Grant for Evanston business project moves forward

Kayne Pyatt, Herald Reporter
Posted 1/27/21

Coverage of Evanston City Council meeting on Tuesday, Jan.

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Grant for Evanston business project moves forward

Posted

EVANSTON — The Jan. 19, meeting of the Evanston City Council began with appointments to several boards and then progressed to the business of approving several motions and five resolutions.

Reappointed to the Airport Joint Powers Board for three years was Kenneth Shirley, with his term ending January 2024. Tim Ridenour was reappointed to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a three-year term ending January 2024. Evan Perkes, Gordon Robinson and DuWayne Jacobsen were each reappointed to the Urban Systems Board, with terms ending January 2023.

Concerning a motion to remove from the table Ordinance 20-11, vacating a portion of the Ranch at Evanston Phase No. 1 subdivision to the city, Evanston Director of Planning and Engineering Dean Barker told the council that Mike Pexton’s original partner had left. Pexton is attempting to work out the issues of a new agreement and wanted to remove the motion until he is ready to bring it back. The motion to remove Ordinance 20-11 from the table was unanimously approved and, following that, the motion to pass Ordinance 20-11 on second reading failed.

The council approved a motion to accept the annual financial disclosure statements from the mayor, city council members, city clerk, and city treasurer. The disclosure statements are required to be disclosed to the public for the purposes of transparency.

Resolution 20-01, an agreement of the City of Evanston with the Uinta County Fire Protection and Emergency Services Joint Powers Board authorizing the transfer and use of the ambulance purchased with Coronavirus Relief Grant Funds, was unanimously approved by the council.

Community Development Director Rocco O’Neill asked the council to approve Resolution 21-02, which is the final agreement with the Wyoming Business Council for a Business Ready Grant for the construction of a light manufacturing facility for the Avalon development project. The council unanimously approved the grant agreement.

“We are still working on the loan portion with the business council for the Avalon project,” O’Neill told the council.

The council unanimously approved Resolution 21-03, ratifying the execution of a grant agreement with the Wyoming Business Council for the Wyoming State Hospital historic campus assessment and redevelopment plan Phase 1 jointly with Uinta County.

“This is the same document as before,” O’Neill said, “and is pretty much finalized so we can then start to advertise the buildings.”

There was discussion concerning Resolution 21-04, regarding the acceptance and recording of a quit claim deed conveying lot 243 of the Chaparral Estates No. 2 subdivision, which is currently being used by the city as a storm detention pond.

Barker told the council that Gary Ellingford, who had given the lot to the city, wants the lot to be taken off of his books.

“This should have been done in the ’80s, when the lot was originally dedicated to the city, but somehow got overlooked,” Barker said. “The city has always maintained the pond.”

Councilman David Welling asked if the city had been paying the taxes on the lot and Barker answered in the affirmative. The council voted unanimously to approve the acceptance of the quit claim deed and passed Resolution 21-04.

The last resolution passed unanimously by the council was 21-05, officially designating Uinta Bank, Wells Fargo, 1st Bank Evanston, and Bank of the West as depositories for monies of the city. 

“This is an official requirement and none of the banks have changed from last year,” City Treasurer Trudy Lym said.