ROCK SPRINGS — Western Wyoming College will extend the amount of time employees have to sign up for an early retirement program after board action Thursday evening.

The college board originally approved the early retirement offering last month. It would grant qualifying employees an annual $7,074 insurance benefit if they opted to retire.

The extension comes as Western and other governmental entities receiving funds through property tax levies face the potential of losing revenue if voters pass the initiative to reduce property taxes by 50%. The original deadline for college employees to register for the program would have been Nov. 1, two days before the Nov. 3 General Election.

“Unfortunately the ballots don’t close until Nov. 3, so we wanted to provide an extension for early retirees to take that in the event that the property tax legislation doesn’t go our way,” Debbie Baker, the Vice President of Administrative Services told the college board.

Baker said she spoke with employees eligible for the program and one told her they would seriously consider applying if the tax initiative is passed. The board approved the extension, with Trustee Stephen Allen voting against it. 

Providing Ballot Initiative Education

College President Kirk Young said he wrapped up his tour of outreach locations in the college’s five-county service area and spoke to people about the impacts the tax initiative would have on the college. The board previously passed a resolution that it would support college efforts to provide factual information to voters about how the ballot initiative would impact the college. Prior property tax exemptions passed by the Wyoming Legislature were a contributing factor in budget-cutting measures the college undertook in the past year, which included employee layoffs and the elimination of the college volleyball program.