Mayor Pete Rust and the City Council recognized several causes and events with proclamations during the Feb. 4 meeting. Saturday February 22 is Jackalope Jump Day. The proclamation for it recognized that Wyoming is the one and only location on the planet to host a Jackalope Jump, also known as a Polar Plunge. Special Olympics Wyoming Area II Director Kirkland Carroll received the proclamation. The statewide Special Olympics fundraiser runs from February through March.
Mayor Pete Rust proclaimed February 3 - 9 as Wyoming Professional Water and Wastewater Operators Week. The Mayor said the City of Green River recognizes and honors the work of their professional operators. Environmental Systems Superintendent Jason Palmer and staff members Alexis Spray, Anthony Hodges, Nathaniel Knight, and Tyler Morris were on hand for the proclamation. February 3 - 7 is recognized as School Board Appreciation Week. This week is a time for the community to recognize contributions made by local school board members. Mayor Rust proclaimed that school boards strive to provide the resources necessary to meet the needs of all students. School board members on hand for the occasion included Tommy Thoman, Tom Wilson, Michelle Foley, Ashley Castillon, Many Drinkle and Tate Davis.
The condition of city streets and the rates of utilities came under discussion during the February 4 Green River City Council meeting.
The council held a Special Workshop Tuesday prior to the regular meeting to review the 2024 Pavement Management Report conducted by MDS Technologies Inc. The goal of the study was to update the database (previously updated in 2019), evaluate the current conditions of the roads, compare the results to the 2019 study, and estimate an annual road pavement budget.
During the session, MDS reported that 6.5% of the city's roads are in very poor, serious, or failing condition, 5.5% are rated as poor condition, 29.9% are rated in fair condition, with the last 58% being rated in good or satisfactory condition.
MDS recommends the city budget $2 million a year to maintain the roads at their current levels. Currently the Sixth Penny Sales Tax provides much of the city's budget for road improvements and maintenance. Projects already on the calendar that are being funded by the Sixth Penny Tax include improvements and upgrades for Wilkes, Riverview, and Easy Streets.
During the regular council meeting, there was a consideration to accept a request for a proposal for a utility rate study, specifically in relation to Water and Wastewater Treatment. The city had a rate study composed by NewGen Strategies and Solutions in June of 2021, which laid out a plan of action for the City's utility rates for a five-year period.
However, there are many new variables that have changed the shouldering from the last rate study. The city has seen record inflation, added loan amounts and rates, and had notable usage changes and multiple changes in operating regulations and costs. Council Member Ron Williams voiced concern about the cost of the study, which would be $47,500 with the President of NewGen charging a $385 hourly rate, as well as the timing of the study and the potential cost increases to the citizens.
"We've got people working at Mini-Mart and restaurants, and they're not making six figures like at the mine," Williams said. "If we keep throwing this bill on them, they're not going to be able to pay it."
Council Member Jessica Maser also questioned if the study can be done "in house." Finance Director Chris Meats said that the study can be done by the city, but at the cost of other projects and his department's regular workload. City Administrator Reed Clevenger also explained that it's in the city's best interest to outsource the rate study to keep the process transparent and non-biased.
"It's always easier to have an outside party detail your rates, but ultimately the council still has the final decision," Clevenger explained.
The council voted to approve the rate study, with Council Member Williams as the only opposing vote.
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