Commissioners Approve New Budget

For Wyoming Newspapers

On July 6^th the Board of Platte County Commissioners held their first meeting in the newly renovated County Courthouse. The meeting lasted just over six hours. The Commissioners reviewed invoices to be paid, and receipts collected through the end of June, which is the fiscal year end for the County. At 10:00 AM a public hearing was called to order for the purpose of accepting public comment on the proposed Platte County and Guernsey Rural Fire District budgets, but no public comments were received for either budget. County Sheriff David Russell did inform the board that the company who he purchases body cameras from was no longer in business and as such would not be able to provide new cameras to the department. Each deputy is provided with a body-worn camera and each patrol vehicle is equipped with an in-car camera. Sheriff Russell agreed to move certain line items around to ensure that new body, and in-car cameras, could be purchased from a new company.

            Sheriff Russell also presented a grant that he obtained to allow his office to provide a School Resource Officer to schools one or two days per week. The grant provides $50,000 in funding from the State of Wyoming. At the conclusion of the public hearing, County Clerk Malcolm Ervin finalized the county budget, which will run from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.

            The board also conducted interviews for two openings on the Planning & Zoning Board. The Planning & Zoning Board is comprised of five volunteers who are appointed by the Commissioners to serve three-year terms. Bonnie Lockhart, Bill Klein and Chuck Porter interviewed for the two open positions. Lockhart and Klein, who are currently on the board, were reappointed to continue serving on the board. Klein has been a Planning & Zoning board member since 1999 and has been named Grand Marshall of the 2023 Fair Parade. Lockhart of Glendo has been on the Planning & Zoning Board since 2011.

            The Commissioners also met with representatives from the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) who presented the State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP). Each year members of WYDOT present their STIP to the Commissioners. This year, Mark Ayen, who is the district engineer, presented the plan and informed the commissioners that WYDOT anticipates undertaking 23 projects within Platte County over the next seven years. Ayen informed the Commissioners that the 16^th Street reconstruction project in Wheatland is slated to begin late in 2024. Darin Westby, Interim WYDOT Director, also spoke to the Commissioners during the STIP presentation.