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The drought of last summer may have something to do with the larger-than-normal past due bills the Wyoming City Council certified to taxes    last week.  Council member Linda Nanko Yeager asked if the $102,000 in seriously delinquent accounts has roots in the rates and if they are burdensome to residents.  City Administrator Robb Linwood guessed the large sum is more likely due to homeowner associations and heavy irrigating of new home sod.  Linwood agreed though, the past due accounts are adding up and ordinarily the city sees a total closer to $80,000.  He reminded the council there are rate studies that look into expenses for the systems and revenue necessary to sustain them.

In other infrastructure related business: council approved doing a feasibility study on 2024 potential street improvements.  This is the first step towards identifying projects and determining what can be done and at what costs. City Engineer Mark Erichson said the city has made a lot of progress in recent years on street needs but the list is still long.  The feasibility report will be presented to council in the future.

The city zoning administrator Fred Weck presented the amendments recommended for the architectural standards code.  The planning commission reviewed the wording in an effort to create some continuity in exterior design standards and fixing the complex code formatting to be easier to follow. 

Council adopted the amendments 5-0.

Weck said this was recommended following the city comprehensive plan review recently completed.

The amendments spell out materials as class one, two or three and where the standards apply on areas of new buildings.

The city’s new reserve cadet Derek Heath was announced.  Police Chief Neil Bauer said the opening had been posted a month ago. Heath is enrolled in a law enforcement degree program now.  The reserve cadet office training program holds the potential to reimburse the participant for tuition using state funds, when graduation is achieved.

And, the council authorized hiring Devin Ojeda as ice rink/warming house attendant for $17 an hour.

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