Pal's changes hands; RV park gains building

David and Kara Acton of Burns asked the council to approve the transfer of the liquor license from Pal’s Pub to them Monday evening at the Pine Bluffs council meeting. The Actons have purchased the business and plan to close on May 31.

“The state statutes require the legal notice to be in the local paper four consecutive weeks prior to the public hearing,” explained town attorney Alex Davison. The Actons asked what the process would be after that.

“I think I can speak for the entire council when I say there shouldn’t be any problems with the transfer of the license after we satisfy the technicalities,” mayor Bill Shain said. Shain asked town administrator Caryn Miller to put the notice in the paper and schedule the public hearing for the June 17 meeting.

Davison informed the Actons they could operate under the existing license since they are purchasing the entire business which holds the license, and in June transfer the license over to their personal names. Shain and Davison both apologized to the Actons for the delay.

Shain talked to the council about the information Chris Lidstone had forwarded on the old water meter removal program.

Councilman Mark Fornstrom said the three-year time frame given by the contractor seemed like a long period. Shain said the contractor might “work faster” once the work begins.

The council agreed to send out the letters with the approval form to all Pine Bluffs water customers with the next two bills and give customers 45 days to respond.

The council also agreed to the water conservation letter Lidstone forwarded to the council and asked Miller to circulate that to the residents as well.

Police chief Robin Clark addressed the council with a request to hire a fourth officer for the department. Clark and Olivia Lundy presented the council with a grant proposal that would cover 75 percent of the salary and benefits for the officer for a duration of three years and a spreadsheet of call volume for the past year.

“With the volume of calls we receive, I don’t have time for administrative duties such as finding and writing grants,” Clark explained. “I missed $13,000 from the highway patrol and others that would help the town. We also need help if Char or I are gone.”

Clark added with the possible coverage of Albin, a fourth officer would be absolutely necessary.

Davison said Albin’s budget is pretty small and he didn’t feel they would be able to cover the 25 percent left over for the officers salary. Councilman Tom Mohren said the biggest complaint he heard regarding the police department is that “none of our officers are patrolling, it’s always Cheyenne at night.” Mohren added Cheyenne officers and the Laramie County Sheriffs Department could cover when an officer is gone to training or on vacation without causing overtime for the department.

Fornstrom asked how long it had been since the department had two officers and councilman Alan Curtis said two years. Fornstrom was concerned with the notion that overtime would end if another officer was brought in.

“That’s what we heard when we went to three, and yet we still have overtime,” Fornstrom said. “I also don’t think it’s a good idea to rely on a grant to pay for reoccurring expenses. It’s dangerous.”

Shain thanked Clark for all her efforts and appreciated her work for the department, but said the council had too many concerns to move forward at this time.

The council discussed the request to build a shop at the RV park. Mohren asked if the Laramie County School District No. 2 ever took the land back, would they get the building as well. Shain said he assumed it would stay with the city.

“I just don’t want to spend $45,000 and then give it away,” Mohren said. The council approved the contract for the building.

In department reports, Fornstrom reminded everyone of the community wide garage sales coming up June 1, and thought someone could still get on the list if they called Sonja Fornstrom at the community center. In other business, the council approved the following; first reading of the fiscal year 2013-2014 Pine Bluffs budget, invoice three for the water distribution project, pay request for the work on the airport hangers, a building permit for 502 W 6th, a resolution amending the budget to allow for three full time positions at the day care, a request for alcohol at a private party hosted at the community center, and a resolution declaring certain town property surplus.

The next council meeting will be Monday, June 3, at 7:30 p.m.