GOSHEN COUNTY – The Goshen County Commissioners’ Chambers at the Goshen County Courthouse was packed for the first meeting of the new year. Michael McNamee, chairman and commissioners Aaron Walsh and Justin Burkart were present along with Mary Feagler, county clerk. 

McNamee called the meeting to order promptly at 9 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance, which was then followed by the approval of the revised agenda to include the swearing in of Burkart. A motion was also made to approve the meetings from the December 17, 2024, meeting of the commissioners as presented. 

“Glad to have you here with us this morning,” McNamee said as he welcomed a room full of community members. “Those of you that are here for the interviews for the different boards that we are going to take care of. [I] wanted to let you know we are going to complete the agenda for today’s meeting and then we will adjourn the meeting and conduct those interviews when that’s done.”

McNamee excused those in attendance who were scheduled for board position interviews. 

“Welcome to 2025. On behalf of my fellow commissioners, we want to thank you for your support. You know, we are in a position here that we feel honored to serve the people of Goshen County,” McNamee’s opening comments explained. “We hope that we can continue to do so in a satisfactory manner moving forward in 2025 and beyond.” 

During the commissioners’ opening statements, McNamee expressed he was thankful Burkart was reelected. 

“I’m glad that we will swear commissioner Burkart back in here and we’ll be able to continue with our core group for the next two years,” McNamee said. 

Walsh addressed the community regarding properly disposing of fireplace wastes.

“I do have a comment that I would like to ask the community, since it is getting colder, for the fireplaces,” Walsh said. “Make sure you don’t dump your embers and stuff in the dumpsters. We had an incident yesterday with a garbage truck on fire. So, it’d be nice to make sure that everyone puts those out or not dumps them.”

The commissioners then moved on to swearing in newly reelected commissioner, Burkart, where the Honorable Nathaniel S. Hibben of the Circuit Court of the 8th Judicial District, Goshen County, performed the ceremony. 

After a brief swear in, the commissioners moved on to the next item of the day where they took nominations for chairman. 

Burkart nominated McNamee to remain chairman which was then seconded by Walsh and the motion to accept McNamee was carried. 

“It is with honor that I will serve for another year as the chair of the county commissioners,” McNamee said. “And gentlemen, I thank you for your confidence. I appreciate you allowing me the opportunity to do that.” 

Next the commissioners heard from Brandi Correa. Correa gave the clerk of court report, noting the e-filing deadline is January 7 and county attorneys now need to submit court documents through the e-filing system. The commissioners approved the report provided by Correa and moved on to the next departmental report on the agenda. 

Moving on to the grant writer, Hannah Fullmer’s report, the commissioners were advised of grants Fullmer had been working on as well as a few resolutions to accept grants which had been awarded to the county. 

“I have two resolutions, both for the Wyoming Community Gas grants,” Fullmer said. “They’re $5,000 max, no match.”

McNamee read the two resolutions noting resolution 2025-01 authorized the submission of an application for the grant funds Fullmer had mentioned. According to the resolution, the local library would receive accessible shelving. A motion was made to accept the resolution which then carried. McNamee then moved on to reading the 2025-02 where the commissioners also approved the submission of an application for grant funding to update the outdoor lighting and bathroom hand dryers at the fairgrounds. Resolution 2025-02 was also approved by the commissioners. 

Fullmer noted, looking forward, there were grant possibilities for the county she would be working on. A motion was made to accept the grant writer’s report which carried. 

Next, the commissioners moved on to the road and bridge report where the department expressed they were thankful for the moisture of the recent snowstorms. It was also noted more snow had fallen in the southern end of the county. It was also mentioned not all of the ditches along the roadways had been mowed for the year which will help catch the snow if the wind should blow. The department noted they were leaving the snow on the dirt roads for moisture but the paved roadways looked “good” Monday afternoon. The department mentioned there were several landowners who requested gravel on their main access roads. 

“When Commissioner Walsh and I took on the task of serving as county commissioners, probably the greatest concern or the area of greatest concern was with the road and bridge department and there have been some rocky roads that we have experienced,” McNamee said. “Chris (Stoddard, road and bridge department superintendent) your attempt to go out and meet with the public, to visit with the landowners, to inform the commissioners about what’s going on with these roads, I feel has been a piece that’s been missing. I think that continuing to have those conversations, not that we have the ability to fix every problem that we encounter. I think the main thing the people of Goshen County want to know is that we’re aware of their problems and I think you’re doing an outstanding job of getting out, meeting with them and again, making us aware of what’s going on,” McNamee continued. 

Next, it was noted the planning commission had received at least two subdivision requests which have been recommended to send to the commissioners for approval. Moving on to approving the Summer Sky View and Westfield 2nd Plats for the county under the road and bridge road report, the commissioners heard from Bob Taylor. 

The commissioners moved on to the county clerk’s report which included the warrant report, earnings report and the employee wage report. The commissioners accepted the report and quickly moved on to the emergency manger and fire warden’s report.

Thomas Bozeman, emergency manager and fire warden spoke to the commission. Bozeman noted he was attending trainings which would last until summertime for FEMA. He also noted he attended the rural fire board meeting in Casper. Bozeman also mentioned the county had been awarded a Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant last month as well and he noted this month, the county has an appointment for decal on the side-by-side. Moving on to the fire warden’s report, Bozeman noted mitigation funds were available for some of the fire damage caused during the summer and he also noted some areas had lifted county burn bans. 

“Jumping over to the fire warden part, I think that, as of right now, we are still in a stage one fire restriction. Us, Laramie, Niobrara and Platte as well as Hot Springs County are the only ones still in a fire ban,” Bozeman explained. “I talk to all of their fire wardens yesterday. Platte County is the only one not looking at lifting theirs at this point there because of the wind that the get consistently. They don’t think that this snow is enough moisture for them to lift theirs. It still doesn’t take us out of the drought. We’re still going to be in a D3 drought even with the amount of snow that we’ve gotten.” 

Bozeman noted the rain equivalent since December 5 was a little over an inch and a half and he explained the county was short about five inches of rain during the 30-day period. 

“We do have a good three or four inches in some areas of the county,” Bozeman said. “We’ve got good coverage. I think we’re in a position now where we can maybe lift that (fire restriction). Just because our 30-day forecast is calling for above average precipitation between rain and snow mixtures.”

The commissioners accepted Bozeman’s recommendations to temporarily suspend the fire ban to allow community residents to burn safely. Bozeman and the commission also expressed the importance of calling in controlled burns at (307) 532-7001and burning safely. 

The commission moved on to approve the University of Wyoming’s Extension report, public health and the maintenance reports as presented. With no further business to attend to other than board position interviews, the meeting was then adjourned by McNamee at 10:36 a.m. to reconvene on Tuesday, January 21 at 9 a.m.