GOSHEN COUNTY – Chairman Micheal McNamee called the meeting of the Goshen County Commissioners to order Tuesday, June 17 at 9 a.m. Commissioners Justin Burkart and Aaron Walsh were in attendance along with county clerk Mary Feagler. 

McNamee called for a motion to approve the Tuesday, June 3 meeting minutes. Burkart motioned to accept the previous meeting minutes, which was seconded by Walsh. 

McNamee voted the morning’s agenda had no changes or revisions and it was quickly approved by the commissioners.

“We will start off here with a couple of different things. For those of you and I don’t think that anybody in attendance this morning had a chance to be at the meeting with Jenny Staeben, with the industrial siting council, that was last Tuesday out at the brand room,” McNamee explained. “Enlightening and informative meeting with Ms. Staeben. She is the head administrator for the industrial siting council. She had some very and pertinent information when it comes to permitting projects, whether it be wind energy, solar energy, renewable energy. Basically, there are different thresholds for the different projects that they are in charge of permitting. I bring that up mainly because there is another meeting tonight (Tuesday, June 17) in regard to what many of you may have heard of – Chugwater Energy Project. It is a wind energy project that would be down in the southern part of Goshen County, more in Platte County, but it would come into and impact Goshen County. There’s a meeting tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.”

McNamee further explained a representative from the NextEra Energy at Eastern Wyoming College. 

“So, this is all part of their process that they are going through in preparation for and ahead of submitting their permit for consideration through the industrial siting council. There is also a meeting tomorrow night at the Prairie View Community School in Chugwater,” McNamee said.

With no further opening comments, the commissioners heard from Herb Irons, who provided the sheriff’s report. The report was emailed to the commissioners prior to the meeting.

“Profit and loss for May of 2025, we had a total of $44,821.21. That puts our July through June 2025 net income at $460,073.82,” Irons reported. “We’re redoing the IOP contract as well as the DOC contract. Those contracts will carry through the 2025-2026 year as of right now. I guess, currently, in the detention center, we have four IOP inmates and 15 DOC inmates, at least one open DOC bed then six open IOP bed. We normally have a max of ten. We do have openings in the availability just haven’t been contacted by anyone to house any more IOPs at this time,” Irons stated.

According to Irons, the detention center has one US Marshal hold in long-term holding.

“I’m not sure how much longer they will have them but the DOC contract, they pump people in and out pretty quickly. Then, also, I’m not sure, did sheriff Fleenor email you a contract proposal from Long’s Mechanical Solutions Heating and Cooling? Over the past, a little over a year that I’ve been lieutenant, in the past years, that we’ve had issues with our heating and cool system to include primarily the refrigerator and freezer for the kitchen where the condenser will freeze up and then it stops working. Temperatures in the refrigerator and freezer go up and it gets to the point where we don’t want to lose the mass amount of food that we have in there to be able to keep the inmates fed.”

Irons noted the department sat down with Long’s to go over a couple of different coverage plans. 

“Some of the coverage plans are pretty expensive because it can cover anything from just general maintenance coming in four times a year, blowing the systems out, checking all the pressures and making sure that it’s okay and then it goes up from covering costs of pretty much the most expensive is covering all costs of anything that breaks down. That ranges anywhere from just the general maintenance where they come in once a year is $5,970 to the most expensive of them covering everything if something breaks, it’s $31,805,” Irons explained.

According to Irons, it was decided to have Long’s come four times a year and do preventative maintenance. Irons noted there was no current contract with Long’s so the department was often on the bottom of the list when repairs were needed. Irons further explained the contract being proposed was dated for April 2024, since Long’s provides service in April, would then expire in April of 2026 and the department had money to cover the expense. Irons stated the department asked for the commissioner approval since the yearly contract was nearly $6,000. 

The commissioners agreed with the contract and Irons noted he would get it signed and ready for approval. Irons also noted the duct system is being cleaned out at the sheriff’s office and detention center. Irons explained it was recommended the system be cleaned out every three years and pushing the cleaning back 10 years causes safety concerns.

With nothing further for the sheriff’s department, a motion was made by Walsh to accept Irons’ report, including the earnings report and the commissary report, which was seconded by Burkart. The motion to approve carried by vote.

Next, the commissioners heard from Leticia Dominguez who presented the county treasurer report. 

