05.28.20 City Council Minutes
NEWCASTLE CITY COUNCIL
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
MINUTES
MONDAY, MAY 15, 2020
Mayor Debra Piana called the regular meeting of the Newcastle City Council to order at 7:00 p.m. Those present were Mayor Piana; Council members Don Steveson, Tom Voss, Pam Gualtieri, Ann McColley, Michael Alexander and Roger Hespe. Also present were Department Heads City Police Chief Jim Owens, City Engineer Mike Moore, City Attorney Jim Peck and City Clerk/Treasurer Greg James.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Ann McColley moved, seconded Roger Hespe to approve the agenda as amended, adding approval of Malt Beverage License. Motion carried.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Michael Alexander moved, seconded Pam Gualtieri to approve the minutes of Monday, May 4, 2020 as presented. Motion carried.
NOMINATIONS FOR RECOGNITION:
Jeannie Lewis for the landscaping in her yard.
CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION:
Kristen Kohlbrand and Gilbert Nelson for their excellent efforts to keep the community informed and updated during this COVID19 pandemic. Their certificates will be mailed.
CITIZEN’S BUSINESS—IN WRITING:
Request from Mr. Bruce Perkins to be re-appointed to the Weston County Travel Commission. His term expires June 30, 2020. Roger Hespe moved, seconded Ann McColley to make this appointment. Motion carried.
Request for Malt Beverage Permit, issued to Ms. Linda Ahler’s for one day only, Saturday May 23, 2020 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the premises of Newcastle Lodge & Convention Center. Ann McColley moved, seconded Roger Hespe to approve this request. Motion carried.
CITIZEN’S BUSINESS—VERBAL: None
MAYOR/COUNCIL REPORTS: None
DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS:
City Police Chief Jim Owens reported 154 calls for service so far in May. Chief Owens reported Officer Derek Smellie has been called up for active duty and will be gone until February 2021. Chief Owens recommended hiring Haley Baker as a dispatcher beginning June 1, 2020 at $14.07 per hour with one year probation period. Roger Hespe moved, seconded Don Steveson to approve this request. Motion carried.
City Attorney Jim Peck presented Ordinance No. 1, Series 2020 on first reading. The heading reads: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 8-34 OF ARTICLE III, CHAPTER 8 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF THE CITY OF NEWCASTLE, WYOMING, 1961 TO INCREASE THE COURT AUTOMATION FEE CHARGED AS A COURT COST FROM TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS ($25.00) TO FORTY DOLLARS ($40.00) PURSUANT TO WYOMING STATUTE SECTION 5-6-108 AND RULE 2 OF THE WYOMING RULES FOR FEES AND COSTS FOR MUNICIPAL COURTS; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Don Steveson moved, seconded Michael Alexander to pass Ordinance No.1, Series 2020 on first reading. Motion carried.
City Clerk/Treasurer Greg James noted the budget hearing for the fiscal year 2020-2021 budget will be June 15 at 7:15. Mr. James also asked if there were any further discussion before tentatively approving the preliminary budget as presented. After discussion regarding funding for the ambulance service, the consensus of the majority was to leave funding at the requested level.
City Engineer Mike Moore reported it is difficult to find summer help. Mr. Moore recommended hiring Robert Auck as a part-time gate attendant at the landfill at the wage of $11.50 per hour. This is a part-time only, no benefits position. Roger Hespe moved, seconded Ann McColley to approve this request. Motion carried. Mr. Moore then recommended hiring Jim Hanson to fill the full-time laborer position as operator at the landfill, wages $17.00 per hour, one year probation. Roger Hespe moved, seconded Don Steveson to approve this request. Motion carried.
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS: None
OTHER CITY BUSINESS: None
CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY; Michael Alexander moved, seconded Roger Hespe to pay the claims against the City dated May 18, 2020. Motion carried. Ann McColley moved, seconded Don Steveson to adjourn this regular meeting of the Newcastle City Council at 7:38 p.m. Meeting adjourned.
Claims: Ad-Pro Office Supply, office supplies, $390.06; Advanced Communications, headset & case, $90.00; Advanced Drug Testing, Inc., DOT testing, $26.00; Alpha Communications, May 2020 tower rent, $95.00; Ameri-Tech Equipment Co., parts, $2829.29; American Business Software, summer job listings, $47.68; BCN Telecom, Inc., long distance service, $143.03; Black Hills Energy, electric & natural gas service, $13,398.18; Black Hills Plumbing & Supply, Freon removal, $1025.00; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming, employee health insurance, $38,224.52; Bobcat of Gillette, parts, $905.37; Cambria Supply, supplies/materials, $1519.24; City of Newcastle, refund landfill bill/landfill fee, $192.80; Leanne Cox, reimburse software, $597.15; Culligan Water Conditioning, bottled water, $58.50; Decker’s Food Center, housekeeping supplies, $70.75; Derek’s Field Service, machinery repair, $795.00; Eastern Wyoming Equipment Co., parts, $1905.45; Energy Laboratories, Inc., water sample testing, $424.00; Farnsworth Services Co., Inc., portable sanitation, $2850.00; Hansen Equipment, trimmer line, $368.00; Heartland Kubota, LLC, parts, $2116.52; Hurricane Services, fence repair/PD car washes, $350.41; Inberg-Miller Engineers, landfill closure permit, $28,267.49; KASL Radio, support Newcastle ads, $144.00; Laboratory Corp of America, DOT testing, $30.65; Limestone Services, LLC, fence at ball fields, $1256.21; Modern Marketing, Inc., face masks, $643.36; Newcastle Motors, LTD, parts, $38.84; News Letter Journal, printer cartridge/minutes/advertising, $1426.27; NORCO, Inc., welding cylinder rental, $205.22; Northwest Pipe Fittings, Inc., pipe parts, $138.97; Office Shop Inc., office copy charge, $41.03; Office Shop Leasing, office copier lease, $71.45; One Call of Wyoming, utility locates, $81.75; Laura Oney, water deposit refund, $135.94; Tyrel Owens, reimburse CDL, $40.00; Powder River Energy Corp., electric service, $1157.40; Rick’s Electric, replace flood lights, shop, $1319.07; Genell Rothleutner, PD cleaning, $200.00; RT Communications, city share phone, $329.80; RT Commuincations, Inc., phone service, $151.28; Russell Industries, Inc., lift station pump work, $905.15; Short Stop Fuel Mart, fuel purchases, $4040.05; Summit Plumbing & Heating, meter repair, $149.54; Uber Geek Computer, memory, $244.00; Valli Information Systems, credit card service, $100.00; Becky Vodopich, office cleaning, $300.00; WEBT, employee life insurance, $104.00; Weston County Road & Bridge, fuel purchases, $138.78; Weston County Treasurer, tax handling fee/youth service, airport exp., $1987.53; Weston County Weed & Pest Control, weed killer & mosquito briquettes, $2992.95; Woody’s Food Center, housekeeping supplies, $89.48; Wyoming Association of Rural Water, conference registration, $627.00; Wyoming Automotive, Co., parts, $707.92; Wyoming Dept. of Transportation, license plates, $5.00.
Deb Piana, Mayor
ATTEST: City Clerk/Treasurer, Greg James
(Publish May 28, 2020)