NEWCASTLE CITY COUNCIL CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS MINUTES Monday, January 6, 2025

Mayor Pam Gualtieri called this regular meeting of the Newcastle City Council to order at 7:00 p.m. Present were Council members Don Steveson, Ann McColley, Daren Downs, Thomas Voss, Tyrel Owens, and John Butts. Also present were Attorney Dublin Hughes, Police Chief Derek Thompson, and Clerk/Treasurer Stacy Haggerty.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Ann McColley moved; Don Steveson seconded to approve the agenda. MOTION CARRIED.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Thomas Voss moved; Ann McColley seconded to approve the minutes of the regular meeting and executive session of Monday, December 16, 2024. MOTION CARRIED.

CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION: Police Chief Derek Thompson and Police Sergeant Nicholas Kaminski presented Officer Jacob Esposito with an award for his many DUI arrests.

NOMINATION FOR RECOGNITION: Tyrel Owens nominated Saleen Rumore with Twirlwind Dance Studio for their recent performance of the Nutcracker.

CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY: Thomas Voss moved, seconded Tyrel Owens to pay the claims against the City dated January 6, 2025. MOTION CARRIED.

Claims: Aced Embroidery, apparel/services, $954.00; Ad-Pro, supplies, $5.95; Advanced Communications, supplies, $100.00; Avenue Insights, subscription, $2,520.00; Badges Ex Cetera, FD supplies, $6,673.58; Black Hills Energy, services, $2,031.96; Bomgaars, supplies, $2,672.18; Cambria Supply, supplies, $1,657.27, Campbell Co. EMS, services, $8,625.00; Carl E. Brown, rate study, $10,229.00; Carr Custom Fence, fencing, $2,975.00; City of Newcastle, wa/sw/ga, $338.50; CAN Surety, FD bond, $200.00; Core & Main, supplies, $9,906.90; Derek’s Field Service, repairs/parts, $2,147.10; Douglas Dumbrill, municipal judge, $1,091.00; Energy Laboratories, analysis, $1,241.00; Engineering Associates, services, $7,070.11; Farnsworth Services, portable sanitation, $1,200.00; Ferguson Waterworks, valves, $2,798.21; First Northern Bank, lease payments, $4,305.30; Fisher Sand & Gravel, gravel, $1,052.32; Gateway Travel Center, fuel, $4,604.43; Hawkins, chemical, $975.20; Hughes Law, attorney fees, $4,500.00; Knecht Home Center, supplies, $244.72; LinkTech, NAS/PD IT support, $2,789.94; Marco, copier lease/IT support, $3,436.10; Mastercard, supplies/travel/training, $3,198.13; Minuteman, services, $77.99; Municipal Emergency Services, services/batteries, $2,511.20; Newcastle Ace Hardware, supplies, $822.00; Newcastle Equipment, parts/repairs, $2,326.35; News Letter Journal, supplies/legals, $2,715.01; Petty Cash, postage, $80.54; Pinnacle Bank, loader lease, $60,338.65; Range, phone/internet, $815.12; Sagebrush Market, website, $150.00; Salt Creek Water District, sewer service, $555.00; Bryand Streeter, airport wages, $1,333.33; Lucky Tiegen-Grummons, FD cleaning, $300.00; Verizon, PW phones, $474.94; Becky Vodopich, cleaning, $300.00; WC Road & Bridge, FD fuel, $48.84; WC Treasurer, airport expenses/taxes, $2,099.98; WC Solid Waste Dist. landfill fees, $11,604.60; Wilson Plumbing, services, $768.00; Wy. Law Enforcement Academy, training, $260.00; Wyoming Water Quality, membership, $60.00.

SWEARING IN: Clerk/Treasurer Stacy Haggerty swore in New Mayor Tyrel Owens, new Council member Chris Kenney, and re-elected members Daren Downs and Thomas Voss. Newly elected officials then took their seats.

CITIZEN’S BUSINESS VERBAL: Kayleigh Gould with North East Wyoming Advocacy Resource Center was present to update the Council on the organization.

CITIZEN’S BUSINESS IN WRITING: None

OLD BUSINESS: Mayor Owens read Ordinance No. 4, Series 2024 regarding Jake Brakes, the heading reads: AN ORDINANCE ADDING SEC. 16-11.2 OF THE NEWCASTLE TOWN CODE; Thomas Voss moved; Don Steveson seconded to pass Ordinance No. 4, Series 2024 on the third and final reading. Discussion was had regarding signs, advertisements, and warnings. MOTION CARRIED.

NEW BUSINESS: None

COMMITTEE/COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS:

Mayor Owens appointed Thomas Voss as the Council President, then stated that the Standing Committees would remain the same except for new member Chris Kenney would replace him on the Committees he previously served on. Thomas Voss stated that he would like to ask the Newcastle Recreation Board to request a change of their meeting dates or times to allow members of the Board Committee to attend their meetings. Thomas Voss moved; Ann McColley seconded to send a letter to the Newcastle Recreation Board. MOTION CARRIED. Clerk/Treasurer Haggerty will send the letter.  Thomas Voss then stated that he would like to discuss having a disc mirror put up near the intersection of Summit and Winthrop to help with visibility. More discussion will be had when Public Works Supervisor Greg Stumpff is present.

DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS:

• Attorney Dublin Hughes had no report.

• Clerk/Treasurer Stacy Haggerty referenced the Wyoming Association of Municipalities winter convention and newly elected member bootcamp, stating that in the past those attending had been reimbursed. She asked if the Council would still approve those reimbursements. Don Steveson moved; Thomas Voss seconded to approve reasonable reimbursements. Discussion was had. MOTION CARRIED. She referenced the BMS Pay handout, requesting to contract with BMS Pay for credit card and online payments. Ann McColley moved; Don Steveson seconded to approve this request. MOTION CARRIED. Ms. Haggerty referenced a budget billing agreement for the pilot program. Don Steveson moved; Ann McColley seconded to approve the agreement. Discussion was had regarding notifying customers of changes due to recalculations. MOTION CARRIED. She then noted the next regular Council meeting will be Tuesday, January 21, 2025, because of the holiday on the 20th.

•In Public Works Supervisor Greg Stumpff’s absence Mayor Owens gave reports for the Public Works Department. He updated the Council on the positive samples; the system is being chlorinated and flushed again. A request to hire Zachary Benshoff at the rate of $18.00/hr. with one year probation was made. Thomas Voss moved; Don Steveson seconded to approve this request. MOTION CARRIED. Mayor Owens notified the council of an error that Mr. Stumpff reported on the resolution for the 2025 Improvement Projects loan, the amount should have been 1.1 million not 1 million dollars; since this was for a loan no funding was lost and redoing the application would only postpone the project. Reserve funds marked for landfill closure in the amount of $850,000.00 were requested to be used for the closure of Landfill #2. Thomas Voss moved; John Butts seconded to approve this request. MOTION CARRIED.

• Police Chief Derek Thompson reported on calls of service since December 17, 2024; NPD 206, WCSO 163, UPD 1, NVFD 3, WCFP 0, UVFD1, Newcastle Ambulance 32, and Upton Ambulance 4. He then referenced a canine service contract between the Weston County Peace Officer’s Association and the Newcastle Police Department. Ann McColley moved; Thomas Voss seconded to approve the contract. MOTION CARRIED. Chief Thompson then requested a Police Committee Meeting to discuss the need for new hires, the committee will meet January 14, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Councilman Thomas Voss inquired about a claim for badges, this claim was for Fire Department badges.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: Ann McColley moved; Thomas Voss seconded to suspend the rules and enter executive session referencing personnel per W.S. 16-4-405 (a)(ii) at 7:58 p.m. MOTION CARRIED. Ann McColley moved; Daren Downs seconded to return to regular session at 8:22 p.m. MOTION CARRIED. No action was taken coming out of this executive session.

Mayor Owens addressed the Council stating that he intends for the Council to be a team sport and invited anyone that has concerns to reach out to him and to bring any community concerns to the Council. He also stated that he wants the Council to be very transparent.

ADJOURNMENT: Thomas Voss moved; Daren Downs seconded to adjourn this regular meeting of the Newcastle City Council at 8:23 p.m. Meeting adjourned.

ATTEST:

Mayor Tyrel Owens

Clerk-Treasurer Stacy Haggerty

(Publish January 16, 2025)