County consults with state on closing two roads

WORLAND – Washakie County Commissioners met Tuesday to hear department reports, and gave a brief update on a plan to restrict two county roads to local traffic only, enforced by ordinance.

As explained last month by Commissioners Aaron Anderson and Fred Frandson, Washakie 10 (east of Worland) and Lower Nowood Road (west and northwest of Ten Sleep) are currently suffering from over-use by out-of-area semi-trucks and tourist traffic, along with frequent non-residents that break the speed limit, endangering residents of those corridors.

Under the county’s proposal to the Road and Bridge Department, the roads would have signs at the entrances (and possibly one in Manderson) warning that the roads have been closed to local traffic only.

Frandson has since consulted with the Wyoming Department of Transportation to check the possibility of adding the two roads to the state’s closure listings, which would update Global Positioning Systems and on-board mapping for most new vehicles.

The county is waiting for the state to get back with a recommendation before installing signs at the entrances to the two roads.

Earlier, County Attorney John Worrall, suggested placing an ordinance on the road, that would give the Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction to issue citations for non-residents using the roads.

The commission agreed that making changes to Lower Nowood Road would require coordination with Big Horn County, Wyoming Department of Transportation and, possibly, a public hearing.

“Of all the items we deal with, I’ve heard about this one the most,” said Anderson, noting that the majority of

residents on Lower Nowood Road are in favor of the closure.

The commission also received a letter of support for the measure from Lower Nowood residents.

In other business, Tom Schmeltzer with the county maintenance department reported that all repairs had been completed at the Lighthouse facility, after numerous cases of damage due to unruly patients.

The seven-bed Lighthouse center run by Cloud Peak Counseling, houses almost 70 patients per year, per average, from Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park, Fremont and Washakie counties. A 2017 expansion brought more room the facility, with a social detox and high risk area, at a total cost of $97,000.

Currently, under Title 25, patients entering the Lighthouse for care are assessed for possible risk (suicide or self-harm) or alcohol or drug abuse, and held until they have been stabilized or released by court order.

In April, a violent Fremont County patient did considerable damage to bathroom and holding facilities at the center, including dismantling a toilet to use parts as a weapon.

Most recently, a patient from Teton County damaged the facility and became so violent, had to be transferred to the Washakie County jail. Once there, the patient did further damage to the facility and himself.

The county is currently considering new patient protocols for the facility.