EVANSTON — The Evanston City Council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 6, ended abruptly when Mayor Kent Williams banged the gavel and called the meeting after he verbally attacked the Uinta County Herald for the story about Evanston Community Development Director Rocco O’Neill in the July 31 issue of the newspaper.   

Williams said it was “sickening” that the story about a city department head caught on a hot mic disparaging a citizen was on the front page of the paper, surrounded by stories about crime.

The tension in the room was almost visible and Wayne Morrow, father of Gina Sundquist, who had issued a complaint about O’Neill, approached Williams, who was still seated, following the meeting.

“Do you have any respect for the citizens of this city?” Morrow asked the mayor, who didn’t answer the question but instead continued to attack the Herald. Morrow said Williams said again that Mel Baldwin, longtime publisher and owner of the Herald, would be spinning in his grave over the state of the newspaper.

Prior to the ending of the meeting during public participation time, Sundquist had read a letter she had composed outlining her concerns. In that letter she repeats what O’Neill had unwittingly said in a voicemail to her regarding her complaint after O’Neill thought he had hung up his office phone.

She also included what O’Neill said to the reporter when she interviewed him about the incident prior to the story being released on July 31, which included his comment that “the voicemail incident was a non-issue” and that the Herald should “save the print space for valuable election coverage.”

Sundquist said those comments caused her to believe O’Neill’s apology to her was insincere and he had negated her concerns.

Sundquist also thanked the three council members — Jen Hegeman, Jesse Lind and Mike Sellers — who responded to an email she sent all council members the week before about the incident with O’Neill. Her letter concludes with three issues that she feels the mayor and council should address: the heat in the Machine Shop; a need for residents concerns to be heard and responded to; and that public servants should be held accountable and reprimanded for actions that are unprofessional and demeaning to local residents.

She ended by thanking the council for the opportunity to voice her concerns and showed her son’s wedding photo taken at the Machine Shop on the day of his wedding. Sundquist and others have expressed concern over the heat after some at the wedding fell ill due to heat.

Also during public comments, Rick Eskelsen gave the mayor and council members a detailed cost estimate for the water tower project. He had been asked by Mayor Williams to do so and said the council could consider an amendment to the annual budget once they had hard numbers.

Williams said, “I personally think we have an obligation down at the courtyard at the Roundhouse to get things done there. I understand your concerns and the discussion will be on-gong, but I can’t tell you when it will happen.”

Eskelsen told the mayor he is not going away and will pursue getting the water tower moved no matter how long it takes.

Business completed at the beginning of the meeting included approving a limited malt beverage permit for the VFW softball tournament to be held Aug. 16-18 at the Overthrust Ball Fields and a street closure permit for the Cowboy Block Party on Saturday, Aug. 31, on Main Street from 9th Street to Harrison Drive and a portion of 10th Street from 5 to 11 p.m.

O’Neill asked the council to approve change order No. 6 for the Roundhouse Section 4 and loading facilities project. He explained that the change order is for the parking lot on the north side of the section. O’Neill told the Herald after the meeting that the parking lot was an alternative line item in the original bid as they needed to work with an architect on the design for the parking lot.

Councilmember Jen Hegeman asked O’Neill how much the change order would add to the original cost and he said he didn’t have the figure in front of him at the moment.

He later told the Herald that this change order totals $1.47 million and the total cost of all six change orders so far is $1.54 million. The original amount of the project was $2.9 million. O’Neill was also asked why the contractor had destroyed the windows when they took them out to place an overhead door on the north side of the section. He said it was an accident, and windows broke when being taken out, and the contractor is responsible to cover the cost of the windows.

The council approved the $1.47 million change order without, apparently, knowing the cost.

The council then approved the following resolutions: a change order for the 2024 street overlay project; two resolutions authorizing two separate contracts with the Wyoming Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police for funds to conduct tobacco compliance inspections and alcohol compliance inspections; a resolution to accept a quote from Foster & Foster Consulting Actuaries Inc. to provide the city an actuary report to enable the city to make required GASB disclosures for fiscal years ending June 30, 2024, and June 30, 2025; and the city authorizing a third-party custodian agreement with BMO Bank and the Bank of New York Mellon Company.

Evanston Parks and Recreation District Director Kim Larsen asked the city to pass a motion accepting the low bid for the locker replacement project to Norcon Industries. She explained the lockers are 40 years old and they had received only one bid and it fell within the budgeted amount.

The city council approved the motion to award the bid to Norcon Industries and authorized the agreement for the completion of the locker replacement project.

During council comments, Tim Lynch registered a complaint from one of his constituents concerning the lack of street cleaning being done. Jesse Lind said the Evanston Youth Club could use school supplies. Mike Sellers reminded everyone to have patience with all of the construction and road work being done and Hegeman reminded everyone to attend the candidate forum being held later that week.