And I'd like to remind everyone to please silence your cell phones.

Council meetings are live streamed on the city's YouTube channel.

I now will call the February 17th, 2026 regular council meeting to uh order.

All council uh counselors are present.

Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

One nation under uh justice for all duly noted.

Please read the consent meeting uh meeting approval.

Excuse me.

Jeez, please read the consent minute approval titles.

Approving the minutes of February 3rd, 2026 regular council meeting.

Thank you.

The chair didn't attend a motion to approve the consent minute action agenda items just read.

Second.

Move by councillor bond, seconded by counselor Pollock.

Any abstentions?

Please cast your vote.

Maybe Councillor Jensen.

Oh, there we go.

Please record the vote.

With all counselors voting aye, the motion passes.

Please read the consent minute approval title.

Approving the minutes of February 3rd, 2026 executive session meeting minutes.

Thank you.

The chair would entertain a motion to approve the consent minute action agenda items just read.

Moved by Councillor Macintosh, seconded by Counselor Bond.

Any abstentions?

Please cast your vote.

It's moving slow today.

All those in favor say aye.

Please record the vote.

Oh, there we go.

Councillor Hackins Haskins, you voted no.

Okay.

With all counselors voting aye, the motion passes.

Thank you.

The chairman a motion to approve by minute action the February 17th, 2026 bills and claims as audited by City Manager Jordan.

So moved.

Move by Councillor Pollock, seconded by Councillor McIntosh.

Any abstentions?

Please cast your vote.

I think I'll just do it verbal for right now.

All vote in aye, say aye.

With all counselors voting aye, the motion passes.

Is everybody okay if we do it verbal?

We're waiting for that to drag.

Okay.

Sounds good.

Now is the time that we invite anyone in the audience who wishes to speak with the council to come forward.

This portion of the meeting is dedicated to allow time to discuss matters of public interest and voice their concerns.

We ask that you please state your name, direct all questions and comments to the mayor.

No personal absenities or threats will be tolerated.

Council will not respond to any personnel matters.

Those will all be referred to our city manager.

Counselors may ask clarifying questions, but if they choose to respond to those matters, they will do so during the scheduled council response time following communications from persons present.

Presentations will be limited to five minutes and no time extensions will be permitted.

Please note that all the other public hearings and ordinances each have their own separate comment periods.

Tonight, the non-consent item pertaining to the Eagle Valley subdivision will also have its own separate comment period.

Mr.

Shriffman, good evening.

Good evening.

Oh technology.

Yes.

Go back to hand movement.

Back in November of 2024, the voters, the citizens of Casper approved increasing our sales tax from five to six percent.

Approved four projects.

One of which was the fire station one that needed to be replaced, and only a portion of that being 4.4%.

Since then I've been trying to find out what the plan is for the other 16.6%.

It's a 21 million dollar project.

I brought this up at the last meeting.

Uh I didn't get an answer.

I wrote to counsel.

I still don't have an answer.

Is there a plan?

If there's not a plan, why not?

And if there is a plan, uh, unless I've missed something, I haven't seen what what's being planned as far as where the money's going to come from for the other 16.6 million dollars.

So that's my question.

I think the public deserves an answer because tomorrow I got a car repair, and I'm gonna be hit with six percent.

So any questions for Mr.

Shriffman.

Okay, great.

Thank you so much.

We'll have a comment.

Okay, but thank you.

Anyone else wish to address council?

Maybe you should try mail in voting.

My name is Reverend Wesley D.

Daniel.

Uh it takes me a minute to get a little bit of breath here.

Take your time.

Um, I'm an American citizen.

By the way, thank you for giving me just a moment.

Uh I'm a U.S.

Navy veteran in the civilian sector.

I'm a retired internationally certified emergency rescue dive technician, Lieutenant Dive Master with 1,142 dives, 50 men and four dogs under my command.

And I present that to you as I hope just a little bit of confidence in the few minutes of time I like to take.

My topic, I'm I'm a demonstrative kind of a guy.

Is security.

Am I the only one here that has this in their life?

No way.

So the reason I come to you is I'm not from Casper.

I'm a Southern Appalachian Hillbilly from western North Carolina.

