TORRINGTON – The Torrington City Council met for the second meeting in June on the evening of Tuesday, June 18. In attendance, were council members Shane Viktorin, Dr. Richard Paterson, Wayne Deahl, and mayor, Herb Doby. Councilmember Dennis Kelly was absent but excused. 

Mayor Doby called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. and Deahl led the community and council in the Pledge of Allegiance.

During the mayor’s information items, Doby reminded the community about the TextMyGov app available for city notifications, explaining residents could text the word, “HI” to (307) 338-2802 or by visiting the city’s website at www.torringtonwy.gov. Doby commended the community members for keeping their lawns and yards clean and reminded residents fines can be imposed for not following the city codes.

“Please continue to enjoy our municipal pool,” Doby said. “Please also continue to enjoy our municipal golf course, voted number one public golf course in the state, our many sports fields, parks, and walking paths. Thank you to all of the city superintends and crews that keep all of these areas clean, beautiful, and functional. Thank you also to parents and the ball league who help greatly to keep our sports fields up and running.”

Doby also reminded the community to slow down when driving in town and to pay extra attention. 

“As school is out and summer is full upon us, there is much-increased foot traffic and bicycle and motorcycle traffic. Please take extra care so that we can all have a pleasant and safe summer season,” Doby said.

Moving on to the approval of the consent agenda, Patterson made a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented which was seconded by Deahl. The motion carried.

Next, the council moved on to approve the agenda which was seconded by councilmen Viktorin. After no discussion, the motion carried, and the agenda was approved. 

During the public forum, Amanda and Jeremy Cherrington spoke to the council regarding emotional support animals (ESA). 

“I am Amanda Cherrington, I spoke with guys a couple of meetings ago,” Cherrington said. “I sent an email. I don’t know if you guys received it or not. It is the official new updated version of my ESA animal letter. It includes all four of my hens as well as recommendation as a prescription now for my medical and mental health.”

Cherrington expressed since the last meeting she spoke at, things in her life had been difficult and she explained to the council her laying hens would have been helpful in her overall wellbeing.

Moving on to action item one, Essential Fuel, LLC requested approval to install an alcohol slushie machine in the licensed building located at 1500 East Valley Road. 

Store manager Rhonda Warziniack spoke briefly with the council about the products the establishment wishes to sell. 

“The liquor store is wanting to do an alcohol slushie machine,” Warziniack said. “No one is allowed in the store that is under 21 (years of age). The machine is on our counter. Our staff would be the ones dispensing it. We have purchased a sealer that will seal the top of the cup. Kind of like the plastic on the fruit cups. We would still be putting the lid on top,” Warziniack clarified to the council. 

Doby expressed the council had approved a slushie machine for another local business and felt Essential Fuel LLC’s request should be treated the same. Doby further expressed the approval was contingent on the arrival of the machine and inspection by Torrington Police Chief, Matt Johnson and deputy city clerk, Silvia Anaya.

After a brief discussion, a motion was made on the contingent of the final approval of Johnson and Anaya, which was made by Viktorin. The motion carried.

Under action item number two, a public hearing for the 2025 fiscal year budget (FYB) where the council left regular session and opened a public hearing.

Lynette Strecker, clerk/treasurer provided background information to the council and public.

“We began this process in February, and here we are June 18 for the third and final reading of the budget,” Strecker said. “I just kind of want to go over a few highlights before we have the public hearing so that we just kind of know what we’re talking about here. The total budget this year increased by 5.42% or about two million dollars in the fiscal year 2025 compared to last year. The majority of this increase comes from capital projects. We have serval big projects that are on the books this year to be completed or in the process,” Strecker continued. 

Strecker expressed the city is still seeing long delays in deliveries of vehicles and large equipment. Strecker also expressed the city will be reviewing utility rates again around October to November to vote on by the end of December. 

“This is self-sustaining in that all funds except for airport, golf, swimming pool, ambulance, and cemetery would meet their target reserve balances which is 90 days of operating expense,” Strecker explained. “I think we are in good fiscal health. It’s been a difficult year this year. The difficult thing this year has been the property and liability insurance.”

There were no participants for or against who wished to speak to the council and public regarding the FYB ordinance. 

Once the public hearing was adjourned, the council reconvened to regular session where they moved on to item three under the action items, the third reading of the 2025 FYB ordinance. 

