Council returns depot grant

Citing declining revenues, the Green River City Council voted to return a $1 million grant issued by the Wyoming Business Council last year.

The city will now attempt to apply for a different grant through the Wyoming Business Council to renovate the Lynch Hall portion of the building, rebranding the renovation work as an economic improvement project.

During the Green River City Council meeting last night, the council was presented with three options regarding how it could proceed with the U.P. Depot Building. According to Misty Springer, the city's grants specialist, she originally asked Wyoming Business Council representatives if the city could have a two-year extension on its deadline. Springer said the request was denied because the city hadn't progressed very far with the renovation work.

The original grant from the business council gave the city $1 million, with the city required to match $2 million as part of the grant's requirements. The city was also awarded a Brownfields Cleanup grant from the EPA to help cover the cost of asbestos and lead paint abatement, a necessary requirement before staring on any renovation work on the building.

According to city documents, the hazardous material abatement work will start in October. Completion of the first phase would have to be accomplished in 2018.

With decreasing revenues, the city faced a difficult prospect in finding roughly $1.7 million to cover the city's match for the grant. Councilman Gary Killpack said the city mislead the Wyoming Business Council, saying the business council believed the city had $2 million set aside for the project. In reality, he said the city had $18,000 set aside.

"All of a sudden, we'd have a pretty steep hill to climb in 2018," Killpack said. "We just have to lay off 30 people and we've got it made; I am not in favor of that."

Another problem with the grant Springer mentioned was that it is heavily restrictive as far as the use of the building. The original grant application claims the Lynch Hall portion would be used as a space for city-sponsored youth programs, a claim that confused Councilwoman Lisa Maes, who said she thought the space would be used for a restaurant. Applying for a new grant and listing the building renovation as a economic development project would allow businesses the opportunity to utilize space in the depot.

Members of the council expressed regret about not paying closer attention to the details of the grant, with Councilman Tom McCullough admitting he typically is just "tickled we're getting money."

"I don't blame any city person, I'm just blaming myself," McCullough said.

The other options presented included continuing with the project as is, while hoping the city's finances improve and returning the grant to the business council and attempting to return ownership of the depot to U.P.

According to documents provided to the council, returning the grant and ownership of the building could have "negative impacts in regard to the city's relationship with the Wyoming Business Council, as well as the (EPA), Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and the Union Pacific."

In regards to the funds already spent on the project, document state tax payers would likely believe the money wasted if the project were completely cancelled.