We're only 12th in the nation for quality of education.

Um, I love Casper, been here for a while.

I'm an adamant opponent to crime, in particular the drug world, and that's why I have something to pitch to you tonight.

A concept that I've seen implement that I've been a part of that will help you bring down your crime rate and bring up your conviction rate without you won't believe me, spending a single dime.

You won't even have a meeting over budget appropriations.

You've already got it.

Interested yet?

I know you are.

I've worked ministerially in the criminal world, largely within the drug addiction.

I don't help them run from their mother from law enforcement parole officers, probation officers.

They want to get away from it.

That's what I've done.

They break the law.

I'm like, there he is, officer.

That's how I function.

So I bring this to you because I've seen it happen.

You've already got it implemented.

You've already got all the works you need to put this into play.

Local law enforcement has a website.

It's very, very simple, and it's a no-brainer.

They have a website.

You have a tip line.

This is better than your tip line.

Security cameras.

This is gonna sound nuts at first, but hear me out.

Not your security cameras, not the city budget spending on security cameras at every red light, which I'm sure you have some.

I haven't looked.

Private owned.

I have, I'm in an apartment now.

Life has changed for me medically.

I'm an apartment.

Yikes.

I have four cameras.

Okay.

What I'm saying, we've seen this happen before.

I've been a part of this.

That the city police department have all you need is another web page, zero dollars spent.

Your citizens are encouraged.

You use news media, radio, TV, Facebook to say we now have a page that you can register your address that says you have security cameras and are willing to be on our database that if we have incident in your area, we can call you and acquire at Jovember the 33rd at 11.047 o'clock a.m.

Do you see any suspicious behavior?

This works.

You have no access to their cameras.

You only have their voluntary information, basically, name, address, phone number, email.

That's all you have.

Officers never leave the office on the first step of investigation.

They turn around, they grab the phone, they pull up the data.

Basically, this happened on 22345 E7th Street.

Anybody recognize that address?

I'm amazed.

Okay.

Who's on the 7th street?

They get on the phone.

They have volunteer disinformation.

You cannot access their cameras.

And they'll go to looking at the database, and all you do is wait.

People these days are digitally inclined.

They have cloud stores, they can upload, download, boom, in an email.

Your officers never put himself at risk.

He's gotten on the phone and it works.

You'll be shocked how many times I have seen people be detained from videos where officers should happen on this street.

We'll call bam Ferracoes.

So I challenge you to give it a try.

I talked to Officer Romero.

Earlier on the phone, I've been talking around town, and of course I knew where they would point me.

Oh, you need to talk to city council.

Well, I didn't hear I'm I didn't come here to fuss at you.

I'm telling you something that works.

When you see Facebook post work in nine last 90 days, police permanent, 10,000 private homeowners have registered their security cameras.

Your crime percentages are gonna bottom out, I promise.

It's a challenge, I say take it.

That's all I gotta say.

Thank you.

Any questions at this time?

We have a period right after the council.

We have a period right after this.

The council has wants to respond.

They will stick around.

Anybody else?

Good evening.

Good evening.

My name is Reed Raisner.

Uh, thank you, Mayor Pacheco, members of the city council.

It's an absolute honor to be here tonight as a businessman from right here in Casper, Wyoming, ready to serve as Wyoming's next congressman.

I built my career creating jobs and driving growth.

And I want to bring that experience to bear in Washington by working hand in hand with local leaders, just like you across Wyoming.

And I've spoken to many city councils and town councils across Wyoming.

Um my focus is partnering directly with this council and municipalities to create real opportunities and infrastructure and business.

Together, we can secure federal funding to uh upgrade Casper's roads, energy systems, water networks, and broadband uh communications.

This will cut through bureaucracy, attract new investments, and generate high quality jobs right here in Casper.

Drawing from President Trump's American first principles will strengthen the core industries of energy, agriculture, and tourism while focusing on building long-term stability and building a fourth legacy industry in Wyoming revolving around financial technology.

This advanced financial technology will support our traditional sectors, diversify our economy, and protect it from outside pressures while keeping government interference to a minimum and letting Casper and Wyoming businesses thrive.

