EVANSTON — During the July 25 Evanston City Council meeting, council members discussed whether the city should continue its support of the annual stage-stop sled dog race. The race has finished near Evanston for several years, and the city has been host to a banquet afterward, where mushers and community members gather for dinner and an awards ceremony.

Associate city planner DuWayne Jacobsen shared a cost and benefit report from both 2016 and 2017 races with the council. He explained how there has been decreasing interest in the race and many changes in staffing.

“Our race committee is down to one person,” said Jacobsen. “And, [we] have had ... [fewer] people helping each year. Last year we couldn’t provide some of the events because of man-power.”

Jacobsen told the Herald after the meeting that last year it was basically him and outgoing administrative assistant Janel Campbell who took care of the committee’s responsibilities.

According to the reports presented to the council, expenses for the 2017 race came to $6,744, though much of that was split among different entities. The city of Evanston paid $2,000, and so did the Evanston Lodging Tax Board. The Town of Bear River chipped in $300, and the Uinta County Race Committee paid $1,700 to sponsor the leg. The towns of Mountain View and Lyman had previously helped pay for the sponsorship, too, but pulled out this year.

However, the race also earned $550 for local communities from sponsor banners, and the estimated economic impact alone was nearly twice the total expenses. Considering hotel rooms, gasoline and food sales and the fact that the race donates 20 percent back to the community, the estimated positive impact from the race is $12,040.

Still, most of the council agreed the race had perhaps run its course and that it’s time to focus city funds and man-power on other things.

“I think the race has had its day,” said Councilman Tim Lynch.

Council members suggested trying to find another nonprofit group to take over the event; otherwise the council wasn’t interested in pursuing the event for 2018.

Council members also discussed the liquor law changes, handed down by the Wyoming State Legislature, at their work session meeting Tuesday night.

During the 2017 Legislative session, Wyoming leaders made a number of changes to the liquor laws for the state, making some of the language ambiguous, requiring cities to further define some of the laws.

City attorney Dennis Boal led the discussion, presenting working drafts of two new ordinance changes coinciding with the new laws.

According to new state laws, retail license owners must be operational on an ongoing weekly basis in order to keep their license active. 

“Cities are responsible for defining what that term means,” said Boal. “Is it one day a week for one hour per day or something more? We have to determine what will work for our city.”

Local retail license holder Mike Ringer said he wasn’t in favor of setting the definition with multiple days.

“I think maybe you’re creating laws you don’t really need to make right now,” he said. “Why not just leave things as is and, when you need to, then make the changes.”

Some council members agreed with Ringer, but Boal said there would be challenges and consequences if changes aren’t made.

Mayor Kent Williams asked if there was a need to make the changes now.

“We need to make sure our ordinances are compliant with the new state laws,” said Boal.

This particular portion of the state law won’t go into effect until October, so it is not an immediate issue, but one the council will continue to discuss.

Another change to the state law dealt with minors allowed into various facilities serving alcohol or selling packaged liquor.

“This is the important one,” said Boal. “This change came into effect in July, so right now, with the way the law reads, minors are allowed into bars.”

Boal spoke with various local liquor dealers who provided suggestions regarding the age and time limits. 

In the working ordinance, Boal suggested persons under 21 be permitted in bars and taverns serving food until 10 p.m., as long as they are with someone of legal age; however, no minor is allowed to sit at a bar at any time.

Minors would be allowed to enter liquor stores if accompanied by an adult of legal age, and they may not enter areas where alcohol is sold at retail, grocery and convenience stores.

Several council members asked how you could keep minors from those alcohol areas in stores, but Boal reminded everyone that stores in Evanston have separate dispensing rooms, so it should not be an issue.

The council is just starting their discussion on these changes, with new ordinances likely to come before the council in the near future.

Next on the agenda was a discussion on the future sale of the Medical Spec Building, currently housing High Country Behavioral Health (HCBH).

HCBH entered into a lease agreement in 2012, with an option to purchase the building at the end of their nine-year lease.

“High Country is interested in purchasing the building before their lease comes due,” said City Clerk Amy Grenfell. “We received an official letter of interest last week.”

Grenfell said HCBH’s interest in buying the building early was a sign of a successful project, and she believes it would be most beneficial for the city to allow for the early purchase.

Councilwoman Wendy Schuler said the building has fulfilled its purpose and serves High Country very well.

“I think we should allow them to purchase the building,” Lynch said. “We can take the money and put it toward another project.”

Williams said it would be a win/win for both the city and High Country, and encouraged Grenfell to continue the discussion with HCBH.

As the meeting came to a close, Evanston Director of Planning and Engineering Dean Barker, commended the exceptional work of the water treatment plant.

“I had a tour of the facility and those guys are proud of their work,” said Dean. “They should be, too, because the facility is amazing.”