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Council adopts FY25 budget reappropriation; members question fire station design and Botanic Gardens community-garden plans
Summary
The governing body adopted a FY25 budget reappropriation required by Wyoming statute; councilmembers asked why $63,075 was requested for conceptual design of new fire stations and sought clarification about plans to convert the Botanic Gardens' South Community Garden into an educational garden while expanding North Garden plots.
The City of Cheyenne governing body adopted a resolution April 28 to reappropriate the fiscal year 2025 budget, a step required under Wyoming statute sections 16-4-112 and 16-4-113 to account for budget changes.
Councilmember Jackson Layborn presented the finance committee’s recommendation to adopt the reappropriation. Councilmember Dr. Aldridge asked for clarification about a $63,075 line item under development impact fees requesting funds for "professional conceptual design services for new fire stations number 2 and 6." She asked whether previously drawn plans could be reused.
Deputy Chief Andrew Dykeshorn of Cheyenne Fire explained that the two newly purchased lots required two-story station designs and therefore needed additional redesign work. "The facades, the everything else that they've done so far with the conceptual design, they look very similar except for the 2 story in nature," Dykeshorn said.
Dr. Aldridge also asked about two Botanic Gardens line items intended to fund an "education agriculture and trial eat garden design project" that would convert the existing South Community Garden. Jason Sanchez, Community Rec and Events, said the South Garden will be used for an educational demonstration garden and that the city plans to expand the North Garden to provide community garden plots. "We do have about a dozen folks waiting to plant a community garden at the Botanic Gardens," Sanchez said in later remarks clarifying the item.
The reappropriation was adopted after discussion. Councilmembers voted to approve the resolution on the record.
Why it matters: the reappropriation allocates funds for capital and programmatic adjustments in the adopted FY25 budget and included line items that drew council questions about station design costs and community garden access.
Details: the specific $63,075 was identified in the reappropriation as funding for conceptual design services for fire stations 2 and 6. Deputy Chief Dykeshorn said prior designs had to be revised for two-story needs tied to lot sizes. For the Botanic Gardens project, Sanchez said the South site will host a demonstration/education garden while the North Garden would be expanded to accommodate community gardeners on a waiting list.
Next steps: the resolution is adopted; staff will proceed with the conceptual design work for the fire stations and the Botanic Gardens project according to the adopted reappropriation and any applicable procurement procedures.