As part of honoring the leaders who advance these conservative values, I'm proud to announce the following initiatives that I think we can all get behind.

We'll rename the Dick Cheney Federal Building in Casper to the Donald J.

Trump Federal Building.

President Trump defended our energy workers, reduced regulations, and stood firm against radical leftist agendas.

These are the ideals that strengthen Wyoming.

We're also exploring renaming the Netrona County International Airports to the Donald J.

Trump International Airport.

This would elevate Casper's profile globally, draw more trade and tourism, and pay tribute to the president who made America great again.

By working closely with this council, we can make Casper an even better place for our families and businesses to thrive.

As your next representative in Congress, I'll be your dedicated partner to delivering these results.

So I say thank you.

God bless Casper, God bless Wyoming, and God bless America.

Thank you guys.

Any questions for Mr.

Reisner?

I appreciate that.

Thanks.

Anyone else?

Let's just trust the council.

Okay.

Um, at this time, would any of the counselors like to briefly respond to any of the matters brought up during this period?

Yeah, go ahead, Vice Mayor.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh to Mr.

Shriffman.

Um we have our capital budget discussions coming up here in several weeks, and so I imagine uh fire station number one is gonna be a pretty critical component of that.

Uh you're correct that I uh from uh from what I recall, we haven't had much public conversation about how we'd fund uh the actual construction of it, uh, only the design and land allocation, which uh, as we've discussed in previous conversations was uh what was on the six cent ballots.

So I imagine there's gonna be a number of uh options available to us.

I uh my understanding is we're gonna have a pretty significant um reserve of one cent funding.

Uh we'll have more than projected one cent monies, and so I imagine uh we'll probably look to that and uh you know other other options.

So uh obviously that decision doesn't happen in a vacuum, it happens in the context of lots of other capital investments that'll be occurring over the next fiscal, next couple fiscal years.

So I would ask you to stay.

I don't know if we have the answer to that right now, but uh I would ask you to stay tuned over the course of the next couple weeks as we go over our capital agenda for the next fiscal year, and my guess is uh it'll become much clearer to us all what the path forward looks like on that now that we uh you know it actually passed on the sixth cent.

So uh obviously we're not gonna set aside money for construction if uh uh you know we we can't allocate the land and uh come up with the designs to uh the other gentleman.

I caught your first name, Wesley, but uh didn't catch your last name, so apologies.

But Daniel, uh thank you for those comments.

I'd never heard of those programs before.

I was sitting up here just doing some real quick research, and uh it's pretty interesting concept.

And uh, you know, if uh if that's all it takes is spinning up another web page and asking people to register.

I you know um I think that's a worthwhile endeavor.

So I guess I would ask my colleagues uh if we want to task maybe the chief with just looking into that a little bit further and maybe having a quick conversation at a future work session.

I would I would love to talk about that a little bit further.

Don't even need a budget meeting.

Hey man, sounds too good to be true, so I'm always skeptical, but uh when we don't need uh, you know, certainly funding uh is the crux of many of our issues, and so uh I'd be interested in talking about that a little bit further at a future work session.

And uh I don't have any comments in regards to the last one.

Anybody else?

Yeah, do you want to say that?

Oh, all right.

Okay, thank you everyone.

Appreciate it.

Thank you for everybody that came up, commented.

We appreciate it.

Thank you.

Um appreciate your time and coming up and sharing that with uh uh the information.

Appreciate it.

Yeah.

Yes, yeah, we'll get us.

Um Mr.

Daniel.

Is that your lap?

I'm sorry, Wes is that your last name, Mr.

Daniel.

Daniels.

Daniels, sorry.

Um, we'll get your information, um, your contact information.

Okay, good.

Yep.

Thank you.

No, no, no.

You're good.

You're good.

Please read the consent agenda titles.

Establishing March 3rd, 2026 as the public hearing date for the consideration of an ordinance amending section six point zero zero one, six point zero four point zero one zero, six zero four point zero four zero, six point zero four point two six zero, and six.

Of the Casper Municipal Code to allow the keeping of domestic foul within city limits.

Thank you.

