Cheyenne city officials on Monday adopted the city’s 2026 action plan, unlocking more than $700,000 in federal community-development funding targeted at low-income neighborhoods and programs, while approving a slate of repairs, contracts and nearly $900,000 in fleet upgrades. The measures, finalized at the July 28 council meeting, move several infrastructure and public-safety projects from planning into execution and set short-term budgets for contractors and community groups.
The council approved the allocation of $741,176 in funds tied to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program. That total includes new HUD money plus unspent carryover and returned revenue, and it will be distributed to local initiatives that serve low- and moderate-income residents.
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City staff explained the funding mix: about $418,483 is new HUD funding for the year, $245,599 is carryover from prior allocations, and roughly $77,094 represents returned revenue from the Cheyenne Senior Center. The plan uses census and neighborhood data to target investments where needs are greatest.
Officials identified the largest single award as funding for the Safe Routes to School program, with other grants earmarked for nonprofit partners and infrastructure work intended to benefit disadvantaged neighborhoods. City leaders said they expect the 2026 plan to reach more residents than the 2024 program, which assisted about 2,267 people.
Beyond CDBG spending, the council approved a number of city contracts and capital purchases. Some agreements continue routine services; others fund one-off repairs or equipment replacements.
- Landfill leachate system design: Terracon awarded a professional services contract for $85,000 to design and maintain a leachate management system at the city landfill.
- Christensen Bridge approach: Knife River received $224,369 to rebuild the bridge approach over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks in east Cheyenne.
- Roof repairs: Bone Dry Commercial Roofing will perform repairs at multiple city properties, including downtown parking garages and the Ice and Events Center, under a $283,130 contract.
- Fleet and equipment: Council authorized roughly $900,000 in vehicle and equipment buys — notably 10 utility police SUV interceptors for the Cheyenne Police Department at $684,758, a used Olympia Millennium E‑Steel ice resurfacer for $128,400 for Community Recreation and Events, and a 2026 Broce 350 street sweeper for $81,758 for the street and alley division.
- Firearm disposition: The police department was permitted to sell 235 surplus and evidence-seized firearms to an accredited dealer, generating $48,638 in revenue.
Other approvals included renewed service agreements with local partners such as the Cheyenne Animal Shelter and Laramie County Detention Center, and a $30,000 contract with FCI consultants to secure a construction-manager-at-risk for planned Municipal Building renovations. Funding for those renovations would come from additional sales-tax revenue if voters approve the county’s proposed Sixth Penny project on the Aug. 18 ballot.
On land use and planning, the council moved several items forward: the mayor was authorized to negotiate potential impact funds related to the Laramie Range Wind Project, a proposal to expand the North Range Business Park advanced to a second committee review, and the Sweetgrass subdivision plat was approved, reserving space for a park, future recreation facilities and a greenway extension.
Public comment briefly returned to the dais on a handful of items, but most agenda topics advanced without prolonged debate — a change of pace after two months of intensive public hearings over the city’s recent annexation of roughly 3,500 acres for business development.
The meeting also included routine civic business: a downtown restaurant, the Railyard, received a liquor license, and the council confirmed appointments to the Historic Preservation Board and the Board of Adjustment.
Details and supporting documents for the July 28 meeting are listed in the council agenda packet filed with the city.
