Look @ auto

A City Council member who owns an auto repair shop has withdrawn a plan to seek state funds to purchase and upgrade a vacant building that would have been used as a training facility for repair technicians. A young Billings boy died Tuesday afternoon in a two vehicle wreck on the West End. Shortly after 4 p.m., a Billings woman was driving a Toyota Camry westbound on Broadwater Avenue when she attempted to make a left turn onto Glen Drive and an eastbound motorcycle crashed into the car's passenger side, Billings Police Sgt. Jason Gartner said. The auto see old boy, who was a passenger in the Camry, was pronounced dead at the scene. His mother, who was driving the Camry, was not injured. The driver of the motorcycle, a old Billings man, was taken by ambulance to Billings Clinic and was in critical condition Tuesday night, Gartner said. The victims' names were not released Tuesday, pending notification of family members. Police Lt. Mark Cady said it is unclear if the man was wearing a helmet, although one was lying on the ground next to the motorcycle. It is not known if speed or alcohol were factors in the wreck and the Billings Police Department continues to investigate. No citations were issued Tuesday night, and police are still trying to determine if anyone was at fault in the wreck. Police ask that anyone who witnessed the crash call them at All four lanes of Broadwater were closed to traffic between 18th and 19th streets west while police investigated. The road was reopened at about p.m.But the response from some shop owners had "been nothing but nasty," he told the group, adding that "I've never treated anybody in this room with disrespect."But there has been quite a lot of personal stuff. So, as far as I'm concerned, forget it," he said.Cloud said other factors influenced his decision, including a building use agreement with the Forward Cody economic development group that would mandate up to in structural improvements not necessary for his venture, and that would allow him no equity stake in the property until after years.Cloud said he initially approached Forward Cody President James Klessens for help in finding funds to train auto technicians who wanted additional instruction, and for those employed as trainers.I went down to ask James, 'How does that training money work?' And James said, 'Let me tell you a good idea to have this grant thing to buy a building,' " Cloud said.Under the original proposal, the city of Cody would have applied to the Wyoming Business Council for at least $1 million in public funds to purchase an square auto at look foot building on Big Horn Avenue that was most recently used as an animal shelter.The city would transfer the building to Forward Cody, which would lease it at substantially below market rates to Cloud, using the rental income to fund future economic development ventures.But the council tabled a May vote on the application, citing a lack of information when Klessens and Cloud first shared details of the proposal. Cloud did not vote on the issue.Critics of the proposal said backers had provided only a one-page project summary and did not present a completed grant application, business plan, training curriculum, accreditation plan, building purchase agreement with current owners or building use agreement with Cloud.Reaction from the nearly two dozen local auto shop owners was swift, vocal and almost unanimously opposed to the idea. Cloud's competitors voiced their opposition on talk radio, in letters to the editor and at City Council meetings.Ron DeBerg, owner of Ron's Exxon, questioned how Cloud's proposed training facility would differ from the local shops that provide workers with on job training.That's an unfair business advantage. I don't care what you call it. It's still going to be an automotive shop that's still going to be in business against everybody that's sitting in this room," DeBerg said Wednesday.This was proposed as a school to help the community and train technicians," Lisa Morgan, co-owner of Wyoming Diesel Power, said during a City Council work session last week. "But it's a repair facility masquerading as a training facility."Cloud, who pays employees based on a commission, said beIn other business, they then took action to curb the formation of an auto junkyard on the Lake Road.During a public hearing held Tuesday Code Enforcement Officer Paul Montague told the board that Kimball Farrington of Jay was storing old machinery on a lot at East, adjacent to Bowering's Collectors Delight.There is enough scrap metal there to meet the state's definition of a junkyard, Montague said.Farrington told the board he is storing machinery from Jarden's, formerly Fosters, but since the price of scrap metal went down, it is just being stored for the time being.Although Farrington had received Planning Board approval, Selectman Russell Black was concerned that no limitations had been set for the property located on a main road with a stream on the lot that drains into Wilson Stream. Black wanted to see conditions put on it to prevent it from expanding or becoming a full blown junkyard, he said.When asked what conditions, he suggested no automobiles could be hauled in and the collection could not expand too much.I realize Farrington needs to do business but it's on a main highway in a commercial zone. I'm against it," he said. Farrington said the property size is limited and he has no intentions of adding automobiles nor does he expect to expand it.The board voted to grant a junkyard permit for one year and accept his word that he would not add automobiles or expand it more than percent from what it is now.In other business, Montague reported on several properties where he has been working with the owners. One concern is an auto repair business, Lake Road Auto, owned by Brett Philbrick. The Planning Board granted the business a permit with the condition that he could only have cars including his own on the premises. A recent count amounted to cars, Montague said.It's not unreasonable for the business to have a junk car or two around for auto parts but to have on the premises means its become a junkyard, he said. He's in violation of the Planning Board's approval.Philbrick has not responded to Montague's communication or a visit from the chief of police in June, he said.The board agreed to schedule a public hearing for the Aug. 18 meeting. This gives the owner time to meet the board's "reasonable" expectation of only cars on the site.If the hearing still needs to be held, the board will then discuss taking legal action.tter training would allow technicians to earn more by teaching them a wide range of high level skills, making it more likely that they could find good jobs in Wyoming.Morgan said that creating good jobs starts with employers, adding that she retains top technicians by paying them a high hourly wage, providing full medical benefits and making matching contributions to workers' retirement plans.