The chair didn't obtain a motion to by minute action establish public hearing dates just read.

So moved.

Second.

Move by counselor Pollock, seconded by counselor mackintosh.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Please record the vote.

With all counselors voting aye, the motion passes.

I now declare the public hearing open for the consideration of an ordinance approving a vacation.

Final platement and zone stage for Valley Hills edition number three subdivision.

Uh Mr.

City Attorney, do you have any exhibits?

Thank you, Mayor.

I do.

Exhibit number one correspondence from Liz Becker to Janine Jordan dated February 13th, 2026.

Exhibit number two, affidavit of publication from the Casper Star Tribune dated January 15th, 2026.

Thank you.

Madam City Manager, do you have a report?

Nothing beyond what is in your packet, Mayor.

Thank you.

Council will now listen to public comments.

Public hearing comments are limited to five minutes and no duplication of speakers will be allowed.

At this time, I would ask those individuals who wish to speak in favor of the proposed ordinance to please approach select turn.

Those wish to speak in favor.

Okay.

At this time, I would ask those individuals who wish to um speak in opposition to the proposed ordinance to please approach select turn.

Anybody in opposition?

Okay.

There being no one to speak for or against the proposed ordinance.

I now declare the public hearing closed.

The chair entertain a motion to approve on first reading the ordinance just read.

Oh moved.

Second.

Move by council mackintosh, seconded by councillor Pollock.

Any discussion from the council.

All those in favor say aye.

Please record the vote.

Without counselors voting aye, the motion passes.

The judges just pop up.

Wait for Councillor Pollock.

I now declare the public hearing open for the consideration of the annual renewal of liquor licenses.

Mr.

City Attorney, do you have any exhibits?

Uh thank you, Mayor.

I do.

Exhibit number one, correspondence from Fleur Tremel to Janine Jordan, dated February 2nd, 2026.

Exhibit number two, affidavit of website publication dated February 17th, 2026.

Exhibit number three, affidavit of publication from the Casper Star Tribune, dated for 2026.

Thank you.

Madam City Manager, do you have a report?

I do not, Mayor.

We do have staff here in the event you have questions.

Thank you.

Council will now listen to public comments.

Public hearing comments are limited to five minutes, and no duplication of speakers will be allowed.

At this time, I would ask those individuals who wish to speak in favor of the annual renewal of liquor licenses to please approach the lecturer.

Anybody to speak in favor.

Anybody in opposition.

There being no one to speak for or against the annual renewal of liquor licenses.

I now declare the public hearing closed.

Move by Councillor Bond.

Move by Councillor Haskins.

Any discussion from the council.

Okay.

Anyone else?

Yes.

Um I've noticed that a lot of the different applicants.

Uh don't typically show up to the hearing in that didn't used to be the case.

I don't know.

I I would encourage anybody that's um asking for a liquor license and is applied just to be here to answer any questions and to at least speak in favor of their own uh license.

But I don't know necessarily if um I it's totally up to them, but I don't know if something's being said.

Um you know during the process.

Um but uh that's my only comment.

And I also uh the refinery um uh part of the board, the executive director in our interim manager is here, but uh they're too shy to introduce themselves during public comment.

So anyway, but I I do appreciate people showing up for especially the full retail license.

It's probably 350,000 now in value.

So anybody else?

Okay.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Please record the vote.

With counselor Pollock abstaining and counselor mackintosh abstaining, and all others voting aye, the motion passes.

We'll wait for counselor Pollock to return.

Do you like how quiet we were?

I think you're gonna be really uncomfortable when you walk in.

Council will now consider consent resolutions.

Please read the consent resolutions by title only.

Item nine A1, authorizing the execution of loan documents with the state loan and investment board for the purpose of the city reservoir improvement project.

Item 982, authorizing an agreement with installation and service company inc.

for the 2026 priority sanitary sewer repairs, project 25-019.

Item 9a3, authorizing amendment number one to the contract for the professional services with HDR Engineering Inc.

to develop a landfill diversion business plan.

Project number 24-080.

Item 9A4, authorizing the purchase of eight non-motorized travel counters for use by the trap by the Casper Area MPO for Eco Counter Inc.

