The Laramie City Council on Aug. 5 passed a resolution to suspend collection and billing of the city's surface‑water drainage utility fees, authorize already approved expenditures, freeze new appropriations and provide for reconsideration of surface‑water credits and appeals. The resolution passed 8 to 0.

The council also advanced an ordinance that would repeal Laramie Municipal Code chapter 13.8, the city's surface‑water drainage chapter; that ordinance passed first reading 6 to 2 and was scheduled for second reading on Aug. 19.

Why this matters: the actions affect how the city bills and collects a surface‑water drainage utility fee and how credits and appeals are processed. City officials said the resolution followed public comment; council members signaled they will begin drafting changes to the underlying ordinance and schedule future meetings to consider those revisions.

Details from the meeting: the suspension resolution authorizes existing expenditures but freezes new appropriations related to surface water billing while the council reviews the ordinance framework. The transcript did not provide the full text of the suspension resolution or the proposed ordinance language. Council members did not identify movers or seconders in the meeting recap, and specific amendments to chapter 13.8 were not described on the record.

The council's actions on Aug. 5 were procedural steps: the suspension is an immediate administrative measure that the council approved unanimously, and the ordinance repeal cleared first reading on a 6‑2 vote and will return for a final vote at the Aug. 19 meeting.

The meeting transcript did not specify funding impacts, anticipated revenue changes, or whether the suspension affects past bills already issued; those details were not provided during the recap and remain not specified.