Thursday, February 19, 2026 |
Photo – Map of donated land parcels – Courtesy City of Rawlins
In Rawlins, city officials reversed course and have now accepted a donation of land they previously rejected.
During Tuesday evening’s city council meeting, the governing body voted to accept a donation of five undeveloped industrial parcels west of the Rawlins Municipal Airport from Sinclair Land and Development, LLC. The decision follows the council’s rejection of the same donation earlier this month.
The original plan for the property, had the city accepted the donation, was to build a new asphalt batch plant on the northern end of Bonanza Street. However, Vice Mayor Darril Garner and council members Steve Sanger and Derek Elliott opposed placing the facility so close to homes along Edinburgh Road. They also did not want to remove the parcels from the private market or add more unneeded land to the city’s inventory.
The motion to accept the five parcels of land failed, with Mayor Wells and Councilmen Terry Patterson and Bruce Seilaff supporting the proposal, Vice Mayor Garner and Councilmen Sanger and Elliott opposing it, and Councilwoman Tonya Lewman abstaining.
Following Robert’s Rules of Order, a widely used manual of parliamentary procedure, the defeated motion was reintroduced during Tuesday’s City Council meeting. City Manager Matt Hall took responsibility for the unpopular plan to construct an asphalt plant on the property. Instead, Hall said the Public Works Department could use the land for storage.
The property is jointly owned by Henry Hewitt and John MacPherson of Sinclair Land and Development. Councilwoman Tonya Lewman asked Hewitt, who joined the meeting remotely, what he and his business partner originally planned to do with the land. Hewitt said the property was purchased in 1980 with the aim of developing a business park to support the nearby Rawlins Municipal Airport.
However, the collapse of global energy prices in the 1980s halted the project before it could move forward.
At this week’s meeting, Councilman Derek Elliot said he continues to oppose the deal, saying that the city already owns too many properties that have yet to be sold. Councilman Elliot said maintenance costs and the proximity of residential homes makes the parcels less attractive to own.
Vice Mayor Darril Garner said he would prefer that the property not be used for industrial purposes. The vice mayor added that if the city truly needs the land, he will support accepting the donation; otherwise, it should be made available to private developers.
City Manager Matt Hall said if the donation is accepted, the public works department will immediately use the land to store equipment. If the city chooses to sell the property in the future, Hall said the plan calls for planting trees and bushes to make the parcels more appealing to developers.
Councilman Elliot mentioned that the parcels have sat unused for more than 45 years, which he said shows a lack of interest from private investors. Instead of accepting more undeveloped land, the councilman suggested focusing on projects the city is already pursuing.
Vice Mayor Garner said he shares Councilman Elliot’s concerns, though he viewed a public works storage yard as unlikely to affect nearby residents. The vice mayor also noted that taking ownership of the property will prevent a private developer from building an industrial facility on the land.
Vice Mayor Garner said he originally opposed the donation to prevent the city from moving forward with an asphalt plant.
Following the vice mayor’s remarks, Mayor Wells called for a vote. The motion passed, with Mayor Wells, Vice Mayor Garner, and council members Lewman, Patterson, and Seilaff voting in favor. Councilmen Elliot and Sanger opposed the measure. To take ownership of the five parcels, the city will need to pay approximately $780 in back taxes.
