JANUARY 17, 2025|
Photo – Medicine Bow Town Council – by Matt Copeland Bigfoot99
The Medicine Bow town council voted to postpone purchasing new community center doors due to the higher-than-expected price tag.
The Medicine Bow Community Center, located at 221 Pine Street, is used for town council meetings and special events, such as the annual Halloween haunted house. However, the doors on the building are drafty and difficult to unlock.
Last November, the governing body instructed Public Works Director Brian Lashley to obtain estimates to buy and install new doors for the community center.
During the January 13th Medicine Bow town council meeting, Public Works Director Lashley explained that he received three quotes to replace the double doors on the building’s upper level and a single door in the town council chambers. The bids ranged between $11,600 and $18,000.
Councilman Lee Cook said he was surprised by the high cost. Councilman Cook acknowledged that Medicine Bow’s remote location makes things more difficult to get and therefore more expensive. However, the councilman said he was told the doors should not cost more than $3,000 in total.
Public Works Director Lashley said he asked a representative from Cowboy Glass in Laramie if updating the hardware would be cheaper than completely replacing the doors. He was told that the age of the doors makes everything more expensive.
The doors were installed in 2009.
Councilman Cook again expressed his surprise at the high estimated cost. Medicine Bow Fire Chief Ed Standish said that, given the types of doors needed for the community center, the price seems reasonable.
Councilwoman Kristi Wickizer asked Lashley if he could install the doors himself to save the town money on labor. Lashley admitted that he’s never installed those types of doors but offered to try.
Mayor Justin George said the town can use impact assistance money to pay for the doors, but before making a decision, Lashley should contact Cowboy Glass to ask if town staff can install the doors and, if so, to get a new quote.
The town council unanimously voted to postpone the decision to purchase new doors for the community center until Lashley speaks to the Cowboy Glass representative.