Dominguez noted the postcards mailed out by the treasures office for renewals would be outsourced. She noted doing the cards in-house took a lot of time and the cost of ink was also a contributing factor. Dominguez also noted there was one position open in her office and she has had two applicants. 

With nothing further for Dominguez, a motion was made by Walsh to accept the report, which was seconded by Burkart. The motion carried by vote. 

Moving on to the grant writer, Hannah Fullmer spoke to the commissioner about a resolution. 

“I just have a resolution this morning,” Fullmer said. “The county is looking to apply in partnership with the City of Torrington for the Safe Streets and Roads for All program. The first current issue would be to develop a safety action plan across the whole jurisdiction of the county. I mentioned this in my last report, but I just wanted to give the resolution to you. The total project costs are $200,000 and so we’re asking for $160,000. It does have a local match of 20% and I know Go Goshen has been consistently agreeing to provide that match.”

Fullmer noted the study would be phase one of the project. Burkart explained the funds could be used for redoing an intersection, putting up lights, signs and the like. It was also noted Fullmer was talking about the same grant the road and bridge department was talking about.

“The resolution is number 2025-09. The resolution supporting the application to the Safe Streets and Roads for All identified as SS4A is the same. This grant program and development of a safety action plan, whereas Goshen County is committed to improving roadway safety and reducing traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries and whereas Goshen County, in partnership with the City of Torrington, is applying for federal funding through the US Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program to develop a joint safety action plan with a total project cost of $200,000 and whereas the SS4A grant requires a 20% local match and Go Goshen has tentatively agreed to fund that local match now, therefore, be it resolved, Goshen County will serve as the lead applicant and will work with the City of Torrington and other partners to complete the safety action plan,” McNamee read asking for a motion to approve the resolution. 

Burkart made a motion to approve resolution 2025-09, which was seconded by Walsh. The motion carried and the resolution was approved. 

Fullmer noted the grant had received a lot of support.

Next the commissioner moved on to a report from Feagler. 

Feagler provided the commissioners with an updated vendor report to include bills paid after last months approval. She noted she had the payroll liabilities report for the commissioners as well.

“Then I have an agreement, once we get the budget all squared away and going, I’m going to be looking at contracts and updating them. We discovered, from the grant that Hannah [Fullmer] was applying for, she needs the agreement between Benchmark and the county and it was last put in place in 2012,” Feagler said. “We also had a resolution 2025-08 to appoint a special prosecutor and that was signed ahead a time because it was turned in on the day of the last commissioner meeting and they needed it put in place for something going on in the courts. So, we just need to ratify that resolution.”

Walsh motioned to approve Feagler’s report including the updated warrant report and the payroll liabilities report, which was seconded by Burkart. The motion carried by vote. 

Burkart made a motion to approve the ratification to resolution 2025-08, appointment of a special prosecutor, which was seconded by Walsh. The motion carried by vote.

Moving on to the library report, Michel Traher reported to the commissioners.

“Summer reading, of course, has started. Cristine [Braddy] gave me a report to tell you guys. We’ve logged 50,000 more minutes than we had last year. A lot of this is the increase to the younger participants and the higher proportions of adult participation. She said last year, we had 314 kids registered. So far, this year we’ve had 341. The registration remains open through June and July and they can earn prizes up until July 31,” Traher reported. “Lots of kids.”

Traher noted the library did reduce the number of programs for the younger participants to focus more on preschool-age children and above. She further noted the items for the maker’s space had been purchased and training would begin for the 3D printer and other printers

“We have some opportunities for community members to use it during the summer reading program. I know that they’re going to open it to the public at the end of the summer,” Traher noted.

Walsh made the motion to accept the library report, which was seconded by Burkart. The motion carried by vote.

“On the topic of the appointment to the library board, Mary [Feagler], you can correct me if I’m wrong but there were no other applicants for the position,” McNamee said to which Feagler agreed. 

“First of all, again, thank you for your willingness to serve,” McNamee told Traher. “I would like to mention and show our appreciation for anybody and everybody that’s willing to serve on local boards. Greatly appreciate that.”

With a motion from Walsh and a second from Burkart, Traher was reappointment to the library board by majority vote. 

Moving on to the county assessors report, Debbi Surratt presented the commissioners with reductions for signature. 

