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Record of Proceedings

City Council Meeting: Food Group, CEDA, Zonta Proclamation, and Public Hearings - November 17, 2025

City Council — Monday, November 17, 2025
BodySheridan, Wyoming
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, November 17, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:00

With the food group, we are a community feeding children.

0:03

As you can see, this is our mission, and we're seeking to alleviate childhood hunger in Sheridan County by providing nourishment to children.

0:09

So I'm gonna spend some time telling you about that.

0:13

Next slide.

0:14

Oh, there is a thousand.

0:16

Perfect, thank you.

0:20

With that, our vision is we work hard to be an informed and supportive community where every child has access to nourishment.

0:27

So with that, we were started by volunteers and community members, and so we know that we can't do the work that we do if we don't inform and educate others about the work we're doing here in Sheridan County.

0:39

So in 2010, unofficially, the food group began, and in 2015, we became an official 501c3.

0:47

And throughout that time, we worked really hard to provide food to youth of all ages, from preschools all the way through high schools.

0:53

We rely really heavily on our partners to make this happen.

0:57

So we are the ones that collect and gather the food and then we give it to our partners to then distribute it.

1:02

So we couldn't do it without administrators, teachers, staff, parent liaisons.

1:08

They're the ones that really have those relationships with children to get the food to those in need.

1:15

Something the food group is really proud of is we do not receive any state or federal funding.

1:19

We're completely community supported.

1:21

That's how we started, and that's how we'd like to stay.

1:25

We know that we don't ever want to put barriers in front of children, and sometimes state and federal programs can do that, and so we're really grateful we can.

1:33

We work really closely with local purveyors to buy our food.

1:36

We buy almost everything from Ridley's and Albertsons.

1:38

We have a new partnership with the state food bank, but really almost all of that comes to our local grocery stores.

1:44

And then we use over a hundred volunteers monthly to get the work done.

1:47

Some of those we see twice a week, others we see once a month, but they really um are the wheels on the bus that make everything happen.

1:55

So we know that kids often rely on the meals throughout the school week to kind of get through, but on weekends there's not always a guarantee that they will have food within their homes.

2:05

And so that's what the work of the food group began with, and I'll go into that a little bit more.

2:10

But we really try to focus on providing nourishment to kids on the weekends.

2:14

Just a few quick facts, and this is from last year's school year.

2:18

But about 45% of kids in Sheridan County receive free and reduced meals while at school.

2:24

And then we know that if kids go home and are hungry on the weekend, they aren't always as ready to learn on Mondays, and so we work hard to give them a little bit extra so they're ready to come to school and be the best that they can.

2:35

Um, and then again, our programs are completely anonymous.

2:38

There's we work with the schools to sign them up, and there's no cost to the families.

2:43

So our weekend food bag was kind of our pilot program, but we serve kids in multiple different ways.

2:49

So I'll go a little bit more into each of these programs, but um, these are the different ways.

2:54

So we kind of have uh these seven different ways that we support kids throughout the community.

3:00

So our flagship program, the weekend food bags, is we work to provide a high protein milk sugar meal to kids.

3:07

So this is kind of an example of something we would pack.

3:10

Um, this week we're sending out 508 bags to every school in the county.

3:15

And it looks a little bit different at every school, but they're all pretty much the same.

3:19

We have volunteers that come in, put these in bags donated by Ridley's, and then we send them to the school to be distributed.

3:26

Um it's always a breakfast item, a main entree, a canned vegetable, a snack, and then in the school year they get fresh fruit, in the summer they get canned fruit.

3:37

Um, our teen pantries, this is something that is evolved as the food group has been around, is we know that there's a little bit higher stigma for kids that need access to food when they're older, and so we've created pantries for our students to be able to go in and collect food that they know they need a little bit more discreetly, and then we also provide snacks to every kid at the junior high and high school level.

3:58

It's every school does that a little bit differently.

4:00

Some of them roll carts out, others put it in teachers' classrooms, but that's just a way that we know we are able to help provide for those older age kids, and then we also provide hygiene products.

4:12

Um, our little free pantries, there are 19 of them in the um in the county, they're the decommissioned newspaper uh bins, and with that we will fit 44 items within that box, and they were strategically placed to give kids access to food on weekends and in the summertime.

4:29

We do know that there's a little bit of over bleed and then feed community members as well.

4:33

It's something that my boy is really aware of, but we know that it's a benefit to the community.

4:37

So this has been a really big impact in these last months.

4:41

We've given away about four times as many boxes of food than normal, but we were really happy to be able to provide that in a community.

4:50

Our monthly uh fresh food home delivery came out of COVID, and we knew that there was limited access to food during those months.

5:00

So we always deliver a frozen protein and fresh local lettuce.

5:02

It's normally hamburger, but the ONCE hamburger prices are kind of high.

5:06

So we've done ground turkey, and then we had seven hogs donated through County Fair this year, which was amazing.

5:12

So we were able to do pork for a few months as well.

