Council Committee Recommends Goat Contract

The Cheyenne City Council Finance Committee on Monday recommended approval of a contract with  Goat Green LLC for vegetation control in the dry creek area.

If the full city council approves the contract, Goat Green will bring in up to 225 goats to graze on vegetation in the dry creek area as an "eco-friendly"  way to control weeds in the area. Sam Berta with the City of Cheyenne told the committee city officials are hoping to bring the goats in to graze in a different problem area every year.

The 2015 contract is for about $51,000. Committee chair Jim Brown told Berta he was concerned about vegetation in the Crow Creek area. Berta said bringing the goats into that area might be a possibility for next year, if the city again approves a contract with Green Goat.

In other Finance Committee action::

-the committee recommended approval to spend $30, 000 on a new fence at the Brimmer Sports Complex to keep softballs from traveling into the skating park. Assistant  Parks and Recreation Department Director Todd Feezer told the committee there have been altercations between skateboarders and softball players that resulted in police being called in to prevent a fight between the two sides.

-committee members recommended approval of plans to sell a 1986 caterpillar motorgrader

-voted in favor of applying for a $25 000 Transportation Alternatives Program grant for a soft-surface trail for a part of the Greenway in southeast Cheyenne. The trail would accommodate hikers, joggers, bicyclists and people on horseback. But motorized vehicles would not be allowed.

The full city council will have the final word on all of the proposals to go before the finance committee.