WATCH: Council to discuss massage business ordinance, opioid settlement funds at work session - Oil City News

[Greg Hirst]

CASPER, Wyo. — At its regularly scheduled work session on Tuesday, Nov. 12, the Casper City Council will hear the latest strategy on proposed zone changes to nine acres of city-owned land off Robertson Road, a recommended overhaul of an ordinance governing massage therapist business licensing and a proposal to collaborate with the county on effectively spending money from opioid litigation.

This article will be updated with an embedded video of the session from council chambers at City Hall, located at 200 N. David St. The meeting will begin at 4:30 p.m.

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An Oct. 28 memo states that city staff believe the intent of a 2020 ordinance setting up requirements for massage therapists has not been fully realized and could allow for illegitimate operations to attain licenses.

The ordinance was developed with the input of local massage therapists and was aimed at differentiating legitimate massage therapy businesses from businesses which may be engaging in prostitution under the pretense of offering massages.

Wyoming is one of three states that does not regulate massage therapy at the state level, and the city had hoped the state would take up the matter in the interim. Evaluating the legitimacy of the applicants is difficult, the memo says.

“Staff do not have the expertise to evaluate the legitimacy of massage therapy or schools or training credentials,” the memo said.

Proposals to modify the ordinance include recognizing the licenses from other states, having the nationally recognized accrediting bodies communicate directly with the city and changing the renewal requirement from two years to one year.

The Casper Police Department is also recommending that the businesses only be allowed to operate from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., according to the memo. Background checks are required as well.

The rest of the agenda is below, along with the information packets on each item.