EVANSTON — The Uinta County Commissioners approved the budget for fiscal year 2025 during the July 16 meeting held at the county complex. Uinta County Clerk Amanda Hutchinson introduced the finalized details.

The new budget’s expenditures are projected at $20,734,434 with revenues accounting for $15, 781.382.

“Costs continue to rise — construction, fuel,” Hutchinson said. “Our revenue picture is steady, but the cost of things is on the rise.”

The $5 million shortage will be covered with cash on hand, carryover funds. There is $17 million in reserves, Hutchinson reported.

Grant funding is down this year from $7 million to $4 million “because COVID funding is gone,” Hutchinson said. “We were able to use that money for some things we wouldn’t have otherwise been able to pay for; we certainly benefited from having those funds.”

Hutchinson further explained a $444,426 landfill deficit. She said there was cash in the fund, but also a future liability, which requires monitoring and remediation.

“It’s as profitable as possible to account for future debts,” Hutchinson said.

The commissioners adopted the budget. Copies of the final approved budget will be available for review in the county clerk’s office and on the county’s website at: www.uintacounty.com.

Hutchinson had further business regarding 2024 budget resolutions for unexpected revenue. First, a reimbursement of $56,000 for insurance, covering weather damage done to the rodeo grounds food court; $15,100 for additional sheriff’s patrol in Mountain View; a $2,000 sheriff’s grant for extra patrol on holiday weekends; $4,100 was appropriated by the legislature for election training; and $120,000 in opioid settlement funds.

Hutchinson requested approval of this year’s mill levy resolution. The county receives 12 levies, but allocates one for the county libraries.

“This is the status quo to what we’ve done for many years,” she said. The commissioners agreed.

Finally, Hutchinson was seeking authorization to renew a contract with SpyGlass “to look at billing. They conduct reviews for waste, identifying unused phone and fax numbers.”

Hutchinson further explained that Jerri Crompton needed explicit permission to sign the form renewing the account. The commissioners approved.

Saralee Gross with Uinta County Road and Bridge discussed applying for the Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program. The $452,864 grant funds, with a 20% county match of $90,572, would be used for purchasing magnesium chloride for the summer of 2026. She also requested formal recognition of the Title 6 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) project administrator. The commissioners approved Gross’s requests.

Uinta County Drug Court Officer Aaron Hutchinson discussed “interesting changes” with his office’s grant agreement. “It’s through the Wyoming court, not the Department of Health anymore,” he said of the $423,000 grant.

He also said those funds are to last two years versus the former one-year grant cycle. The funding now also requires 90 days of sobriety, down from 120 formerly.

Darby Noorda, with the Uinta County planning office, informed the commissioners that the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) annual $150,000 entitlement grant for the Evanston Municipal Airport would be funneled back to Hulett Municipal Airport after it loaned Evanston their 2023 grant funds to complete a master plan.

Uinta County Youth Services Director Gus Bloomfield requested acceptance of a $66,440 Community Juvenile Services Grant from the Department of Family Services. Bloomfield explained that the funding would be used for youth summer camps, drug and nicotine testing, online diversion program, travel and office needs.

Commissioner Brent Hatch inquired the age demographic that utilize Bloomfield’s services, and he replied that “mainly high school, middle school, some young adults, with MIPs (minor in possession charges).” The commissioners approved Bloomfield’s request.

Planner Kent Williams proposed the vacation of Millis Street in the Jamison Industrial Park off of Highway 150.

“Millis Street was never developed or constructed,” he said.

Williams explained that Reay Street is the primary access road through the subdivision.

Commission Chair Mark Anderson asked Williams, “With a subdivision of this size, are two points of egress required?”

Williams responded that it was certainly beneficial, but not required. The affected lot owners could be locked out, which Williams states he explained to them, but that “Reay Street has been utilized for as long as I’ve known — many, many years.”

Hatch further pressed Williams about whether the easement had been vacated by the state and “the drop out on 150.” Williams was unaware of a Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) access issues. The commissioners approved the measure.

Finally, in additional orders of business, Clayton Plant, an organizer of the Fort Bridger Rendezvous requested “the same deal as last year — road closures on Hamilton and Manly streets.”

Sheriff Andy Kopp spoke in support of the request, saying, “There were no problems last year; it operated smoothly.”

Plant said they would need the closures to set up on Aug. 29 through Sept. 2. He said they place the road closures where the speed limit changes to make a smoother transition. The commissioners approved Plant’s requests.