ROCK SPRINGS – The Rock Springs City Council approved several requests to seek grant funding from city departments Tuesday evening.
A grant application request by the Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency was approved by the Council. The grant, known as T-Mobile Hometown Grant to pay for the resurfacing of the parking area on the 600 and 700 Blocks of Pilot Butte Avenue. The maximum grant award the city can receive is $50,000 and no matching funds are needed for the grant.
The Rock Springs Police Department received approval to apply for a grant that would help pay for new and replacement bulletproof vests for the department. A second request from the RSPD to apply for a 2025 Highway Safety Behavioral Program Grant was approved as well. The grant will provide overtime funding for driving while under the influence and occupant enforcement.
Additionally, the Council voted to allow the Rock Springs Recreation Center to fill a vacant recreation supervisor position and purchase a used Zamboni for the ice arena. According to a letter to the Council from Recreation Center Superintendent Robyn Rasmussen, the arena needs the second machine because of the usage from multiple clubs, such as the figure skating club and Grizzlies hockey team. The Zamboni the center has is more than 20 years old and if it fails, the center would not be able to provide safe ice for users.
The machine the center plans to buy is a $83,675 reconditioned 2009 Zamboni 545 with a Level Ice System that would reduce human error in maintaining flat ice. The Zamboni will arrive in September.
The Council also approved a resolution to accept and approve an addendum to the city’s employee assistance program agreement to increase the amount of covered annual visits provided by Jerry Post, Psy.D, P.C. available to employees.
“The city prepays for a certain number of visits whether they’re used or not, so if people are holding back because they don’t want to cost the city anything – that’s not a good reason because we already paid,” Mayor Max Mickelson said.
