ROCK SPRINGS – Secret ballots will no longer be used to select an appointee to the Rock Springs City Council.
The Council approved the third reading of an ordinance that changed the selection method utilized by the Council to either a voice vote or by open ballot. An ordinance takes three readings to pass into law. Previous readings took place Nov. 7 and Nov. 21.
The appointment of David Thompson to the Council is what spurred the change in the law. Mayor Max Mickelson said he didn’t agree with the process of using a secret ballot to make the selection when he learned about it but opted to propose the change after Thompson’s appointment. Thompson was the only applicant seeking appointment to the Council when he was chosen.
“We all voted for him,” Councilman Larry Hickerson noted during a prior meeting.
Other Council Actions
The Council approved an agreement between he city and Barry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker, LLC for a needs assessment, Resource Analysis, and Strategic Plan for the city’s parks and recreation department. The cost to the city will be $144,056. Additionally, the Council approved a request from the parks and recreation department to bid out an irrigation replacement project at the Wataha Recreation Area. The irrigation project will be paid using the specific purpose tax approved in 2022.
The Council also granted permission to fill a vacant animal control administrative assistant position and a vacant recreation supervisor position at the civic center.
