Kemmerer local news summary

City Approves Emergency Funding Plan for Airport Lighting

Economic Development Liaison Position Moves Forward Without County Funds

Gas Franchise Agreement with Enbridge Gas Wyoming Tabled Over Bond Disagreements

Septic System Failure Halts Dog Grooming Business at City Pound

Closure of Kemmerer Gazette Forces City to Change Public Notice Procedures

City Approves Emergency Funding Plan for Airport Lighting

KEMMERER - The Kemmerer City Council has approved a contingency plan to fund emergency repairs to the Municipal Airport’s runway lighting, which has been out of service for over 50 days. The lighting system was damaged on June 23, 2025, when a subcontractor for All West Communications cut at least three electrical lines while installing fiber optic cable. The council authorized an agreement with Sage Electric Solutions for up to $66,132.64 to ensure the vital infrastructure is repaired by Thursday, August 14. The motion serves as a backup plan, giving the city the ability to pay for the work upfront if the responsible parties do not provide the funds in time, ensuring that critical life-flight capabilities are restored without further delay. The city will seek full reimbursement from All West for all costs, including repairs, staff time, and engineering oversight.

Economic Development Liaison Position Moves Forward Without County Funds

KEMMERER - Kemmerer is moving forward with funding an economic development liaison position for at least another year, despite Lincoln County withdrawing its financial participation. The city will contribute its remaining balance of, joining the South Lincoln County Economic Development Corporation and the Town of Opal to provide funding for the role. The liaison, a contractual position, will be tasked with coordinating with entities like TerraPower, vetting new businesses, and seeking grants to expand infrastructure such as sewer capacity to support economic growth. The council approved a new Memorandum of Understanding between the remaining partners to formalize the arrangement.

Gas Franchise Agreement with Enbridge Gas Wyoming Tabled Over Bond Disagreements

KEMMERER - The City Council voted to table a new franchise agreement with Enbridge Gas Wyoming (Questar Gas Company d/b/a Enbridge Gas Wyoming) following a lengthy debate over financial securities for construction projects. The primary point of contention was the amount and type of bond Enbridge should be required to post to cover potential damage to city infrastructure, such as streets and sidewalks, during repairs or new installations. Council members and city staff expressed a desire to protect the city’s assets by ensuring funds are readily available to fix any issues, with some favoring a cash bond based on project-specific cost estimates. The agreement was sent back for further negotiation to clarify language on bonding requirements before it is brought back to the council.

Septic System Failure Halts Dog Grooming Business at City Pound

KEMMERER - A plan for a dog grooming business to operate out of the city’s dog pound has been deemed unfeasible after the discovery that the facility runs on a small, failing septic system. The mayor reported that the 1,000-gallon septic vault, which had reportedly only been pumped once in 20 years, would need to be pumped every two weeks at a cost of $675 each time, making the business financially unviable. The unexpected infrastructure issue means the proposed grooming service will not move forward at that location.

Closure of Kemmerer Gazette Forces City to Change Public Notice Procedures

KEMMERER - With the recent shutdown of the Kemmerer Gazette newspaper, the city will now post its official minutes, ordinances, and other public notices on a bulletin board outside the city administration offices. According to state statutes, if a newspaper is not published within a town, official proceedings must be posted for at least 10 days in the town clerk’s office or another designated public place. City officials noted that all notices will also continue to be posted on the city’s website. The council may consider designating additional locations for physical postings, such as the post office, in the future.

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