By Ann Jantz, wyo4news.com
Rock Springs – The Rock Springs City Council met Tuesday with Sweetwater County cities, towns and several outside agencies to begin discussions about proposed Special Purpose Tax projects.
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RS Councilman Keaton West said this meeting comes very early in the process of getting the Special Purpose Tax proposals ready for the 2020 Election. Considering the Primary Election date is Aug. 18, 2020, proposals will need to be ready by April 30, 2020, he noted.
“It’s a lengthy process,” West said.
Green River Mayor Pete Rust did not bring forward any possible projects Green River may be considering. He said he thought this meeting was supposed to be more of a meet-and-greet among the mayors, and the Green River City Council has not yet discussed projects. He did note Green River has “huge needs” and considers the Special Purpose Tax ‘”a very important tool.”
RS Mayor Tim Kaumo assured Rust the meeting was just a way to get an idea about projects that could be proposed for the six-cent tax. “We just have to start somewhere,” he said.
The smaller incorporated communities in Sweetwater County began the discussion, offering yet-to-be prioritized lists of proposed project:
- Bairoil Mayor Sue Rigano said the towns major project would be to pour a 12-inch concrete road for the truck route near town. Cost is estimated at $1.2 million. The town also needs a new water tank ($350,000) and sewer lines.
- Granger representative Starr Sloan said the town wishes to focus on infrastructure, particularly the water treatment plant and related water and sewer projects, and raising County Road 16 near the Blacks Fork and the railroad. Cost is estimated at $10 million plus.
- Superior Mayor Dominic Wolf said the sewer lagoons need upgraded and a road up the hill in town needs redone. He had no cost estimate at this time.
- Wamsutter Mayor Joseph Erickson said the town maintenance shop needs finishing and the 1-mile industrial loop should be repaved. Other possible projects include water and sewer projects, expand Town Hall, building a bay for the ambulance, replace two park bathrooms and equipment purchase. Total cost is estimated at $10 million plus.
- Kaumo presented Rock Springs’ proposed projects, which include odor control at the Water Treatment Facility, miscellaneous water and sewer and storm water projects, widening of College and Dewar drives, and retention ponds northeast of Rock Springs. Total estimated cost is $24.5 million.
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West said he would like to see some quality of life projects also introduced, in an effort to bring people and businesses to the area. Councilman Rob Zotti proposed the next step should be prioritizing these lists and then determining the cost of the projects.
Several outside agencies also made proposals. YWCA Executive Director Melinda Baas proposed a new building so YWCA could expand childcare abilities. Cost for the building is estimated at $3.5 million, or $4 million if furnishings were included.
Sweetwater Events Complex representative Kandi Pendleton said the complex wishes to renovate its current facility at a cost of $24 million. This would include modernizing the Exhibit Hall and renovating the Indoor Arena, which would include building another arena east of the current arena. The complex would also like to install a second water tap at a cost of $1.1 million.
Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport Manager Devon Brubaker presented for both the airport and the Recycling Center. He said the airport is continuing its terminal renovation project and is working to receive another federal grant. If the grant is not forthcoming, worst case scenario would be a costs of $5 million for the next portion of the project. The airport also needs to upgrade its natural gas lines and will need to figure out how to get water and sewer lines out to the facility. Water is currently hauled to the airport.
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As for the Recycling Center, Brubaker said planning workshops are being set up to determine the long-term plans for community recycling countywide. He qualified it as a quality of life issue.
Kaumo tallied up the list of proposed projects, which came to roughly $120 million.
The next meeting is planned for 4 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Sweetwater Events Complex.
