April 24, 2025 Meeting Summary

April 24, 2025
Meeting Summary
Presiding: Kelly Neville
Meeting Room setup/takedown and general problem solving: Tom Mangan and Ron Van Ekeren
Inspiration: Tom Wolfe
Professor’s Quote:
Foundation Flash:
Introduction of Guests: Dave Hansen
Guests:
Visiting Rotarians:
Junior Rotarians/RYLA/Young RYLA/Exchange Students: Eva, Kamrie, Olafur
Rotaract/Interact Students:
Humor: Todd Pearson
Foundation Drawing: Jerry Gruber won $10 with $516 in the jackpot.
O’Dwyers Drawing: Christina Kuzmych
Announcements:
  • Don’t forget to volunteer to work the greeting table!
  • Board elections will start in May. It is an opt in process.
  • Dave Hansen told the club that three classrooms will participate in Read to Feed. The club is trying to help with $750 per classroom. Donate if you can.
  • Tom Mangan announced that the MS Walks will be on May 31 in Cheyenne and June 1 in Laramie. You can sign up or donate.
  • District Conference is June 12-14 in Loveland. The club can support registration and other expenses if you’re interested in attending.
  • A list potential members was passed around. Sign up if you know a person to reach out to.
  • Dave Hansen noted that there are upcoming bylaw changes. The board is proposing reducing the minimum number of board members from 6 to 5; adding a non-voting Public Image Officer to the board; and switching the election process to opt-in.
  • Murray Schroeder reminded the club about clean-up day on May 3 at 8am. We will meet at the WYDOT driver services building on 287.
  • Keith Rittle updated the club on Taste of Laradise on June 7. You can help by purchasing/selling tickets and working on sponsors. Sixty percent of earnings will go to the Laramie Youth Crisis Center and 40% will go to other causes we support.
 
Rotarian of the Week: Terry Moss nominated Murray Schroeder for his work on clean-up day; Kelly Neville nominated Rollin Abernethy for his work on a new global scholarship.  
 
Songs:
 
Program: Laramie Downtown Third Street Project with WYDOT, Ryan Shields & Andrea Staley
Introduction: Dave Hansen
 
The 3rd Street project is long overdue. WYDOT has wanted to work on it for over a decade. This type of project normally takes 3-5 years. This project has taken longer because the City of Laramie wanted to replace underground utilities leading up to other construction.
 
Overall, the project is going well. They are resurfacing because the asphalt is in poor shape. A new culvert is being put in on south Third Street to be able to support modern loads and provide better pedestrian walkways.
 
 
From I-80 to Reynolds Street, WYDOT will replace and update corners to be ADA accessible. They are also putting in five new traffic signals. Mainly the project is about aesthetics and safety.
 
There will be a speed limit reduction on Third Street between Garfield and University. The reduction is from 30 mph to 20 mph.
 
There is more substantial work planned for North Third. There have been some interesting limitations here because a historic landfill was discovered and items found there are protected because of their historic value and age.  
 
The main contractor on the project is Knife River. The project is $12.2 million. September 15 is the deadline for completion, and the contractor will get a bonus is they finish by August 21. The downtown portion should be completed before Jubilee Days. There will be a closure at Grand and Third soon with a detour, but other spots will reopen.
 
Most WYDOT projects are a split between federal and state funding. Usually this is a 90% federal to 10% state split, meaning Wyoming heavily relies on federal funds for these types of projects.
 
Next summer, WYDOT will work on Grand Avenue from 30th to the interstate. A turn lane is expected to be added at the Laramie Airport this year.  In 2028, WYDOT plans to work on Snowy Range Road in West Laramie.
 
Response: Amanda Givan
 
‘Response: The Rotary Club of Laramie will make a donation to the public library children’s book fund in the speaker’s name.
NOTE: We Do Not Donate a Book!
 
Rotary 4-way test
Of the things we think, say, or do:
•Is it the Truth?
•Is it Fair?
•Will it build Good Will and
  Better Friendships?
•Will it be Beneficial to All    
  Concerned?
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Spoke Editor: Caitlin White, 307-630-1965, cwhite@acplwy.org