“I’m kind of short and brief today. I just have a couple of reduction orders for you,” Surratt said.

Surratt noted she would have an abstract review with the state board on Friday, June 20.

A motion was made to accept the assessor’s report, including reduction orders, by Walsh and second by Burkart. The motion carried.

Next, the commissioners moved on to the extension report.

“You’ll notice at the top of the report there are two items that I would like your consideration for. One is the University of Wyoming and Goshen County Commissioners MOU agreement and the other one is the annual compensation agreement,” Amy Smith explained. “I think we did those on my email with my report.”

Smith noted she had attended trainings and had written an article for the Livestock Roundup. She noted she wrote three letters giving information on subsoil moisture in planting dryland corn to a producer in Goshen County and Laramie County. She also noted there were baby chicks in the office as part of the 4H program. Smith also noted the new 4H educator was doing well in her new role and she would be coming to the next meeting.

“June 11, fair entry opened. We haven’t had a lot of conversation about that yet but the month’s still young,” Smith said. 

After a bit more discussion, Smith turned the floor over to Crystal Zerbe for a report on the Cent$ble Nutrition Program (CNP).

Zerbe noted she attended the senior expo held at the Pony Express room recently. She explained her booth had at least 30 visitors. She noted she had gone to training in Laramie. 

“Based on what I learned last week while I was down in Laramie, the CNP is still up for the unknown as to whether or not we will be able to continue that program,” Zerbe explained. “We will, most likely, maybe, know by July 4.”

Zerbe explained as of September 30 the education component for the SNAP program could be cut. Zerbe also agreed the new 4H educator was doing well.

Smith noted the MOU was the same as previously signed by the commissioners. She further noted since the position of 4H educator had been filled the university requested the commissioners sign the MOU. 

Walsh motioned to accept the UW extension report which was seconded by Burkart. The motion carried by vote. 

Next, the commissioners moved on to the fair report from Stephanie Lofink.

“I’ll just start out by saying, all is well in the department,” Lofink reported. “Everyone is busy. Kim, our new fair director, to duplicate Amy, she hit the ground running and she’s doing very well. Trying to get her acclimated with learning the people and the names in our community associated with sponsorship and what she’s doing.” 

Lofink noted exhibitor handbooks and open-class handbooks are complete and can be found online on the fairgrounds’ website. They can also be picked up in Lofink’s office, the fair office, the entryway in the rendezvous center, extension office and possibly the library. 

“Fair directories, which is our biggest publication for the fair, she is just finalizing, I think the mockup of those. We will have a good start on the distribution by July 1,” Lofink reported.

Lofink also explained the budget amendment presented to the commissioners.

“The amount is changing but we’re not asking for cash. We’re just increasing numbers. So, the fairgrounds portion we increased by $8,000 and we have exceeded our estimated income for facility rental so that allows up to add $8,000 to income and also add that to expense to keep everything balanced,” Lofink said.

Lofink clarified the amendment was just a modification of numbers based on cash on hand, which would not affect the county. 

“But it’s the fair association, not the county budget,” Burkart said.

McNamee asked for a motion to approve the fair association amendment to the budget by Burkart which was seconded by Walsh. Walsh then made a motion to accept the fair report which was seconded by Burkart. The motion carried by vote.

Public health presented a grant agreement to the commissioners. 

With no further departmental reports to present, the commissioners moved on to new business where Burns Insurance spoke to the commissioners. 

Burkart motioned to accept the quote as provided and continue to seek better options, which was seconded by Walsh. The motion carried by vote.

Ron Laird was reapproved to the Care Center Joint Powers Board. McNamee thanked Laird for his time.

Next, the commissioners moved on to the Lippincott Feed Yard permit under old business.

With favorable recommendation from the planning commission, a motion was made to approve the permit by Walsh and seconded by Burkart. 

The commissioners then heard from Feagler on a budget amendment.

“We had just a couple. We did an amendment last month but we had some more money come in for fires that needs distributed, but we needed to amend the budget for fires,” Feagler noted.

With a few additional comments, a motion was made to accept the amendments to the budget by Burkart, which was seconded by Walsh. The amendment carried by vote.

With no public comment or unfinished business, McNamee reminded the public in attendance next meeting of the county commissioners will be Tuesday, July 1. The meeting was then adjourned.