairly new they are regularly being evolved and language is being clarified.

The council approved the amendments.

Strecker also presented two new policies for the handbook. The two additions are for a CDL training payment/repayment and employment benefit for the shop foreman for holding a CDL policies. 

The repayment policy states that if the city pays for an employee to obtain a CDL, that employee is on a one-year probationary period. If the employee were to leave their job within a year of obtaining their CDL, the employee may have to reimburse the city for their training costs. 

Strecker also explained the policy also gives a performance incentive for employees to stay with the city in years to come.

The council unanimously approved the new policies. 

City Golf Professional David Dent presented two amendments to the 2024 golf tournament schedule. One of the amendments was for the addition of the Lusk High School Tournament and the other was for moving the Elks Tournament to a different week. 

The council approved both amendments.

The council approved the performance evaluation and merit increase request. 

City Attorney James Eddington read the ordinance relating to alcoholic beverage permits in the city of Torrington. 

At a previous meeting, Johnson explained the changes to the ordinance are related to catering permits, open container permits and alcoholic beverage permits. The main goals of these changes were to clarify what the city was doing in relation to those permits and to allow the permit process to move forward without the council. 

In addition to the changes, it also places the responsibility completely on the applicant to reach out to the state when requesting a catering permit to ensure they follow state laws. 

The council approved this ordinance reading. This is the last of the three required readings. The first reading took place on Nov. 21.

Eddington read the ordinance relating to liquor licenses and permit fees.

At a previous meeting, Johnson explained that this ordinance change is just reflecting the change in permit fees from $30 to $50. The new amount is the maximum amount allowed for the permits. The price has not been changed for several years. 

The council approved this ordinance reading. This is the last of the three required readings. The first reading took place on Nov. 21.

During the item informational part of the meeting, Dent presented to the council the many updates that have been made to the golf course over the past few years. A few of the updates include tee boxes supplied by members of the community, lockers and bridges.

During the mayoral informational part of the meeting, Doby wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. He also reminded everyone the city offices will all be closed on Dec. 25 and 26 and Jan. 1. 

The council also wished everyone Happy Holidays. 

During the public comment, Ed Hawley, the city’s streets and sanitation superintendent, announced the holiday garbage pick-up schedule. 

Garbage that is normally picked up on Monday, Dec. 25 and Tuesday, Dec. 26 will be picked up on Wednesday, Dec. 27. Garbage normally picked up on Wednesday, Dec. 27 will be picked up on Thursday, Dec. 28. Garbage normally picked up on Monday, Jan. 1 will be picked up on Tuesday, Jan. 2.

The next meeting of the Torrington City Council will take place Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 7 p.m. in the Torrington City Council Chambers at 436 East 22nd Avenue.