Presiding: Caitlin White

 

 

Meeting Room setup/takedown and general problem solving: Tom Mangan and Ron Van Ekeren

 

Inspiration: Jenny Eisenhauer

 

Introduction of Guests: Steve Gosar

 

Visiting Rotarians: Karl and Judy Konrad

 

Humor: Terry Roark

 

Foundation Drawing: Amanda Given $10 with $540.50 in the jackpot and 39 cards in the deck.

 

O’Dwyers Drawing: Jenny Eisenhauer won a $20 gift card from O’Dwyer’s.

 

-Steve Morgan announced there will be a “lip sync challenge” at War Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 9AM.

- Tom Mangan needs help with meeting setup on 9/27.

 

Rotarian of the Week: Tim Sullivan nominated Larry Struempf who got married!

 

 

August 16 – Matthew Schneider – Rotary Global Grant recipient speaking on conflict resolution in Turkey.

August 23^rd: Aimee Binning Albany County Emergency Management

August 30^th: Cynthia Cloyd, Project C.U.R.E. (Nigerian rural hospitals)

 

 

Introduction of Program: Tim Stamp

 

Parks and Recreation Director Todd Feezer and City Manager Janine Jordan on the 6^th penny Specific Purpose Tax Ballot initiative.

Todd Feezer started by Clarifying that the 6^th penny specific purpose is on the ballot in August and the 5^th penny general purpose tax will be on the ballot in November.

The 6^th penny is projected to collect $5.6M/year in the county, of which $3.8M goes to the City.

 

Over the next 10 years, using this tax, the City would expect to spend $22M on city streets and storm drainage, $6.8M on new and existing parks, $3.9M on the fire training facility, $3.4M on security and renovations in public buildings, $2.5M on the recreation and ice centers, $2.1M on trails and shared-use paths, $1M on community beautification, and $0.25M on aquifer protection.

 

Streets are rated at about average condition and are at a point where if they fall into more disrepair maintenance costs begin to grow at a much faster rate.  This budget is just to keep up with maintenance, not to get ahead of the maintenance.  Storm and sewer drains are in a worse situation; it is estimated that the city will need $80M in the next decade for storm and sewer improvements. 

 

Tim Stamp talked about the Laramie Regional Airport (LRA), for which he is the chairman. The LRS gets 3% of its budget from the City and County.  The LRA is much more dependent on federal funds, and in order to be eligible for federal funds for things like buildings, you first have to have everything in order with respect to critical infrastructure like taxiways, runways, parking and fuel facilities.  In the past 10 years the LRA has made about $19M in improvements, mostly funded by the FAA and WYDOT. 

 

The existing terminal was built in 1960 and had no insulation in the walls and little insulation in the roof.  Additionally, the secure waiting room must be as big as the capacity of the largest commercial airplane.  As the plane size increases, so must the size of the waiting room, by law. Currently the waiting room can house 50, but it will need to go to 70 then 90 over the upcoming years.  This will be a part of the terminal remodel.  The good news is that enplanements are way up with the switch from Great Lakes to Skywest United.  LRA was struggling to get 10,000 passengers a year in 2012, but is now up to over 13,000.

 

WYDOT funded the current terminal concept and budget study for planned facility improvements, which includes a new Grand Entrance/Gateway, remodeled interior, new baggage claim, functional TSA passenger and baggage screening areas, improved departure lounge with restrooms (no beer, sorry Andy) and a unified campus appearance (think Cowboy Aviation and the Rochelle Gateway Center).

 

The renovation project budget is $12M with local funding providing $7.5M.  This includes money from the 6^th penny tax, the Wyoming Business Council and airport funds from contracts and operations.

With the design finished, construction is expected to start in Spring of 2019 and be completed in Summer of 2020.

 

 

Responding for the Club: Steve Morgan

 

 

 

Spoke Editor: Tony Hoch, 307-760-9386 or tony.hoch@lrcd.net