Sheridan City Council Regular Meeting – October 5, 2026

The Sheridan City Council met Monday, October 5, 2026, beginning at 6:05 p.m. Councilmember Lumen was absent. The meeting opened with an invocation by Mr. Cullen of First Assembly of God Church, followed by roll call and unanimous approval of the agenda. Council heard community updates, a building division report, conducted a public hearing on a business park plat, approved two capital items, and postponed a decision on ARPA interest distribution.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved the agenda as presented by unanimous voice vote.
• The consent agenda was approved with no opposition; the mayor recused from item 178 citing a conflict of interest. The consent agenda included:
  • Appointment of Chad Rootlog to the Fire Civil Service Commission for the unexpired term of Aaron Linden, expiring December 31, 2028.
  • Professional services agreement with Shanner & Franklin LLC for municipal court prosecuting attorney.
  • Minutes from the regular council meeting of September 21, 2026.
  • Claims list.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public signed up to speak or offered comments during the meeting.
• The public hearing for the Blacktooth Business Park plat was closed at 6:23 p.m. after no public comment was offered at the council level.

Community Updates

Museum at the Bighorns

• Wendy Neeson, vice president of the board, reported the museum relocated downtown from its former Fifth Street location, with the move occurring around December 2024.
• Since reopening, the museum has served over 500 elementary-age students through downtown history tours and scavenger hunts and hosted nearly 300 people through organizations such as the Wyoming Archaeological Society, Downtown Sheridan Association, and Wyoming History Society.
• More than 3,200 visitors have come through the museum since reopening.
• Permanent exhibits are being finalized with an organization from Cheyenne and are expected to open in 2027.
• The County Three fundraising campaign will launch publicly in the next couple weeks; donors can contribute as little as $3 via QR code.

Sheridan Community Foundation

• Mark Kinner, president, and James McGuinness, vice president, presented the foundation's mission to support charitable giving and encourage philanthropy in Sheridan.
• The foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity, organized for about three years, with nearly $3.5 million in assets and 5% of the fund distributed annually.
• Eleven nonprofits have signed up with combined endowments of approximately $1.3 million, generating an additional $65,000 per year for their charitable missions.
• The foundation also operates a community fund for smaller nonprofits; a $500 grant to the Claremont Arveda Historical Center was cited as an example.
• The Class of 1976 has adopted the foundation as a reunion charity, and some families have included planned gifts in their wills.
• Councilmembers thanked the presenters and praised the charitable, community-minded culture of Sheridan.

Staff Update: Building Division

• Permit Technician Ashley Garcia presented the building division update for March through September 2026.
• The division reported 102 residential permits, including more than 30 residential additions or alterations; 7 new commercial permits; and nearly 30 commercial additions or alterations, for 138 permits overall.
• There were 769 simple permits, largely roofing permits, 73 new contractor license applications, 337 license renewals, and 1,940 inspections.
• Active projects include Citco Federal Credit Union moving into the old Best Western office, an addition at Emit for powder coating, and Sheridan College Science Center renovations to the existing 22,000-square-foot building plus a two-story addition of about 14,000 square feet.
• A student-built house has been permitted and will later be moved to a permanent foundation; students are learning carpentry and the administrative side, with subcontractors handling plumbing and electrical.
• General permit thresholds cited: $3,000 valuation or 200 square feet for building work; $1,000 for electrical or plumbing work; and 240 square feet for accessory sheds or utility buildings.