Item 9A5 authorizing a contract for professional services between the City of Casper, Wyoming and the Casper Recreational Leagues Association.

Item 9A6, approving a non-exclusive facility rental agreement between the City of Casper and Spuds Baseball Club, LLC for use of Mike Lansing Stadium.

Item 9A7, approving a lease agreement between the City of Casper and Spuds Baseball Club, LLC for the use and operation of concessions at Mike Lansing Stadium.

Item 9A8, authorizing amendment number one to the memorandum of understanding between the Netrona County School District and the City of Casper.

Item 9A9, authorizing a contract for professional services with Tetra Tech Inc.

for the North Platte River Restoration, North Casper, Knife River Reach Project Number 24-063.

Item 9810, authorizing an employment agreement between the City of Casper and Heather Duncan Malone for part-time municipal judge services.

Item 9811, authorizing the first amendment to the professional services agreement between the City of Casper, Wyoming and Wyoming Medical Center Inc.

regarding ambulance services.

Thank you.

The chair entertain a motion uh to adopt the consent agenda items just read.

Move by Councillor Macintosh, seconded by Councilor Pollock.

Uh Madam City Manager, do you have any comments on No Mayor?

Thank you.

Uh any abstentions or nay votes.

All voting aye say aye.

Aye.

Please record the vote.

With all counselors voting aye, the motion passes.

Please read the consent minute action titles.

Item 10A1, authorizing the purchase of one new loader mounted snow plow from Wyoming Machinery, Casper, Wyoming for use by Streets and Traffic Division of the Public Services Department.

Item 10A2, authorizing the purchase of one new 58,000 pound tandem axle truck with a dump body, hydraulics, snow plow, and salter for use by the streets division of the public services department.

Item 10A3, authorizing the purchase of one new front-end wheel loader from Wyoming Machinery, Casper, Wyoming, for use by the Solid Waste Division of the Public Service Department.

Thank you.

The charity entertain a motion to approve the consent minute action agenda items just read.

Move by Councillor Sweeney, seconded by Councillor Haskins.

Any abstentions or nay votes?

All voting aye, say aye.

Please record the vote.

With all counselors voting aye, the motion this time we ask counselor to bring forward any relevant concern concerns or items of interest.

We'll start with Councillor Haskins today.

I don't have anything this week.

Counselor Jensen.

So I attended the tourism uh meeting today for uh Pat as his alternate.

Um just reviewing my notes.

Uh there is a ribbon cutting, they're starting to do some planning on the National Travel Tourism Week.

Um, there's a ribbon cutting coming up that during that week that will be for Hell's Half Acre.

So that'll be a good one that I expect probably a lot of people should probably head out there.

I mean, that's been a work in progress for some time.

Um let's see counties helping them fix some signage up on Muddy Mountain, just small things.

Um, there is a partner portal that Wayne was talking about, which is interesting.

Um, if you are a partner with the visit Casper or a business, you can go online, you know, just to support the uh Casper community.

You can go online and you fill it out and you can edit it and your events, your page, and it's just another link to get you there and your name out there as a business.

So check out the uh partner portal.

Um C.

Yes, maybe they have a college pass and family pass that Liz is working on over there to highlight tourism activities and things to do around Casper.

And then that's about it.

They're working on the new tourism book and compete Casper needs volunteers.

If anybody, there's some big events that are coming up.

Um wrestling and basketball, and they need volunteers to help pick food up from our sponsors who are very generous who do that for free.

Um just any community help that is out there that is willing.

Get in touch with uh Compete Casper through Liz, I'm gonna say right now.

And I guess that's about it.

Thank you.

Council Macintosh.

We had the EDJPB meeting this morning, but there wasn't a quorum, so we just sat and visited C NFR came in and uh let us know that uh they're getting geared up for this year.

We're looking forward to the rodeos as usual, gonna be a good summer.

So that's all I get.

Counselor Larson, do you have anything?

Uh so today attended a uh regional water board meeting.

Uh just a few things going on there.

I guess the uh uh UV disinfection project, an update on that.

That's continuing work in progress.

