Kemmerer Council Meeting: Monday, Oct. 23

Here's what you need to know.

Theresa Davis, Gazette Editor
Posted 10/24/17

Kemmerer Council Oct. 24

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Kemmerer Council Meeting: Monday, Oct. 23

Here's what you need to know.

Posted

On Monday, Oct. 23, the Kemmerer City Council held its regular meeting. All members of the council except Councilman Eric Rudy were present for the meeting.

Councilman Robert Reetz announced that this was his last council meeting, because he sold his house and moved out of Ward 1. 

“It’s been a pleasure to serve the people of Kemmerer,” Reetz said.

Mayor Anthony Tomassi expressed his appreciation for Reetz’s service on the council.

“I really am saddened that you moved,” Tomassi said. “You’ve been a thoughtful member of this council, and I hope whoever takes over for you does as good a job as you have done.”

The council voted to adjust the terms of the operating agreement for the Triangle Park Visitors Center.

The Frontier Arts and Tourism Council currently uses the cabin in exchange for staffing the visitors center for the city.

All members of the Frontier Arts Council that work in the Triangle Cabin are volunteers. The Frontier Arts Council does not pay rent or utilities for the cabin because they take care of the visitors’ center restrooms and distribute tourism information.

The agreement was ultimately amended to be a five-year agreement instead of a one-year agreement, but a few council members disagreed on that time frame.

Councilwoman Kate Zimmerman said that a three-year agreement would be more appropriate.

“By that time, a 501c3 should be able to find operating funds through state grants,” Zimmerman said. “I think that even though they’re providing a service to the city, we may be shunning other organizations who could do the same.”

Mayor Tomassi and Councilman Dave McGinnis said the five-year agreement would provide the visitors’ center with more stability.

“I think we’re lucky to have a group willing to do this,” McGinnis said.

A new clause included in the operating agreement states that the “Operator shall accommodate other entities on a temporary basis when requested by the City.”

This clause refers to such entities as the annual Oyster Ridge Music Festival, which uses the cabin for storage during the festival and as a backstage area for festival musicians.

The next Kemmerer City Council meeting will be on Monday, Nov. 13, at 7:00 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend.