ROCK SPRINGS — During the petition portion of their regular Aug. 18 meeting, a few Rock Springs City Councilors and the Mayor got into a heated discussion about the lack of trust between Councilors and the bickering that happens after meetings.

The discussion started after Councilor Rob Zotti brought up concerns about the Request for Proposal process for the Bitter Creek Reclamation Project. After this discussion was over, Mayor Tim Kaumo asked if there were any other comments and when there was no response, he approached the podium with laptop and a bunch of papers in hand.

“It’s easy to see why we are where we are,” Kaumo said.

The mayor said it was concerning “there is such little trust in a process that has worked for more than 20 years.”

“I’m almost embarrassed,” Kaumo said. “Staff and I have been accused of being corrupt.”

Due to the actions of the Council, it’s his opinion the firm’s, JFC Engineers and Surveyors, trade secrets are now available for other companies to steal and use in their own plans. He said he understood why the Council had issues with the price. He was also concerned when he saw how different the quotes were. To him that was a sign that the RFP needed more details in it so the bids would be similar.

Kaumo said he is in the process of investigating why the city, during 2011-2018, continued to give projects to a couple of different companies without going through a bid of RFP process. One project, related to the Broadway Theater, Kaumo said cost taxpayers over $287,000. He said the invoices were in his office for review.

“No bids, no RFPs, no invite to any other electrical contractor,” said Kaumo about the project.

As for the most recent RFP, Kaumo said he wasn’t involved in the selection committee’s process nor did he know which company they were recommending. Once the Council discovered JFC, the company Kaumo is president of, was the committee’s selection, it called foul instead of checking on why the quotes were so different.

“I never lobbied for JFC,” Kaumo said. “I just support the staff and committee.”

He said all of this has come because of a few people on the Council, and they know who they are, wanting to cause problems.

He said when he and the staff are attacked, he’s not going to sit by and let it continue. He said he will continue to defend himself and the city’s employees.

Kaumo then showed two Facebook comments from Councilor Ryan Greene’s Facebook page, which spoke about city corruption. One was from the former Public Works Director’s husband, the other directly from Greene.

“It was disappointing, but certainly not surprising to see that the Mayor has endorsed my opponent for the race for Ward 3? But here’s the deal – I’m not letting up. Regardless of his political games, I’ll continue to focus on doing the best job I can for the people I represent, demanding accountability, and calling out corruption,” Greene’s post states.

Kaumo asked Greene where the city corruption was.

Greene said Kaumo lobbied for Larry Hickerson’s appointment to the Council and for JFC to become the engineering firm on the Bitter Creek project and he has the emails to prove it.

Greene then proceeded to read some of the email from Kaumo to the Council in regards to the Bitter Creek RFP. The email said Kaumo was going to stay out of it as much as he could, but wanted the Council to know one company is known for putting in lower bids and then increasing the price through change orders. This company has a former JFC employee placing those bids. He said they will use summer hires and unqualified workers to complete the project. He has the utmost belief in the staff and the committee’s selection.

Because JFC put in a good bid and was selected now the city is scrutinized, the email continued. The Mayor questioned why the other bids were so low since JFC met the qualifications. The lowest bidder will be the most incompetent. More of the email was read.

Greene said the Mayor was trying to sway the Council with his email, but Kaumo disagreed. Greene also claimed the Mayor was publicly bashing him at the airport, which the Mayor denied.

Kaumo said regardless of the firm, he would have supported a qualified bidder.

Greene reiterated that he believes the Mayor tried to sway the Council with his emails.

Greene also brought up the fact that Mayor Kaumo recently endorsed Hickerson for the Ward 3 seat. He said Kaumo doesn’t even live in his ward so why would he go and endorse another candidate. Kaumo said he’s known the Hickerson family for years and trusts him.

“It’s clear you don’t want me personally,” Greene said.

Greene said he has had conversations with the Mayor in his office and they have great discussions about working together and then stuff like this happens. The Mayor replied that anyone who is in it for the right reasons, he will work them.

Greene said this is the first he ever knew of a Mayor endorsing a person running for city council.

“I’ll endorse whoever the heck I want based on what I feel like,” Kaumo said. “This is why there is no trust.”

“Absolutely,” Greene said.

Councilor Rob Zotti said asking questions is not being disrespectful to staff. Kaumo said he didn’t have a problem with that, it’s all the stuff that happens behind the scenes.

“We’re facing a $7 million budget shortfall and it seems like the Mayor of Rock Springs is more interested in getting Ryan Greene off of the Council than solving these problems,” Greene said.

Kaumo said the budget is balanced now.

“These are the serious issues I want to work with, this is why I have talked to you in your office for hours about putting everything behind us, and this is a prepared statement that you did,” Greene said. “Why can you not let 2018 go?”

Greene was referring to the 2018 Mayor’s race where he and Kaumo ran for the mayor’s seat. “Why can’t the few of you let 2018 go?” Kaumo responded.

The mayor continued reading his letter and stated a lot of Councilors wouldn’t even write letters to legislators to help Rock Springs or join him in Cheyenne to lobby for a list of projects he named off. He said he gets tired of the bickering and it needs to stop.

Councilor Rob Zotti said his letter wasn’t helping at all and he was going into attack mode.

“You’re accomplishing nothing at this point,” Councilor Rob Zotti said. “If you want to work together, then I suggest you sit down and continue the meeting.”

Kaumo said he is trying to work together. At this point, come Councilors sighed.

“You don’t want to work together,” Greene said.

Kaumo finished reading his letter by telling the Council the bickering after Council meetings needs to stop and they need to find a way to work together.

“We’re better people than this,” Kaumo said.

Councilor Keaton West said he didn’t sign up for this type of unprofessional behavior when he was elected.

“It’s been the longest 20 months of everything I’ve ever done,” West said.

“We are elected officials too, and I respect you as well Mayor, but we need to put the b***s*** aside and start doing what’s best for the city. That’s what we were elected to do. Hash this other crap out behind closed doors like a bunch men and women and lets move on because this is absolutely ridiculous,” West said.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Kaumo said.

After that, the Council had no more to discuss and moved onto regular business. To watch the discussion in its entirety click below.