March 23, 2023 Meeting Summary

March 23, 2023
Meeting Summary
Presiding: Jamie Terry
Meeting Room setup/takedown and general problem solving: Tom Mangan & Team
Inspiration: Klaus Hanson
Professor’s Quote:
Foundation Flash:
Introduction of Guests: Hanna Eslinger
Guests: Tom Wolfe introduced prospective member, Natalie White; Kelly Neville introduced Tyler Valentine
Exchange Students:
Visiting Rotarians:
Junior Rotarians/RYLA/Young RYLA: Amanda Nilsson
Rotaract/Interact Students:
Humor:
Foundation Drawing: Steve Morgan won $10 with $818 in the jackpot.
O’Dwyers Drawing: Steve Morgan
Announcements:
  • Next month’s board meeting has been moved to April 20.
  • This month’s Rotary theme is water and sanitation.
  • The District has nominations open for Rotarian of the Year.
  • Tony Hoch announced that Rotary Ski Day will be March 30 at Snowy Range Ski Area. The group will meet there at 10 a.m.
  • Dave Hansen asked the club to support the Read to Feed program that kicked off in elementary schools this week. The total needed is $2,500. See Dave if you can help personally or through your business.
  • Steve Morgan donated $100 to the Read to Feed cause and noted that if 24 others do so as well, we will have raised enough funds.
 
Upcoming Programs:
  • April 13: UW Utilities, Shantell Smith
  • April 27: UW Program in Israel, Caroline McCracken-Flescher
 
Rotarian of the Week: Randi Downham nominated Paul Montoya for volunteering to help at the 4-H carnival.
 
Songs: Springtime in the Rockies; This Land is Your Land
 
Program: Rotary Park Update, Todd Feezer
 
Introduction: Sarah Brown-Mathews
 
Todd Feezer, assistant city manager, gave an update on Laramie Rotary Clubs Park at Grand View Heights. The project started about seven years ago, and it is finally ready to get off the ground.
 
The park is located in the Grand View Heights neighborhood out by the high school by Bill Nye Street. It has a hill and is 6.3 acres.
 
The park is intended to include an entry plaza, playgrounds for different age groups, courts for sports, a dog park, and walking path. It will include a mix blue grass and prairie grass to keep it looking natural.
 
Originally this park was going to cost $1.6 million. Due to cost increases, there is no longer parking planned, the walking path may need to be diminished, and there will not be restrooms. There are other neighborhood parks in Laramie that do not have restrooms.
 
The City of Laramie applied for an $800,000 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The park was third on the list of approved, resulting in a $469,000 award. With this funding, the project will kick start in 2024 after full approval has been reached in September.
 
The city will put in about $800,000 in SPET funding for a total of $1.267 million toward the project. Inflation should not alter the costs between now and the actual build. They are still looking for other funding sources.
 
These may include the Albany County Rec Board, general fundraising, the Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund, and federal funding.
 
Other City of Laramie Updates:
 
The city was awarded $20 million through the Wyoming Business Council for research and a development facility. This will bring 75 new jobs to the community.
 
The old K-Mart is going to become Ross, DSW, Ulta, Home Goods, Famous Footwear, and maybe a cookie store.
 
Third Street will be closed again this summer. There will not be islands included in the project. This funding is instead going to beautification.
The city is looking for people to serve on the urban renewal agency to work on the Laramie housing crisis.
 
The Greenbelt will be expanded. Phase 1 is the Spring Creek Trail. The trail is designed to connect Third Street and 30th Street.
 
The old WyoTech facilities are now being used by the city. Public services moved out to the old campus. This was a $20 million operation. Rotarians can see the changes when we have a field trip there this spring.
 
Response: Tim Sullivan
 
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?
 
‘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!
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Spoke Editor: Caitlin White, 307-630-1965, cwhite@acplwy.org