Planner to be hired to aid zoning administrator

by Bill Boender

The Sublette County Commissioners held their regular meeting Tuesday, April 5, beginning with the opening of bids for a used road and bridge department motorgrader. The John Deere 772C was sold to high bidder Bob Tanner for $112,510, which exceeded the trade offer from Wyoming Machinery Company of $82,000, resulting in a net gain for the county of $30,510. Other bidders were Bradley Stepp at $105,535, Hill & Son Excavating at $90,000 and Scott Machinery at $87,505.

Larry Deats of Wyoming Machinery Company made a presentation to the commissioners on the value of the new Caterpillar 160H motorgrader just purchased for $240,527, offering a guaranteed buy back of $135,000 at the end of five years or 7,500 hours of use.

Bonnie Chambers of Chambers Design-Build reviewed the county shop plans and presented bids for engineering services. The commissioners accepted the bid of Nelson Engineering of Jackson in the amount of $49,560.

In the matter of Wagstaff v. Grindstone Cattle Company, the commissioners agreed with the findings of the viewers in the case and directed County Attorney Van Graham to prepare documents for signing at the next meeting. Damages were determined to be $12,000 to the 502 acres impacted. Commission Chair Betty Fear commented, ”It’s not the end of that, but we can start a new chapter.”

Judi Adler and Peggy Bell of the Sublette County Planning and Zoning Commission asked the commissioners to approve the hiring of a planner who would join Darlene Staley in her position as zoning administrator. The commissioner agreed that the workload has increased to the point that both positions are necessary. County Clerk Mary Lankford will begin advertising to fill that new position.

Laura Schmid-Pizzato of Southwest Counseling in Rock Springs addressed the commissioners to ask for some financial support, indicating that their facility was utilized for 101 bed days by Sublette County patients assigned there by court action. The cost for this service was estimated at some $11,000. The commission asked that Southwest Counseling make a formal request during the upcoming budget sessions, agreeing that some support was appropriate, especially with the uncertainty of the availability of local services.

Henry Schmidt of the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office addressed the commissioners regarding anticipated budget needs and salary increases, indicating this year’s budget should be nearly the same as last year. Schmidt noted that two officers will be added to staff a full-time drug intervention team with the help of a $200,000 grant from federal funds provided to the State of Wyoming. He advised that the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation is being reorganized and their relationship will be different in the future.

A letter from John Godfrey concerning the Sublette County Joint Tourism Promotion Board and the Sublette County Chamber of Commerce was discussed. Commissioner Bill Cramer noted that they had supported that combination with the purchase of property for a visitor center and would continue their support if the parties could “play in the same sandbox nicely.” No action was taken on the request to reduce the number of tourism board members to five.

Randall Johnson, Andy McGinnis and Sublette County Rural Health Care Board Member Mary Lynn Worl discussed the proposed ambulance barn and the status of clinics and physicians. Johnson, the newly hired director for the health care board, reported that he is beginning a campaign to advise the public of the progress in these matters and would be gathering information to see what the public concerns and desires might be.

Commissioner Fear advised, ”We had no intention of pushing you, but it seems the time-frame is getting longer and longer.”

Johnson responded, “We are not going to take a long time to reach a decision.”

Worl added: “Right now, the doors are open for anything. We don’t have any answers yet.”