Public Hearing and Council Action: Blacktooth Business Park Final Plat

• City Planner Kelly Schroeder presented PL-26-34, Resolution 2026, for the final plat of Blacktooth Business Park at 3150 Heartland Drive.
• The 53.72-acre site is zoned B2 Business District and falls partly within the city's entryway corridor; the subdivision will create 15 lots ranging from 0.84 to 12.5 acres, with no minimum lot sizes or open-space requirements in B2.
• Two new rights-of-way will be dedicated: Heartland Drive as a 39-foot roadway with a 5-foot sidewalk and 10-foot pathway within the park, and Dry Ranch Road in a 60-foot right-of-way with improvements up to Solutions Way, including a 20-foot gravel emergency access road requiring a variance.
• Secondary access will be satisfied through a physical connection to a transportation corridor in the adopted transportation plan, including future Middle East Corridor and Dry Ranch Road projects.
• Fire-safety review noted the existing Dry Ranch Road/Brundage Lane bottleneck; future apartment development or other high-demand uses would require a fully constructed secondary access. Commercial fire flows cannot currently be achieved at the highest elevations on lots 13, 14, and 15 without future pressure-zone extensions or fire protection measures, so a note was added to the plat.
• Staff mailed notices to eight surrounding property owners and received no public comments. The Planning Commission heard from two neighboring individuals who raised questions about construction access, parking, and visibility but otherwise supported the project, and voted unanimously to recommend approval with the requested variance.
• Council approved the final plat and variance, with approval contingent on the dedication of the Heartland Drive right-of-way through the Whitney Benefits property.

New Business

Fifth and Main Curb Reconstruction Bid Award

• City Engineer Thomas Marneau recommended awarding the Fifth and Main curb reconstruction project to SSR Construction Inc. for $73,637.50; the engineer's estimate was $79,846.25.
• The project will replace the existing 30-foot curb radius at the northwest corner with a 44-foot radius, allowing large trucks to turn without hitting the curb or ADA panels. The city acquired an additional 127 square feet of right-of-way behind the traffic signal pole for ADA compliance.
• The project is funded by GPET, the community's extra penny sales tax. Council approved the bid award by voice vote without opposition.
• Future work on Fifth Street includes the Fifth and Valvista signalized intersection project planned for spring/summer 2027.

Whitney Benefits Right-of-Way Dedication

• Council considered and approved the dedication of a permanent 60-foot right-of-way by Whitney Benefits to the City of Sheridan, related to the Heartland Drive extension and Blacktooth Business Park plat.

ARPA Interest Distribution to Habitat for Humanity

• City Treasurer Dara Hawkins explained that $70,700.30 in interest accrued on ARPA funds received by Sheridan County is unrestricted and was being considered for allocation to Habitat for Humanity. Any spending would still require a budget revision.
• A councilmember moved to postpone the item to the November 16, 2026 regular council meeting; the motion passed by voice vote.
• The stated reason was to wait for election results and better understand potential impacts on city finances, including a 50% property tax initiative and the fifth penny ballot measure. The mayor spoke in favor of postponement.

Council Comments and Committee Reports

• Mayor reported on the Sheridan Economic Education and Development Authority, including continued work on the business park and discussions about a potential CETA board role in housing.
• Reports were given for Northeast Wyoming Alliance, Critical Air Service Team, and Sheridan Area Water Service; SAWS has updated its ownership and operating agreement and will discuss it at the October 14 commissioner/city meeting.
• City Administrator Stu reported that SPAC is beginning fundraising for the Iron Rider sculpture and that representatives from Hill Point Developers, a Georgia-based apartment developer specializing in roughly 300-unit complexes, are considering Sheridan for housing development.
• Rotary Club is working with public works on restoring and relighting the North Main sign; the Fire Department will receive the 2026 Citizens Choice Award plaque on October 6 at 7:30 a.m.
• Early voting was announced to begin October 6.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the agenda and consent agenda, with the mayor recusing from item 178.
• Approved the Blacktooth Business Park final plat and associated variance.
• Awarded the Fifth and Main curb reconstruction contract to SSR Construction Inc. for $73,637.50.
• Approved the permanent 60-foot Whitney Benefits right-of-way dedication.
• Postponed the $70,700.30 ARPA interest distribution decision to November 16, 2026.
• Adjourned by unanimous voice vote after committee reports.