08.27.20 City Council Minutes

NEWCASTLE CITY COUNCIL
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
MINUTES
MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2020
 
Council President Don Steveson called this regular meeting of the Newcastle City Council to order at 7:00 p.m. Those present were Council President Don Steveson; Council members Tom Voss, Pam Gualtieri, Ann McColley, Michael Alexander and Roger Hespe. Also present were Department Heads City Attorney Michael Stulken, City Engineer Mike Moore, Interim City Police Chief Sam Keller, and City Clerk/Treasurer Greg James.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Roger Hespe moved, seconded Ann McColley to approve the agenda as presented: Motion carried.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Ann McColley moved, seconded Michael Alexander to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of Monday, August 3, 2020 as presented. Motion carried. 
NOMINATIONS FOR RECOGNITION:
Kim Dean for her management of the News Letter Journal.
Tom and Shirley Harder for the new retaining wall on their property.
The Amish community for establishing their business, The Howdy Bakery.
CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION: None
CITIZENS’ BUSINESS—IN WRITING: 
Request from Northern Wyoming Mental Health Center, Inc. for summer sewer averaging.  Tom Voss moved, seconded Michael Alexander to approve this request. Motion carried.
MAYOR/COUNCIL REPORTS: None
DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS:
City Clerk/Treasurer Greg James noted the next regular Council meeting will Tuesday, September 8, 2020. He read an invite to the history reveal of the Stampede Historical Preservation Site on Saturday August 29th at 10:00 a.m. The Wyoming Community Gas distribution for this year is $5443.87. We have collected $33,408 toward our restrooms for Dow Park. Council consensus is to continue for this project. Mr. James read a letter of resignation from Mr.Matt Ramsey from the Weston County Travel Commission effective immediately. Mr. James asked for Personnel Committee meeting to discuss the advertising for a new Police Chief. That meeting was set for Tuesday, August 18 at 2:00 p.m.
City Engineer Mike Moore reported on public works projects and noted there are a few street vacation applications pending.
City Attorney Michael Stulken reported they were working on a solution for the crumbling retaining wall on Summit. Mr Stulken then asked about moving forward with a draft resolution declaring all businesses and employees in Newcastle as essential. After some discussion reference this, Tom Voss moved, seconded Ann McColley for consideration, to instruct Mr. Stulken to draft such a resolution. It was noted that such a resolution would be ceremonial only and have no real effect. In roll call vote, Tom Voss and Ann McColley votes “Aye” and Roger Hespe and Michael Alexander voted “Nay”.  Further discussion took place and the merits and potential issues with such a resolution were considered. Council President Steveson noted his objection and voted “nay”. Councilwoman Gualtieri had not voted and was asked to cast her vote in this roll call vote. After deliberation Councilwoman Gualtieri voted “Nay”. The final vote was two voting “aye” and four voting “Nay’, the motion did not carry.
Interim Police Chief Sam Keller noted calls for service. He then requested permission to hire Ashley Nolton as a dispatcher at the rate of $14.07 per hour, start date September 1, 2020, one year probation and contingent upon successful background and medical evaluation.  Roger Hespe moved, seconded Pam Gualtieri to approve this hiring. Motion carried. Mr. Keller then asked to hire Jenna Goodart as a dispatcher, wage rate $14.07 per hour, start date September 1, 2020, one year probation, and pending background checks and medical evaluations.  Michael Alexander moved, seconded Pam Gualtieri to approve this request. Motion carried. Mr. Keller then asked about the Council thoughts on hiring part-time officers to backfill slots in the schedule. Consensus was to bring candidates before the Council for approval after checking with POST for clearance. Also with the understanding that no hours would be guaranteed and no benefits would be offered.
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS: None
OTHER CITY BUSINESS: None
CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY: Tom Voss moved, seconded Michael Alexander to pay the claims against the City dated August 17, 2020.  Motion carried. Tom Voss moved, seconded Roger Hespe to adjourn this regular meeting of the Newcastle City Council at 7:45 p.m. Meeting adjourned.
Claims: A/K Sign Company, flag pole repair parts, $515.30; Alpha Communications, Inc., August 2020 tower rent, $95.00; BCN Telecom, Inc., long distance service, $154.42; Bearlodge Engineering & Surveying, engineering & surveying, $11,177.50; Big Horn Tire, Inc., new tires, $380.00; Black Hills Plumbing & Supply, Freon removal, $825.00; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming, employee health insurance, $34,516.00; Cambria Supply, supplies/materials, $1462.84; Center for Education and Employment law, subscription renewal, $254.95; Century Link, E-911 data service, $939.76; Cleaning With Kindness, carpet cleaning, $507.70; Croell, Inc., concrete, $830.00; Culligan Water Conditioning, bottled water, $65.00; Deckers Food Center, housekeeping supplies, $154.56; Delta Dental of Wyoming, employee dental insurance, $2008.00; Design Construction, pavement marking, $3255.00; Dunham Repair, LLC, parts & repair, $101.88; Eastern Wyoming Equipment Co., Inc., parts, $1020.13; Energy Laboratories, Inc., water sample testing, $8.00; Farnsworth Services, Co., Inc., portable sanitation, $1019.67; Frontier Home Ranch & Hardware, supplies/materials, $557.30; Hurricane Services, PD car washes, $20.00; Jeffrey Lush, Children’s Home Society, forensic interviews, $150.00; Laboratory Corp of America, DOT testing, $122.60; Law Enforcement Systems, Inc., warning tickets, $252.00; Modern Marketing, Inc., promotional items, $4081.06; Mountain View Plumbing & Heating, expansion tank, $317.00; Municipal Code Corp., ordinance updates, $177.95; Newcastle Equipment Co., truck parts/repair, $1061.40; News Letter Journal, legals/minutes/office supplies, $2071.32; Roger D. Nilson, cemetery restoration, $326.23; NORCO, Inc., welding cylinder rental, $25.11; Northwest Pipe Fittings, Inc., culverts & parts, $8801.80; Office Shop Leasing, office copier lease, $71.45; One Call of Wyoming, utility locates, $76.50; Powder River Energy Corp., electric service, $848.09; Rapid Delivery, Inc., parts delivery, $30.19; Ricks Electric, tank wiring, $4925.64; Genell Rothleutner, PD cleaning, $200.00; RT Communications, city share phones, $333.46; RT Communications, phone service, $151.28; Russell Industries, Inc., tank control & repair, $1790.00; Sacrison Asphalt, asphalt, $6642.60; Sherwin-Williams, traffic paint, $2570.98; Short Stop Fuel Mart, fuel purchases, $6662.11; Timberline Service, Inc., retainage, $4466.30; Valli Information Systems, credit card services, $100.00; Becky Vodopich, office cleaning, $300.00; Voelker’s Autobody/Glass, tire repair,$15.00; WEBT, employee life insurance, $99.25; Weston County Health Services, DOT Testing, $218.00; Weston County Public Health, vaccinations, $20.00; Weston County Road & Bridge, fuel purchases, $202.41; Weston County Treasurer, July 2020 youth services/airport expenses, $1116.34; Weston County True Value, paint/propane, $35.54; Woody’s Food Center, housekeeping supplies, $166.64; Wyoming Automotive Co., parts, $1611.68.
 
Don Steveson, President
ATTEST: City Clerk/Treasurer, Greg James
 
(Publish August 27, 2020)