Hazard mitigation incipience

At the Board of Carbon County Commissioners (BOCCC) meeting January 17, Emergency Management Director Lenny Layman introduced Joe Parsons, Saratoga Encampment Rawlins Conservation District (SERD), who gave an update on the hazard mitigation plan for flooding at Boozer Creek.

Parsons told the Commissioners the snow-pack is currently sitting at 132% on the Upper North Park drainage. He said over the past year the WWC Engineering has come up with a survey and design so they have been able to apply for most of the permits they need.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires a hazard mitigation plan as a condition for receiving certain types of non-emergency disaster funding.

Two construction grants are being applied for, these will help with the solution to Boozer Creek flooding.

One grant is under FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. The BRIC supports states and local communities as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards.

The second program is through Flood Mitigation Assistance–also a FEMA grant. These funds can be used for projects that reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured by the National Flood Insurance Program. This would be a permanent solution; moving the channel over, creating a stable system and using natural channel design.

The total project cost is estimated at $1.2 million, with 25% coming from Carbon County.

The grant results won’t be available until Fall 2023, so construction won’t begin until 2024.

Parson said he believes some of their funding sources can help pay the extra 25% rather than taking it from Carbon County’s coffers.

Mike Hamel, Superintendent of Carbon County School District No.1, shared information about safety committees they have been working on with Layman. Hamel said they have been updating the Crisis management plan with Layman. The committees are making plans for several exercises involving students evacuating the building and relocating the students to another building.

Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Mike Newbrough told the Commissioners he and Attorney Ashley Davis are working on a contract for asbestos removal at 222 W. Pine in Rawlins. The contract wasn’t quite ready so they tabled it until the next meeting.

Newbrough also spoke to the Commissioners about a bid for the janitorial service for the Courthouse, the Carbon Building and the jail. Bids were presented and the Commissioners decided to break it up between the two cleaning services. The Commissioners awarded Wyoming Cleaning and Solutions the courthouse at $79,000.00 and KI Cleaning the Carbon Building at $73,740.00 and the Detention Center at $25,020.00. The motion was approved to authorize any Commissioner to sign the contract that will start March 1.

Newbrough further reports the heavy winter storm damaged the exhaust stack on the boiler at the Fair Ground. It was completely torn off and damaged the roof. It will be looked at.

Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken asked for approval of estimate for Housing Control Center Remodel for $8,000.00 which mainly concerns the fiber optics. Bakken said Carbon County Clerk Gwynn Bartlett can pay this from the ARPA grant. The motion was approved by the Commissioners for the $8,000.00 additional funds for the remodel project.

Bakken reported that less than 24 hours after they had the Haglund unit they were able to deploy it for an injured snowmobiler with a dislocated hip. Patient was brought out and taken to the Saratoga Airport where she was flown out to a hospital.

Bakken also said they are short four people in the Detention center and three on patrol, but they have applications for the patrol positions.

Carbon County Road and Bridge Coordinator Kandis Fritz discussed the motor grader and trade option with the Commissioners. Fritz asked if they want to trade the motor grader in or fix it and keep it in service. Fritz said her recommendation is to trade it in “as is”. The grader has 9,188 hours on it. Commissioners voted to give any commissioner authorization to sign the lease agreement for the trade in and lease of another grader.

Bartlett asked for approval to apply for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant for an ambulance for Memorial Hospital of Carbon County (MHCC). MHCC needs to replace an ambulance that was totaled last month. The Commissioners approved Resolution 2023-02 for ARPA grant and authorized any Commissioner to sign the application.

Bartlett presented the WY State Forestry Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant Application for Carbon County Fire Warden John Rutherford. Rutherford has $5,000.00 in his budget to add. She asked for authorization by any Commissioner to sign the grant application. It was approved.

Planning and Zoning Director Sarah Brugger discussed Section 368 Energy Corridor Resource Management Plan with the Commissioners. Brugger told the Commissioners within Carbon County there will be a deletion of a corridor on the Two Rivers Wind Energy project. Section 368 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 directed the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy and the Interior to designate–under their respective authorities, corridors on federal land in 11 Western States. The energy corridors would be used in Wyoming for oil, gas and hydrogen pipelines, electricity transmission and distribution facilities. More information is available at http://www.blm.gov and bogi.evs.ani.gov/section268/abstracts/corridor-73-138.pdf.

The proposed Two Rivers Wind Energy Project would be located near Medicine Bow and Rock River in both Carbon and Albany County. The project includes 79 wind turbines and could potentially generate up to 420 megawatts of renewable energy.

The Commissioners decided that Brugger should send a letter to Two Rivers Wind Energy asking they follow through with the Bureau of Land Management process prior to further review of the applications, as they requested of Two Rivers Wind at a previous meeting.

BOCCC Meeting

Approvals

County Assessor Renee to fill a vacant position in the department for field deputy.

Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken to fill the Civilian Security Position at the checkpoint at the new Courthouse.

Lease agreement with Probation and Parole, Chairwoman Jones to sign.

C.U. Case #2022-07 - Union Telephone Company and Dana Meadows Wyoming Close LLC: conditional use permit.

Z.C. Case #2022-19 - Joe Ella and Desire “Desi” Vacher and MIN SUB Case #2022-06 - Vacher Minor Subdivision, signed by Chairwoman Jones.