Mr. Kolb goes to Washington

Seeking to represent the county and state, Commissioner John Kolb attended a policy convention in Washington, D.C., in late February.

The convention was hosted by the National Association of County Officials.

Kolb believes the expenditure was well worth it to the county, noting that the trip cost him more in family time and lost income than the amount charged to the county. According to receipts released by the Sweetwater County Clerk’s Office, Kolb charged $3,971.73 to the county for airfare, meals, hotel accommodations, a rental car and rides utilizing the Uber ride sharing service in Washington, D.C. The rental car was utilized after a connecting flight from Denver to Rock Springs was cancelled.

For Kolb, the value comes in representing the county and state in issues other governing bodies may oppose Wyoming’s views with.

During his report to the other commissioners in a March 3 meeting, Kolb said he was able to learn a lot about what federal regulations would be impacting local governments in the coming year. Kolb said he worked in committees made up of other county officials from across the county.

“This is an opportunity for people to get together ... to discuss issues that are important to counties,” Kolb said. “I was there to represent Sweetwater County and talk about concerns.”

One of those concerns Kolb involves his views on the Nuclear Regulatory Committee and it dumping uranium onto the market, which he said would impact companies like Sweetwater County’s UR Energy’s ability to generate profit. He was able to speak before committees directly involved in many decisions that would affect the state and county.

Kolb said the issues get discussed in committees, then are lobbied through NACo to the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. He said it operates similar to how the Wyoming County Commissioners Association operates with the Wyoming Legislature in Cheyenne. Kolb said Wyoming had the largest delegation of any state attending the NACo convention as well.

Kolb said the group dealt with the higher levels of government regarding broad and detailed issues. Another of the issues Kolb helped work on and discuss involved health care issues regarding drug addiction, the Affordable Healthcare Act and Medicaid on the health steering committee.

“It’s a benefit to sit there and be aware of these things,” Kolb said.

Kolb also heard speeches from Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, from one of which, Kolb was able to get a unique souvenir of his trip.

During his report March 3, Kolb said he recorded video of another Wyoming county commissioner, whom he later identified as Rob Hendry from Natrona County, snoozing during Biden’s speech. During an interview Tuesday, Kolb said he saw a little humor in Biden’s speech boring Hendry to sleep during a 9 a.m. session, prompting him to mention it during his report March 3.

“I thought it was quite comical, so I duly recorded it,” he told the other commissioners.