SWEETWATER COUNTY — The Sweetwater County Commissioners have been hosting workshops for the Fiscal Year 2021 county budget for the past month and they will continue those discussions on Tuesday, June 2.

The Sweetwater County Commissioners will meet Tuesday, June 2, at 8:30 am via video conferencing.

Due to COVID-19 Coronavirus recommendations, the commissioner’s meeting will not be accessible at the County Courthouse.

The public is invited to watch the meeting on the Sweetwater County YouTube channel.

The public can comment immediately following the public hearing presentation at about 8:30 am, and during the public comment section of the agenda at about 8:45 am by calling 307-872-3891, or by sending comments ahead of time via email to: [email protected].

Currently, the county agencies and departments have requested $51.9 million for FY 2021. This includes payroll, operating, and capital expenditures. This year’s requests total up to be $734,595 more than the FY 2020 budget.

However, the county revenues are currently down $4.3 million from last year. Revenues for FY 2021 are at about $42.78 million.

The county departments have requested $37.44 million, the component units have requested $9.05 million, and the outside agencies have requested $5.41 million.

The Sweetwater County Commissioners have been asking the component units and agencies to cut their requests so they are not asking for more funding than the FY 2020 budget. As for county departments, they have been making cuts anywhere possible.

With grant revenues and expenditures, the county is left with a shortfall of $9,463,127.

Events Complex Faces Tough Cuts

During the last budget workshop on May 19, the commissioners asked the Sweetwater County Events Complex to decrease their request by $703,303. This would bring their total request to $2,786,607, which was their FY 2020 budget.

Kandi Pendleton, Events Complex marketing and events manager, said they’ve cut 21 percent of their budget already, and that includes 25 percent from their operating budget, 56 percent from capital, and cuts to payroll through cutting all part-time employees and reduction in full-time staff.

She said they have experienced a $1.3 million loss since the last fiscal year. She added that 50 percent of their budget this year is for labor, so the only way to cut their budget down is to reduce labor.

The commissioners expressed that they understood the difficulties not only the Events Complex are facing, but what all agencies are facing amid the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic. However, Commissioner Wally Johnson said he personally wanted to cut down the entirety of the $703,000, which the other commissioners agreed with.

Larry Lloyd, Events Complex Executive Director, said if they wanted to cut the $703,000 to “go ahead and take it,” however, he does not know how they will make that up.

“To lay off full-time people isn’t on my list, to cut back their wages isn’t on my list. I mean, this is tough times,” Lloyd said. “This isn’t going to end well… It will be blood in the streets out here.”

Figuring Out Where Money is Needed Most

Late,r when discussing the Sweetwater County Historical Museum’s budget request, Commissioner Johnson said to make ends meet this fiscal year, agencies may have to cut employees hours.

The museum was requesting $397,578 of which, the commissioners asked that they cut at least $46,672.

“We’ve got to be consistent on this,” Johnson said of making cuts to the agency requests. “If that entails layoffs, I suggest we don’t layoff people, but you cut back their hours and the hours of the museum,” he said.

Commissioner Roy Lloyd said the commissioners are tasked with cutting the budget requests by a significant amount, however after initial cuts at made they find they can add money back into some agencies, they will do so.

“We have to cut between $5 million and $11 million, and that’s a task. We understand where everyone’s at, but we’ve got to figure out where’s best to spend the money and take care of our taxpayers, and all our entities, and our sources to the county,” Commissioner Lloyd said.

Commissioner Lauren Schoenfeld said that in the event they can add more back into some of the budget requests, she believes they should give extra consideration to the agencies, such as the museum, who have significantly cut their budgets in the past.

“If there’s any to give back, we need to look at those who have cut things in the years earlier and where that leaves them, and minimize cutting salaries, staff, hours, laying off, things like that as much as we can,” Commissioner Schoenfeld said.

Requests to Be Discussed June 2

Some agencies and departments that will be discussing their budget requests with the commissioners on Tuesday, June 2, include the Boys & Girls Club of Sweetwater County, Castle Rock Hospital District, Hospice of Sweetwater County, Young At Heart, and the Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport.

The Boys & Girls Club is requesting $60,000, which is a $11,400 increase from last year’s budget. Castle Rock Hospital District is asking for $348,000, a $47,000 increase from last year.

The Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport is requesting $870,158, which is a 48.33 percent increase from last year’s budget, totaling $283,540.

Go to page 58 of the below pdf to view the budget workshop agenda.

Other Business

In other business, the commissioners will hear a public health update on the COVID-19 pandemic. They will also have a discussion on the removal and restoration of the Carnegie stained glass window.

To read the full agenda and packet for the Sweetwater County Commissioner meeting on June 2, 2020, check out the pdf above or click here.