Commissioners discuss solid waste issues

At the June 15 Hot Springs County Commissioners meeting, discussion was held about the landfill agreement extension for one year.

Commissioner Phil Scheel said, “I really think as the landfill and solid waste becomes more and more a pressing issue, the city, the current operator’s plans needs to be a little bit more public. Especially with those participating entities including the county, to the county, and to the town of Kirby and East Thermopolis so that we can be all onboard rather than them wrecking the train in the middle of the mess that we are all heading for.”

Chairman Tom Ryan and Scheel then discussed solid waste going to the landfill versus the transfer station.

Scheel added, “It’s all solid waste. So, if they are going to continue to operate the landfill at some capacity for C&D waste as they have suggested then this still matters partially if we want to continue to subsidize the landfill for C&D waste. The transfer station has a lot to do with that. I don’t think that we need to be paying the same amount that we are paying now to operate the landfill for C&D waste if they are also collecting household garbage to the transfer station. I don’t think this is the time for me to pitch a big fit.”

Ryan said, “I don’t disagree.” Ryan also said they need to be involved in what is going on with the town. The commissioners then voted and agreed to pass the landfill agreement extension for one year.

Husband and wife, John Fenton and Kim Bartlett approached the commissioners seeking permission to do a pollination study on Roundtop.

They are taking part in a University of Wyoming study to examine what kinds of bees, butterflies and other insects that carry pollen to flowers in the area. They are concerned as some bees are an endangered species and they want to count the insects using some special traps.

They will leave the traps on Roundtop and also in other study areas for 48 hours and will do it twice a month. Fenton and Bartlett are especially interested in Roundtop because its elevation is much different from other study locations. The commissioners granted permission to them. Roundtop is jointly owned by Hot Springs County and the town of Thermopolis according to the GIS server. 

Lee Campbell and Representative John Winter presented themselves to the commissioners to discuss grizzly bears. Campbell said, “There’s a lot going on” and that grizzly bears are a natural resource issue and it’s building to a head because various states, such as Idaho, Montana and Wyoming are struggling to contain large carnivores. There is tension between ranchers protecting their stock and the federal departments, such as Game and Fish.

Chairman Ryan asked them what they want the commissioners to do about it. Campbell wants the commissioners to sit at the table for a discussion over the matter. Winter added they could invite Game and Fish for a briefing or hold a public hearing to gain more information. They want to add more pressure on the federal government from the local level. Ryan mentioned that they are not in any position financially to file a lawsuit against the feds. However, Ryan added that they can talk to Park County commissioners and see how they are handling the situation. 

The commissioners voted and signed a memorandum of understanding to accept the District Court Clerk’s Office VPN connection. This matter is related to collecting child support payments.

Ryan said it used to be that people would pay child support at district court but the state has changed that so that payments would be sent to the Cheyenne office for family services. There was a computer they made payments on and the state would give the county money for the use of the computer and for their time. The MOU from the state wants to no longer pay for it anymore. The state also wants the child support payments to go through them and the local courthouse to no longer handle it. The VPN does not cost the county anything but still allows child support payments to be made locally.

The commissioners voted and approved the consent for conveyance at the Board of Control for Lance P. and Kelli M. Odell-Bloedel and Benjamin T. and Jill Tonn. 

The commissioners voted and approved to appoint Leslie Basse and Marcia Nelson to the Library Board and Phyllis Winter Baker to the Museum Board. 

They also ratified Amendment 1 for an MOU for the COVID-19 Disease Surveillance and Testing. It was signed in the previous commissioner’s meeting.

The commissioners addressed an ArcaSearch agreement where the digital archival company moves onto a new phase for scanning documents which will now include maps. The county has already paid for half of the service, which is $74,000. They voted and approved to continue the scanning service.

Doris Ann Ready and Rachel Moon, representing the Hot Springs County Museum, asked for the signature of the commissioners to move forward on a Wyoming Energy Authority Grant. The amount is for $25,000 and it would be used with matching funds. The purpose of the grant is to make the museum building more energy efficient and the Museum would need to provide a 10% match of $2,500, which they already have in their budget. The county owns the building and therefore for the application they must have their signature. The $25,000 would be used over time. The commissioners voted and passed to sign the documents.

For GIS Services involving T-O Engineers, the commissioners voted and approved to accept the agreement which would educate and train staff in the adoption of the mapping technology. 

Nate Messenger and Johnny Jones presented a hangar lease transfer agreement. This would change the lease from Owl Creek Aviation to Jones. The commissioners voted and approved the transfer. 

For the Shoshone Forest Road Project the commissioners voted to approve the agreement which would be for the maintenance of a county road that leads to a forest road so that the Forest Service would have good access. Hot Springs County would contribute $15,000 and the Shoshone Forest Service would contribute $8,000. 

The commissioners voted and passed a notification letter to WARM saying they are going to use their right to withdraw and leave their services and come back if they want to. 

The commissioners held a public hearing regarding the request of Son Rise Grass Creek Guest Ranch LLC to have a special malt beverage permit. Chamber of Commerce Director Meri Ann Rush was present to listen and support the request.

Rush said the Son Rise dude ranch fills an important niche to tourism in the county because her office receives many requests for horseback rides and ends up directing them to Cody. This new tourist attraction would bring those interested people back to Hot Springs County. The commissioners voted and approved the special malt beverage permit.