Casper City Council Regular Meeting – April 22, 2026

The Casper City Council met on April 22, 2026, for a regular meeting that included proclamations, public comments, approval of consent items, a zone change ordinance, an ordinance prohibiting vaping in indoor public places and restricting hemp-derived THC products to persons under 21, establishment of a local assessment district for 14th Street improvements, and a resolution authorizing a Wyoming Business Council loan application for the Hogadon chairlift replacement. Council also heard reports from members and adjourned into executive session for personnel and property acquisition.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes of the April 7, 2026 regular council meeting and executive session (motion by Councilor Bond, second by Councilor McIntosh; all aye).
• Established May 5, 2026 as a public hearing date for a new restaurant liquor license (Breezy Barbecue LLC dba Dickey’s Barbecue Pit). Motion by Councilor McIntosh, second by Councilor Sweeney; Councilor Pollock abstained, others aye.
• Adopted consent resolutions (items 10B1-10B6): collective bargaining agreement with Firefighters Local 904, MOU with Casper Municipal Band, change order for Wolf Creek Road improvements, amendment for Solid Waste Scale House design, blight study acceptance, and Daniels Fund grant for tennis courts. Motion by Councilor Bond, second by Councilor Sweeney; all aye.
• Approved consent minute action items (11A1-11A3): purchase of confined space training prop, 58 commercial trash containers, and six roll-off commercial trash containers. Motion by Councilor McIntosh, second by Councilor Haskins; all aye.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mr. Shriffman: Expressed concern about electric scooters on streets (e.g., 2nd Street) and suggested reasonable regulation; praised the new Robertson Road bridge.
• Larry Seams (American Legion): Inquired about a previous request to extend the 2nd Street bus route to 6th Street, noting lack of follow-up.
• Kristen Alder (resident near new pedestrian bridge): Reported that a crosswalk is needed to connect the bridge to existing paths; said she had called the city five times without resolution.
• Sean Moore (veteran, college student): Offered to help replace worn flags at city facilities, proposed partnering with ROTC for flag maintenance ahead of the 250th celebration.
• Amber Curstenson (Casper Celtic Irish Festival): Provided updates on the August 28-29 festival at the Ramkota; mentioned possible GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) expansion into Wyoming, including hurling and Gaelic football; said grants are pending and financial sponsorship is not yet secured.
• Chris Archaletta (owner of Archie’s Parties/Back Shack): Raised three issues: (1) neighbor Stirrup Soda cancelled their trash service (a container Archaletta paid for) and refused to restart; (2) Stirrup Soda is using parking spaces designated for Archie’s under a 1998 city agreement; (3) Stirrup Soda blocks the exit from the city-owned parking lot. Stated that his business has seen a 30% drop in sales.

Discussion Items

• Zone Change (Methodist Church Edition Subdivision, Lot 4): Public hearing opened. The property is a 2.4-acre vacant parcel at SE Wyoming Boulevard between 18th and 15th Streets, requested to change from R1 Residential to C2 General Business. One speaker (Nat) spoke in favor and answered questions about access. No opposition. Council approved on first reading (motion by Councilor McIntosh, second by Councilor Sweeney; all aye).
• Vaping and Hemp-Derived THC Products Ordinance (Third Reading): Ordinance amends Chapters 8.16 and 9.40 to prohibit vaping in indoor public places and restrict sale/distribution of hemp-derived THC products to persons under 21. Councilor Sweeney noted national support from American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, and American Lung Association. No public comment. Approved unanimously.
• Local Assessment District (LAD) No. 162 – 14th Street Improvements: Resolution declaring intent to create LAD for improvements, with costs assessed to benefiting properties. Staff noted discussion occurred in pre-council. Approved unanimously.
• Hogadon Basin Chairlift Replacement – Wyoming Business Council Loan Application: Resolution authorizing submission of a 2026 Community Readiness Loan of $794,500 at 0% interest for 10 years; total project cost estimated at $3.9 million. City Manager noted the loan would be repaid through facility fees (65% cost recovery based on conservative estimates). The new quad lift will be counterbalanced for up/down travel and include bicycle hangers for summer use. Council debated long-term climate risks: Vice Mayor Gamroth expressed concern over declining snowpack (citing Greater Yellowstone Climate Assessment), water scarcity, and the financial sustainability of snowmaking, suggesting eventual pivot to summer recreation. Councilor Pollock countered that the lift upgrade is time-sensitive due to the current lift’s failure risk and that flexible infrastructure supports future uses. Councilor Haskins supported summer recreation potential (bike trails, music). Councilor Bond asked about snowmaking limits (pond dependency, temperature). Approved 7-1 (Vice Mayor Gamroth nay).

Key Outcomes

• Proclamation: April 21, 2026 (not 22) declared as National Service Recognition Day; the mayor read the proclamation recognizing AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors. (Note: The mayor read the proclamation for the date April 21, but the meeting date per instruction is April 22.)
• Proclamation: April 19-25, 2026 declared as Volunteer Recognition Week; recognized Casper Mountain Ski Patrol (49 volunteer members).
• Council response to public comments: Vice Mayor Gamroth acknowledged the scooter issue and indicated review of ordinances; Mayor Pacheco and council committed to follow up with Mr. Seams (bus route), Ms. Alder (crosswalk), Mr. Moore (flag replacement partnership), and Mr. Archaletta (parking/trash concerns—City Manager noted a staff meeting scheduled for Friday).
• Council committee reports: Various updates on public health, police initiatives, water board (UV disinfection project awarded to Record Steel and Construction, preliminary budgets reviewed, water restrictions not yet needed), R321 Gala (arts and culture contributes $1.3B to Wyoming economy), homeless coalition goals, fairboard (July 4th events), Prometheus presentation (private closed-loop data center project in Converse/Natrona counties), and Casper Housing Authority (new HUD mandate to check legal immigrant status).
• Councilor Jensen requested a work session with Prometheus representatives in June; council agreed.
• Council adjourned into executive session for personnel and property acquisition (motion by Councilor McIntosh, second by Councilor Bond; all aye).