As the crispness of fall settles in, the Kemmerer City Council focused on snow removal issues during its Sept. 9 meeting. The council announced plans to update the ordinance governing snow removal policies, with a decision expected during the Monday, Sept. 23, meeting.

Last week’s meeting opened to public comments, where residents voiced concerns about the placement of “no parking” signs on certain streets and the prioritization of streets for snow removal. A recurring issue was the accumulation of snow berms, which Kemmerer City Administrator Brian Muir acknowledged isn’t a simple problem.

“Plowing berms is a very complex issue, which involves knowing when to plow them and when not to plow them,” Muir explained.

He said the lower part of the town poses additional challenges and suggested that the public works director should obtain more technical information on the subject.

Muir also emphasized the importance of public participation.

“I appreciated the public comments and feedback,” he said.

He also affirmed that the city allocates significant funding toward snow removal, and maintained the city performs adequately in this area.

The public works director was absent from the meeting, leading to a postponement of the snow policy amendments to allow for further technical input. Muir reminded residents of the ongoing opportunity for public input and acknowledged the stress the snow policy has caused citizens.

“While it is important to hear public concerns, at some point the council needs to make a final decision about the snow policy,” Muir said. “We have done a lot of work together, trying to do our best with the limited resources we have.”

In other business, the council addressed a State Loan Investment Board (SLIB) funding issue. The county has applied for $17.2 million, but the application process has been delayed because the City of Kemmerer and the local joint powers board need to be the primary applicants.

“We are still trying to figure out if the county can be a co-applicant,” Muir said.

With a looming deadline of Sept. 18 for the SLIB loan application, both the city and the joint powers board must submit the application. Muir expressed uncertainty about the loan’s approval if the county cannot be confirmed as a co-applicant.

The meeting also included the acceptance of Councilmember Jamie Thornock’s resignation. Other members expressed their gratitude for her service, noting it had been a pleasure to work with her.