Jess Oaks
TORRINGTON – The Torrington City Council conducted the first meeting for the month of August on Tuesday, August 6. The council chambers looked a bit different than the regular formal meeting room as the council conducted regular monthly business for the city from a picnic table at Jirdon Park in Torrington during the community’s National Night Out celebration.
The meeting was off to a slower-than-normal start as council members Dr. Richard Patterson, Dennis Kelly, Shane Viktorin, Wayne Deahl and mayor Herb Doby worked on the sound system and microphone for the meeting. Once the system was connected, members of the Honor Guard and Torrington Police Department presented the United States flag and the Wyoming State flag. Patterson led the council and community in the Pledge of Allegiance.
During the mayor’s informational items, Doby welcomed the community to the National Night Out festivities.
“We are individuals, yes, but we also live in community,” Doby began. “When one member of our community suffers, we all suffer. Our community consists of Torrington, south Torrington, the west highway, La Grange, Hawk Springs, Yoder, Lingle, Fort Laramie, Prairie Center, Jay Em, indeed all of Goshen County. In northwest Goshen County, near Hartville and Platte County, we have recently experienced the largest fire in this area in the quoted history. Many of those people and families have suffered great loss. Both economic loss and personal and emotional loss. But there have been blessings from God. There has been very little structure loss or livestock loss. There was no loss of life that I am aware of. I want to thank all of those who bravely and with skill fought the fire on the front line and all of those who supported them in their efforts,” Doby continued.
Doby went on to thank the many volunteer fire departments, emergency personnel, neighbors, friends and the community at large.
“The generosity of our local community is duly noted and greatly appreciated,” Doby explained.
Doby also thanked the handful of local and state legislative members who helped in the fire efforts as well.
The council moved on to the next item on the agenda.
A motion was made to approve the consent agenda which included the council meeting minutes from July 16. The motion carried. The council also carried the motion to approve the agenda for the Tuesday, August 6 meeting. There were no public speakers who spoke to the council during the public forum.
Moving on to action items, the council heard from Tom Troxel, water/wastewater supervisor and Jeff Harkins, director of public works regarding a bid for the Torrington Well #16 connection.
Staff recommended awarding a bid, which is subject to concurrence from the Wyoming Water Development Office to Goshen County Construction of Torrington in the amount of $2,346,622 and reserving $97,338 for contingency for a project totaling $2,443,960. Staff also requested to seek additional funds from the Wyoming Water Development Office.
Harkins explained the original project consisted of the construction of a pump house, pump, treatment system, distribution piping, backup generator and instrumentation. Harkins explained the bid opened July 23 and there was only one bid from Goshen County Construction.
Harkins expressed because there was only one bid presented, negotiations were made with the company. Harkins also expressed although the negotiations dropped the price, the department still needed additional funding even with the water department’s donation of funds.
Harkins explained the well is backup and it was recommended by the Wyoming Water Development Office for the city of Torrington.
Troxel also briefly spoke with the council and after the discussion about the company, completion dates and additional funding requirements, the council moved to approve the bid and the motion carried.
“If you notice, it is kind of a complicated motion. It’s at least two parts,” Doby explained. “The way I look at that I would be willing to entertain a motion to award the bid and also as part of that motion for staff to seek approval to ask for additional funds from the Wyoming Water Development Office. I have a motion from councilman Patterson to approve the award bid set forth in item number one and also to allow staff to continue seeking approval to ask for additional funds from the Wyoming Water Development Office. For that motion, do I have a second,” Doby asked the council.
Kelly seconded the motion and the motion carried.
The council then moved on to action item two, approval of the bills from July 17 to August 6 where Patterson made the initial motion to approve the bills which was seconded by Deahl. The bills and additional bills were then approved by vote.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, Doby explained Torrington fire chief, Luis Correa was still attending to the fires near Guernsey and assistant chief Cody Scott would be giving the fire report.
“July was a busy month for the Torrington Fire Department,” Scott began. “We ran a little over 30 calls.”
Scott went on the explain the calls and fires the department responded to over the month including both the Haystack Fire and the Pleasant Valley Fire. Scott expressed there has been an outpouring of support from both Goshen and Platte County.
“Shortly after the council meeting, probably in about 10 to 15 minutes, at the conclusion of the council meeting, the state fire marshal’s office was able to bring up their residential sprinkler trailer,” Scott explained as he invited the council and public in attendance to the display behind the meeting.
The meeting was adjourned and the community was invited to watch the Torrington Volunteer Fire Department’s residential sprinkler display.