5:14

So these are numbers from just last week.

5:16

We did, it was actually 527 kids across 225 households to get this fresh and local meat.

5:23

And then Teriaki Magnus also donated quite a bit of produce that we were able to add to those as well, which was really great.

5:31

Another thing that we do is our summer program.

5:34

So we partner really closely with the library and with the YNCA to be at some events that they do.

5:39

So snacks and stories, we take the snacks too, and then the YMCA camp, we pick up Dilly Bars that Dairy Queen donates, and then we always take weekend food bags that we distribute to anyone that's there.

5:51

Again, it's the awareness for the families and to kind of help break that stigma down.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Food Service Regulation███████████████████19%
Public Engagement████████████████16%
Economic Development███████████11%
Affordable Housing███████████11%
Environmental Protection██████████10%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████7%
Transportation Safety████4%
Pest Management████4%
Parks and Recreation███3%
Summary of Proceedings

City Council Meeting Summary – November 17, 2025

The Sheridan City Council convened on November 17, 2025, for a regular meeting that included presentations from The Food Group and the Sheridan Economic Development Authority (CEDA), a proclamation for Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women, a staff update from the Weed and Pest division, public comments, and action on two public hearings. The council approved a consent agenda, a subdivision plat, and a rezoning ordinance.

Consent Calendar

  • The council approved the consent agenda, which included the minutes of the regular council meeting, claims, and a bid award of $133,835 to Volume Construction Inc. for the city college department project. Council members Wetzel and Luman abstained from items 391–394 due to a conflict of interest.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Speaker (roof insurance): Asked about the roof replacement at the city college department, clarifying that the $133,835 bid is partially covered by insurance money already received. The mayor confirmed that insurance proceeds totaling $2.2 million had been allocated citywide for multiple roof repairs.
  • Speaker (critical of Zonta and Habitat letter): Raised concerns about Zonta International’s webpage linking climate change to violence against women, suggesting the proclamation gave undue exposure. He also criticized the mayor’s letter to Habitat for Humanity International regarding 30 planned units, arguing that existing housing inventory (166 homes between $200K–$400K, 36 homes between $75K–$225K) and supply-demand issues made the Habitat plan problematic.
  • Hope Thompson and Carolyn (snow removal): Residents of the Hidden Bridges development requested better snow removal, citing construction trailers impeding plows. They noted only one lane had been cleared occasionally and asked the city to elevate their neighborhood’s priority. The mayor explained the city’s phased snow removal system and suggested reviewing the developer’s street occupancy licenses.

Discussion Items

  • The Food Group Presentation: The organization’s representative detailed its mission to alleviate childhood hunger in Sheridan County. Key statistics: 45% of county kids receive free/reduced meals; 508 weekend food bags are packed weekly; 19 little free pantries located at pediatricians, YMCA, hospital, and churches; 2,000 kids served in summer; 8,000 volunteer hours annually. Programs include weekend food bags, teen pantries, fresh food home delivery, summer snacks, and a literacy project. The group relies entirely on community support, no state/federal funding. Donations of shelf-stable items and hygiene products are accepted at their Crook Street location (public hours 10–1). August was noted as the lightest donation month.
  • CEDA Update: The Sheridan Economic Development Authority (CETA) reported purchasing 35 acres north of Yellowtail Drive for $2.5 million, plus 10.3 acres gifted, for the High-Tech Business Park Phase II. Infrastructure design by Dell Engineering is underway, with bidding targeted for Q1 2026. Six lots are planned. Since 2011, manufacturing jobs in the county have tripled (about 300 jobs in the park). Challenges include construction costs, workforce, housing, and logistics. Council members discussed traffic capacity, widening Yellowtail Drive, and the need for workforce housing. Councilman suggested CETA allocate land for mixed-income housing. The CEDA board will discuss housing involvement at its upcoming Friday meeting.
  • Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women Proclamation: The Zonta Club of Wyoming Bighorns presented a proclamation designating November 25–December 10, 2025, as 16 Days of Activism. Activities include wrapping Main Street trees with orange ribbons, public service announcements, and bar coasters with helpline numbers. The mayor signed the proclamation.
  • Weed and Pest Update: The Natural Resources Coordinator reported on the division’s integrated pest management program. In 2025, no new invasive pests appeared. Top invasive weeds: Canada thistle, leafy spurge, and purple loosestrife (controlled in Goose Creek watershed). Mosquito control continued with larvacide and fogging; West Nile virus cases in Wyoming rose to 14 with two deaths (none in Sheridan County). Japanese beetle populations are increasing (traps capturing 800+ per week). Russian olive removal is ongoing but managed due to slope stability concerns. Council discussed bullfrogs in Hume Draw and the status of Russian olive eradication.
  • Public Hearing – Casa de la Bronza Subdivision: A county subdivision in the joint planning area, at 3490 Bighorn Avenue, proposes subdividing a 5+ acre lot into two lots (one with existing house, one vacant). The property is in the airport influence area, requiring an avigation easement. Staff recommended approval, and no public comments were received.
  • Public Hearing – Rezone of 1039 2nd Avenue East: Final reading of Ordinance 2299 to rezone 1 acre from R1 to B1 to allow multifamily development. The property is adjacent to B1, M1, R1, R3, and B2 zones. Planning commission voted 7–0 to recommend approval. No public opposition was received. The rezone passed on final reading.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda Approved: Voice vote with two abstentions (Wetzel, Luman) on items 391–394.
  • Casa de la Bronza Subdivision Approved: Motion to certify conformance with joint planning rules passed on a voice vote.
  • Rezone Approved: Ordinance 2299 passed on final reading (roll call vote: all ayes).
  • Zonta Proclamation Signed: Mayor signed the proclamation; no formal vote needed.
  • Council Direction: The city administrator will invite Habitat for Humanity to present on income qualifications and housing needs. Staff will follow up with the Hidden Bridges residents and review developer trailer permits. CEDA board will consider housing land contributions.