Um working to move forward with uh a couple different contractors and get some agreements in place to start the construction on that.

So that's uh continuing thing.

Um let's see.

Uh the work on the raw water building intake system is scheduled to begin on October 26th of this year, and uh HDR is under contract to do that work.

Um other than that.

Um approved a couple different things.

Let's see, uh water rights exchange.

We approved a water rights exchange petition for the uh upper Rock Creek Reservoir, as well as a uh Pathfinder mod object for an additional 2,000 acre feet of water uh from Glendo there.

Um and a couple service pump replacement approvals.

That was it.

So it's exciting stuff.

Um other than that, I had uh uh good time at Wham last week.

It was my first uh Wham convention, and uh appreciate the opportunity to attend that.

Uh lots of good sessions.

Uh met some a lot of good people and um yeah, it was productive.

So thanks for going, counselor.

Counselor Bond Thank you, Mayor.

Uh I attended the um youth mental health coalition meeting today.

Um there's all there is uh upcoming on uh February 26th and 27th.

There's gonna be uh they call a cross-system mapping of services for youth in the community, and so they did they did a similar type mapping uh back last fall for uh kind of a cross again, cross-system mapping for individuals at risk um homelessness or whatever.

Um and the results of that were were pretty uh pretty helpful.

Uh and I think I will be helpful to the community.

Uh, but anyway, this cross-system mapping is taking place uh for youth again.

As I said, uh services for youth on February 26th and 27th at the Ramcoda.

Lunch will be provided.

Uh I have a conflict those days, so uh if anybody is interested in able and willing to attend, I'd be happy to share the registration form, and you can register it's being sponsored by the youth mental health coalition and the the collective health trust.

So thanks to them for doing that work.

Um also I just wanted to mention there was a uh survey that the coalition did uh of youth.

Uh just to kind of they had there were a lot of questions there about kind of level of support that youth feel in our community, uh their sense of belonging, sense of safety, etc.

Um, but so I'll just mention some highlights.

There was these were conducted um with uh high school and middle school aged uh youth.

Uh 117 total responses.

Um 47% of those 117 responses indicated that again they they feel like there's not enough to do.

That that's a kind of a perpetual finding, I think.

Uh 71% said that they would like to get involved.

Doesn't say what, but we'd like to be involved, and so we'll kind of direct that out a little more.

Uh 91% indicated that they do have a trusted adult to whom they could turn if they have uh concerns, and I think that may be other than their other than a parent, but perhaps their parent, but I'm not sure if it if it made that delineation.

uh finding I think uh 71% said that they would like to get involved doesn't say what but we'd like to be involved and so we'll kind of track that out a little more uh 91 percent indicated that they do have a trusted adult to whom they could turn if they have uh concerns and I think that may be other than their other than a parent perhaps their parent I'm not sure if it if it made that delineation uh 76 percent indicated that they have a safe place to go so those were interesting interesting findings oh again as I said a lot more uh depth but those are just some of the highlights so that's all I have thank you for sharing thank you also Sweeney well uh thank you mayor so uh last Tuesday thank you for allowing me to join remotely for a bit uh traveled down to Cheyenne early um to attend the uh uh joint a joint event with Cheyenne Leeds um to try to attract uh the PRCA in Cowboy Hall of Fame to Cheyenne out of Colorado Springs and uh big big turnout I guess about 300 people and uh um very well attended and uh trying to get garner support I think uh uh the Senate's uh kind of leading the charge on all of that and I we don't have the Denver Broncos or a professional sports team so in my view our professional sport is rodeo um and we're home of the national high school rodeo finals both in Gillette and Rock Springs uh obviously college national finals rodeo um here in Casper and um in our own uh rodeo which is PRCA sanctioned is one of the top 25 in the country um and so uh obviously Cheyenne Frontier Days uh is the daddy of them all so it just makes good sense with all of the college support um you know with the rodeo teams and everything combined so uh then attended uh Wham and really um very well done conference a lot of educational materials able as Matt indicated able to connect with folks um from across the state which um I'm I'm very hopeful um thankfully the legislation failed um uh introduction vote but I guess it'll be back on the nonprofit um angle um of us being able to come together and talk about common uh common uh denominators across the state and the educational purpose of I think it's over close to a hundred associations that that legislation could affect everything from wham county commissioners your county assessors uh there's different uh law groups um with public defenders and all sorts of expertise that this would affect uh to help educate um our lawmakers on the different we the lawmakers do not have staff um they have to rely on l so and some people feel lobbyists are a bad thing um we don't really lobby we educate um and uh try to show the ways that are good and what could be harmful um uh good news is so far through the budget process uh the um the uh direct distribution uh did uh come out of the Senate with the seven percent um which would mean about a hundred and thirty one million um in so uh for direct distribution across the state which is critical critical critical to places like Midwest and Edgerton and um so I was glad to hopefully that makes it through the process without getting um shuffled on um so I really um thank the the city for the opportunity to go and learn and talk with other council folks uh the reception um uh was combined with the county commissioners association so that was a great turnout

