Briefs

Senior center building: $1.2M

Tony and Bonnie Chambers of Chambers Design-Build presented the Sublette County Commission Tuesday with a summary of the bids for construction of the new Hi-Country Senior Center in Pinedale.

Although the commission discussed various costs submitted by numerous subcontractors, the actual bid award is anticipated to occur at the commission's Friday, Oct. 17, meeting. The total amount for the project discussed Tuesday rang in at $1.2 million.

Three ladies on the senior center building committee attended the meeting to express concern with numerous items involved in the project and suggested that architect Brad Waters is unresponsive to their concerns. They raised issues ranging from the cost of light fixtures, kitchen equipment and furnishings, to air circulation and window design. Waters wasn't in attendance Tuesday, but the commission hopes he will be in attendance Oct. 17.

Rezoning ag land

In other commission business Tuesday, MG Land and Livestock, LLC's proposal to rezone 169 acres of agricultural land to rural residential five-acre and 10-acre zoning was approved. The land is proposed to be subdivided into 22 lots with the main access route from Sagebrush Lane, off Highway 354.

New Sublette County Planner Jocelyn Moore presented the application to the commission, noting that the county planning and zoning commission had recommended the application be approved. Aaron Seehafer of Rio Verde Engineering and Tom Worden and Bob Beard advocated for the application.

Moore noted that the Wyoming Game and Fish Department had recommended that any fences constructed be wildlife-friendly. The county P&Z commission's recommendation for approval included a provision that the WG&F recommendation be adopted. The commission also adopted the recommended action that a plat should be filed within two years or it will revert back to its agricultural zoning.

Wolf update

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported that the dead wolf discovered last week in the Wyoming Range near Daniel was an adult male, and it was discovered in the area where the four wolf pups from the Daniel pack were collared earlier this summer.

According to FWS: "It is being examined by law enforcement to determine if it is a wild wolf or related to the captured pups. Its feet appeared somewhat smaller than expected, it was 'found' under unclear circumstances and not reported for several days."

The agency also reported: "We have removed at least three released captive wolves in this general area."

FWS authorized Wildlife Services specialists to kill the 'new' adult male in the Green River pack. He was shot near a wolf-killed calf carcass on Sept. 29. "The female and one pup were also nearby, but the male, a former Teton wolf, had been involved in previous depredations and was near the depredation site previously. Another calf and a sheep were confirmed killed by the Green River female and possibly a pup/small yearling on the 30th. The pup/yearling will be killed and the radioed female left in the area. However, if she is involved in another depredation this year she too will be killed."