Meeting Transcript

With the food group, we are a community feeding children. As you can see, this is our mission, and we're seeking to alleviate childhood hunger in Sheridan County by providing nourishment to children. So I'm gonna spend some time telling you about that. Next slide. Oh, there is a thousand. Perfect, thank you. With that, our vision is we work hard to be an informed and supportive community where every child has access to nourishment. So with that, we were started by volunteers and community members, and so we know that we can't do the work that we do if we don't inform and educate others about the work we're doing here in Sheridan County. So in 2010, unofficially, the food group began, and in 2015, we became an official 501c3. And throughout that time, we worked really hard to provide food to youth of all ages, from preschools all the way through high schools. We rely really heavily on our partners to make this happen. So we are the ones that collect and gather the food and then we give it to our partners to then distribute it. So we couldn't do it without administrators, teachers, staff, parent liaisons. They're the ones that really have those relationships with children to get the food to those in need. Something the food group is really proud of is we do not receive any state or federal funding. We're completely community supported. That's how we started, and that's how we'd like to stay. We know that we don't ever want to put barriers in front of children, and sometimes state and federal programs can do that, and so we're really grateful we can. We work really closely with local purveyors to buy our food. We buy almost everything from Ridley's and Albertsons. We have a new partnership with the state food bank, but really almost all of that comes to our local grocery stores. And then we use over a hundred volunteers monthly to get the work done. Some of those we see twice a week, others we see once a month, but they really um are the wheels on the bus that make everything happen. So we know that kids often rely on the meals throughout the school week to kind of get through, but on weekends there's not always a guarantee that they will have food within their homes. And so that's what the work of the food group began with, and I'll go into that a little bit more. But we really try to focus on providing nourishment to kids on the weekends. Just a few quick facts, and this is from last year's school year. But about 45% of kids in Sheridan County receive free and reduced meals while at school. And then we know that if kids go home and are hungry on the weekend, they aren't always as ready to learn on Mondays, and so we work hard to give them a little bit extra so they're ready to come to school and be the best that they can. Um, and then again, our programs are completely anonymous. There's we work with the schools to sign them up, and there's no cost to the families. So our weekend food bag was kind of our pilot program, but we serve kids in multiple different ways. So I'll go a little bit more into each of these programs, but um, these are the different ways. So we kind of have uh these seven different ways that we support kids throughout the community. So our flagship program, the weekend food bags, is we work to provide a high protein milk sugar meal to kids. So this is kind of an example of something we would pack. Um, this week we're sending out 508 bags to every school in the county. And it looks a little bit different at every school, but they're all pretty much the same. We have volunteers that come in, put these in bags donated by Ridley's, and then we send them to the school to be distributed. Um it's always a breakfast item, a main entree, a canned vegetable, a snack, and then in the school year they get fresh fruit, in the summer they get canned fruit. Um, our teen pantries, this is something that is evolved as the food group has been around, is we know that there's a little bit higher stigma for kids that need access to food when they're older, and so we've created pantries for our students to be able to go in and collect food that they know they need a little bit more discreetly, and then we also provide snacks to every kid at the junior high and high school level. It's every school does that a little bit differently. Some of them roll carts out, others put it in teachers' classrooms, but that's just a way that we know we are able to help provide for those older age kids, and then we also provide hygiene products. Um, our little free pantries, there are 19 of them in the um in the county, they're the decommissioned newspaper uh bins, and with that we will fit 44 items within that box, and they were strategically placed to give kids access to food on weekends and in the summertime. We do know that there's a little bit of over bleed and then feed community members as well. It's something that my boy is really aware of, but we know that it's a benefit to the community. So this has been a really big impact in these last months. We've given away about four times as many boxes of food than normal, but we were really happy to be able to provide that in a community. Our monthly uh fresh food home delivery came out of COVID, and we knew that there was limited access to food during those months. So we always deliver a frozen protein and fresh local lettuce.

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