CHUGWATER – After last week’s Chugwater council meeting, councilman Eric Marlatt made the announcement of his resignation from the council.
“It’s been a real honor serving on this board for almost eight years. My health has declined to the point I have to leave Wyoming, and tonight will be my last meeting,” Marlatt said.
He will be moving in the next few days to relocate to Florida.
Museum repair
During the meeting, the full council approved proposal number 774 for Randy Rapp, LLC to complete repair of the stucco on the museum building owned by the town. The cost of the bid is $16,950, with $8,475 paid upfront and the balance upon completion and inspection.
Dave Graves reported details of repairs made to the roof and watershed system of the museum building were made, as warranted by Capital Roofing out of Cheyenne.
MOU with Platte County
An agreement with Platte County commissioners was tabled, pending some amendments to the agreement Chugwater’s attorney Eric Jones will make, per the request of the council. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was approved by commissioners, which would allow housing of a county-owned and operated motor grader in the Town of Chugwater’s maintenance shop in exchange for assistance with snow removal in emergency situations.
After discussion by the council, it was decided the agreement needs to be an annual or bi-annual agreement instead of the proposed five-year term. Mayor Carol Ash added, a reciprocal release of liability also needed to be included.
“The original intent of the agreement is we can help the county and they can help us, so it’s mutually beneficial for the both of us. There’s no reason it can’t be in the future,” councilman John Burns said.

“The challenge is, it’s given we know the people that have done it and are currently doing it. If they change the personnel (or the town’s government) they may not feel that way,” Ash said of the changes requested.
Budget amendment
The council said they accept the concept of Resolution 2024-03 amending the town’s budget and authorized the town’s attorney, Eric Jones to formulate the details.
As chairman of the budget committee, Josh Hopkins said there have been some negative balances and some positive balances in sanitation, water, and sewer budget items carried over from previous years. While the town has funds to cover the expenses, the budget needs to reflect each category pay for itself and end with a zero balance rather than a negative or even a positive balance.
He also said he is working with the town’s accountant and is making recommendations that would ensure the town has no issues with a state audit.
Jones said the council needs to consider budget adjustment resolutions more frequently – either monthly or quarterly – to make sure the balance of funds in each category are being allocated in their proper categories. He emphasized he wanted to be clear, he is not saying money from bank accounts should be switched around, but rather the budget categories the council has the ability to adjust need to be looked at regularly so there is neither a credit nor deficit in the approved annual budget that is carried over from year to year.
Mayor Carol Ash said she believes what is reflected in the negative balances is the approvals of expenses previously made by the council for repairs of their water system – without which the town could not function.
“After the election, I recommend [the council] meet with [maintenance supervisor] Pete Delgado to try to figure out how to make our departments self-sustaining. And there will be no choice of looking at [increasing] water rates. It’s mandated by the state,” Ash said.
In the financial report, Hopkins also said the council needed to decide whether or not to roll over some matured CDs at the bank, and for how long of a term.
Mayor Ash said when the details are worked out, the town would hold a brief special meeting to pass a resolution to amend the budget.
Maintenance Report
In the water/wastewater/maintenance report, supervisor Pet Delgado reported, “Everything was good,” after he met with an EPA representative, to complete a sanitary survey on Chugwater’s water system.
A new chlorine pump and a flow meter were installed on well number four, and Timberline worked on the SCADA system for the same well; AVI Engineering surveyed the water tanks, wells, valve boxes, and fire hydrants for the water study; a fire extinguisher inspection was performed for town buildings; a vacuum breaker was repaired at the museum park. Among other tasks, the maintenance team performed regular monthly tasks of water samples, well reads, chlorine, residual readings, mowing and weed eating, watering flowers and grass, working on the lead/copper inventory, work orders, line locates, and shocking the lagoons.
Constitution Week
Mayor Ash signed a declaring Sept. 17 – 23 as Constitution Week, asking the citizens of Chugwater to remember the importance of the constitution and our responsibilities as citizens to protect and defend it.
Library Report
Cathy Wilson, as a member of the local chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.) invited the community to a dinner the evening of Sept. 11 to bring the community together and to thank veterans. She asked the town to waive the rental fee for the event.
In her library report, Wilson said there are many new books, and the new printer arrived, which is able to do scanning, copies, or print-offs from a computer.
“With all that is going on in the town, don’t forget there are some spots on the library that needs painting before we go through another winter, Wilson said.