Commissioners revisit open public comments

At the April 18 Hot Springs County Commissioners board meeting, the commissioners held a brief discussion about having open public comments on the agenda. Chairman Ryan said he reviewed County Attorney Jill Logan’s research on the matter stating she “did a great job sending us a brief on that. It pretty much echoed most of my concerns. And even after that, I’m still not in favor of that.” 

Commissioner Paul Galovich proposed having a 15-minute time on the agenda, with speakers having a two to three-minute time frame to speak so that public comments could be given. Galovich said, “ I think if it’s directed properly, I don’t think it increases chaos in the meeting. It does give people the opportunity to discuss items that are on the agenda and any concerns that they may have in our decision process. It could be advantageous.”

Chairman Ryan said, “I’ve been a commissioner for almost nine years, and I have not ever been here when somebody was denied the opportunity to talk on an agenda topic.”

Commissioner Scheel spoke up and said to Ryan, “You were not at the meeting when I was the first one that squashed public comment. That was the only time that public comment in the commission meeting was ever denied. That was specifically because of the litigation issue. We had a brief from our lawyer that suggested that we not talk about it. That’s the only time it was squashed.”

Commissioner Scheel continued and said, “We’ve always had public engagements in meetings. People come to the meetings that I’ve been in for the last seven years. They come, sit down, and we say, ‘Hey, how’s it going?’” 

Commissioner Galovich again offered about having a certain amount of time on the agenda for public comments and for the public to speak about what is on the agenda.

Chairman Ryan responded and discussed the list of about 100 people or entities that received the emails of the agenda items. 

Chairman Ryan and Commissioner Scheel expressed that the public can comment in their meetings on subjects related to what is on the agenda. Commissioner Galovich said, “That’s understandable that they can come and they can participate in the agenda items and they will be allowed to speak.” The commissioners took no action on the discussion.

In other business, Matt Marsh, Wind River, Big Horn Basin District Manager for BLM, and Mike Phillips, Field Manager for the Worland BLM office, presented themselves to discuss a couple of projects.

Marsh mentioned a hiking trails project that is at 90% in the design phase that is located in the badlands near Hot Springs and Washakie counties. The construction is planned to start in July and go through October. The trail construction will include a couple of gazebos and a picnic table area and it will be ADA compliant. The cost is about $1.3 million and is funded by the Great American Outdoor Act. This project is a recreation site, not a rest area. 

Marsh and Phillips also discussed the Blue Way Trail, which is a recreation project that starts at the Wedding of the Waters on the north end of the Wind River Canyon and continues along the Bighorn River to the Yellowtail Dam. March and Phillips are soliciting ideas to add new recreation locations along the corridor. The project is also helmed by the National Park Service and it will take a couple of years and is multi-phased. 

The commissioners and Marsh and Phillips also held a brief discussion about the islands in the river and all noted it is a hot button subject. There are a variety of existing or potential lawsuits and or surveys involved regarding the islands. Marsh and Phillips do not have a “good answer” about who the islands belong to and that is a “gray area”.

Chairman Tom Ryan discussed with Marsh and Phillips the Black Mountain Road Project and said they are three miles short on it. Ryan asked them if there was any money that could complete those three miles that could be added to the construction. Marsh said, “We can look into that.” 

Commissioner Phil Scheel also brought up the old airport property and its possible use for outdoor activities such as mountain biking. Marsh said their new outdoor recreation planner, Cullen Harvy would be the person to talk to about it. 

Tricia McPhie presented the TANF grant application for review and sought the commissioners’ approval. McPhie explained that the application would extend the contract term instead of creating a new one and that is it the same amount as previously awarded. There are no rollovers and the money must be used within the fiscal year and is federally funded. The grant has been used with High Country Behavioral Health for families within the community. The amount is $20,000. The commissioner voted and passed the approval of the grant application. 

Les Culliton presented a building locks quote for review and sought the commissioners’ approval. There are 10 doors in the Public Health building, with six additional proposed doors that are not in the Public Health building. The other locks would be in the courthouse and the Law Enforcement Center. The doors and locks would all be controlled by the same system and Culliton recommended that the work be done at the same time. The work completion date would be June 1 and costs $6,184.22. Culliton added that the technology for these locks would last about eight to 10 years. The commissioners voted and passed the approval of the building locks project. 

The commissioners voted and passed the approval of Merrill Ready to serve again on the Land Use Planning Board, the 2023 Wyoming Health Fair for one day in May, and for the CATEX grant application for the Big Horn Basin Nature and Discovery Center. 

The commissioners also voted and passed the approval of a lease agreement with John and Charlene Jones for a new hangar at the airport. The commissioners also reviewed the scholarship applications they received.