The past year will be remembered as a landmark year for the city of Green River.
The city celebrated its 150th anniversary in September, marking the occasion with a daylong festival on Railroad Avenue, near the historic U.P. Depot building. Residents had the opportunity to participate in several contests reminiscent of activities popular in the 1800s. Several volunteers, including members of the Sweetwater County Historical Museum and the Hole in the Wall Gang, dressed in period clothing to add some visual flair to the festivities.
One of the most popular events at the celebration were tours of the U.P. Depot building provided by Brie Blasi, director of the Sweetwater County Historical Museum. More than 600 residents walked through the building. The 150th anniversary was important enough to receive attention from Wyoming’s congressional delegation. Both U.S. Senator John Barrasso and U.S. Representative Liz Cheney spoke about Green River’s importance to the state and nation, having their comments introduced as part of the congressional record.
As for the U.P. Depot, the tours were available due to work mitigating the asbestos and other debris within the building. The city continues to to seek grant funding for the continued renovation of the building.
During an interview with the Star following the 150th anniversary celebration, city administrator Reed Clevenger said the city planned to seek a $3 million grant from the Wyoming Business Council to continue work on the depot.
Clevenger said some businesses have expressed interest in the building, some of which could pay the 10 percent match required by the grant. Clevenger told the newspaper discussions have taken place involving the potential for placing a brewery or brick-oven pizza parlor in the building.
The depot isn’t the only historic building undergoing renovations in Green River. Work continues on the Tomahawk Building downtown as well.
Marty Carollo, a representative of Green River Opportunities Wyoming, told the Star in October the group is progressing at a slow pace to ensure the building is renovated appropriately.
He said the group expects to start soliciting for business occupants once an elevator and other necessities are installed.
The year was the start of Green River’s relationship with Wyoming Waste Systems. The city decided to privatize its solid waste services in 2017, ending its solid waste division.
While the service experienced a few growing pains, residents would receive recycling and green waste services with their trash removal service at a rate lower than the city could provide.
A September fire at the city’s solid waste transfer station would temporarily halt services at the station.
The fire’s cause was not determined after an investigation, though a five-gallon container of a liquid known to spontaneously combust was found in the bin the fire started in.
At the end of the year, the city and Wyoming Waste Services prepared to close the city’s recycling center. The closure is due to Wyoming Waste Systems wanting to handle recyclables in a single location and not utilizing two locations for the service.
The year also proved to be the final year for two city council representatives.
Election season resulted in challenges for the three city council positions up for election, as well for the position of Green River’s mayor.
Jim Zimmerman would be victorious in a contest that started as a three-way race between himself, Terry Leigh and Sherry Bushman for the Ward I position.
Mike Shutran defeated Andrew Morrison for the Ward II seat, while Gary Killpack won re-election for his Ward III seat by defeating Ed Paisley.
Pete Rust won his second term as Green River’s mayor, defeating Mark Petersen in a rematch from the 2014 election. Councilman Ted Barney did not run for re-election for his Ward II position, choosing to launch an unsuccessful bid for election to Senate District 13’s seat in the Wyoming Legislature. The councilman for Ward I, Allan Wilson, did not run for re-election.
For Wilson, 2018 would prove to be a difficult year. Sexual abuse charges were filed against him at the beginning of the year in Lincoln and Sweetwater counties.
Wilson would be arrested on those charges and held at the Sweetwater County Detention Center before being released on bond. Wilson would resume his service on the Council after being released.
During the course of the year, court hearings would take place, combining the charges for trial in Sweetwater County as well as an attempt to have a change of venue for the pending trial. A hearing last week would result in a change of plea from Wilson, where he pleaded guilty to the charge of sexual abuse of a minor in the second degree.
The charge was related to an incident that occurred in Sweetwater County. After news of the plea became public, the Sweetwater County Child Developmental Center in Green River removed a publicly-viewable plaque honoring Wilson for his work involved with the building while he was the city’s parks and recreation director.
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