 - The Shoshoni Town Council voted Tuesday to revoke the business license for the Desert Inn motel at 505 W. Second St. ){kind=link}
(Shoshoni, WY) – The Shoshoni Town Council voted Tuesday to revoke the business license for the Desert Inn motel at 505 W. Second St.
The company owes the Town of Shoshoni $1,500 in unpaid water bills, Shoshoni Police Department Chief Chris Konija said during the meeting – which is “reason enough” to revoke their license, according to Town Attorney Marshall Keller.
But Konija said he also has “some serious concerns with (their) business practices.”
“This business, for all intents and purposes, is not operating,” Konija explained. “There’s nobody there manning it. But … we’ve had five travelers that have booked a room with them and show up – and then obviously it’s closed and there’s nobody there.”
When those individuals call the number provided for “troubleshooting,” Konija said the person who answers the phone “hangs up (and) refuses to refund their money or deal with them.”
The SPD has “opened up a law enforcement inquiry” on the company as a result, Konija noted, but he also recommended the council revoke the Desert Inn’s business license.
The move may not stop the business from advertising, he said, but “I don’t feel that the Town of Shoshoni should be condoning that type of business practice.”
“(We should) dissociate ourselves from that business by revoking the business license … because of the conduct and behavior,” he said. “Even if it does continue, at least the town can say that we aren’t associated with this group and we are not allowing them. … It separates (us) from that behavior.”
Councilmember Jordan Whitener said his “first concern” was the company’s debt to the town – but he also agreed that it reflects poorly on Shoshoni “if they’re unethical.”
“It’s not a good painted picture for our town, (and) I don’t think it’s something we want to take lightly,” he said. “So I think we definitely need to set the precedent here. … If you’re a business that can’t pay your bills (or do) what’s right, we’re not going to support that type of behavior.”
Councilmember Mark Nordeen echoed those comments.
“We can’t have a business like this,” he said. “That just gives us a bad reputation.”
Councilmember Jake Stetler asked what the town can do if the business continues to “promote and advertise that they have rooms but don’t have an active business license because it’s been pulled.”
Marshall said he would review town ordinances and report back with options, but it’s possible the town could “seek an injunction in court … if they keep doing it.”
For more information, call the Town of Shoshoni at (307) 876-2515.