Commissioners attempt to solve recycling problems

by Trey Wilkinson

Sublette Citizens for Recycling (SCR) attended Tuesday’s Sublette County Commissioners meeting looking for and proposing potential answers to the recycling problem that has stretched across Sublette County.

Commissioner chair Bill Cramer spoke to the SCR informing them that a group of approximately 10 citizens attended the previous commissioners meeting with recycling concerns and a petition requesting members of the recycling board be removed from their positions.

Cramer said after asking how many of the citizens had been to a recycling board meeting, only one raised her hand.

“I sent them to your meeting because you are a legally constituted board,” Cramer said. “They needed to speak with you about their concerns before coming to us.”

“I think you’re doing the best you can under some bad circumstances,” Cramer added.

Cramer then informed the SCR that Julie Early had been appointed to the board earlier in the day.

Commissioner John Linn said he felt a lot of the problems with recycling are related to the high volume.

“We have asked all departments to come up with an impact analysis,” Linn said. “We’d like you to do the same so we can see the impact over the last five years.”

“Obviously you all are anxious and passionate about recycling,” Linn added. “Is there any way we could encourage cooperation and volunteers?”

SCR member Marti Seipp told the commissioners that Dave Dockens asked for volunteers at the group’s meeting last week and “the answer was a flat no.”

“We want them to come to our meeting,” Dockens said. “They told us they didn’t have time to attend our meetings. We meet for an hour once a month. I think they’d be able to find time.”

Seipp informed the commissioners the SCR have started a volunteer night where the group is asking for help.

“You would think as fussed up as everyone is about recycling they would volunteer,” Linn said.

The commissioners moved on to address short-term answers for the recycling predicament.

The first issue discussed was the bailer.

“It would cost $20,000 to buy a used bailer,” Seipp said.

The SCR could get a used bailer on a temporary basis, but it would require manual operation, Cramer said. He also said the goal is to get a new bailer that is self-feed and less labor intensive.

“As of right now we have $12,500 set aside for a bailer and donations totaling of $20,000,” Seipp said. “I figure we need about $30,000 more to purchase a new bailer. It would be good for about five years.”

Moving the bailer to a new facility was discussed and brought up the question of whether a single- or three-phase set up should be purchased.

“It’s clear we’ve outgrown the space, there’s no doubt about that,” Cramer said. “But we need to think about the short-term right now. We need to authorize the purchase of this bailer.”

Seipp brought up paving as another problem at the recycling center.

She said dirt around the center makes it difficult to maneuver the forklift.

Linn suggested renting a skidster from Wyoming Machinery as a temporary solution.

“You could rent it for the next three or four months and it would get you out of this jam,” he said.

Linn also offered to donate pit liner if the group was interested.

“Butch (Penton, road and bridge foreman) is looking at small paving jobs, perhaps this is one he can look at,” Cramer said.

Seipp explained that extra labor was also needed.

She said right now two guys from county detention are helping, but once they finish their sentences they are released and no longer help out.

“It just isn’t a reliable source of manpower,” Cramer said.

The commissioners authorized adding $30,000 to the recycling budget for a bailer, $15,000 for labor and considered authorizing money for a skidster once a price was established.

For the long-term the board was advised to research potential places for a new facility and coordinate with Rick Hoffman, landfill manager in Big Piney, on the Integrated Solid Waste Plan.

In other county action:

• Fairgrounds manager Frank James informed the board that bids for a new garage at the employee house on the fairgrounds had drastically gone up.

James told the commissioners the cost of the project was $70 per square foot for the 900 square foot garage, which totals $63,000.

Cramer suggested putting in an inquiry to local contractor Ben Rogers, as well as local contractor Tony Chambers.

“We won’t accept any of the bids you’ve brought in at the moment,” Cramer said, due to the high prices.

Frank said he didn’t think the commissioners would because the prices were so “outrageous.”

• Penton presented the commissioners with suggestions for road improvements this year.

The following is a list of the proposed projects: four-inch pavement on the upper end of Horse Creek Road; five miles of 6-8 inch pavement and shoulder work on the lower end of Horse Creek Road; five miles on the upper end with 6-8 inch pavement on Paradise Road; two-inch overlay on the lower end of Paradise Road; a two-year project on Calpet Road consisting of 20 miles (dirt work this year and paving next year); Haul roto-mill then pave over 2-3 inches on Horse Ranch Road (already in progress); four-inch pavement on Guio’s (23-114); and small jobs, including the new shop parking lot, the Industrial Site, the Transfer Station, Pinedale South and the Pinedale Clinic.

The commissioners gave the authorization to move forward on these projects.

• The county commissioners received a certificate of appreciation from the Pinedale Volunteer Fire Department.

“We gave out this certificate for all the employers who allow firemen to respond to fires during work hours,” Fire Chief Alvin Mitchell said.