Annexation Referendum Declaratory Judgment

At a glance

What: Authorization for the City Attorney to file a declaratory judgment action under the Uniform Declaratory Judgments Act asking a court whether an annexation ordinance is subject to the municipal referendum process, or whether the annexation-challenge procedure of Wyoming Statute 15-1-409 controls to the exclusion of the referendum.
Where it stands: Authorized on 2026-08-10 after an executive session; Moody voted no. The minutes do not say whether a case was filed.
Why it matters: The question bears on whether residents can force a referendum on the annexation ordinances Council has been adopting; see Roundtop Road Business Park Annexation and South Greeley Highway Sweetgrass Annexation. The minutes do not state which ordinances prompted the action.

Council met in executive session under Wyoming Statute 16-4-405(a)(iii). Mayor Collins announced that action might follow and that the regular meeting would not conclude at the end of the session. Staff present: Amber Ash (the Mayor's Chief of Staff), City Attorney Brodie and Kylie Soden. The Clerk's note says Laybourn left before the executive session.
In open session Segrave moved to authorize the City Attorney to investigate, prepare and, in the exercise of professional judgment, commence and prosecute the action. Esquibel seconded. Carried; all members present voted yes except Moody (no). Wolfe was absent.
Comments came from Aldrich, Mayor Collins, Emmons, Esquibel, Moody, Segrave and White. The minutes do not record their content.

Executive session, then authorization of the declaratory judgment action; Moody no.