EVANSTON — During a public hearing over the city budget for fiscal year 2025-26 at the regular meeting of the Evanston City Council on Tuesday, June 17, there were very few comments and no dissenting comments made. The meeting began with the mayor and all council members thanking treasurer Trudy Lym and all the department heads for making the budget easy to understand and for answering all of their questions.

Lym read aloud the resolution the council would approve for providing income to finance the budget. Evanston City Attorney Mark Harris then opened the public hearing to receive public input on the proposed budget.

Shelly Horne was the first resident to comment on the budget.

“First, I hate to say this, but the sound system in this chamber is horrible. It is important to hear you all. I have one question, is the $84,000 for the water tower that was designated last year still in the budget? Those of us who have been working on the water tower are frustrated.”

Mayor Kent Williams responded that he didn’t have an answer for Horne immediately but they needed to talk about it soon.

Horne said he has been talking with the University of Wyoming president to see if there were any engineering students who could help with the design of the foundation for the tower. He added that he is more than willing to get with the mayor and discuss the progress of the tower project.

Local resident Mike Slaughter addressed the council.

“This is a complex budget, and I appreciate the time that went into it. Of course, there are things I like in it and things I don’t like, but I am pleased you kept the human services in the budget and the amount for the senior center.”

Mayor Williams said, “I think the budget shows we do our best to meet the needs of the community.”

Since there were no further comments, Harris closed the public hearing. During the review of new business, the council approved a resolution providing for the necessary income to finance the budget and the annual appropriation of funds for fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.

The council approved seven items on the consent agenda. Six street closure permits were approved.

Four of the street closure permits approved were for Fourth of July neighborhood parties in various locations in the city.

Another was for the All Alumni Noise Parade on Saturday, July 5, from 9 to 10 a.m. on Main Street, starting at the library and ending at Depot Square.

A second parade route permit was approved for the Evanston Cowboy Days celebration and Labor Day parade on Monday, Sept. 1, beginning at 10 am.

The council approved, on second reading, an ordinance amending section 24-71 A of the city code, setting sign permit fees by resolution of the city council. It will be reviewed for a third reading before final approval.

The final plat for the Revolution addition was approved on first reading and will come before the council for two more readings before final approval.

A proposition for imposing a 1% specific purpose excise tax in Uinta County, to be placed on a special election ballot on Nov. 4, was brought before the council by Evanston Parks and Recreation District Director Kim Larson.

“The county commission and the Lyman and Bear River city councils have approved the tax initiative, and I am asking the city of Evanston to approve it as well,” Larson said. “I will be meeting with the Mountain View city council tonight to seek their approval. Each municipality has selected a project with an estimate for the cost for their specific purpose for the tax.”

Councilmember Evan Perkes said, “I think it is important to let the voters decide.”

The council unanimously approved the proposition for a 1% specific purpose excise tax to be placed on a special election ballot.

The council approved a resolution authorizing the submission of an application for federal funding through the transportation alternatives program administered by the Wyoming Department of Transportation for the purpose of the pedestrian sidewalk improvement project.

Damon Newsome, director of planning and engineering, said this grant would be for the design element only of a sidewalk from the Aspen area to the recreation center and would expand a connection from the sidewalk that was put in near Aspen Elementary in 2019. He won’t know if they receive the grant until late fall, so he would seek a second grant next year for implementation of the sidewalk.

During public participation, Cathy Cook thanked the council for the beautiful flowers placed around downtown. She said she knows the business owners on Main Street are responsible for watering the trees, clearing the sidewalks and cleaning in front of their buildings, but she thought the city should send out a reminder to business owners, as it is obvious some are not complying with the requirements.

She also asked if the city council work sessions could be recorded as what is discussed in those meetings would be important for people to hear.

“We never have filmed the work sessions,” Williams said. “They are an opportunity for this body to be able to discuss issues and what is coming up in our business meetings. If people have specific concerns they can direct them to the different department heads.”

Councilmember Jen Hegeman said she thinks it is important for people to bring their concerns to a work session so the council can all hear it and discuss it.

The last person to speak was Uinta Senior Center Executive Director Glenn Roach. On behalf of the city’s senior citizens, he gave a big thank you to the mayor and council for providing funds for the senior center in the new budget.