On Monday, February 24th, I participated in a Commercial Motor Vehicle focus group meeting hosted by Public Works Director Molly Bennett and held at the county's Public Works center.
The meeting was held as a follow-up to a public meeting in January to discuss new permitting guidelines and regulations for oversized commercial vehicles operating on county roadways.
The current fee schedule and permitting guidelines have been in place for several decades and were well overdue for an update. The proposed update, coupled with the sheriff's office starting to enforce the oversized/overweight vehicle regulations more actively, caused some concern, and the initial public meeting had a rocky start.
However, once the meeting attendees discovered the Public Works Director solicited their feedback as they developed the new fee schedule and regulations, they were more than happy to offer suggestions.
The February focus group participants represented businesses operating oversized/overweight vehicles on County roads. Members from the Laramie County Sheriff's Department and the County Attorney were also in attendance and provided valuable feedback and information during the discussion.
The initial draft of the proposed fee schedule and permitting guidelines was developed utilizing public input from the first meeting, and it was met with great enthusiasm. The group fine-tuned over the next hour and a half as everyone gave additional suggestions. One of the most significant areas of concern centered around the need for a permit over a weekend when there was no one in the Public Works Office to issue it. The suggested solution by Public Works was to have the company apply for the permit on the Public Works Website to start the process, email the Sheriff's Office Traffic Division with the permit confirmation number, then come in the following regular business day and pay the permit fee. The solution was well received by all in attendance.
Once the final draft is completed, public notice will be given, allowing for public comment before being presented to the Board of Commissioners for final approval.
This was an amazing example of the positive outcomes that can be accomplished when various groups work together in a positive and respectful manner to benefit the community as a whole.