Sheridan City Council Regular Meeting - March 16, 2026

The Sheridan City Council met in regular session on March 16, 2026, at 5:30 PM. The meeting opened with an invocation by Tony of Cornerstone Church, followed by roll call and approval of the agenda. The council heard community and staff updates, received public comments on several topics, approved the consent agenda, and voted on the annual GPET (General Purpose Excise Tax) funding recommendations for local nonprofit organizations.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the purchase of a Ford F550 bucket truck from Fremont Motor Company for $148,711.36.
• Approved Resolution 06-26 designating the 2026 "Trees for Trash" and community cleanup events, as well as the free fall landfill day.
• Awarded a bid to Falcon Construction for the East Downtown Phase 1 project in the amount of $876,875.
• Approved the minutes from the regular council meeting of March 2, 2026.
• Approved the claims for the month.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Carla Cayley (business owner): Expressed strong opposition to the Wyoming Department of Transportation's proposed concrete center median barriers on Coffeen and Brundage, arguing they would prevent left-hand turns, harm local businesses, divert traffic through residential neighborhoods and school zones, and lacked environmental and economic studies. She urged the city to form a stakeholder working group. She also noted that the city would be responsible for landscaping maintenance costs in the medians.
• Larissa Barth (Black Mountain Nordic): Expressed support for GPET funding, describing the organization's maintenance of 28 miles of winter trails, free equipment access, and youth programming that supports tourism and community health.
• Harry Pollock (resident): Opposed distributing GPET funds to nonprofits, arguing that tax dollars should be prioritized for essential city services rather than charitable organizations, especially with GPET renewal on the ballot later this year.
• Art McCullough (COMPASS Center for Families): Supported GPET funding, detailing the organization's programs (CASA, family visitation, parent liaison, and parent enrichment) which served about 1,500 families in 2025. He expressed appreciation for the staff's GPET report and confirmed the legal basis for funding.
• John Bennett: Requested funds for Boys State (cost $400 per boy, up to 10 boys) and support for a Boy Scouts walking path project.

Discussion Items

• Community Update – Second Chance Sheridan Cat Rescue: Executive Director Rachel Christensen reported on the past year’s operations, including intakes (35 city strays, 43 county strays, 37 from outside Sheridan County, and 37 owner surrenders), 177 spay/neuter surgeries for shelter cats, 362 low-cost community surgeries, and 487 free cat vaccines plus 102 free dog vaccines. The organization's budgeted income was just under $438,000 with actual income of about $432,000 (1.19% variance); actual expenses were $435,682 (0.5% under budget). Payroll accounted for 43% of expenses.
• Staff Update – Building Division: Jesse Katiska presented the quarterly update (September 1, 2025 – February 2026). The city participated in the Big Horn Home Builder Show with a trivia booth engaging over 200 citizens. Building permits totaled 665 (up from 527 last year), including 141 new/additional residential and commercial permits. There were 51 new contractor licenses (nearly 1,500 total) and 902 inspections. Notable projects include the Katie Building (brick facade), Sage Flats (103-unit apartment complex with 14 studios, 44 one-bedroom, and 45 two-bedroom units), and Seven Brews Coffee nearing completion.
• GPET Funding Requests: The mayor presented 20 funding requests totaling $549,300. His recommendations totaled $535,000 (the transcript states "$53,500," which appears to be a typographical error). The council debated an amendment to fully fund Addi's Horsemanship at $15,000 instead of the recommended $10,000; the amendment failed. Council members then engaged in a lengthy debate about the propriety of granting GPET funds to nonprofits, with one member opposing all such funding as "forced charity" and others defending the process as legal and vital to the community.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent agenda as presented.
• Rejected the amendment to increase Addi's Horsemanship funding to $15,000.
• Approved the GPET annual application summary as presented, allocating funds to the recommended nonprofit organizations (voice vote with no recorded tally).
• Received updates on upcoming presentations regarding tax increment financing (TIF) and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) scheduled for May.
• Noted the upcoming Critical Air Service Team schedule changes: three daily flights from April 6 through May 20, with Tuesdays and Saturdays having two flights.

Note: The transcript does not include a formal agenda or minutes, so some item details (e.g., the complete list of 20 GPET applicants) were not fully captured.