Commission declines to enter clinic fray

by Cat Urbigkit

Sublette County Commissioners met for a half-day business session Friday, Nov. 5. The commission rescheduled its regular meeting to avoid meeting on election day last week.

County Road Superintendent Travis Sour reported that with recent rain and snowstorms, “our roads have kind of taken a beating. We are out doing maintenance on all of our county roads before the big snows come.”

Susan Kramer of Sublette Citizens for Recycling updated the commission on a few items. First she noted that when it came to putting the addition on the recycling building, she had originally anticipated putting the addition on the front of the building. But once the property was surveyed, Kramer discovered that there was more property available on the side of the building, so the addition was placed there instead.

Kramer also noted that she served on an advisory committee for the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, examining ways to improve solid waste management in Wyoming.

Kramer said that there is draft legislation being created that would provide for regionalizing landfills in Wyoming, with eventually the same action occurring with recycling centers.

“I can’t see that it’s going to take away the individual recycling centers,” Commissioner Betty Fear said.

The commission discussed recent correspondence from Teton County officials that expressed concern about the relationship between the counties and landfill management.

With Sublette County going to a balefill system, some changes will be made, including the need to have the Teton County trucks keep steel and concrete separated so it doesn’t go into the bale facility.

“It’s going to solve some problems and create others,” said Commissioner Bill Cramer, adding that since Teton County is part owner in the landfill, and since Sublette County makes money from accepting Teton County’s garbage at $12.25 per ton, the commission should work with Teton officials in resolving any problems they might experience.

The commission agreed to have Cramer and Sublette County Waste Manager Rick Hoffman travel to Teton County to discuss the matter with those officials.

Bill Schertz, a retired engineer from Pinedale, spoke with the commission about the construction project for the Pinedale Medical Clinic, presenting the commission with his design for a new building rather than additions to the existing facility.

Schertz told the commission that if they went with his design it “would cost you less” as well as be a “better design.”

Schertz asked the commission to “please consider not letting them go forward” with the architect’s design, using his design instead.

“This is cheaper, better,” Schertz said, adding that his design should be applied to a new Marbleton clinic as well.

Sublette County Rural Health Care District Board Member Mary Lynn Worl told the commission that Schertz has provided input on numerous occasions to both the board and architects. She said that Schertz has provided the board with some valuable input, but noted that the architectural firm hired by the board is experienced in designing medical facilities.

Commission Chairman Gordon Johnston said he would hate to see the county commission become involved in a “brouhaha” with the health care board and Schertz. Johnston said it wasn’t appropriate for the commission to be involved and told Schertz and Worl that it was “an exercise in futility” for them to be airing the issue before the commission.

Representatives of the Sublette County Chamber of Commerce came before the commission with the lease for the new chamber/visitor center located on North Tyler. The historic cabin is being leased for $1,100 per month, plus utilities. The commission agreed to provide funding for the monthly rental fee, but the chamber has to pay its own utilities.

Mantle Ranch Real Estate, a Colorado limited partnership, filed a petition and application with the county to establish a private road through property that is known as the old Christmann ranch outside of Pinedale. The commission set the hearing date for the issue for 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 7. If the commission determines at the hearing that there is no legally enforceable access to the property, the commission will then appoint three viewers to examine the proposed road.

The viewers’ report has been completed on another private road petition, County Clerk Mary Lankford reported. The commission decided to schedule the hearing on the Wagstaff Road for 10 a.m. on Dec. 7.