Primary election audits confirm 100 percent accuracy in Sweetwater County

Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office announces key retirements

UW Extension office reaches full staffing, compensation approved

Commissioners approve 5 percent health insurance premium increase

County fire restrictions to expire following recent moisture

County backs rescission of 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule

Rocky Mountain Power addresses dust and odor at Jim Bridger plant

County explores solutions for North Rock Springs flooding

Primary election audits confirm 100 percent accuracy in Sweetwater County

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — The Sweetwater County Clerk's Office reported that the recent primary election saw a 51 percent voter turnout and yielded 100 percent accuracy during state-mandated audits. The county conducted a standard ballot audit, a statutorily required recount for the clerk's race, and a hand-count audit of the Farson and county library precincts. The hand-count audit of roughly 456 ballots across five races took 10 workers six hours to complete, costing the county more than $1,000 in labor. The office expressed high confidence in the county's tabulation equipment as preparations continue for the November general election.

Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office announces key retirements

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — The Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office will see the departure of two long-serving senior staff members this month. It was announced during the meeting that Undersheriff Joe Tomich will retire on Sept. 11 after 21 years of service with the department. Additionally, Public Affairs Director Jason Mower is stepping down after 18 years of service. Tomich was praised for his dedicated management of internal operations, and Mower was commended for his critical role as the lead public information officer during the COVID-19 pandemic, with both thanked for their decades of selfless service.

UW Extension office reaches full staffing, compensation approved

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — The University of Wyoming Extension office in Sweetwater County is fully staffed once again, with new personnel introduced during Tuesday's meeting. Community Vitality and Health Extension Educator Lindsay Baker will spearhead community vitality and health initiatives, focusing on local leadership and mental health, while Chloe Willenborg takes over as the new 4-H educator. Annual compensation agreements were unanimously approved for the extension positions, allocating $52,144 for Office Associate Jael Johnson and $50,112 for Willenborg's youth development programming role, though compensation details for Baker were not included in the county agreement.

Commissioners approve 5 percent health insurance premium increase

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — A 5 percent increase in budgeted health insurance premiums for county employees and retirees was approved for the upcoming year. The county's benefit consultant, whose name was not provided during the meeting, reported that the county's health plan is currently running 15 percent below budget, a rarity given national trends. However, the consultant advised adopting the 5 percent increase to smooth out potential future volatility, citing a nationwide surge in large claims driven by high-cost cancer treatments and biologic medications. The plan's stop-loss insurance will also see a 29.9 percent increase to account for these catastrophic claims.

County fire restrictions to expire following recent moisture

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — County fire restrictions will officially expire on Sept. 4 following a recommendation from Fire Warden Alan Adams. Citing a significant amount of recent moisture across western Wyoming, Adams reported that local fire districts, alongside the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, are in agreement that the restrictions are no longer necessary. No formal action was taken, allowing the current restrictions to naturally sunset at the end of the week.

County backs rescission of 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — A letter supporting the U.S. Department of Agriculture's proposed rescission of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule was unanimously approved. Land Use Director Eric Bingham explained that the Clinton-era rule placed 58.5 million acres of U.S. Forest Service land under strict restrictions, prohibiting new road construction and halting what Bingham described as necessary timber cutting. While Sweetwater County does not have inventoried roadless areas, it is a cooperator in the Ashley National Forest. Proponents of the rescission argued that land use and travel management decisions should be handled at the local level by stakeholders who understand forest health, rather than through national mandates.

Rocky Mountain Power addresses dust and odor at Jim Bridger plant

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — Following recent community complaints regarding dust and odor emissions from the Jim Bridger Power Plant, Rocky Mountain Power officials confirmed they are implementing mitigation strategies. According to Rocky Mountain Power, the dust stems from the plant's evaporated flue-gas desulfurization (FGD2) pond, which left behind airborne sodium sulfate and salt byproducts. In the short term, the utility is covering the 319-acre pond with two feet of soil and a magnesium chloride sealant, with a long-term plan to cap the area completely by 2028. Additionally, the company is adjusting chemical mixtures in a secondary wastewater pond to neutralize odors.

County explores solutions for North Rock Springs flooding

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — County officials are actively exploring infrastructure solutions following recent flooding events in the North Rock Springs area. Public Works Director Gene Legerski and other county officials met with constituents to inspect the Mesa Drainage Ditch, a problematic channel complicated by private property rights and utility poles located directly in the drainway. To alleviate future flooding, the county is looking into partnering with the Bureau of Land Management to construct a secondary drainage channel.

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