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Municipal officials ask committee to study statewide infrastructure inventory; lawmakers debate jurisdiction
Summary
The Wyoming Association of Municipalities asked the Joint Transportation Committee to examine a statewide inventory of infrastructure costs and reserves, prompting lawmakers to debate whether water and sewer issues belong with agriculture or transportation committees.
Ashley Sharp Street of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities told the Joint Transportation Committee the association submitted a topic proposing a statewide inventory of infrastructure that would include roads, water and sewer systems and the costs municipalities face to maintain them.
"We weren't quite sure where to put all of our infrastructure," Sharp Street said, noting the substantial per-mile cost of roads and the need for municipalities to plan reserves and fees to cover major projects.
Committee members questioned where the topic belongs. Senator Colt and others said water projects are commonly handled by the Agriculture and Natural Resources committees and the Select Water committee; Representative Weiling and other members said the subject of utilities and broader municipal infrastructure intersects with transportation and could fit this committee. "It's a little broader discussion than just the water, but I don't disagree," a co-chair said, acknowledging overlap across committees.
Members said the proposal aims to look holistically at municipal inventories and funding mechanisms for large capital projects (Sharp Street cited an approximate cost of $2,000,000 per mile of road in her remarks). The committee did not take a formal vote to adopt the topic; co-chairs said they would discuss jurisdiction with Management Council and that the proposal appeared split between committees.
The committee also noted related submissions from Representative Larson about sewer and municipal water plans. Lawmakers asked staff to consider a consolidated approach, and the co-chairs said they would work with Management Council to determine the best committee assignment for an inventory or broader utilities study.
No formal action or appropriation was made at the meeting; committee co-chairs indicated the topic may be advanced to Management Council for assignment depending on Leadership direction and cross-committee interest.