A motion was made by Deahl and seconded by Patterson to approve the third reading of the 2025 FYB ordinance on the third reading which was then carried by vote.

Moving on to action item four, where the council followed staff recommendations and approved the awarding bid to Laramie Peak Motors in Wheatland in the amount of $72,923 for a new one-ton extended cab pickup chassis with a utility box. 

During the discussion, Doby called on Tom Troxel, the water/wastewater supervisor who spoke to the council stating the bid being requested fit the needs of the department. 

“The vehicle was budgeted this current budget for $70,000 and as you see we received numerous bids,” Troxel said.

According to Troxel, the bid from Laramie Peak Motors was the lowest bid, noting some of the dearships had shorter time periods for the city to wait but it was more important to be able to get what was needed at a good price.

Strecker said the purchase would replace a 2007 vehicle which could possibly be auctioned off. 

Viktorin made the motion to award the bid to Laramie Peak Motors and Patterson seconded the motion and the council opened a discussion.

“I do want to say this the discussion part of this motion, councilmen Kelly is out of town. He did email me, and I am going to just read this email to me that I received June 17, yesterday, at 4:45 p.m.,” Doby said. “’Mayor Doby, just a quick note on the next council meeting. I see that there is a request for the purchase of yet another new pickup truck. I feel this purchase would not be in the best interest of the City of Torrington or its residents. The city needs a lot of things, but this is not one of them,’” councilmen Kelly wrote in a letter to mayor Doby which Doby read aloud during the meeting.

On action item five, the council followed the recommendations to approve the purchase of a 2024 John Deere Gator in the amount of $18,571 for the streets and sanitation department. 

Ed Hawley, streets and sanitation superintendent, spoke to the council about the purchase of the new equipment as well as the sale of the old equipment. 

“We sold a lot of stuff at auction that was getting outdated, so we are using some of that money to replace a mule that we got rid of at the time that had been put together out of many parts,” Hawley said.

Moving on to item number six, the council heard resolution number 2024-7, an amendment to the 2024 FYB where Strecker provided the council and mayor with additional information regarding additional revenue which was brought to the city through the sale of outdated streets and sanitation department equipment. 

Doby called on city attorney, Jim Eddington, to read the resolution by title.

“It’s resolution number 2024-7, ‘Whereas the general fund received unanticipated revenue’,” Eddington went on to continue reading the policy.

Strecker explained the adjustment was needed to accommodate the proceeds of the auction and she further explained to the council how the funds would be allocated. 

It was also mentioned a grant had been awarded for emergency lighting.

A motion was made to approve resolution number 2024-7 by Viktorin, which was then seconded by Patterson. The motion was voted on and carried.

Next, the council moved on to item seven, a new policy, continuity of operations policy, in the policy handbook where Strecker provided background information. 

Eddington explained the policy was enacted to establish guidelines and protocols for the city to enact a continuity of operations plan. The purpose of the plan, Eddington further explained, was to provide a framework for continued operations of city services during mitigation, response, and recovery from a disruptive event. 

Strecker explained the policy was written at the request of the emergency management coordinator, Chuck Kenyon. Strecker further explained the policy would designate a procession order if an event should take place.

“This really just creates a vehicle so that Chuck can produce an emergency response plan,” Johnson said. “That plan will ultimately be presented to you folks for approval, but that structure goes a long way towards making that a reality for our city,” Johnson explained to the council.

Doby noted the policy was more of a general policy and that Kenyon would continue to work on a more specific policy. 

The motion was made to approve the new policy by Deahl and seconded by Paterson. The motion carried. 

The council then moved on to item eight, approval of the bills from June 5 to June 18 as presented by Strecker. 

A motion was made by Patterson to accept the bills as presented which was seconded by Viktorin. The motion carried. 

During the public comment portion of the meeting, the council heard from police chief Johnson. Johnson presented Strecker with a flower arraignment and expressed his gratitude and the gratitude of the department and city employees for her hard work.

Dennis Estes spoke to the council on behalf of the fire department and chief Luis Correa was excused from the meeting. Estes gave an update on the fire convention and Doby read the calls Correa had listed for him. 

Deahl commented also spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting Tuesday evening. 

“I know, personally, a person who had a propane tank that just about went up and they are very appreciative of the Torrington fire department,” Deahl said. 

Viktorin asked for a report from the director of public works, Jeff Harkins, on the work being done at the pretreatment waste facility.

The council was then adjourned at 6:42 p.m.