61The Lovell Chronicle I November 22, 2012
Byron group offers clarification on finances, goals
BY BOB RODRIGUEZ
A Byron development
group instituted by the town
government and the town's
Recreation Dept. are ada-
mant in stating that due to
misunderstandings leading
to erroneous information,
some residents mistakenly
believe that the town's "tax
dollars" have been and are
going to a private business
that owns the former Byron
School.
Among other accusa-
tions is a statement that
the Byron Cemetery Dis-
trict was "pressured" into
making a donation to the
Rec Dept. Similar charges
involving contentions about
potentially illegal use of tax
dollars also have been fed
into the public forum via
letters to the editor and an
anonymous flyer distribut-
ed to residents.
While undertaking
steps to clarify the situation
and refute the sometimes
anonymous allegations,
members of the citizens or-
ganization, Eagle Rock De-
velopment Group, and the
Rec Dept. are continuing
their efforts. One aim is to
provide a number of recre-
ational and other programs
for residents of all ages
fi"om Byron and surround-
ing communities in por-
tions of the former school,
which the Rec Dept. is leas-
ing from Postern Capital.
Another hope of Eagle Rock
is that business tenants
can be brought into the site
by Postern to help boost
the economy and provide
jobs. In fact, the kitchen al-
ready is leased and in use
by a Byron company, Cow-
boys & Cooks Catering.
Under a lease the Rec
Dept. is paying the compa-
ny $300 per month for use
of the weight room, audito-
rium with stadium seating,
gymnasium with its bas-
ketball court, Olympic-size
swimming pool, cafeteria
and two rooms upstairs rep-
resenting a third of the for-
mer school. The rent, which
began as of September, in-
cludes utilities. Jeff Noall,
site manager for Postern,
said that the monthly fee
"doesn't come close" to pay-
ing the bills. He noted that
Postern's owner, Georgia
resident Alex J. Campos,
had paid for the utilities
through spring and summer
and will continue "because
of his commitment to coop-
erate with and help support
the community for a good
neighbor relationship."
During an interview at
the former school's board
meeting room, Noall and
newly elected town coun-
cil member Pam Hopkinson
said Friday, Nov, 16, that
Campos also has allowed
fees for facility usage to be
given to the Rec Dept. For
example, some groups have
used the cafeteria or oth-
er facilities and paid a fee,
a wedding was held at the
site and there was a Cinco
de Mayo celebration.
'NO TAX MONEY USED,'
FORMER CLERK SAYS
There also have been
other community events,
such as open gym, show-
ings of old movies, vari-
ous family type events in-
cluding craft sessions, plus
a haunted house this past
Halloween. Also, Postern is
allowing the town to place
its Christmas display in
front of the former school.
Besides Noall and Hopkin-
son the informal interview
was attended by her hus-
band, Glen, and Jack Hes-
senthaler, whose wife, Syd-
ney, was elected to the town
council Nov. 6. Other than
Noall, all the others are
among members of the citi-
zens economic development
group that has become Ea-
gle Rock.
Regarding the alleged
use of tax monies by some,
former Town Clerk Vicki
Gibson stated unequivo-
cally on Saturday, Nov.
17: "No. Absolutely not."
Gibson, a Powell resident,
devoted five years of em-
ployment to Byron. (A sto-
ry about her resignation is
elsewhere in this issue).
Gibson's unmistak-
able rejection of comments
that town tax dollars have
ever been spent on a pri-
vate business are echoed
by Jeanie Petrich, Byron's
volunteer recreation direc-
tor. "No public money" is
involved, she said Nov. 17.
Petrich and others also feel
that some are focusing too
much on the rec programs
at the former school. They
note that other programs
are being conducted such
as field trips for youth, as
well as activities and events
elsewhere in the communi-
ty when weather permits.
Concerning the ceme-
tery district funding, dis-
trict board President Don
Hatch said Nov. 17 that "ap-
proximately $30,000" was
provided in May 2011. The
donation, Hatch said, was
made to the Town of Byron
for the Rec Dept. He agreed
with a statement by Pet-
rich, who explained that,
"There was no pressure; we
just asked the board if it
could provide a donation to
buy equipment." It was, she
outlined, simply a matter
of a private citizen serving
as a rec volunteer and not a
member of the economic de-
velopment group seeing if a
donation could be made.
