Contract extended to keep Youth Alternatives program

by Cindy Glasson

The Hot Springs County Commissioners had a brief meeting on Tuesday evening covering program funding for Youth Alternatives, sage grouse issues, the status of hangars at the new airport and a discussion regarding Gooseberry Road.

Barb Rice, director of the Youth Alternatives program approached the commissioners regarding an extension of the contract between the program and Volunteers of America (VOA) and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).

VOA and OJJDP are asking programs nationwide to sign a contract extension with them that will basically make the county responsible for approximately six months of funding until the two entities can get their grant money in order from the Federal Government.

The original contract was to run through Oct. 31, but VOA/OJJDP have asked for an extension through March 31, 2017.

According to Rice, she has some funding left over from this round of grants, but foresees an approximate $3,000 shortfall if she has to stretch it through until the end of March.

She offered to cut her expenses with the program by $500 each month and take a cut in her own pay in order to cover the shortage.

“We want to see this service continue for the kids,” commission chairman John Lumley said. “Its proven minors should not be housed with adults. We’ve proven it for years.”

Commissioner Tom Ryan was very upset that the program was “messing around with us like this.”

The commissioners voted to extend the contract with VOA/OJJDP in order to remain in the loop for next years funding, but also agreed to pick up the costs of the shortfall, telling Rice she was not going to take a pay cut to make up for the financial crisis caused by another entity completely out of her control.

The commissioners also voted to sign a letter created by the Natural Resource Planning Commission (NRPC) to be sent to the Bureau of Land Management Sage Grouse Studies office in Cheyenne.

The NRPC is asking for regular updates on the Hot Springs County Sage Grouse monitoring data saying they believe there has been an over-emphasis on increased habitat as the solution for declining populations.

In addition, they would like to be assured that ongoing studies of sage grouse populations include external factors, such as other species using the same habitat and depredation from predators.

Seven of the eight hangars at the new county airport have received permits to be re-constructed on the property.

The eighth hangar, however, is proving to be a bit of a problem.

In a conference call with GDA Associates, the commissioners discussed moving that particular hangar back further from the others and extending the apron to accommodate the move.

Initially, GDA had looked into a variance for the hangar, but were denied. GDA would like to continue tow work with the state to get the variance, but other options may need to be looked at.

Ray DeVries approached the commissioners to find out why Gooseberry Road is not being maintained by the county, stating it is in almost undriveable condition.

According to Road and Bridge supervisor Dave Schlager, Gooseberry Road has never been a county road.

The road connects with Park County on the other side of the county line, and Park County is maintaining their side.

The commissioners told DeVries the county cannot expend money to maintain a road that is not under the purview of the county, but if the seven families and other entities along the road, including the LU Ranch, gathered their resources and brought the road up to code, the county would not be opposed to going through the process to make it a county road and then continue with maintenance.

DeVries estimates it will take approximately $34,000 per mile for each of the approximately four miles in question.