April 24, 2023 |
Photo – Rawlins Fire Station #2 – Bigfoot99 file photo
Officials from the Wyoming Association of Municipalities are coming to Rawlins to host a city council training class. The public is encouraged to attend the session virtually.
During last week’s city council meeting, Mayor Terry Weickum said WAM will be in town on Saturday, April 29th. Mayor Weickum said Fire Chief Blain Schumacher will allow the training class, referred to as a boot camp, to be held at Fire Station #2. The mayor said the meeting will be open to town council members from all municipalities in Carbon County.
A new state law mandates that all public officers must undergo financial training for their city to be eligible for state grants and loans. All elected council members in Wyoming are required to perform the training before the end of the next fiscal year. Rawlins Mayor Weickum said Saturday’s class will satisfy the city’s legal requirements.
Mayor Weickum said the upcoming training will be produced by the same people responsible for the WAM boot camp held in Cheyenne in January. The mayor said a new lesson about handling financial records will be added to the course. The mayor said the class ensures that the council’s budgeting methods conform with state law.
The training class will start at 10:00 am and is expected to last until around 4:30. Councilman Darril Garner said he would be unable to make it and asked if other programs were available to provide the required training. The councilman also asked if he could be financially compensated for his travel.
Mayor Weickum said WAM is hosting another training boot camp in Cody at the beginning of June. The mayor said no other towns in Carbon County were prepared to offer the same type of education Councilman Garner would find during Saturday’s class.
Mayor Weickum told Councilman Garner to call WAM Member Services Manager Justin Schilling to find out about other training classes. Garner asked if he is required to be physically present during June’s WAM boot camp in Cody. Mayor Weickum said he thinks so, but suggested Councilman Garner ask Schilling to be sure.
The training class will be held on April 29th from 10:00am to 4:30pm. Mayor Weickum asked the public to attend virtually. He said it would be a good way for people to see how the city government functions and learn the rules the council must abide by.
House Bill 60 only requires the council members to obtain financial training. WAM offers the necessary training, but also includes classes on other topics, such as community development and ethics.
Council members Garner and Tonya Lewman have introduced a code of ethics to be adopted by the council.
Councilman Garner said he provided City Attorney Gwendolyn Wade with a draft copy of proposed ethics rules Lewman and he drafted. The councilman said he was waiting on possible revisions from the city’s legal department before presenting the document to the rest of the council.
Mayor Weickum asked Councilman Garner to wait until after Saturday’s training to present the finished ethics document. The mayor said WAM’s training may address questions the councilman has about the city’s codes of conduct. Councilwoman Lewman expressed her approval.
Ethics is a hot button topic for other members of the Rawlins city government. Former city councilman Aaron Durst resigned his position as president of the Rawlins Airport Board before last week’s city council meeting.
In Durst’s letter of resignation, he cited his opposition to the council’s handling of Dirty Boyz and to how the city responded to last year’s illegal campaign contribution to Councilwoman Lewman as the motivation for resigning from the airport board.
During Tuesday’s meeting, all seven members of the city council voted to accept Durst’s resignation and to advertise the vacated position.
Saturday’s city council training meeting will be broadcast on the City of Rawlins YouTube page. A link to the video will also be posted on the city’s Facebook page, City of Rawlins Government.
