Naloxone available for public request

During the Washakie County commissioner meeting on Tuesday, May 21, public health nursing manager Amanda Heinemeyer told the commissioners about a grant that the Department of Health received, which will allow for doses of naloxone to be requested by members of the public.

Naloxone is an opioid-overdose antidote often carried by first responders and caregivers for people with heroin addiction. It is often called Narcan, which is the brand name device that delivers naloxone.

“Anybody can come in and request [naloxone], and we can give it to them and then we also give away information handouts with no charge,” said Heinemeyer.

In other public health news, the commissioners also conducted two budget hearings, resulting in an increase to the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program for $10,000 and an increase to public health for immunizations for $65,000, along with Medicare donations in the amount of $65,000.

Heinemeyer said they are getting new senior immunizations for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and pneumonia that will be paid for by Medicare, generating revenue for public health.

ROAD AND BRIDGE,

PLANNING

Road and Bridge Superintendent Stuart Bower reported that he will be losing full-time employees, and that the department will be operating shorthanded. Bower noted that it is a repeated issue within the department.

Bower suggested the idea of adding more part-time positions with the potential for higher wages, as it tends to work better for certain applicants. While Bower and the commissioners agreed that having a full crew would be preferred, the commissioners said they would support Bower however they can.

Bower said the department plans to also work on replacing damaged or stolen road signs, chip sealing when weather permits and sweeping road shoulders.

Washakie County Interim Planner Mike Robinson said he was notified that the City of Worland wants to replace a sewer main on county property and that they inquired about the possibility of annexing the land into the city. Robinson noted that city water and sewer utilities already run through the area.

Alternatively, Robinson said the city would also work with the county on the project without annexation.

The alley in question is just east of Highway 20, behind Jadeco, Big Horn Regional and Wyoming Highway Patrol buildings.

The commissioners did not make a decision during the meeting, and said they’d like more information and to have adjacent landowners involved in the discussion as well.

WPC

Washakie Prevention Coalition representatives Sheri Gunderson, Lila Jolley, and their newest addition, Cassie Nolting attended the commissioner meeting and gave some program updates.

Nolting, who replaced Katie Kirby as the Youth Alternatives director, said she previously worked in juvenile drug court and diversion in Buffalo, and produced a mentoring program in Johnson County. Before taking on this new position, Nolting said she was the owner of Stepping Stones Children’s Center.

WPC also plans to continue doing their coalition meetings throughout the summer.

Jolley added that WPC will be participating in the upcoming Community Safe Day on Saturday, June 1 in Newell Sargent Park. The event will be bigger than it was last year and is an opportunity for the public to interact with law enforcement, emergency medical technicians and others, according to Jolley.

BUILDING

MAINTENANCE

County building maintenance manager Breck Buer said the new ambulance building is “move-in ready,” and that crews will likely start moving into the building within the next couple weeks.

Buer also noted that there is a fungal issue in the lawn surrounding the courthouse that will be treated with fungicides and fertilized. The commissioners approved the necessary treatment.

Buer said that Worland Middle School students will be helping with minor projects around the county fairgrounds on Thursday, May 23 during their last day of school.

DRUG COURT

Wyoming drug court representative Sabrina Burke said she is requesting $4,416 per month from Washakie County in order to fund the drug court program.

According to Burke, she was anticipating the program to receive more money than what was granted from the state. Due to the program waiting to receive a nonprofit status, they cannot receive their requested amount from the state.

The program currently has seven participants from Washakie County and is funded until July 1, said Burke.

Washakie County Chairman Aaron Anderson said the commissioners will have to consider this request moving forward as they plan to work on the county budget in June. They did not make a decision during the meeting.

OTHER BUSINESS

The commissioners received one bid for county auditing. The bid from Carver Florek and James CPA’s, which is conducting the county’s current audit, was in the amount of $71,492 through 2028.

The commissioners said this number is considerably higher than previous bids and that they will discuss the bid at a later time. No decision was made during the meeting.

A budget work session was scheduled for Thursday, June 20 at 9 a.m., which will be separate from their regular commissioner meeting on June 18.

They rescheduled their second July meeting to July 23 from July 16.

They scheduled a budget hearing for the evening of July 22 and plan to approve the budget at the rescheduled July 23

meeting.