Green River local news summary

Wyoming Waste announces 3 percent rate increase for 2026

City hires firm for Easy Street reconstruction design

Green River overhauls alcoholic beverage ordinance

Sales tax revenue shows continued strength

Commissioners delay decision on controversial two-county service district

BLM extends public comment period for Rock Springs RMP

Chairman West invited to testify before U.S. Senate committee

County secures over $556K in industrial siting impact funds

New public works combined facility nears completion

Southwest Counseling reports over $850,000 in annual savings amid reorganization

Memorial Hospital reports clean audit, remains financially strong

Wyoming Waste announces 3 percent rate increase for 2026

GREEN RIVER, Wyo. - Green River residents will see a 3 percent increase in their waste collection bills beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Michelle Foote, site manager for Wyoming Waste Systems, announced the rate hike during an update to the City Council Tuesday, citing the Consumer Price Index as the basis for the annual adjustment. The increase will apply to all commercial and residential customers, as well as the tonnage rate at the transfer station, which will rise to $97.56 per ton. Foote also noted that the company’s 10-year contract with the city is set to expire at the end of 2027 and proposed starting extension discussions in 2026.

City hires firm for Easy Street reconstruction design

GREEN RIVER, Wyo. - The reconstruction of Easy Street is moving forward after the City Council approved a contract with Benchmark Engineers P.C. for professional engineering services. The firm will be paid up to $250,580 from sixth-penny sales tax funds to perform surveying, geotechnical investigation and engineering design for the project, which includes Easy Circle. Public Works representative Dustin Romero said the contract represents approximately 7.5 percent of the estimated construction cost and allows the city to get an early start on the major infrastructure project.

Green River overhauls alcoholic beverage ordinance

GREEN RIVER, Wyo. - The City Council gave its initial approval to a overhaul of the city’s ordinance governing alcoholic beverages. The amended ordinance, which passed its first reading Tuesday, removes redundant language and aligns city code with current state statutes. Key changes include eliminating the outdated concept of “dispensing rooms” and shifting the authority to approve alcohol consumption at certain venues from the police chief to the City Council. The new ordinance also moves fee schedules from being hard-coded to being set annually by resolution, allowing for greater flexibility.

Sales tax revenue shows continued strength

GREEN RIVER, Wyo. - The city’s sales tax revenue continues to show positive growth, according to figures shared at Tuesday’s council meeting. For the most recent reporting period, the city collected $1,052,000, an increase of approximately $35,000 over the same period last year. This marks the second consecutive month that city sales tax collections have surpassed the $1 million mark, providing a strong indicator of local economic activity.

Commissioners delay decision on controversial two-county service district

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. - The Sweetwater County Commission on Tuesday unanimously voted to adjourn a public hearing on the proposed Lincoln Star Improvement and Service District, delaying a decision for up to four weeks. Citing the district’s unique and complex nature, which involves four noncontiguous parcels of land spanning both Sweetwater and Lincoln counties, commissioners said they want to confer with their Lincoln County counterparts before proceeding. The adjournment followed a lengthy hearing with significant debate over the district’s practical purpose, the involvement of a Lincoln County official as a chief landowner and questions about the legality of Lincoln County’s public notice process.

BLM extends public comment period for Rock Springs RMP

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. - The Bureau of Land Management extended the public scoping period for its Rock Springs Resource Management Plan amendment by 45 days, moving the new deadline to Dec. 18. Chairman Keaton West announced the extension, noting the timing was ironic given the commission’s recent intensive work to meet the original deadline. The BLM will also hold an informational public meeting on the RMP amendment at the Sweetwater Events Complex on Dec. 3 from 3-6 p.m.

Chairman West invited to testify before U.S. Senate committee

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. - Commission Chairman Keaton West said Tuesday he has received a preliminary invitation to testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in Washington, D.C. The invitation, extended via Sen. John Barrasso’s office, would ask West to speak on the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and challenges related to the designation of Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. West said the opportunity would allow him to share firsthand experience with federal land management policies and “fight for Sweetwater County … on the big stage.”

County secures over $556K in industrial siting impact funds

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. - Sweetwater County has secured $556,887 in impact funds tied to Blue Spruce Operating’s Dry Piney Helium and Carbon Sequestration Project industrial siting permit, Commissioner Island Richards announced Tuesday. The funds, intended to mitigate project impacts, will be distributed among several local entities: $215,818 for Sweetwater County, $110,800 for the Farson Fire Control District, $90,259 for the Farson-Eden Rural Health Care District, $80,000 for Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County and $60,000 for the Town of Granger. Richards said the funds will support essential services like health care, firefighting and law enforcement.

New public works combined facility nears completion

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. - Sweetwater County’s new Combined Public Works Facility has reached substantial completion, with several departments already beginning operations at the Layos Drive location, Chairman Keaton West reported Tuesday. The Road and Bridge and Engineering departments moved in this week, with Fleet and Parks and Recreation scheduled to follow next Monday. The project, which renovated a previously purchased building for approximately $10 million, is estimated to have saved the county over $20 million versus new construction.

Southwest Counseling reports over $850,000 in annual savings amid reorganization

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. - Southwest Counseling Service is projecting an annual savings of $851,058 as a result of a major reorganization effort, the interim director told commissioners Tuesday. The savings stem from staffing adjustments, service restructuring and other efficiency moves implemented since June. The agency is also pursuing grants that could bring in over $1 million in additional revenue. Board Chair Kayleen Logan said the board is making “very difficult decisions” to streamline operations and better meet community needs, which includes developing its first formal Memorandum of Understanding with Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County.

Memorial Hospital reports clean audit, remains financially strong

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. - Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County received a clean annual audit with no significant findings, Commissioner Mary Thoman reported during Tuesday’s meeting. She said the hospital continues to operate with a positive bottom line, making it one of only five of the 28 hospitals in Wyoming currently “operating in the black.” In addition, Newsweek recently ranked the hospital among the top five in the state for the second consecutive year.

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