Sweetwater County commissioners approve $6.5 million capital reallocation, three budget amendments and routine actions

Commissioner Keaton D. West, chairman of the Sweetwater County Commission, and four fellow commissioners voted unanimously Jan. 7 to move $6,500,000 from road and bridge into the county's facilities maintenance building and improvement budget and to approve three smaller budget amendments and a handful of routine items.

The county approved the largest action'a capital-project reallocation totaling $6.5 million'after county staff said the funds should be recorded under facilities rather than road and bridge. "This is to move the funds out of road and bridge into facilities maintenance building and improvement," accounting specialist Rebecca Romero said during the meeting. Commissioner Mary Toman moved the measure; Commissioner Taylor Jones seconded it. The motion passed on a unanimous voice vote.

Why it matters: The reallocation formally moves previously budgeted dollars into the facilities account. County staff and commissioners did not adopt additional policy changes at the meeting; the action was recorded as an amendment to the capital-project budget.

The commission also approved two smaller clerk'office and county-attorney budget moves: - Resolution 25-01-CL-01: increase the clerk's office operating budget by $70,882.50. Commissioner Eileen Richards moved the resolution; Commissioner Robert D. Slaughter seconded it. The motion passed unanimously. - Resolution 25-01-CL-02: transfer $649.99 from the county attorney's operating budget into small capital expenditures. Commissioner Slaughter moved the resolution; Commissioner Taylor Jones seconded it. The motion passed unanimously.

Other actions taken at the meeting included: - Designation of the Green River Star as the 2025 county newspaper of record. Commissioner Mary Toman moved the designation; Commissioner Robert D. Slaughter seconded it. The motion passed unanimously. The Green River Star told the commission it has the county's highest printed circulation (2,442 paid) and provides tear sheets and affidavits on publication; the Rocket Miner also submitted an application and described recent system changes intended to reduce prior publication errors.

- Approval of a fiscal-year 2025 Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) subrecipient grant agreement with the Wyoming Department of Transportation. Christina Marshall, grants manager, told commissioners the awarded project budget is $245,356 with a required 20% cash match of $49,071 and a completion deadline of Sept. 30, 2027. "That means approximately 37% of the planned roads will not be completed under CMAC," Marshall said, explaining the county's original application was larger than the award. Commissioner Eileen Richards moved approval; Commissioner Taylor Jones seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

- Approval of the 2025 UMR plan acceptance letter (the county's UnitedHealthcare/UMR plan document that guides claims processing). Human resources director Gary McLean noted technical updates to the plan and an added coverage item; Commissioner Richards moved to approve and Commissioner Jones seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

- Ratification of routine consent-agenda business (minutes, vouchers/warrants, bonds, hospital maintenance expenditures, a letter supporting a wildfire planning grant application, and a protest regarding a federal sage-grouse land-use amendment). Commissioner Richards moved approval of the consent agenda; Commissioner Taylor Jones seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

- Appointment to the Weed and Pest Control Board: Commissioner Eileen Richards moved to appoint Ronald Coby to a four-year term to replace the expiring seat; Commissioner Taylor Jones seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Votes at a glance: - Resolution 25-01-CL-03 (capital project budget change, $6,500,000): motion by Commissioner Mary Toman; second by Commissioner Taylor Jones; vote 5-0 (approved). - Resolution 25-01-CL-01 (clerk's office operating increase, $70,882.50): motion by Commissioner Eileen Richards; second by Commissioner Robert D. Slaughter; vote 5-0 (approved). - Resolution 25-01-CL-02 (county-attorney reallocation, $649.99): motion by Commissioner Robert D. Slaughter; second by Commissioner Taylor Jones; vote 5-0 (approved). - Newspaper of record (Green River Star): motion by Commissioner Mary Toman; second by Commissioner Robert D. Slaughter; vote 5-0 (Green River Star awarded 2025 designation). - CMAQ subrecipient grant agreement ($245,356 award; $49,071 cash match): motion by Commissioner Eileen Richards; second by Commissioner Taylor Jones; vote 5-0 (approved). - UMR plan acceptance letter (UnitedHealthcare/UMR): motion by Commissioner Eileen Richards; second by Commissioner Taylor Jones; vote 5-0 (approved). - Consent agenda (6 items): motion by Commissioner Eileen Richards; second by Commissioner Taylor Jones; vote 5-0 (approved). - Weed and Pest Board appointment (Ronald Coby, four-year term): motion by Commissioner Eileen Richards; second by Commissioner Taylor Jones; vote 5-0 (appointed).

What commissioners said: Accounting specialist Rebecca Romero summarized the clerk and county-attorney items as routine bookkeeping adjustments tied to previously authorized purchases and capital accounts. Grants manager Christina Marshall told the commission the CMAQ award will be used to apply magnesium chloride on approximately 55 miles of county roads and reminded the board the award did not fully fund the county's original request.

The commission opened the three budget items to public hearing; no members of the public spoke. The meeting closed after routine commissioner reports and administrative business.

The Sweetwater County Commission adjourned Jan. 7. The board's next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 21, 2025 (agenda items and times to be posted by the county).