Dividing TB Flatts pie

The Carbon County commissioners, along with representatives from six municipalities of Carbon County, met at 4 p.m. on Wednesday at the Medicine Bow Community Hall, with the Albany County commissioners and representatives from Rock River and Laramie. The meeting was held to discuss the memorandum of understanding (MOU) monies each municipality and the two counties felt would be needed to offset the impact of the TB Flatts wind energy farm located about 15 miles north of Medicine Bow and Rock River. The MOU was formulated to go before the Wyoming Industrial Siting Council (ISC), that will ultimately decide what funds will be dispersed and how quickly.

John Johnson, chairman of the Carbon County Commissioners, went over the MOU and the entities requesting impact funds put forth their reasons for the figures requested.

Albany County representatives did the same, although the split for the funds is basically Carbon County and municipalities receiving roughly 75 percent of the impact funds and Albany County and towns getting 25 percent.

Carbon County Road and Bridge is requesting $721,743 for the impact it will have on County Road 99. This road is considered a high priority road because is a school bus route. A new blade and operator would be needed. The cost of living allowance was factored in the request for a road maintenance employee to live near or in Medicine Bow.

The Carbon County Sheriff’s request of $431,438 is because another sheriff/deputy will be needed to live nearby the project. This monetary request includes a housing allowance, patrol vehicle, tires, fuel, uniform costs, overtime hours and jail housing.

Carbon County Fire Department is asking $45,500 for high angle rescue teams, training and equipment.

Carbon County Planning and Zoning is requesting $8,400 to cover travel expenses to the project for mapping and administrative support.

The Carbon County Attorney is requesting $76,685 for impact funds because the office reasons there will be higher population on roads near Medicine Bow which could lead to an increase of law enforcement tickets for speeding. These tickets would come through the county attorney’s office. The office expects a higher rate of crime in the area from a transient workforce at the project. The increase of cases would add to a workload to the office.

Medical service would be impacted with this workforce coming to the area and funds are requested by Carbon County Rawlins Memorial Hospital, Medicine Bow Medical Center and South Central Wyoming Medical Service (SCWEMS)..

Rawlins Memorial Hospital is asking $143,000 because it anticipates many in the transient workforce will have insurance with high deductibles or no insurance, leading to uncollectable bills. The figure the hospital request is an estimate for unpaid bills by the workforce for the years 2019 and 2020.

SCWEMS is requesting $300,000 for an emergency technician (EMT) volunteers located in Medicine Bow. The funds would be used to advertise and pay for an EMT to live in town and is also considering the reality of how difficult it is to collect fees from a transient workforce.

Medicine Bow Medical Center is asking for $150,000 to hire another physician assistant and clerical staff to serve the workforce population during 2019 and 2020.

The High Country Joint Powers Board is asking $59,000 for the impact on their landfill that will be closing July 1, 2019. Construction waste will have to go to Laramie once the landfill is closed.

The town of Riverside is waiting to hear back from Encampment on what it feels will be the impact for that town. Riverside is 100 miles away with saturated housing and little room to develop in the city limits. The town believes the project will have little impact, but does want to see what Encampment says about the impact to its town.

Saratoga is 75 miles from the project and is asking $65,679. The town does expect some direct and indirect impacts. The figure takes in impacts on the police department, 911 center, streets, fire department, code enforcement, use of recreational facilities, municipal court and extra administration costs.

“We were pretty reserved in our request, I think, because we are anticipating 30 to 50 people coming to live in and around Saratoga,” Ed Glode, mayor of Saratoga, said. “We divided our budget, multiplied it by that and that is the number we came up with.”

The town is concerned as workers take over RV parks and hotel rooms. Because the town has strong tourism during the time frame, it could result in a loss of revenue.

Rawlins is 75 miles from the project. The town is requesting $241,764.30. The town anticipates as much as 50 percent of the temporary work force could come to the town. This number would be 131.5 for 21 months. This would increase police and fire protection costs. Workers staying in hotels would impact the tourist season. The calculation was based on the non-local workforce cost per month multiplied by 21 months. Recreational facilities will also have more use.

Sinclair is a little over 60 miles from the site. The town is requesting $241,232.02. The concern of the town is the Sinclair Oil Refinery will have a turnaround in 2020 and if workers come with families, there is no school and one would have to be reopened. Street repairs, upgrading sewer and water lines, public works equipment, maintenance, increased police patrols, volunteer fire increase calls and increased use of recreation facilities are all anticipated to be impacted.

Elk Mountain, about 50 miles from the project site, is requesting $262,673 for the impact on the town. The biggest expenditure is the for the needed equipment for the volunteer fire department. The town also took in consideration street repairs, water, sewer and recreational resources at arriving at their figure.

The town of Hanna, about 35 miles away, is estimating it will need $978,469 to absorb TB Flatts’ impact on the municipality.

“We are looking at hiring one more additional officer so that would require him or her to need more fuel, more equipment, vehicle maintenance,” Pam Paulson, Hanna town treasurer said. “We would hire another public works person and another part-time town office employee.”

Paulson said another impact is the increased use of the Hanna Recreational Center, meaning hiring more employees for extended service. Water and sewer would be affected with an increase of population.

The two most impacted towns for the project, Medicine Bow and Rock River are asking for the most funds.

Rock River, in Albany County, is asking for $1,900,000.

The town of Medicine Bow is asking for more.

Medicine Bow is 15 miles from TB Flatts and expects to be impacted by the transient workforce substantially. The town is requesting $4,000,000 for law enforcement, EMTs, street improvement, water and sewer lines expansion to take on the population that might reside in the town. The town also feels the healthcare facility will have increased usage. It was the law enforcement that had two council members speak out.

“It usually takes an hour to get a response from the sheriff out here,” Sharon Biamon, Medicine Bow town council member, said. “We had a break in at the museum last summer and it took almost two hours–so we need law enforcement.”

Biamon said she appreciates what the Sheriff’s department does, but the town needs law enforcement personnel living in town. She said the town needs its own police department and to start it up, it is estimated it will cost $1,100,000.

Kenda Colman, town council member, said the sheriff department did an excellent job trying to respond to calls of crime when it happened, but the sheriff cannot enforce the town’s ordinances.

“We have a population of 285 and 65 percent is over the age of 65.” Colman said. “They are nervous about what impact this project will have and they have every reason to be so,” Colman said. “Law enforcement is crucial.”

The town can take much of the population of the workforce, but it could mean possibly doubling the population Colman said.

“Our streets are in trouble now and if we get increased traffic as we anticipate and do nothing, they will be in very bad shape,” Biamon said. “We asked for $4,000,000 because it is going to take that.”

Laramie is requesting $225,000.

The total for both counties and municipalities request is 10,325,866. Carbon County all told is requesting approximately $7,700,000 and Albany County is around $2,500,000.

Johnson asked all the municipalities their estimated ability to take on the transient workforce population.

The attorney at the meeting, told the attendees to be able to qualify and quantify their figures before the ISC since that council will decide the ultimate figure each town will get for impact.

Johnson said he was comfortable with the numbers he would put forth for Carbon County.