Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame asks Sweetwater County for $1,500 annual donation for local inductees

Representatives of the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame asked the Sweetwater County commission on Feb. 4 for a $1,500 annual contribution to help pay for videos, photos and preservation of inductee records from the county.

Andy Nelson, a Hall of Fame board member, said the nonprofit preserves and documents Wyomingworking cowboy and ranching stories. He told the commission that Sublette County has provided a perpetual $1,500 contribution and requested the same commitment from Sweetwater County to support Sweetwater inductees.

Nelson said the funds cover production costs: "We respectfully request ... Sweetwater County would do the same with a, perpetual $1,500, donation to the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame." He and Valerie Remick, the organization's president, said the videos and presentations are shown at the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and are the organization's principal outreach tools.

Commissioners did not vote. Commissioner Toman said, "I will abstain," during the conversation about her family's connection to an inductee; the board otherwise indicated it would consider the request during the county's budget process. Chairman West suggested the matter be evaluated with the county's budget and possibly routed through the museum or historic preservation budget, as Sublette County had done.

Valerie Remick said she would follow up with county staff to provide requested materials and an invoice after the county adopts its budget.

The commission did not commit funds at the meeting and asked staff to include the request in budget discussions.