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Star Valley Ranch council outlines public hearing process, says no annexation vote will occur April 30
Summary
Mayor Rok said an April 30 public hearing on the Mountain Estates annexation will follow Wyoming statutes and include presentations, public comment, and a subsequent executive session; she emphasized the council will not vote on the annexation ordinance at that meeting and that denial remains possible later in negotiations.
Mayor Rok said the Town Council will hold a public hearing on the Mountain Estates annexation on April 30 under Wyoming Statute 15-1-405 and that no formal vote on the annexation ordinance or the application will occur at that meeting. She said the hearing will include staff and petitioner presentations, public comment, council questions, and a closing motion to accept advisory recommendations from the Planning Commission and Water Utility Board for the council's consideration.
"No vote on the annexation ordinance or the annexation application will occur at the April 30th meeting," Mayor Rok said, and she added that an executive session with special counsel would follow the hearing so council members could identify priorities and non-negotiable terms before negotiating with the developer.
Councilman Merrill asked whether a formal motion is required to accept board recommendations and cautioned that procedural steps should not obscure the council's authority to deny the petition. Councilman Ellis responded that state law requires the council to remain neutral during the public hearing and that termination of negotiations with the developer is the practical mechanism by which the council can decline the annexation.
Mayor Rok also said special counsel is reviewing the Water Utility Board's memo for potential statutory conflicts before the town posts it publicly; she promised the memo would be posted once counsel clears the language. The council discussed the need for a shared understanding of conditions to require before any formal action is taken and agreed to use an executive session to reach that understanding.
The hearing will include an Administrator's review of the annexation report, summaries of Planning Commission and Water Board findings, a petitioner presentation, and public comment. Mayor Rok said the first reading of any annexation ordinance will be the point at which the council casts a formal vote on whether to proceed.
