Cheyenne’s Finance Committee will meet at noon Tuesday to consider a slate of spending decisions that could reshape downtown projects, transit service and employee benefits. The session includes proposals ranging from multimillion-dollar federal transit grants to a proposed $650,000 property purchase central to the city’s downtown connector plan.
The meeting takes place in Council Chambers at the Municipal Building, 2101 O’Neil Ave., with remote access available by Zoom or phone.
At the top of the agenda is a resolution to place propositions for the 1% Specific Purpose Sales and Use Tax—commonly called the Sixth Penny—on the Aug. 18 ballot. If approved by voters, the tax would fund a package of infrastructure, public safety and community-improvement projects across Laramie County, including street repairs and municipal building upgrades.
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Separately, the committee will consider a third-reading ordinance to transfer $5 million from General Fund reserves to the Reed Avenue Corridor Project. City officials say Reed Avenue was left off the initial Sixth Penny capital list because competing projects exhausted available ballot funding, prompting the move to tap reserves for planning, right-of-way purchases and construction work.
A change to city insurance policy is also under review. The proposed resolution would allow long-serving part-time employees—those who average at least 20 hours per week over three consecutive years—and future City Council members to enroll in city health, dental and life plans. The catch: enrollees would be required to cover the full cost of premiums, and councilmember eligibility would begin only for terms starting in 2027.
The committee will weigh a purchase-and-sale agreement with NAS Investment Group LLC to acquire property at 803 W. 16th St. and adjacent parcels along Reed Avenue. The acquisition is intended to secure right-of-way for the Downtown Greenway Connector and create storage space for the city’s Compliance Department.
Also on the docket is a proposed budget amendment to increase the Cheyenne Downtown Development Authority’s allocation by $97,824. City staff say the funds would cover unanticipated expanded operations this fiscal year, including the downtown planter program, seasonal banners and façade improvement grants.
The meeting packet lists multiple grant awards and contracting actions that together account for millions of dollars in local and federal funding. Key items include:
- Two Federal Transit Administration grants totalling more than $5.3 million for Cheyenne Transit System operating assistance and renovations to transit facilities on Westland Road.
- A contract award of $854,892 to Richardson Construction Inc. for the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens’ new Smith Education, Agriculture and Trial Garden.
- A single-source purchase of $161,826 from Musco Sports Lighting for a mobile video trailer to be used by the Community Recreation and Events Department.
Pulling $5 million from reserves highlights the tradeoffs local leaders face when ballot measures cannot cover all capital needs. Using reserve funds accelerates the Reed Avenue work but reduces cushion for unanticipated expenses elsewhere in the budget.
Most items the Finance Committee approves will move to the full City Council for final consideration at its next meeting on Monday, April 27. The agenda and supporting documents for Tuesday’s committee session are posted with the city’s meeting materials online for anyone who wants the detailed packets.
Members of the public may attend in person or join remotely to observe the discussion before council action later this month.
