During the Monday, Feb. 26, Kemmerer City Council meeting, board members discussed approving Lincoln County’s application for assistance from the National Parks Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program.
Councilmembers approved the appointment of Jennifer Edinger as the at-large member to the Fossil Basin Promotion Board. In her application, Edinger said she was interested in the position to promote tourism and winter activities.
Edinger said serving on the board in the past has connected her to different events in the area and she would like to make others more aware of them, as well. She said she thinks that a more productive use of funds as well as a more frequent grant cycle would benefit the Fossil Basin Promotion Board.
The board authorized Mayor Bill Thek to approve J-U-B Engineering’s fee proposal for improvements at the airport. Kemmerer City Administrator Brian Muir said the fees seemed reasonable, were affordable compared to other bids, and recommended moving ahead with using them for the project.
The project includes rehab lighting on the runway and replacing wind cones, with the total amount not to exceed $118,720.
In other matters, the board authorized staff to send a letter to WYDOT showing intent to participate in salt and sand collaboration for 2024-25, with the amount not to exceed $60,000. Muir said the stockpile of salt and sand has gotten low because they did not restock last year.
The council approved supporting the Hams Fork Museum by waiving past and future fees for hauling refuse to the landfill related to their cleanup project. Rather than invoice the museum for the services, the council requested that the museum acknowledge the city as a sponsor. The council also passed a resolution to amend the Fossil Island Golf Advisory Board bylaws.
The council discussed and authorized the city to apply for the Intermountain West Nuclear Energy Corridor (INEC) Tech Hub Phase II EDA Grant in an amount of $1,380,000. It is part of a larger grant mostly focusing on Idaho but, because of Kemmerer’s involvement with TerraPower, the community may qualify to benefit from some of the funding.
“This is an opportunity for Kemmerer to get an energy institute location,” Muir said.
The money would be budgeted to benefit the city, Old Town Hall and the event center. To qualify to be a part of the grant application, the city must submit a letter of interest, as well as demonstrate a willingness to itemize funds.
“This is an opportunity to create a corridor of learning and sharing of information,” Muir said.