Um so I really um thank the city for the opportunity to go and learn and talk with other council folks.

Uh the reception um uh was combined with the county commissioners association.

So that was a great turnout, I felt um in um a number of our local legislators, a few that didn't come, uh but um I thought a great turnout.

Um and really um I went to regional water met really covered that quite well.

Um lastly, I just wanted to bring up, I just saw an oil city news um that the next quarterly um on the um second round of the area initiative project meetings will happen in April and uh uh April 15th, 16th, and 17.

And again, I thought we were gonna try to get it in different locations, but it'll still be up at the tree tail trails room at Fort YM Boeing Center.

So encourage folks to come to that.

Um really our police department, I feel the chiefs really trying to um get our community involved in communicate.

Um, and I thought it was very valuable um information and exchange for those that came.

So encourage those folks to um come.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Counselor Pollock.

Thank you.

I was also at regional water this afternoon.

Um, and Councilor Larson did cover that.

The only thing that I would add, um, he mentioned the exchange petition that we are um looking to file, and also um our effort to secure an additional two thousand acre feet of contract storage.

That is related to if you didn't see a letter that came through to us from the state engineer uh placing a call for priority administration that impacts regional water.

So that's why um we took those two actions today um to help alleviate some of the um stresses on our uh access to water um under those um under that priority administration.

Uh I also had uh Parks and Rec meeting last week uh in your uh info packet this week are minutes from last month's meeting.

Uh there you if you are looking for updates from junior football, Casper Soccer Club, Community Rec Foundation, you would find those in that packet.

And then additionally, um Parks and Rec has been providing us with a relatively detailed list of um updates related to the various grants that are underway, um, various lease agreement activity, the master planning personnel.

So if you're interested in diving into that, that that is ending up in your packet every um month and being provided to the parks and rec advisory board as well.

Um, but this month we heard from uh the rec center, we heard from aquatics, softball, baseball spuds who are here tonight, um, and got updates from all those groups.

So you'll see those updates and the associated materials in your the uh packet next month, but um take a look at that uh that info packets those reports coming from parks and rec department are super helpful for a little monthly snapshot for you.

And that's all I have.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh, to further plug parks and rec meeting minutes.

I I think all of our uh adjacent committees, task forces and meetings are all very interesting, but parks and rec, uh one of the more interesting ones.

So, yeah, if you if you have any interest at all in park and recreation in our community, those are great meeting minutes to look at.

And I love the addition of the grant, you know, kind of status.

So appreciate Zalima and her team for including that information.

I think it's really insightful.

Uh, as was mentioned, we had a WAM conference last week, Wednesday through Friday.

Uh Councillor Sweeney mentioned that Wednesday night was a reception in coordination with the Wyoming County Commissioners Association.

This was the first year that happened.

I thought it went really well.

Uh, I'm glad that our New Harp Street worked with Jeremiah over at County Commissioners Association to coordinate that.

I think it was for all of our good benefit.

We uh some of our local commissioners were there and uh lots of state legislature, uh state legislators.

You know, they're so strapped for time during the session that it makes a lot of sense to provide one venue for them to connect with city and county elected officials.

And uh I think they saw the value in it in that because we had a lot of them there.

So it was a great turnout, lots of good conversations.

