Karla's Kolumn

I received a call earlier this week from an astute reader and friend who was concerned about the funds the city potentially could be spending on a sign at Pioneer Square.

She brought up some points and questions that the council had not asked during its discussion on Monday including is it really the city's job to promote events in the community?

Yes, the city haS provided the place for banner signs on the Pioneer Square hill. But it was the event organizers who actually got the signs and put up the signs. The most recent event was promoted on the corner of the courthouse lawn rather than the hill in the park.

The Newell Sargent Foundation has said they would help fund improvements to the park, with an estimate for their donation of $35,000. That funding cannot be used for other city projects; it is going specifically for improvements to the park.

As I listened to my friend, my thoughts went more to any funding the city might put out rather than the issue of whether it's the city's job or the chamber's or the visitors council's to promote ongoing events in town. While that is something to consider, my thought was more, if the cost of the signage, upgrading the restrooms and upgrading the park entrance, well exceeds the amount that the Foundation is providing, then the council needs to re-evaluate and prioritize.

The mayor has asked residents to be patient while crews wait for decent weather to repair potholes, of which there are plenty around town. There are also some streets that need to be repaved.

There is also a sandbar north of the bridge that needs to be excavated.

Mayor Jim Gill has expressed concern about the cost of the 2017 ice jam flood in February. Estimates for excavation of the sandbar are about $60,000, but estimates of the amount of sediment that needs to be removed vary so costs are still relatively unknown.

If the city believes that removal of the sandbar is a priority and will alleviate flooding in the future, then it needs to be a budget priority.

I'm all for enhancing parks; as a traveler I love going to community parks to relax and walk the dogs. [Yes, I'm a responsible dog owner and pick up after my pets.] I support the upgrade to the restrooms and creating a new entryway.

I'm not sure the sign is a necessary part of the improvement, especially if the chamber sign will still be in use, and especially because there are more pressing needs in the city. However, if all of the project fits within the Foundation contribution then I'll leave the decision about the sign up to our elected folks.

But I do have my own thoughts that were prompted after the call from my friend. As for promoting local events there are a number of areas where banner signs can be placed to let visitors know things are happening in the community. If the sign is about letting citizens know information about the city, then the location would be fine.

One of the problems with Worland if you're trying to reach travelers., however, is that there are so many entrances and exits to the community, There are two U.S. highways that come through and there are two state highways that basically allow travelers to avoid the downtown area.

Yes, people traveling on Big Horn Avenue from north to south might likely see the banners or a new digital sign. However, travelers coming into Worland from U.S. 20 north and then heading east on U.S. 16 won't see a digital sign on the kiosk, unless it is large enough and the light stayed red long enough for them to read it.

Worland is unique in many ways, and that requires some thinking outside the box for promotion and for enticing visitors to stop. For that, a digital sign might not be the best answer, but a digital sign would provide information to local traffic who would eventually get used to looking for the sign and looking for information on a digital sign.

All that being said, I have full confidence that the prioritization will come as the city works on the upcoming budget. If money is tight, as anticipated, the council needs to prioritize and fund projects with the biggest impact for the citizens, such as infrastructure and flood mitigation.

I wish the council well as it works on the budget. Budgeting is never an easy task, especially in lean times.