Commissioners approve grants

Sweetwater County will receive funds to provide a new bomb squad trailer and help with emergency management. 

During Tuesday’s meeting, the county commissioners approved grant agreement documents that will provide funds for new bomb squad equipment for the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office. Sweetwater County was awarded $62,199 in federal homeland security grant funding from the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security.

“The purpose of this funding is to improve the sheriff’s office bomb squad’s capability to prevent a threatened or actual act of terrorism,” Sweetwater County Grants Manager Krisena Marchal said.

“The project consists of purchasing a transport trailer containment vessel that will be used to safely remove suspected improvised explosive devices and suspicious packages from a scene to a remote location for investigation and destruction.” 

Marchal explained that the Sweetwater bomb squad is one of the busiest bomb squads in Wyoming and serves a large portion of the state, typically handling more than 30 incidents a year. 

Sheriff John Grossnickle said this grant will provide a replacement trailer for the one they have been using that had to be required because of age, and that the trailer is a vital piece of equipment for the bomb squad. 

Another grant commissioners approved was the 2021 Emergency Management Performance Grant. Sweetwater County was awarded $60,000 in federal emergency management performance grant funding from the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security. This is an annual grant designed to help offset homeland security expenses and assist local governments in preparing for all hazards. This grant requires a 50% cash match from the county, which has already been budgeted. 

The commissioners also approved a request for a letter of support for a grant application for the Sweetwater Events Complex. The SEC is looking to upgrade the lights and add an industrial fan in the indoor arena to improve comfort and safety for events. Kyra Seppie, an office assistant at SEC, also pointed out that the events complex is a designated emergency shelter facility, so updating the indoor arena could help with emergency uses as well, including vaccination clinics. In order to update the indoor arena, SEC is applying for funds through the T-Mobile Hometown Grant. No match money will be required for the grant. The maximum amount the grant can provide is $50,000, and the SEC’s planned upgrades come to $49,744, Seppie said.

Other business from Tuesday’s county commission meeting: 

Commissioners heard and approved several planning and zoning requests, including a request from Wes & Jennifer Woodward to change the zoning for their residence north of Rock Springs from mixed residential to retail business in order to start a nursery business called “Simply Sunshine” that will provide cut flowers, trees, seed germination and more.

Two county residents expressed concerns over the Sweetwater Trap Club in Rock Springs recently being closed many days when it was expected to be open and no notice was given of the closures. Chairman Randy Wendling said the commissioners would look into concerns expressed by residents and see what could be done. 

Commissioners approved Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County budget amendments. These amendments adjust for extra expenses and funds due to the COVID-19 pandemic.