Throughout the course of the conference, I attended multiple breakouts.

Economic development is a hot topic this year, so I attended a fireside chat regarding uh tax exemptions and surrounding issues with Brett Fanning, who's the director of Department of Revenue, and Hank Hoverslin, who's the executive director of Wyoming Taxpayers Association.

I went to a main street to market chat with Scott Bulier, I think, Dean of UW College of Business.

And the legislature was in session, so obviously the work of that state body was a frequent topic of conversation, especially considering some of the transformative things they've been deliberating.

Thankfully, a lot of bad bills, at least in my opinion, got cut in the days leading up to the conference and while we were there.

They're still discussing some pretty important ones, though.

So I would encourage uh my colleagues on council um and also just constituents in the city to be closely following those conversations.

Um Friday, we spent at the Capitol.

We sat in on a couple committees while they were deliberating bills, had lunch with some of our legislators, and we got to spend 90 minutes with our state executives uh for a QA panel.

So I appreciate them all carving out 90 minutes to meet with us on Friday morning.

Uh I missed our economic development joint powers board meeting this uh morning, but my understanding has been rescheduled for Thursday.

So uh should have an update for you next week on that.

Lastly, I wasn't gonna say anything, uh, especially since the gentleman who spoke earlier had left before I even had a chance to comment, but I've been sitting here stewing for a little bit, and I need to get something on the record before we leave for the evening.

The public comment period at the beginning of our meetings exist to give residents a meaningful voice on the business of the city, not to serve as free air time for higher office ambitions.

Using this nonpartisan forum to elevate partisan talking points, then immediately leaving without engaging in the work or discussion of this council, especially considering how short of a meeting we had this evening.

Shows a fundamental disregard for the importance of local governments and for the residents who take this process seriously.

Civic engagement requires good faith and showing up only to self-promote without any intention of listening, contributing, and remaining engaged in city affairs, cheapens public comment and undermines the purpose of this meeting.

Casper deserves better than performative politics, and this chamber deserves more respect than simply acting as a campaign stop.

I hope not to see something as tacky as that for quite some time.

That's all I got.

Thank you.

Thanks, Vice Mayor.

Uh just a couple items on my list.

Uh, this Thursday, the Vice Mayor and myself will be at the Council of Governments uh meeting with our uh municipal um counterparts and our county commissioner uh leadership.

Um I do have a swearing in next Monday.

I think there's only one individual getting sworn in chief.

Yep.

Awesome.

Looking forward to doing that.

Uh next Tuesday morning, I'll be into the Lincoln Elementary Fourth Grade.

Um, I was invited.

I did it last year, so I'm looking forward to talking to them about local government and so forth.

So that'll be good.

Um, I want to piggyback off of what um that um vice mayor said so eloquently.

Um I am too very frustrated with that um comment period um that we saw come here that um turned into a more partisan vent.

Um if you want to have conversations about really doing something actively to change our community, um, I welcome those people to come here to talk about that, but not to actively campaign.

Uh you're absolutely right, Vice Mayor.

Thank you.

Yeah, please.

Sorry not to take us off that topic, but we don't have another meeting before this happens.

So I should announce it now.

Um, Kyle and I are presenting at um the Casper College Community Learning Sessions on February 23rd.

I think it's at six, right?

Um, and we'll be talking about the budget.

So please join us there.

That's all.

Thank you.

Thanks.

I certainly do want to clarify something.

It is his right to this individual to come here um and to speak.

Obviously, this is a public space to be able to do that.

Um, but the vice mayor is correct and the purpose of these public comments and what it is for our city of Casper.

Notice of an executive session to take place on this date and during this meeting was given.

We have matters to discuss related to personnel.

The chair would entertain a motion to adjourn into an executive session, and at the conclusion of that executive session to reconvene the regular meeting solely for the purposes of adjournment for this regular meeting.

Second.

Move by councillor McIntosh, seconded by counselor Paulick.

There are a majority of counselors present in a motion to adjourn into the executive session, has been moved and seconded.

This motion requires two thirds majority of the council present.

Um all voting aye, say aye.

Please record the vote.

With all councillors voting aye, the motion passes.