TORRINGTON – The Torrington City Council met for its second September meeting on Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers. Present were Mayor Herb Doby and council members Wayne Deahl, Dennis Kelly, Dr. Richard Patterson and Shane Viktorin. Mayor Doby called the meeting to order and Councilman Kelly led the council in the Pledge of Allegiance. 

Mayor Doby opened with informational items, including that he would be issuing a proclamation designating September 17-23 as ‘Constitution Week.’ The Constitution, he stated, outlines the individual rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, serving as the “unifying social contract” among citizens and the government of the United States. He went on to highlight the Classic Cars on Main event and the Farmer’s Market, both held on city property and attracting visitors from around the area. The car show, held annually since 1973, featured 135 entries this year, a record for the event. Finally, Mayor Doby thanked city employees for their many services to Torrington residents, including clean drinking water, safe and drivable streets and sidewalks, the city cemetery, police and fire protection, ambulance services, trash pickup, and recreational facilities such as the swimming pool, golf course, sports fields, and walking paths.

Following the informational items, Kelly made a motion to approve the minutes from the September 3, 2024 council meeting. Patterson seconded the motion, and the consent agenda was approved. An amended agenda for Tuesday’s meeting was presented, adding an item to discuss repairs and updates to the city pool. After a motion from Deahl and a second from Viktorin, the amended agenda was approved.

The meeting then opened for non-hearing items from the public. Danielle Closs asked the council to consider designating the last week of August 2025 as “SMART Week,” which would highlight the importance of firearm safety. The SMART framework includes: S - Secure all guns in homes and vehicles, M - Model responsible behavior around guns, A - Ask about unsecured guns in other homes, R - Recognize the role of guns in suicide, and T - Tell others to be smart about gun safety. Closs highlighted that most minors who commit school shootings used a gun owned by a family member, and there are nearly 500 unintentional gun deaths per year. Unsecured weapons also increase the risk of suicide in the home and the potential for theft.

Next on the agenda was the action items. The first action item was the designation of this week as “Constitution Week” in Torrington. Representatives from the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Lucy Martin and Nancy Zimmerer, addressed the council about the importance of the Constitution. They led the council in reciting the Preamble and discussed its various goals, namely, to protect individual freedoms, create strong bonds among states, enact fair laws, protect the peace, defend the country, and encourage what is best for the nation as a whole. Martin stated, “It’s amazing to me that after 237 years, the thirteen colonies and their representatives still stand today.” Following the presentation from the DAR, Mayor Doby issued the proclamation, resolving that September 17-23, 2024, is “Constitution Week” and urging “all citizens to study the Constitution and reflect on the privilege of being an American, along with all the rights and responsibilities that privilege involves.”

The second action item was a discussion of the repairs and updates needed at the community pool. The pool is more than 50 years old, and city staff were concerned that if repairs were not made, it might not be functional for use next summer. City staff contacted three pool repair companies, and one—Advanced Pools and Spa—visited to assess the pool and make recommendations for repairs. A representative of Advanced Pools presented those recommendations, which included removing paint from the inside of the pool, adding plaster, replacing tile, sealing gutters, adding a suction and skimmer to the wading/kiddie pool, repairing a large crack, and replacing water returns and suction grates. The recommended repairs would address concerns raised by inspectors and would add approximately 20 years of life to the pool. If completed by Advanced Pools and Spa, the work would take approximately eight weeks in the fall and a few additional days in the spring, costing around $300,000. As the work cannot be done in cold weather, council members expressed concerns about ensuring prompt approval so the work could be completed while temperatures remain above 40 degrees. The bid from Advanced Pools and Spa will be brought for a vote at the next council meeting on October 1, allowing city staff time to determine whether funding is available and to prepare an emergency declaration, which would allow the project to proceed without public bidding and be completed this fall.

The last two action items were the public hearing on two potential grant applications. The first involves replacing sewer lines and manhole covers, focusing specifically on lines in the eastern part of town and extending to the prison. As presented in the prior council meeting, applications for the Community Development Block Grant are scored on a points system that includes additional points for “Local Commitment and Leveraging.” Therefore, city staff recommended the city contribute $327,520 of the total project cost of approximately $1.25 million. The second potential grant application was for additional backup generators for the water treatment center and the West C Street pump station. 

The water treatment center currently has one generator, but it is undersized for the facility’s needs in the event of a power outage. The West C pump station currently does not have a backup generator. City staff did not propose any financial contribution from the city for this project, which is estimated to cost approximately $1.43 million. The Community Development Block Grant has approximately $4 million available for projects in Wyoming. The public hearing was held for both projects, and there were no public comments for or against either. Both projects were then approved by the council, and a resolution was issued by Mayor Doby authorizing the submission of the grant applications.

The council then approved the bills from September 4, 2024, through September 17, 2024, after a motion from Kelly and a second from Deahl.

During the public comment section, Mayor Doby shared a report from Fire Chief Luis Correa, noting the fire department had responded to five calls since the last council meeting, including grass fires and fire alarm alerts. Dennis Estes, City Building and Grounds Superintendent, then provided an update on the grass at the cemetery. He mentioned the grass appears brown and dry due to treatments aimed at eliminating invasive windmill grass. While these treatments can kill good grass and other weeds, they are necessary for removing windmill grass. He also updated the council on the soccer fields, which saw significant improvement last year due to seeding and chemical treatments. The fields are currently in use, with positive feedback regarding their condition. Estes noted an increase in animal waste on the fields and reminded the public that dogs are not permitted on city sports fields.

The council then adjourned. The next City Council meeting is scheduled for October 1.