Sheridan County commissioners approve routine appointments, grants and a fuels-mitigation contract at Dec. 17 meeting

Sheridan County's Board of County Commissioners met Dec. 17, 2024, and approved a series of routine appointments, grant agreements and a contract for fuels mitigation.

At the start of the session Chairman Siddle presented a 13-item consent agenda that the commission approved by voice vote. Commissioners also amended the agenda to add an at-large appointment to the Sheridan County Predator Management District.

County Treasurer Katie Arris presented a revision to the county's statement of investment policy (Resolution 24-12-028), saying it condensed the prior policy and was updated to follow current Wyoming statute. The commission voted to adopt the resolution and authorized the chairman to sign it.

Arris also asked the commission to discharge uncollectible personal-property tax debts certified as uncollectible under Wyoming statute; she told the commission she had certified debts as of Nov. 30, 2024, and the board approved the request. "These lists that I have submitted today are cleanup that needs to happen per statute," Arris said.

The board filled multiple advisory and district seats: Susan Terry was appointed to the Sheridan County Fair Association Board; Bob Crum and Jerry Reed were appointed to seats on the Predator Management District; Nate Kane, Jeremy Zunberg, Andrew Cassidy and J.D. Hill were appointed to various Sheridan County Weed and Pest Control District area seats after motions and voice votes.

Emergency management coordinator Jesse Lutikows requested approval of an Emergency Management Performance Grant from the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security that will provide partial funding for the emergency management coordinator position. "It provides for approximately half the salary and benefits for my position," Lutikows said; the commission authorized the chairman to sign the subrecipient agreement.

Administrative Director Cameron Duff presented a memorandum of understanding with Memorial Hospital of Sheridan County governing use of the county's opioid settlement funds. Duff stated the county has received about $620,000 so far from the settlement and is expecting an additional roughly $500,000 over the next 10 years; the county plans to provide about $100,000 per year to the hospital for opioid prevention and treatment programs. The MOU requires reporting back to the county and can be rescinded. The commission approved the MOU and authorized the chairman to sign it.

County Planner Mark Reid opened a public hearing on variance application V-24-006 from David Jones (agent Mark Peacock). Reid said the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval (5–0) with conditions to address documentation and a well log; no members of the public spoke and the board approved the lot-size variance to reduce an approximately 0.63-acre parcel to 0.61 acres to accommodate a boundary line adjustment.

County Engineer Ken Mueller reported the county had been notified it would receive a congestion and air-quality mitigation award from the Wyoming Department of Transportation for fiscal year 2025 to help mitigate dust on county gravel roads. Mueller stated the county's award was approximately $225,900 and reminded commissioners the grant carries an 80/20 match requirement; the commission authorized the chairman to sign the subrecipient agreement.

Chris Thomas, county fire warden, and Duff presented bids for the Little Bighorn Canyon Fuels Mitigation Project. The board awarded the contract to CTC Disaster Response for $68,613.20 and authorized the chairman to sign contract documents. Duff noted other bid figures on the record (DeFord Timber Services at $71,565 and a U.S. Forest Service contract estimate of $267,000) and told the board the county was well under budget for the work.

Commissioner Jennings introduced Amendment 1 to Resolution 13-12-040 (Red Grade Road winter travel management) to give the board temporary flexibility to extend or shorten the winter closure or spring opening of Red Grade Road based on weather and stakeholder consultation; the commission approved the amendment and authorized the chairman to sign the resolution as amended. Chairman Siddle clarified that amendment approval does not itself open the road.

Mueller also presented a petition to vacate a portion of Maple Avenue and 16th Street in Downers Addition and recommended issuing a notice of intent to vacate to notify affected landowners, the city and utilities; the commission adopted Resolution 24-12-027 to issue the notice of intent and begin the objection period.

The board approved approximately $9,000 in 1% GPET contingency funds for artwork displays at the Brook Street Green Space Project after a presentation by Duff and a public comment from Harry Pollock objecting to use of public funds for nonprofits under Article 16, Section 6 of the Wyoming Constitution. Commissioner Jennings voted no; the motion passed.

The commission convened an executive session under Wyoming Statute 16-4-405 to discuss purchase of real estate, then reconvened in open session and adjourned the meeting at 9:51 a.m. No confidential details were disclosed during open session.

Actions taken at the meeting included adoption of the investment policy resolution, discharge of certified uncollectible debts, multiple board and district appointments, acceptance of grant agreements (EMPG and WYDOT congestion/air-quality), approval of the opioid-settlement MOU with Memorial Hospital, approval of variance V-24-006 (Jones), award of the Little Bighorn Canyon fuels-mitigation contract to CTC Disaster Response for $68,613.20, adoption of a notice-of-intent to vacate public right-of-way in Downers Addition, approval of GPET contingency funding for Brook Street artwork, and entry into and exit from executive session to discuss real estate.