[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6352339,"mediaKeyId","2224857-006ba21c71cfea035f5e61ed4c988dbe","parentId",2224857,"title","Mayor raises concern after overhearing councilor’s grocery-store conversation; councilor denies making corruption claim","audioSeconds",232,"startMs",3665000,"endMs",3897000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2224857-006ba21c71cfea035f5e61ed4c988dbe&start=3665&end=3897","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2224857-006ba21c71cfea035f5e61ed4c988dbe/thumbnail_3665000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6352339/Wyoming/Mayor-raises-concern-after-overhearing-councilors-grocery-store-conversation-councilor-denies-making-corruption-claim","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6352339-33b56e1b75303fb921080e297dcba6ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1771037051&Signature=L1Rf9n7E3jZC9vMkoe4UWTe0nSU6mK45I1nQ8cCS79L59bejryEHgg9JDoXyLvzuymoaZAyrGUyCXh8bW47K8cwmBd2G56tY6EyNJlk2qTqNcf7JaVKqR4jEAF71VffucuGNBu321Aovk-lXvAx-ZCU7JQF4TYao1nukm5zqbaDoDECwXcpeDRnh4htUbQMshRgrvXt6MfJH6WhEKAfHDlUV3eSSQLT7Ay3jQXo4Mitpc3Jbrr4~26wL4viHoi0~~418EGQdLhrIWASlV~j4G4gdHp1m8uQ8eTWed3mI-~NCapIXPGNYn8lr9nKRVLWrYrOw0uzDPwFuQ15wqyJMpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Rock Springs WY","date","2025-02-05T16:59:07.44Z","article","Mayor Max Mickelson told the Rock Springs City Council on Feb. 4 that he overheard a public conversation in a grocery-store dairy aisle during which someone said city employees were \"incompetent and corrupt.\" Mickelson said he raised the matter at the meeting to give the councilor an opportunity to provide a factual basis for that claim.

Councilor Malonis (the councilor named in roll call earlier in the meeting) denied saying city employees were corrupt, saying he was listening to a resident, identified in the discussion as Lynn Jackman, who raised the issue. Malonis said he did not make the allegation and that he was merely listening to the other person’s statements.

Mickelson said the exchange he overheard included the councilor apparently affirming the allegation; Malonis disputed that characterization. The conversation also included references to prior local events — including a past mayor under federal investigation, which Malonis mentioned in response — but no council action or formal investigation was initiated during the meeting.

No formal complaint or motion to investigate was filed on the floor. The exchange concluded with the mayor expressing concern about public statements by elected officials and the council adjourning the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Rock Springs Council Meeting February 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Mayor Max Mickelson said he overheard a public conversation in a grocery-store aisle in which a councilor appeared to confirm a claim that city employees were \"incompetent and corrupt,\" and he raised the matter at the Feb. 4 council meeting to allow the councilor to provide facts supporting the statement.","taxTitle","Rock Springs City Council, Rock Springs, Sweetwater County, Wyoming","taxId",68758,"location","Wyoming","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6352344,"Rock Springs council approves routine bills, two resolutions and several departmental requests",3445,52000,3497000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2224857-006ba21c71cfea035f5e61ed4c988dbe&start=52&end=3497","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2224857-006ba21c71cfea035f5e61ed4c988dbe/thumbnail_52000.jpg","/articles/6352344/Wyoming/Rock-Springs-council-approves-routine-bills-two-resolutions-and-several-departmental-requests","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6352344-3f0ff11ea769160a22abc69bbfa054f0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771037051&Signature=m-KTQ8R3towjC24t7X-K3LRH0VPd6vgZbHwKplpeb~2Bj2RI8WQI1CO4kVqha3V3WKVs2uX08Q~lrr33baTuIzekiFQCxfyzm3pyvYv5i-WYzLqBFJpj5Lp~9kfiLPQEAqdcfpuXB8ry96r0MmU13qh4z5d911XLYEN4MhD3tBwOo61f8An1eIn9G04qz4J4B9SCxmFUNDi1xlfpgR2qas~ihMCZbJZPvfk2Ocy6AS5i1d4N-r6cN6UmMLP~PsEYm1fLDV513-F~L8dfLFWPx7x8MvmaKNtecFxuEbqY-v4lUPzpkTjMwQM2V~d0UTtLDv-62CVApUwrkmv1E3yS8w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Rock Springs City Council voted on several routine items and a pair of resolutions during its Feb. 4 meeting. Actions included approval of the consent agenda, bills and claims and salaries; authorization to fill a vacant recreation-supervisor position at the Civic Center; a $6,000 grant request to the Bridal and Tourism Board for the Shootout in the Springs basketball tournament; permission to bid multiple 2025 street projects; and approval of two resolutions authorizing a contract and a memorandum of understanding.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda (minutes of Jan. 21, 2025; correspondence): Motion to approve moved by Councilor Hickerson, seconded by Councilor Dimas/Demas; motion carried unanimously.

- Bills and claims (02/04/2025): Motion to approve moved by Councilor Demas, seconded by Councilor Zoddy; motion carried with Councilors Thompson and Pedri abstaining.

