Commissioners sign public health JPA with Niobrara County

TORRINGTON – Public health coverage and liquor license renewals headlined the Feb. 6 meeting of the Goshen County Commissioners. Goshen and neighboring Niobrara County have signed a Joint Powers Agreement that will share a $94,500 public health position funded through the Wyoming Homeland Security Act, and six local businesses are set to sell alcoholic beverages for the next 12 months.
Representatives of the Goshen County Public Health Office as well as Niobrara Public Health proposed the health service arrangement to the commissioners in December. After gaining approval for the new position from both counties, the project went into effect upon the signing of the agreement, which the commissioners signed Tuesday. Neither party is required to provide additional funding, but may provide additional financing to fulfill terms of the JPA.
According to the WHSA, the position is responsible for development of public health emergency preparedness and response capability by enhancement of the public health infrastructure at the local level. A part-time Public Health Response Coordinator will help local agencies develop a Public Health Emergency Operations Plan, and facilitate training and education of staff in preparation for emergency preparedness. It also will assist WDH and local communities to complete capacity surveys and assessments, educate communities on public health emergencies and oversee the security plans for local public health agencies, and other duties as assigned by the Goshen County Public Health Nurse Manager.
Goshen County will employ the individual and be responsible for that person’s management.  She/he will also work with Niobrara County and the Niobrara County Public Health Regional Supervisor to establish routine schedules
and duties.

For its part, Niobrara County will provide office space, county information, and staff training time.
The financial system will be carried out by Goshen County in accordance with the requirements of the JPA, and the municipal procedures act, and Goshen County will possess complete authority to hire an employee for the PHRC position.
In other business, as a result of a Liquor License Renewal Hearing at 11:45 a.m., during which there was no opposition, the Commissioners approved renewal of liquor licenses for J & J Enterprises 4, LLC, dba Long Branch Steakhouse and Saloon; Western Cooperative Company, dba Frontier Mart; BZ Hospitality LLC, dba Bucking Horse Steakhouse; Bear Creek Enterprises, LLC, dba Bear Creek Enterprises; Table Mountain Vineyards, LLC; and Emporium at Hawk Springs, LLC.
County Clerk Cindy Kenyon reported on preparations for the 2018 Primary election, focusing on new voting locations at Prairie Center, Lingle and Veteran. Current plans call for voting to take place in the new Prairie Center and Veteran Volunteer Fire Department facilities. Lingle is looking forward to having a new polling place for the 2019 elections due to the community’s plans for a new downtown activity center.
The commissioners also received an update on the new gravel pit operation northwest of Lingle, as well as reports on routine road and bridge maintenance. Occasional requests for county maintenance on private sub-division roads, for which the county is not responsible, were also briefly discussed, with no final action.
Other county officers making reports were Kathy Ricketts, Clerk of the District Court, who reported income of $3,148 for the past month, and four trials scheduled for March.
County Fire Warden Bill Law reported that six county fire fighters had successfully completed a RedCard class during the past month. He also said that he and County Emergency Management Director Shelly Kirchhefer may have located funding for new fire department radios through Homeland Security grants. They are especially interested in a unit for the Fire Warden’s office.
In addition to the regular meeting, the Commissioners planned to attend the Blazers Pathways job opportunities event at Torrington High School Wednesday morning, and the Torrington Volunteer Fire Department annual awards banquet Saturday evening. They will participate in other county government organization events and visit the Wyoming Legislature the week of
Feb. 12.