Rock Springs City Council Meeting - July 8, 2026
Rock Springs City Council Meeting - July 8, 2026
The Rock Springs City Council met on July 8, 2026, with all members present. The meeting included council member reports on constituent contacts and community events, a public hearing on housing authority policy changes, a public comment period regarding the June 1st proclamation, approval of several bids and resolutions, and unanimous or majority votes on routine items.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the June 16, 2026, city council meeting minutes.
- Appointed Chris Sutterland to the Sweetwater County Joint Travel and Tourism Board.
- Accepted Joint Powers Combined Communications Board meeting minutes (May 18, 2026) and Joint Powers Telecom Board meeting minutes (May 20, 2026).
- Received correspondence including a written decision in Rick Malonas vs. Mayor Mickelson and a thank-you note from the soup kitchen.
- Motion carried unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Public Hearing: No one spoke on the Rock Springs Housing Authority's proposed changes to the admissions and continued occupancy policy and the Section 8 voucher program administrative plan.
- Daniel Sexton addressed the council regarding the June 1st proclamation (Pride Month). He expressed opposition, stating that the LGBTQ+ organization now advocates for “sick, disgusting stuff” including men in women’s sports, sex changes on minors, and anti-Semitism. He argued that the proclamation divides the community and that LGBTQ+ individuals should be treated as regular people without special celebration. Mayor Mickelson responded by explaining the city’s practice: any resident may request a proclamation for a recognized event, and the city does not take a position due to the First Amendment. He noted that the alternative is to do no proclamations at all, which would eliminate honoring Veterans Day, childhood illnesses, etc. Council member Malonas thanked Mr. Sexton for coming forward.
Council Member Reports
- Council members reported on constituent contacts (fireworks, data centers, road construction, water/sewer rate increases, e-bikes, traffic, rodents, weeds, etc.) and events attended (Flaming Gorge Days, 250th ORV ride across Wyoming, concerts in the park, Broadway Theater bartending, new judge swearings-in, blood donation, firework enforcement, parades, etc.). Mayor Mickelson praised Candy Pendleton and the events complex staff for hosting visiting groups.
Discussion Items
- Bid Opening: Three Stooge Electric (Evanston, WY) submitted the sole bid of $67,000 for the Rock Springs Housing Authority Aluminum Pigtail Retrofit. The bid was accepted with a personal check included.
- New Business:
- Request to bid the cemetery lighting project – approved unanimously.
- Request to fill a vacant cemetery worker 1 or 2 position – approved unanimously. Councilor Hickerson asked about the difference between the two levels; the department will base placement on qualifications.
- Request to fill a vacant police records technician 1 or 2 position – approved unanimously.
- Request to fill a vacant full-time marketing and theater coordinator position (Urban Renewal Agency) – approved unanimously.
- Resolutions: All resolutions (2026-85 through 2026-93) were approved with varying abstentions. Key details:
- Resolution 2026-85: Authorized revised Housing Authority admissions and occupancy policies and Section 8 plan – Pedri and Thompson abstained.
- Resolution 2026-86: Authorized commercial access agreement with All West Utah Inc. – Pedri and Thompson abstained.
- Resolution 2026-87: Accepted Sweetwater County Transit Authority service agreement – unanimous.
- Resolution 2026-88: Accepted Sweetwater County District Board of Health service agreement – unanimous.
- Resolution 2026-89: Accepted MOU with Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce for FY2027 – unanimous.
- Resolution 2026-90: Accepted MOU with Studio 307 Dance Center for limited parking use – Mayor abstained (he is a building owner).
- Resolution 2026-91: Accepted contract with JFC Engineers for 2027 Miscellaneous Utility Project – unanimous.
- Resolution 2026-92: Accepted amendment 4 to the commercial air service improvement plan – unanimous.
- Resolution 2026-93: Accepted service agreement with Boys & Girls Club of Sweetwater County – Zotti abstained.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved unanimously.
- Bid for housing authority pigtail retrofit accepted from Three Stooge Electric for $67,000.
- Bills and claims approved: Housing Authority June 30 and July 7 (with Pedri and Thompson abstaining), city bills June 30 and July 7 (unanimous), and salaries June 22 (with Thompson abstaining).
- All four new business items approved unanimously.
- All nine resolutions approved with the following abstentions: Pedri and Thompson on resolutions 2026-85 and 2026-86; Mayor on 2026-90; Zotti on 2026-93. Others unanimous.
- Public hearing closed with no comments.
- Public comment heard and acknowledged by the mayor.
Meeting Transcript
Um here. Pedri. Here. Hansen. Here. Zaddy. Here. Hickerson. Here. Demas. Here. Malonus. Here. Thompson. Here. Mayor Mickelson. Dear. That brings us to the council member here. So I'll serve on my left at Council B. Thank you, Your Honor. I appreciate that. Uh sorry I didn't get the information in on the report, but uh I'll just go through as far as constituent contacts. I had approximately 10 contacts, and most of those were concerning uh fireworks, uh data centers, some of the city city notification related to road construction and the recent increase in water and sewer rates. And I appreciate those residents who reached out and talked to me. As far as meeting events, I attended the Flaming Gorge days. I had an opportunity to speak with both state and federal candidates while I was there. Appreciate the chance to visit with them and hear about the issues they are running on. And then the big thing that I was on that um last week was the it was a 250th ORV ride across Wyoming. It was put on uh Wyoming State Parks. I I want to thank um Commissioner Jones and Senator Jones for their hard work working with the Wyoming State Parks on that on the trails program. We rode from we started in Evanston on the 30th, uh, and then I'm sorry, on the first. And then we rode, I only rode part of the ride, uh, but it went all the way to Cheyenne and and we stayed completely off the interstate doing that. So most of it was dirt, but there was some uh paved road sections. But we went from Evanston to Rock Springs, so that worked out pretty good. Just spent the night here. Went to the events complex, had an event there, and then we went to Saratoga and soaked in the hot springs there. So that great event, and then they continued on to Laramie and then on to Cheyenne. So to participate in the parade there. So great, great great thing to celebrate the 250th. Um it was a great, great thing, and hopefully they'll continue doing that in the future. As far as uh there were no boards or liaison stuff that I had while since I was busy with that. And I want to just take a moment and thank uh Director Siever for his leadership and efforts in addressing an issue that came up following the golf course. It was at a very professionally quickly and diligently. And I just want to keep share with you the constituent that uh brought the issue up, is extremely thankful. So I just really appreciate the creative solutions that were found, and they're like I said, extremely thankful for that. And that's all I have, Your Honor. Very good. Thank you, Counselor. Councilman Petrie. Thank you, Your Honor.
openpublica.com