Rock Springs local news summary

Assessor warns of potential 'nightmare' property tax legislation

Commission approves sale of county building on Flaming Gorge Way

Grant secured for dust suppression on 76 miles of county roads

Housing aid dominates block grant allocations

Retired federal agent presents ‘CPR for suicide’ strategy

Wyoming’s high suicide rate linked to ‘cowboy up’ culture

Assessor warns of potential 'nightmare' property tax legislation

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. - Sweetwater County Assessor Dave Divis briefed the commission on several draft bills currently before the state revenue committee, expressing deep concern over 26 LSO 101. This proposed bill seeks to switch property tax assessments to an acquisition value model, rolling back values to 2019-2020 levels and applying an inflation factor. Divis told commissioners that retroactive valuation verification is "physically impossible" to complete in one year and described the potential legislation as a "huge nightmare" for his office. Divis also highlighted a separate proposal that would exempt the first $200,000 of residential value in 2026, replacing the revenue with a 2 percent sales tax increase.

Commission approves sale of county building on Flaming Gorge Way

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. , Wyo. - The commission unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the sale of the county-owned facility located at 115 E. Flaming Gorge Way. Public Works Director Gene Legerski stated that the transaction is the culmination of a consolidation plan dating back to 2017. While specific financial details of the sale were not discussed during the open session, Legerski indicated that title work is complete, and the closing is scheduled for Friday. The resolution allows Chairman Keaton West to sign all necessary closing documents to finalize the transfer of the property to the new owners.

Grant secured for dust suppression on 76 miles of county roads

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. . - Sweetwater County accepted a $441,855 Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant from the Wyoming Department of Transportation to apply magnesium chloride dust suppressant. Grants Manager Christina Marshall reported that the project will cover 76.82 miles of county roads to improve safety and air quality in areas affected by industrial development. The county is responsible for a 20 percent cash match totaling $88,371, which was already included in the fiscal year 2026 budget. Public Works Director Gene Legerski noted this is the first time in recent years the county has received the full funding amount requested.

Housing aid dominates block grant allocations

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. - The commission approved the distribution of $245,132 in federal Community Services Block Grant funding to local agencies for fiscal year 2026. Based on recommendations from the Tripartite Board, 46 percent of the funding will be directed toward housing assistance, specifically for emergency rent, deposits and utilities to prevent evictions. Recipients of the pass-through funding include the Sweetwater Family Resource Center, Rock Springs Young at Heart, the YWCA and STAR Transit, which is a new recipient this year providing bus passes to qualified individuals. The grant requires no cash match from the county.

Retired federal agent presents ‘CPR for suicide’ strategy

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. - Matt Ferguson, a retired federal agent representing the organization PROSPER, presented a suicide prevention method known as the Crisis Response Plan, or CRP, to community members. Ferguson compared the training to CPR, noting that while traditional CPR has an out-of-hospital effectiveness rate of approximately 5 percent, the CRP method is shown to be 76 percent effective in reducing suicide attempts. The goal of the session was to equip laypeople with practical skills to intervene when a friend, family member or coworker is in crisis, much like the ubiquity of CPR training in the general population.

Wyoming’s high suicide rate linked to ‘cowboy up’ culture

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. - Matt Ferguson addressed the local statistics, noting that Wyoming ranks highest in the nation for suicide rates in four out of the last five years. He attributed these numbers to a combination of geographic isolation, long winters and a cultural emphasis on self-sufficiency often described as "cowboy up" or "rub some dirt on it." This cultural mindset, while fostering independence, often discourages individuals from seeking help or appearing weak, particularly in high-stress professions such as law enforcement, medicine and agriculture.

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