From the pages of
Sublette Examiner
Volume 2, Number 4 - April 25, 2002
brought to you online by Pinedale Online

Money matters make Pinedale meeting

by Rhonda Swain

Money matters make Pinedale meeting

Briefs

Craig and Charlene Larsen advised the council that there will be an organizational meeting of the Fraternal Order of Eagles at Stockman’s on Thursday, April 25, at 7 p.m. The couple hopes to place the 19th Wyoming Aerie and Auxiliary in Pinedale.

• JFC, surveyors, architects and engineers of Rock Springs, continue to work on plans for the dog pound, which will be incorporated into the new town shop.

• Reising said there have been problems these windy days with litter flying out of BNC trash trucks because people don’t bag and seal trash. After a discussion, the council decided to have clean-up days, offering free trash pick up with the town picking up the bill. They will announce when the clean-up days willobe at a later date.

• The council approved a motion to increase, on a case-by-case basis, up to $100 perdiem for travel expenses.

Money was the dominating feature at the Pinedale Town Council meeting Monday evening. From awarding the town hall siding bid, discussions regarding the new town shop and park restrooms, budget requests and final reading of Ordinance 355, most of the matters to come before the council regarded money.

Dan Dean of Crank Company advised the council that there were three bids for the town hall siding: Pinedale’s TMC bid $45,568, Olen House of Lyman submitted a bid of $19,690, and Project Response out of Green River bid $24,976.

Public Works Supervisor Ron Brown and Dean advised the council to accept the Olen House bid, which they did.

Representatives from several organizations were on hand to make budget requests at the meeting. Bob Maxam of the Pinedale Volunteer Fire Department requested $52,790, which is $600 more than he requested last year. Maxam told the council that the department needs a new phone system, as theirs "basically is not working," and that the cost will be split between the town and the county. They also need to upgrade their computer systems, because "ours is not functioning well," according to Maxam.

Pinedale Fine Arts Council representative Karen Schilpp thanked the council for being "consistently generous" in her request for $750. With 18 programs for the season, Schilpp said they will be sponsoring two summer programs and are planning to have country singer Michael Martin Murphy perform during the Sublette County Fair.

Sublette County Victims’ Assistance program coordinator Yasmin Braban asked for $600, a raise from the $500 she got last year.

Robin Clover of Sexual Assault and Family Violence updated the council on what her program has done and is planning, including adding a full-time person and a life-skills center. Her budget, which went from $69,000 this year to $176,000 for next year, includes $1,000 from the town, an amount that is $200 more than her request last year.

Council member Jeff Reising asked the two women to clarify for the council what the differences and similarities are between their two agencies. Clover’s program is limited to domestic violence and sexual assault, whle Braban’s handles all crimes. The two explained their programs, and in brief said that Braban’s agency provides restitution and compensation, while Clover’s program gives victims of domestic violence a sense of self.

"There really is a need for both programs," Clover said.

Pinedale Airport Board’s Lil Penton made a preliminary request of $50,000, up $14,000 from last year. This would include funds for a part-time clerical person for the board.

Council members discussed bids from the town’s two newspapers for advertising, but tabled the issue until a later date. The Pinedale Roundup, with 665 in-county subscriptions and 800 across-the-counter paper sales, bid $2 per column inch for legal advertising and $3 for display advertising. The proposed advertising deadline is Tuesday at 5 p.m.

The Sublette Examiner, with 450 in-county subscribers and 1,325 across-the-counter paper sales, bid $2.75 for legals and $4 for display ads, with a 5 p.m. Monday deadline.

Reising said he thought there were "issues significant to our purposes ... cause for consideration to be given to the public’s thoughts ... over and above just the cost issue."

Pinedale Roundup editor Rob Shaul asked Reising if he had "problems" with his paper, to which Reising responded "none ... I don’t have any problem with your paper or with Rhonda’s."

Council members approved third reading of Ordinance 355, increasing the salaries of the mayor and council members. The increase, which is made possible by House bill 70, would set the mayor’s salary at $1,000 and council members’ at $100.

The council scheduled a a budget workshop for Wednesday, May 1, at 6:30 p.m. and its next regular meeting for Monday, May 13.

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