Mayor Collins asked me to write the Mayor’s Minute for this week. I reluctantly agreed because Mayor Collins sets such a high standard. Please accept my apologies if you were hoping to hear from the Mayor. Instead, you’re receiving the Council Chronicle.
There have been a few interesting issues on the City Council agenda recently. I’ll try to address some of the highlights.
The City recently annexed approximately 17 acres north and west of Sam’s Club. This development action is called Winco Development and is intended for a Winco Grocery. I knew nothing about Winco, so I did some research.
They are headquartered in Boise and operate approximately 138 locations across the United States. The majority of their locations are in the West. They have, however, expanded into Texas, Oklahoma, and, most recently, Wyoming.
Winco is a no-frills warehouse-style store that offers a large selection of bulk foods. I found it interesting that they do not accept credit cards.
Many of you are aware that a vehicle noise ordinance is making its way through our committees and Council. The ordinance applies to both engine noise and sound systems.
Over the past two years, we have all received complaints about vehicle noise. The majority of the complaints have involved motorcycles, either late at night or early in the morning.
We do have an existing vehicle noise ordinance that has been in effect for 30 years, which states that a vehicle is in violation if its noise exceeds 80 decibels when measured at 25 feet. For reference, a gas-powered lawnmower produces approximately 80-85 decibels.
We have discovered that it is nearly impossible for our officers to meet that standard in moving traffic. Our new ordinance gives officers discretion in deciding whether to issue a ticket or not.
It is up to them to decide whether to write a ticket based on a number of factors, the most important of which are the location and time of day. The ordinance is based on a similar one that has been successfully implemented in the region.
The penalties are the standard misdemeanor penalties set by the State of Wyoming. I anticipate that the Vehicle Noise Ordinance will pass on third reading on Monday night.
I want to remind everyone that the Oversized Vehicle Ordinance went into effect earlier this month. I am aware that the ordinance upset some people.
However, I’d like to point out that during my tenure on Council, I’ve received more complaints about campers, trailers, and RVs parked on the street than any other issue.
The ordinance defines an oversized vehicle as one that is more than 25 feet long, eight and a half feet wide, and nine feet tall.
Council approved a bid of $662,000 for new lights at the Dutcher Baseball Complex. We are adding lights to three fields and replacing lights in two. The lights being replaced were installed in the 1970s, and the poles had rotted.
The new lights will be more powerful and require less energy than the old ones. This improvement enables us to make the best use of those fields while saving money on the development of new ones.
Commissioner Malm informed me that the money for the 6th Penny Specific Purpose Option Tax will be collected in 2026.
The Commissioners anticipate a vote to renew the tax next summer. He has asked that we have our projects decided and completed by February. As a result, we’ve had some work sessions to begin processing requests for the upcoming 6th Penny tax.
Cheyenne Rec and Events has requested $3.5 million to extend the Greenway around the city. They are looking into improving connections to some areas and neighborhoods that the Greenway does not currently serve. An additional $4 million was requested for maintenance and upkeep of the Greenway’s existing sections.
CRE has also requested a replacement for the Johnson pool. It’s 71 years old. Apparently, there are no more band-aids available to keep the pool operational, and it must either be replaced or closed. The replacement cost would be $15 million for an enclosed pool and $8 million for an open-air pool.
A group proposed converting the old airport terminal into an arts center and aviation museum. I believe this would be an excellent reuse of the building. The airport board repaired the iconic roof last summer. The group asked us for $3 million to secure the building’s shell.
The City is considering a major remodel of the Municipal Building, which was built in 1979 and no longer functions properly.
Over time, some of our departments have expanded or changed, as have our needs. For example, the City Council offices have moved three times since I’ve been there. One department or another has outgrown its space and requires ours.
The building was constructed before computers were used, and the fiber and connectivity were pieced together over time. The Municipal Building was also built before security became a concern in our society.
Anyone could walk in and wander around the building. We’ve made some security improvements, but our employees continue to be concerned. Finally, the building is only partially, if not entirely, ADA compliant.
There was a proposal to build a new City Hall on the north parking lot. This had the advantage of allowing the City to continue operations in the existing building while the new one was being built.
In addition, it would give us more space than we currently have. Once construction was completed, the existing City Hall would be demolished, and a plaza would be built between the new building and the Civic Center. Personally, I liked this plan.
Unfortunately, the costs were estimated to be $10 million higher than those for the remodel. I believe the Council will want to save money and consider remodeling our building.
The Cheyenne Police Department requested $3.7 million for support and upgrades to our digital software. This proposal would allow the department to link officers’ body-worn cameras and in-car cameras, as well as provide secure video storage. The Department would also use the funds to purchase some new Tasers.
We still have a few more 6th Penny presentations to listen to. I’ve asked our City Engineer to give a presentation on Reed Avenue. Furthermore, the Administration wishes to provide us with information regarding the need for one or two additional fire stations, as well as improvements to the Street, Alley, and Fleet Maintenance shops.
Wow, when I first started, I was worried that I wouldn’t have enough material to write about, but now I’ve come up with some topics on which I could write more. I also post a monthly Council update on the City’s YouTube Channel, so you can always check there to see what we’re doing.
