With Pine Bluffs Daycare Center director Julie Shandera directing the initial line of questioning, members of the Pine Bluffs Town Council faced a series of questions concerning the town’s possible move to an hourly wage structure during Monday’s regular meeting.

Shandera was concerned the new pay structure would impact her employees negatively. Specifically, Shandera voiced concern that going from a twice a month paycheck to every two weeks would take too much time before pay equalized.

"This is going to be a hard adjustment for some people to make," Shandera said to council.

"In no way should going to this structure change the income of employees working a 40-hour week," said councilmen Mark Fornstrom.

Mayor Bill Shain explained that council was only considering the idea as a means to simplify the town’s payroll.

"What we’ve had in the past is this sort of drifting policy towards overtime and comp-time and we’re trying to simplify and standardize that," Shain said adding, "it is not the intention of the town to use this as a means to save money. We’re just trying to simplify this so everyone knows how it works."

Universally, members of council stated the plan was still a work in progress and many of the details still needed to be worked out if the town did decide to change the city employees pay model.

"We really don’t know exactly when this will be initiated if it even will," said town treasurer Cate Cundall.

"But there are definitely some misunderstandings that will need to be cleared up," she added.

After clarifying possible pay scenarios with Shandera, council brought the discussion to a close noting that several factors loomed large in the council’s decision process.

"We’re still waiting to see what the budget work group comes back with," said Shain.

Shain was referring to the Wyoming legislature’s budget work group who’ve been given the onerous task of slashing the state budget.

"If the legislature sticks to what the governor has requested we could be looking at furloughs or even wage cuts," said Shain.

In other business, council heard from Laramie County Fire District 5 chief, Tim Ginter.

Ginter presented members of council with a letter stating the fire departments desire to be called out on all vehicle accidents within the district’s area of responsibility. Included in the letter was the Wyoming state statute governing the fire department and their areas of responsibility.

"What we’re trying to do here is put into place things so that everyone in public safety can work well together," said Ginter.

Ginter added that the letter he presented to council was a collaborative effort with supervisor of the Pine Bluffs Police Department dispatchers, Dulsa Brammeier and the fire department.

Also before council was Anja Bendel of the High Plains Development District.

"If you’ve never heard of us you would be forgiven," Bendel said of her organization.

Bendel went on to say the development district was a federally recognized district that included Albany, Platte, Laramie and Goshen Counties.

"With our federal status, we can help counties apply for a multitude of grants for various projects," Bendel said.

Councilmember Alan Curtis expressed interest in seeking money for existing projects including the day care center and the sewer projects.

Bendel said she would contact Cundall in the next few weeks to see how she could help the town with those projects.

After a brief update of existing projects by Cundall and with no new business before the council, members adjourned.

The next regular session of council is slated for 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18, at town hall.