College board approves easement for SAWS

Trustees of the Northern Wyoming Community College District granted the Sheridan Area Water Supply the right to use an easement across college property.

But the trustees retained the right to control who uses the easement. Action came during the college board’s meeting Wednesday night.

Vice President Cheryl Heath introduced the matter.

Trustee Deb Wendtland excused herself from discussing or acting on the request because her husband, Tony Wendtland, is the attorney for SAWS and has been representing SAWS on the matter.

In response to a question from Trustee Gary Koltiska, Kent Anderson, who’s the college district assistance vice president for facilities management, said the easement will go slightly into the berm of the far west side of a retention pond that belongs to Sheridan College, but the district will require that the berm be put back in its current condition after the water line is installed.

Anderson said the SAWS water line will be moved to the east as it parallels Coffeen Avenue.

Anderson recommended that the college board made the easement non-exclusive, so that other utilities could use it if they want to. At that point, Koltiska and other trustees called for the college district to retain control over the easement and its use.

In other action Wednesday, trustees gave first-reading approval to as policy relating to board meetings, and approved the board’s meeting schedule for the year that starts on July 1.

Trustees also approved expenditure of college funds from July 1 through July 14 so the district can operate during that time between the end of the current fiscal year and the date when trustees will officially adopt the budget for the year that starts on July 1.