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Local governments divide $8.2M in state funds
CHEYENNE, Jun 30, 2012 (Wyoming Tribune-Eagle - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
More than $8 million in state funding has been divided between the five local governments in Laramie County.
The city of Cheyenne got $4.9 million; Laramie County, $2.6 million; Pine Bluffs, $253,237; Burns, $187,217; and Albin, $177,681.
Officials from the five government bodies recently met to discuss how the money should be divided.
Each entity got 2 percent of the funding, or $163,010, off the top, and the rest was divided based on population.
Laramie County has come up with a list of 15 projects totaling $1.9 million. That means the county still has about $721,407 that has not been designated.
County grants manager Sandra Newland said the county has until June 2013 to decide how it wants to use its remaining $721,407.
Among the projects on the county's list are:
- new water and sewer lines;
- a new roof on the Historic Courthouse in downtown Cheyenne;
- a paved road behind the new coroner's office at the Archer Complex;
- remodeling the Laramie County Fire District 1 building;
- courthouse cameras;
- a commercial kitchen at the Kiwanis Building at the Archer Complex;
- a security system at the county detention center to bring the facility in line with the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act;
- a new brush truck for Laramie County Fire District 8;
- and an upgrade to the indoor pistol and rifle range at the Archer Complex.
County Commissioner Troy Thompson said he is grateful to the state for providing the money, saying the county could not cover these costs out of its general fund.
The State Loan and Investment Board, which is comprised of the state's top five elected officials, still must give final approval of the projects Oct. 4, Thompson said.
The city plans to use its money to pay for:
- new water lines, $1 million;
- a new aerial fire truck, $1.3 million;
- household hazardous waste facility, $1.9 million;
- police communication upgrade, $168,000;
- and phase 1 of the Lake Minnehaha cleanup plan to respond to a bad smell and unhealthy ecosystem at the lake in Holliday Park.
Burns Mayor Judy Johnstone said her town plans to use its share of the money to build a new garage next to the Burns-Plex. It will store equipment, such as a truck, snow plow, lawnmowers, ambulance and snow blower.
"We are only going to do one thing, but we are going to do it right," Johnstone said.
Asked if she thinks the distribution of the money was done fairly, Johnstone said, "It was agreed to by all parties. Everyone always wants more money."
Pine Bluffs has not decided how it will use its share of the money, Town Manager Caryn Miller said.
"We do have a drainage project we are going to propose," Miller said, adding that she expects her town to have a list ready by July.
Newland said the towns of Albin and Pine Bluffs are waiting until after the Aug. 21 sixth-penny sales tax vote to decide how they want to use their money. That way if a project, such as a new water or sewer line, fails on the sixth penny ballot, it could possibly be paid for with the state money, Newland said.
December would be the earliest that Pine Bluffs and Albin could put their projects before the State Loan and Investment Board for approval, Newland noted.
By the numbers
How much each local government entity got from a total of $8.2 million in state funds:
City of Cheyenne: $4.9 million
Laramie County: $2.6 million
Pine Bluffs: $253,237
Burns: $187,217
Albin: $177,681
Total: $8.2 million
Source: Laramie County Grants Office
___ (c)2012 Wyoming Tribune-Eagle (Cheyenne, Wyo.) Visit Wyoming Tribune-Eagle
(Cheyenne, Wyo.) at www.wyomingnews.com Distributed by MCT Information Services
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