- Salaries (01/22/2025): Motion to approve moved by Councilor Dimas, seconded by Councilor Bingham; motion carried with Councilors PG and Thompson abstaining.

- Parks & Recreation: Authorization to fill a vacant recreation supervisor at the Civic Center: Motion to approve moved by Councilor Dimas, seconded by Councilor Pedri; motion carried unanimously. City staff stated the position’s starting salary is roughly $56,000.

- Parks & Recreation: Permission to apply for a $6,000 grant from the Bridal and Tourism Board for the Shootout in the Springs basketball tournament: Motion to approve moved by Councilor Thompson, seconded by Councilor Hickerson; motion carried unanimously.

- Engineering/Operations/Public Services: Permission to bid the 2025 street overlay, concrete replacement (phase 1), crack seal (phase 1) and weed mitigation projects: Motion to approve moved by Councilor Hansen, seconded by Councilor Hickerson; motion carried unanimously. City staff cited budget figures in the proposed 2025 budget (crack sealing proposed new spending ~$200,000; street overlay proposed new spending ~$1.7M with prior-year encumbrances; concrete replacement proposed new spending ~$1.7M including encumbrances) and said some amounts include prior encumbered contracts.

- Resolution 2025-16: Contract with H and M Field Services in the amount of $99,287.50: Motion to approve moved by Councilor Hickerson, seconded by Councilor PG; motion carried with Councilor Zoddy abstaining.

- Resolution 2025-17: Memorandum of understanding with the Rock Springs Amateur Hockey Association: Motion to approve moved by Councilor DeMuth, seconded by Councilor Hansen; motion carried unanimously.

- Ordinances: Four ordinances were on the council’s second reading (animal licensing/impoundment/adoption; building-code amendments; standing committees). Council will take final action on those at a subsequent meeting; no council vote was taken on final passage during this session.

Council members used the motions-and-aye procedure for most routine items; individual recorded abstentions were noted in the minutes where they occurred.","At its Feb. 4 meeting the Rock Springs City Council approved the consent agenda, bills and claims and salaries, authorized hiring for the civic center, approved a $6,000 grant application for a basketball tournament, authorized bids on several street projects and approved two resolutions including a $99,287.50 contract.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6352349,"911 center reports steady call volume, RapidSOS adoption and looming capital costs",731,1911000,2642000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2224857-006ba21c71cfea035f5e61ed4c988dbe&start=1911&end=2642","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2224857-006ba21c71cfea035f5e61ed4c988dbe/thumbnail_1911000.jpg","/articles/6352349/Wyoming/911-center-reports-steady-call-volume-RapidSOS-adoption-and-looming-capital-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6352349-c426ef58f6fbddd844f778f036122ace/orig.mp4?Expires=1771037051&Signature=WZVsNfgVEo4b~w6wAxrvBv7ERnblmzeKZrN0MPyAfmQi0qwxjCTYv11q8nS4hXxK-RDSlb6Mhuz0Af5kgmGm1d1WnTHi-Be1FDw9zvKaeFKWQWLXXDqMtyElOHqFzlAeO8zrU5ehgdvIExRTfi51NT9xHKrwlv6ZnHG9Du2uzG4diueKVDZ1NPzcNWWqGYqJZfV8Nz-~KabFeVif1WfqP2wRlsvSeQPCMiEoDw1l0CBwPMctXQ2Z7hNI82RJbmbCrrl1TLGTNHGULz961O4ojv9OBXNKmo7zhrwpXTQnEaqpEH22nojtQvDoIh8Ls2vurBDbv0X5O-kIUnJwOSGTDg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","David Halter, information-technology director for the Sweetwater Combined Communications Center, presented the center’s 2024 annual report to the Rock Springs City Council on Feb. 4, saying that 9-1-1 voice calls returned to the 14,000 range after a one-year spike.

Halter said the center received 14,813 9-1-1 voice calls in 2024. He told council members that 90.64% of calls originated from wireless devices and that phase 2 cellular location data now covers roughly 90% of calls. RapidSOS — which supplies device GPS location data to dispatch centers — is now present on nearly 82% of calls, up from 47% in 2019, Halter said.

The center recorded 78,053 total calls for service in 2024; Rock Springs Police Department accounted for 28,032 calls (about 36% of the total). Halter said 4,266 calls were transferred to the Wyoming Highway Patrol and that 911 text messages numbered 68 last year. He reported that mobile data terminal (in-vehicle laptop) usage by officers has reduced radio and phone traffic.

Halter described public-facing features and outreach: Smart911 safety profiles (737 active profiles) and facility profiles for businesses to upload floor plans and hazard details. He said the center provides voice and text 911, dispatch services, online jail-roster hosting and after-hours emergency call-outs for city public works departments.

On capital needs, Halter said the center recently completed a server replacement and is due to replace three more servers this year. He said a data-center uninterruptible power supply (UPS) in Green River will likely cost about $150,000 and that a future radio-console replacement (Motorola support ends after 2029) could be about $1.7 million; he suggested spreading that cost over five years. The center has received a YDOT grant to replace eight console radios.