A fact sheet provided by
Eagle Rock states that the
cemetery board found that
it had funds available that
could be contributed to the
community "as in the past
toward the town's annual
fireworks show." The do-
nation was used by the Rec
Dept. to purchase weight/
exercise room equipment
that "belong exclusively to
the Town of Byron." There
is no charge for use of the
equipment in the weight
room at the former school,
although there has been
discussion about some sort
of membership fee.
Some of the conten-
tiousness revolving around
the former school seems to
include the town selling the
site to Postern after it was
deeded to the town by Big
Horn County School Dis-
trict One, also the subse-
quent lease for use of parts
of the former school for
some of the town's rec pro-
grams due to the accusation
that "tax dollars" are being
expended, and the "pressur-
ing" contention regarding
the donation in the neigh-
borhood of $30,000.
Another aspect is
linked to the town council
OK'ing $7,000 to be spent,
it is alleged by some, to sup-
port "a private business,"
namely the Postern hold-
ing in Byron. But the fund-
ing was added from budget-
ed monies to the Rec Dept.
budget in a move led by the
former mayor because its
budget had been reduced
during the past several
years, Eagle Rock officials
said. It was not new mon-
ey, but represented a trans-
fer of funds from categories
including the town museum
to recreation.
Pam Hopkinson com-
mented last week on a
statement by the former
mayor that a group sup-
porting the town's financial
participation in the build-
ing was successful in elect-
ing her and Sydney Hes-
senthaler to the council.
No such participation has
been requested, Hopkin-
son stressed, while indicat-
ing that no such action is in
mind.
The Hopkinsons, Jack
Hessenthaler and Noall feel
that the town already has
benefited financially from
the purchase of the facil-
ity by Campos. Items in-
clude the purchase price of
$70,000 and the fact that
the former school now is on
the tax rolls whereas as a
school it was exempt. They
also firmly believe that re-
taining the huge facility in-
stead of demolishing it, as
some wanted, is a potential
economic gold mine for the
town and a central location
for residents and others for
a variety of events.
Petrich, Eagle Rock
and others also point out
that funding for recreation
comes annually through
School District One based
on the number of students
from Byron who attended
district schools during the
previous year. Additionally,
they say, several businesses
in town have donated fairly
hefty amounts of money to
fund rec activities.
"That's where we're get-
ting our funding," remarked
Petrich. She and Hopkinson
are among volunteers who
are highly complimentary
of all the other citizens who
donate their time to help
run rec programs.
Approximately 30
months of discussion
marked with controversy
during town hall meetings
preceded a vote on Aug.
23, 2011, for the town to
take ownership of the for-
mer school from School Dis-
trict One. Some town res-
idents were strongly in
favor of taking ownership,
while others were dead set
against it. Some wanted
the building razed, saying
that ownership would cost
the town lots of money for
maintenance and repairs.
When the vote was called
for on whether to assume
ownership, former Mayor
Bret George and Council-
man Dennis Cozens were
against the motion.
Subsequently, an of-
fer to purchase the build-
ing with its some 95,000
square feet of space and its
approximately 7 acres, was
approved 5-0 by the mayor
and council during a special
meeting in the town com-
plex on Jan. 27 this year.
The price was $70,000, al-
though Campos had offered
more several months ear-
lier. Approving the sales
agreement was delayed
for quite some time by the
mayor and council because
of concerns with contract
language. Due to changes
and concessions made by
Campos the price dropped
to what the council ulti-
mately agreed upon.
POOL MIGHT OPEN FOR
BYRON DAYS
Campos at first said
through Noall that part of
the building would become
a telephone call center that
would employ up to 100 per-
sons. However, that plan
was dropped, said Noall ear-
lier this year and on Nov.
16, due to difficulties with
the arch's employment base
and paying the wages that
would be required.
He now is working to
find Byron area tenants
such as "mom-and-pop busi-
nesses." Additionally, he has
instituted a Postern Capital
website that provides infor-
mation on renting space.
Reports that the swim-
ming pool is in bad condi-
tion needing extensive, ex-
pensive repairs were denied
by Noall and Eagle Rock
members Nov. 16. "An in-
dependent engineering firm
has prepared an extensive
report on the pool condi-
tion," it was stated. "Once
two drain covers in the bot-
tom of the pool are replaced,
the pool could be up and
running immediately." As
well, reports of other major
faults and unsafe structur-
al conditions at the site also
are false, they said.
