Sakai updates commission on recycling

by Cat Urbigkit

It took the Sublette County Commission about an hour Tuesday to sort through the large stack of bids for used county equipment, ranging from cattleguards and culverts to plastic storage containers, bicycles and tires. The commission clarified that the remaining items can be purchased from the county road and sheriff's departments on a first-come, first-served basis. The vehicles remaining will be subject to another bidding process through the road department. Sealed bids will be accepted until Jan. 1, the commission instructed.

The commission also discussed the design of the Hi-Country Senior Citizens building and Road Superintendent Dan Holgate's priority rating system for county roads, as well as held an executive session via conference call with Cheyenne attorney John McKinley and a second executive session for a conference call with John Pierre Erramouspe.

The commission approved John and Mary Kay Jensen's request to renew their conditional use permit for property accessed from the Boulder South Road. The permit allows temporary storage of heavy equipment on the site, which was originally approved in 1997. The permit approved by the commission Tuesday was for another five-year term.

Diane Sakai gave the commission an update on the Tri-Town recycling board program. Sakai is now the secretary for the board. She reported that with LaBarge Mayor Dennis Hacklin's recent appointment of Debi Morley, the board now has its full five members. Also serving on the board are Gordon Mickelson, Keith Palmer and Robin Harper.

Sakai spoke of the expense and problems associated with the current recycling facility and subletting that space from Marge Guio, as well as the board's action to pay bills that had accumulated under Guio's rein.

Guio is not a member of the board, but she leased a building in Marbleton at a large expense for the recycling effort. Guio was scolded by the commission in the past for taking action without the support of the board. The lease is reportedly six times more than the recycling facility's monthly rental budget calls for, which is $350 per month, according to Commissioner Betty Fear.

"Our dilemma is, is it acceptable to you if we look for a smaller facility?" Sakai questioned, to which she received enthusiastic support from all three commissioners.

Commission Chairman Bill Cramer said, "It's not a requirement that the board step in and take up (Guio's) lease. The lease is between Marge and the owner.

"She had no authority as a recycling board member to do that," Cramer said

While an older baler was donated to the recycling program, Sakai said Guio decided to trade that in and purchase a new baler for $8,000 instead. Guio reportedly did so without the support of the board, so as cardboard is baled and sold; that revenue goes to make the payment for the baler.

"Every product that goes out of that goes to pay off the baler," Sakai said. "There is absolutely no money to pay utilities or anything else."

"There will be nothing to operate on short of what we received from you," Sakai said.

Cramer told Sakai that a new rental space for less money might be justified.

"Your requirement is to live within your budget," Cramer told Sakai. He warned, "If it becomes more costly to recycle than to bury," the material would be buried instead of recycled.

Sakai repeatedly emphasized that while the recycling board does not want to harm Guio in any way: "We cannot continue to operate in this manner. It's futile."