County wants bids for carcass disposal

by Cat Urbigkit

Sublette County Commissioners met in Pinedale Monday with Road Superintendent Butch Penton giving the commission an update on his department.

Penton reported that he has received calls from several people interested in the job of picking up animal carcasses along roadways and taking them to the county landfill. The commission expressed interest in carcass disposal at its last meeting as a way to reduce scattered dining opportunities for ravens.

Commissioner John Linn said he’d spoken with Bernie Holz of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department about the possibility of permitting individuals to pick up the carcasses. He reported that Holz indicated that permitting shouldn’t be a problem.

Commissioner Bill Cramer suggested the commission discuss what the county would pay per carcass, and what mileage would be provided. Commission Chair Betty Fear indicated the work might need to be put out for bid.

Linn suggested an alternative would be to pay a flat fee per carcass at the landfill, and these individuals could be permitted on their own by WG&F.

After further discussion, the commission decided to issue a request for bids for the removal and disposal of carcasses along roadways in the county. The commission said it would open the bids at its Jan. 1, 2007 meeting.

The commission discussed the solid waste planning process, as well as groundwater monitoring, with representatives of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality.

Commissioner John Linn said with the movement toward regional landfills, momentum continues to have garbage transported to regional facilities.

The issues at the landfill are local, regardless of where the garbage comes from, Linn noted, such as if groundwater is contaminated, it’s contaminated here, not somewhere else. It’s our air quality, our raven problem, our water, Linn said.

He said before the planning process continues any further, the boards of county commissions from throughout the region should get together to discuss the issue and all the associated problems and liabilities associated with regional facilities. Other counties shouldn’t think that in exporting their garbage, they are able to export all the responsibility for the problems associated with that garbage.