By AMY DAV-IS

Pioneer Reporter



Lyman Mayor Ralph Bradshaw gave an update to the council during their July 15 business meeting on the status of a possible construction of a Love’s Travel Center at I 80 Exit 41, commonly referred to as the Lyman North road.

The truck stop would be located east across the road from the rest area. A major holdup in the process is the need for a sewer line extension to the site, according to Bradshaw. The price tag on the extension has been quoted as being near $1 million. Bradshaw said that his recent meeting with representatives from Love’s went well, with both parties deciding to apply for a Business Ready with Committed Customer grant through the Wyoming Business Council (WBC) for the $1 million. The town would be responsible for 10 percent of the $1 million. It was indicated that Love’s would be willing to work with the town on paying their portion of the grant. Love’s will be required to submit plans to the WBC by Aug. 1. Bradshaw said he believed the company’s repayment would not be an issue as their engineers have already completed preliminary drawings.

Councilman Eric Quinney inquired if the parcel would have to be annexed into the town limits before the grant could be submitted, and Bradshaw responded that the move would just have to be in the works. The complete grant would be voted on by WBC on Sept.1.

According to their website at http://www.loves.com, Love’s was founded in 1964 by Tom Love and is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla. The company is family owned and operated and has more than 200 locations in more than 30 states. The website states that “Love’s is currently ranked No. 15 on Forbe’s Magazine’s annual listing of America’s largest privately held companies.”

The council had the first reading of a new ordinance that would ban the use of “major appliances intended to be maintained indoors, outdoors as a nuisance.” The existing ordinance declares that junk appliances are a nuisance. This ordinance is designed to prevent residents from operating items such as washers, dryers and refrigerators on the porch of their home or in the yard. The council clarified that this would not pertain to freezers kept in the garage of a home. A vigorous debate followed, with Councilman Pat Corun expressing concerns that the ordinance was too far reaching. The motion passed on the first reading, with Corun voting nay.

An ordinance, passed on first reading, prohibits inattentive driving within the Town of Lyman. Police Chief Tom Clark said that this ordinance does not specifically mention texting, as the new Wyoming State Law that went to effect earlier this month does. This ordinance is geared more towards a driver, who is distracted and driving, and then causes an incident. If passed, the town will have a local ordinance to enforce in this type of situation. Clark gave the examples of people searching for a CD, adjusting the radio or talking to occupants of the vehicle as possible ways a driver could be distracted without texting or talking on the phone. Councilman Lee Van Gieson voted nay due to the wording of the ordinance.

Hogan and Associates and Myers-Anderson both updated the council on the new retail center on Main Street. Concrete was scheduled to be poured on July 19, conditions permitting. Project Manager Bill Wingeleth clarified the testing requirements for portions of the job.

Town Attorney Thayne Peterson said that the lease agreement for Alysia Jensen’s salon and day spa, a fourth business slated to be in the retail center, would be ready for the council by the Aug. 5 meeting.

The council went into executive session, to discuss pending litigation issues.



For the complete article see the 07-23-2010 issue.

Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 07-23-2010 paper.