GUERNSEY – In the community and organization reports, Shawna Reichert, a volunteer representative of Guernsey on the Platte County Lodging and Tax board, shared with the council the new campaign being launched online to draw in tourists to the county. “We found out with the marketing company that people want to come to Platte County to hike, because they like to hike in the winter and we do not have the snow to fight with. The winter season landing page tells what to try if they’re here in the winter, and it has lists of hotels and Air B&B’s so they can stay longer than one day.”

She also said the pages for the planning season will be ready in March for the typical time people are planning their summer trips, and in May with the travel season, they have a campaign encouraging tourists to explore living history that ties into a theme mimicking the popular “Oregon Trail” game. With slogans like, “No fording the river necessary.”

Reichert explained other marketing companies have used the same pictures year after year, but the current marketer is using different and interesting pictures. The overall look will be along the lines of the style used by the State of Wyoming’s tourism campaign. There will also be a billboard that will be located by Little Bear, directing people to the website and helping people find their way around the county and the interesting things it has to offer.

The governor’s tourism conference will be held the end of February, and Reichert said the Platte County Lodging and Tax Board decided to use the grant money to attend the international meeting in Casper. She explained the meeting is a networking with other countries, where the Board will invite them to encourage the tourism in their countries to stay in Platte County. Reichert shared a previous experience at the international meeting, “I have had countries like Italy come to me and say they came because of the International Roundup.”

In a report concerning the Platte County Chamber of Commerce, director Reichert filled in the Guernsey Council on the Ag Banquet hosted in appreciation of agriculture business in the county. There were 215 people who attended, and Colt and Leah Thayer of Mill Iron L Meat were awarded the 2023 Ag Business of the Year award for their contributions to commodities and schools. She also shared the Chamber is communicating with other Chambers around the state as they actively work to have a voice for small business interests in the state legislative session. Part of that was a “Lunch and Learn” the Chamber held to fill in members on bills that are being proposed.

Councilwoman Penny Wells said she was asked by a citizen to find out how much money from the lodging tax was used to pay Reichert in her position at the chamber.

Reichert responded “There is nothing in the Memorandum of Understanding (with the Town of Guernsey) that says what anyone gets paid. I make nothing on the lodging tax board.”

When Wells pressed Reichert to explain two different amounts from the Town that are paid to the tax board, Reichert said the total amount was given to Councilmembers in a final copy of the budget, and a copy of what is turned into the County Clerk is also available on the plattecountywyoming.com website.

“I don’t have the numbers at the top of my head because I’m not involved in the MOU. I refuse to have anything to do with that part of the chamber,” Reichert emphasized in explanation of how she separates out her different rolls to prevent conflict of interest.

Fire Department Report

In Department reports, Fire Chief Jeff Thomas echoed citizen concerns from the meeting about abandoned houses in town. “I’ve got a lot of concern about a number of properties. I am not looking forward to going to any of them, but eventually I’m going to have to.”

He shared last month the fire department went to several calls last month with two accidents, some alarms and training. Thomas asked the Council to consider authorizing five of the department’s firemen to spend $350 per person to attend the EMS training in Glendo, since the Council tasked him with getting as many fire department personnel to take personal responder courses. Attendees would receive certifications “right below EMT-B,” Thomas said. “At that time, we could ... transport patients, if needed, on an emergency basis.”

He cited a situation recently when both ambulances assigned to Guernsey were busy on other calls when the Fire Department could have transported an emergent patient in their rescue truck, but were unable to do so legally because they didn’t have the proper certifications. Thomas said the situation was resolved, but he welcomes the ability to do more for people in the community.

“Considering where we are, the distance to the hospital and ambulances, I am totally in favor of you getting training,” Councilman Michaels said.

Fire engine No. 208 is “on a flatbed on its way to Greeley” for repairs, and may need another engine, Thomas reported. He also asked the council to considering increasing by $200 the amount he was budgeted to spend on ice rescue gear. There is currently a two-for-one sale on the gear, and he could get them both for $1,200, which he emphasized is “a good deal.” He needs the council to let him know by the end of the month.

The fire chief also discussed no parking signs that are to be going up on the building, and in response to Councilman Dale Harris’ inquiry about progress on getting seals on the doors, Thomas said someone showed up and took measurements, but he hasn’t heard anything back from them. He further shared there was a new furnace installed for the medics on their rooms and the weight room, but the doorway is open, and “until we get a door put in, that heat will go into the bay all the time.” Thomas added he has not had any luck getting anyone to complete that task.

Maintenance Report

Reporting on town maintenance, Mike Fronapfel said, “Everything is pretty good. We worked on water line breaks, and there have been some electrical outages - I think people have noticed over the last few days.” He said his team hasn’t pinpointed the specific problem yet, but “hopefully we’ll find it soon.”

He reported the wrap on the cemetery building is done, the handrail “looks nice”, they’re getting electricity going to it, and the electricity at city hall is going to be put in for the automatic doors of the planned handicap entrance. Fronapfel also updated the Council of details on the progress he’s making in getting the specialty bulbs for Guernsey streetlights, which is a very involved process. “It’s coming along slowly,” he said. “We did find some, but [it’s been a challenge] finding the right supplier to produce them for us.”

Councilman Michaels said the Wyoming Municipal Power Agency (WMPA), 10 years in the future, will “probably” go to time-of-day, rather than by-the-minute billing of electrical services. He stated Wheatland has made progress in their billing system, and asked Fronapfel if it made sense for Guernsey to go to something similar.

Fronapfel answered a complete transition to a universal billing and monitoring system is included in the Town’s four-year plan. At that time, all electric and water meters will be converted to a central system. “We will be able to do it all from Town Hall,” he said, speaking of reading meters, turning services off and on, and managing on-peak demand services.

Police Report

Police Chief Jay Harrison reported the department will be in compliance with FBI reporting requirements by the end of the month. He also explained the reason municipal court cases have been down lately. All criminal cases are now going through county court. Anyone with a bench warrant issued by the municipality would have to be housed at the Sheriff’s Office, and the town would be responsible for paying $150 per day for incarceration, plus any medical or other fees incurred by the inmate while in jail. Since that is not feasible, all arrests will now be cited through county, state or federal violations.

After questions from the council concerning traffic violations, said the department devoted 30-35 hours of traffic monitoring in a two-week time frame that resulted in three warnings and two citations.

“There’s not a lot of traffic violations, which is a good thing,” Chief Harrison said.

Sympathizing with public comments at the meeting, citing fear and alarm with individuals loitering about the town, Chief Harrison said, “We reduced crime calls 35 percent - our presence reduced crime.”

He said the department has a 92 percent success rate in closing cases, either by arrest or solving the case. “Those are good statistics, though we’d like 100 percent,” Harrison said, adding, “Yes, we do have a problem with mental health assistance resources in Wyoming. We have three to four calls a week on people with mental health issues. There is one specific person we get calls on several times a day, but Sgt. Brian Thomas, with his dilligence, worked very hard to find something to help this person. Today he worked with VOA (Volunteers of America) and in cooperation with this person, help is being provided.”

Crosswalk Signs

New crosswalk signs were put up at US 26 and Nebraska Ave., and the council is seeking to encourage people to use the side of the street where the signs are to cross the road.

“We have signs up now, please use them,” Michaels said.

The council unanimously voted to adjourn after announcements and an executive session to discuss personnel.