With the finding that
the pool opening could be
accomplished without un-
due hardship, it is believed
by supporters that it could
be open in time for Byron
Days in July.
Those interviewed Nov.
16 also broached another fi-
nancial topic that caused
some controversy. There
was a feeling that $500,000
worth of tax funds would be
spent to renovate and op-
erate the pool "in a private
building." The reference,
it was explained, involved
the defeated proposal for a
6th-cent tax. It actually is
a moot point because the
lease with Campos wasn't
signed until after the dead-
line for the 6th-cent propos-
al, but the group wanted to
clarify the matter.
A note from the
Town of Lovell
Byron clerk, zoning aide quit; both cite 'time right' to retire
BY BOB RODRIGUEZ
The Byron Town Coun-
cil meeting Tuesday, Nov.
13, included considerably
more than business as usu-
al with the resignations of
Vicki Gibson as clerk/trea-
surer, Jeanna Wassmer as
planning/zoning adminstra-
tor and Bret George as may-
or. (A story about the latter
was in last week's issue).
During her tenure as
clerk/treasurer for the past
five years, Gibson, who re-
signed as of Nov. 12, said
she "tried to keep an ex-
tremely positive atmo-
sphere at the Town Hall
and have done what I can
to encourage unity in the
community."
So Gibson noted in her
letter of resignation to the
mayor and council. Because
George resigned as mayor
the same day, "some peo-
ple might misunderstand,
but it is not part of a master
plan; that's not how it came
about," said Gibson on Sat-
urday, Nov. 18.
"The mayor has known
for some time of my desires
to move on and the time
clearly has been evident to
me in the last few weeks,"
she stated in her letter. She
added that, "I appreciate
the opportunities that this
position has offered me.
The past five years have
brought many challenges
and changes in the commu-
nity and I understand that
change is not always easy.
I wish the council and the
town success as you move
into the future."
Gibson also explained
that she is leaving the town
"in very capable hands, as it
has been central to me that
when I (would) go, I would
have someone trained prior
to leaving. I came into this
position pretty much clue-
less as to how local govern-
ment worked. Donna Booth
(hired earlier this year)
owns her job and is one of
the hardest, most conscien-
tious and honest persons
that I have had the priv-
ilege and opportunity to
work with."
The outgoing clerk said
that she wanted to ensure
that Booth was fully pre-
pared for the job before she
took her leave. "I would
never leave the town in a
lurch," she stated. She add-
ed in her letter, "If I can be
of assistance in the tran-
sition, she (Booth) knows
that I will only be a phone
call away."
Gibson, a Powell resi-
dent, said Saturday that
she "thoroughly enjoyed her
job and is not leaving on
bad terms. I've been want-
ing to retire" and the time
came, she indicated.
Wassmer has worked
as an independent contrac-
tor for the town during the
past 2 1/2 years. She said
Monday, Nov. 19, that she
resigned the appointive po-
sition "because I felt it was
time and I decided to do it.
I have kids" and they and
other obligations are keep-
ing her busy in many direc-
tions. She added that she
enjoyed working with the
council and the town.
Wassmer also ex-
pressed her feeling that the
town might be heading "in
a different direction" in a
reference to the Nov. 6 elec-
tion of Pam Hopkinson and
Sydney Hessenthaler to the
council. Also, Wassmer not-
ed that due to changes in
Title 11, "which is the area
I work in," she made the
decision to leave. Title 11,
she said, is a land-use ordi-
nance "on zoning and how
land can be used."
Thanksgiving Garbage Route Schedule
Thursday, Nov. 22 garbage route will be
picked up on Wednesday, Nov. 21 and Friday's route
will be picked up Monday, Nov. 26.
00ron
for the wonderful meals you provided during the
6eneral Elecfion. Your generosity and thoughtfulness
is greatly appreciated.
Big Horn County Clerk
Election Judges of Byron
The Lovell
Chronicle office
will be closed
Thursday and
Friday, Nov. 22 &
23. Deadline for
Nov. 29 issue is
Tuesday, Nov. 27,
at noon.
Janls Beal
Women's : ketball Coach
M I N G
If:you spent any time on the bleachers at Lovell H School from
1997-200|, you probably saw Janis in action. She was ! of the state
champion volleyball and basketball teams: She livesin Poweil and
plants roses around her home because she'saRose City: gid at hea.
Northwest is ]anis' college,
f t