During questions, Ken Zozotti asked whether the reduced call volume would lower the center’s budget request; Halter said rising software and replacement costs mean the budget request will not fall. City staff confirmed several line-item amounts and said some budget figures include encumbered (contracted but unpaid) spending rolled from the previous fiscal year.

Halter said the center implemented multi-factor authentication and continues projects to modernize microwave links and other infrastructure. He asked council members to expect larger capital requests in coming budget cycles and offered to meet individually with council members to review the five-year capital-replacement plan.","The Sweetwater Combined Communications Center reported roughly 14,800 911 voice calls in 2024, high wireless-call shares and increasing GPS location accuracy, while outlining several planned capital replacements including a possible $1.7 million radio console replacement.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6352354,"Sweetwater County tourism board reports rising visitation, $86 million in visitor spending",967,923000,1890000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2224857-006ba21c71cfea035f5e61ed4c988dbe&start=923&end=1890","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2224857-006ba21c71cfea035f5e61ed4c988dbe/thumbnail_923000.jpg","/articles/6352354/Wyoming/Sweetwater-County-tourism-board-reports-rising-visitation-86-million-in-visitor-spending","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6352354-210ede7a4117e1681e3a9f7ed0f82630/orig.mp4?Expires=1771037051&Signature=ALmd223LeecnZDLBA50ciY~U~SPA~xOUvLkkq5erNpjpxIqQI6LtORYGpRpMgZt8vaVvU307Oazqe7RAhKNn0y6mrgrkWBpRpE6F2I8MRtnjEnw~38FrWFPjozh5WAyoWg51jJzTHosVqtW2zhFQsgkhTYOHbRDpDY7A8W1PN1pFeUDZ-eZyIXm0YdCr~~suk~HM5dRLHOINDBQXrGn140HTGTq0N-gv8BrbhbvLYCMZgblxIvCSEm2sLtlVM5a4yIzoFh5Cp~9uBwHYrOoyMEzIu8rswCxDgJv8gI7nJsHm7-pblJU4rIjbAppzUvkd5Xdn6kH~Gyr8aURttUHKHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Janessa Meredith, chief executive officer of the Sweetwater County Bridal and Tourism Board, told the Rock Springs City Council on Feb. 4 that the board’s 2024 marketing work helped increase visitation and generated an estimated $86 million in visitor spending.

Meredith said the county’s 4% lodging tax (2% statewide, 2% local) is legally limited to marketing and visitor-generation activities. She told council members that 79% of the board’s budget went to marketing in 2024, with 7% allocated to event grants, 3% to chamber block grants, 3% to the events complex and 8% for administration.

The board reported steadier visitor traffic at the Elk Street visitor center, a 23% year-over-year rise in visitation in 2023 and an 11% increase the following year. Meredith said the board’s recruitment of events — including state soccer tournaments in 2023 and 2024 — produced roughly $6 million in economic impact from those tournaments alone, with about 800 competitors and their families attending.

Meredith outlined capital-eligible destination development funding the board received from the Wyoming Office of Tourism: $300,000 every two years. The board used the most recent award for a city wayfinding plan; phase 1 installed 30 of 86 planned signs. Meredith also said the board secured $100,000 from the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation to build out a petroglyph site at Henry’s Fork on the Wyoming side of the Flaming Gorge Scenic Byway and is seeking additional funding from the National Scenic Byways office. She said the Ashley National Forest will lead build-out on federal land.

Meredith described a commissioned feasibility study for an indoor sports facility, with completion expected in April 2025. She said local industry contributors helped fund the study and that discussions with private partners have taken place, but she told the council there are no formal private commitments at this stage.

The board also noted a first-time resident mailer aimed at encouraging local residents to explore county offerings, continued Flaming Gorge bus tours, sandboard rentals and expanded public-relations outreach that led to multiple published travel pieces in 2024. Meredith said the board won a 2024 HSMAI bronze Adrian award for a digital video promoting Flaming Gorge Country.

Council members and staff asked several procedural and funding questions. When a councilor asked whether private investment had emerged around the indoor sports facility, Meredith said local industry had participated in funding the feasibility study and that conversations with potential private partners have occurred but are not formalized.

The board’s members, Meredith said, are volunteers: 11 members total, with six appointed by the City of Rock Springs, two from Green River, and one each from Wamsutter, Superior and the county commissioners. Mark Lyon is the board chair.

Meredith said she will share the completed feasibility study with the council when it is finished in April.","Sweetwater County Bridal and Tourism Board presented its 2024 annual report to the Rock Springs City Council, describing lodging-tax-funded marketing, visitor growth, a Flaming Gorge byway grant and a feasibility study for an indoor sports facility.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Mayor raises concern after overhearing councilor’s grocery-store conversation; councilor denies making corruption claim

Rock Springs council approves routine bills, two resolutions and several departmental requests

911 center reports steady call volume, RapidSOS adoption and looming capital costs

Sweetwater County tourism board reports rising visitation, $86 million in visitor spending