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WORLAND — Discussion on renewal of the general purpose optional one-cent sales tax are set to begin later this month, Worland Mayor Jim Gill reported to the council Tuesday night.

Gill said he was contacted by Washakie County Commission Chairman Terry Wolf about a meeting at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 16 at the commissioners meeting room, to begin discussions regarding the tax.

Voters most recently supported the general purpose optional one-cent tax in 2014 with 64 percent of Washakie County voters in favor.

The current tax will be collected through June 30, 2019.

In an interview in 2015, Washakie County Treasurer Doris Kern said the majority of the tax, 45 percent, goes to the city of Worland, 28 percent is distributed to the Worland Community Center Complex, 15 percent to the town of Ten Sleep and 5 percent each to the Worland and Ten Sleep senior citizen centers.

Gill asked the council if street improvements will still be the city’s No. 1 priority on which to spend the tax. Council member Mandy Horath said she felt streets should remain the city’s top priority.

Dennis Koch added that the work on the streets is not completed thus they should remain the top priority.

Gill said while the street improvements projects are not all complete, the city is making progress and he is appreciative of the city’s support of the tax which allows many of the projects, including the upcoming project at Big Horn Avenue and 15th Street to be completed.

The tax will be on the ballot in November.

APPOINTMENTS

In other business, the council approved annual appointments from Mayor Gill. All but one set of appointments were approved unanimously.

Horath, Michele Rideout and Lisa Fernandez voted against the re-appointment of Landis Benson, Scott Fritzler and Mike Dykman to the Board of Adjustment and Planning Committee. All were appointed to three-year terms.

Other appointments were as follows:

•Golf course liaison, Superintendent of Public Works Brian Burky

•Americans with Disabilities Act/504 coordinator, Burky

•Official depositories, all local banks (Pinnacle, ANB, Big Horn Federal, Security State Bank, US Bank and Bank of the West) and the Wyoming Government Investment Fund

•Official newspaper, Northern Wyoming Daily News

•Official radio station, KWOR AM and KKLX FM

Keith Gentzler was re-elected as president of the council and Mandy Horath was elected as acting president of the council.

DEPARTMENT REPORTS

During department head reports, Clerk Tracy Glanz reported that three of the four request for proposals for internet technology service for the city came in over budget. She said they have opted to have Building Official Nick Kruger assist with IT and also reported a new hire for the building department.

Chief of Police Gabe Elliott reported New Year’s Eve was “pretty uneventful.”

Mike Donnell of Donnell & Allred reported that the State Loan and Investment Board meeting will be Jan. 18 in Cheyenne at the Herschler Building. On the agenda at the SLIB meeting is the city of Worland’s street, water and sewer project along Culbertson. Total project cost is $1,791,000 and the city is seeking a 50 percent grant for $895,500. He said he and Mayor Gill will be attending the meeting.

Gill noted that the city has received a letter of support for the project from Wyoming Sugar since many of their truck drivers use the route that will be repaired.

Burky reported snow removal was going fine and there have been no major leaks with the cold spell. He said the fire hydrant struck by a car last week should be repaired by Friday. They are also having to put up a few stop signs from crashes.

Burky also reported that the Environmental Protection Agency inspection identified several things that were out of date with the city’s industrial pre-treatment program at the sewer lagoon. He said he is going to enlist a consultant to get it back up to date. Cost is covered by the current budget, Burky noted.