SWEETWATER COUNTY — The Sweetwater County Commission will consider approval of a Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grant match agreement in the amount of $19,275 during its meeting Tuesday.
According to meeting documents, “the VFA program provides grant funding through the Wyoming State Forestry Division to organize, equip, and train small, local fire departments in rural communities with populations under 10,000 to prevent and suppress rural fires.”
The Wyoming State Forestry Division awarded Sweetwater County $19,275 in VFA funding that will be used to acquire equipment for the City of Green River Fire Department (GRFD) for wild land protection. VFA projects require a 50 percent cash match on allowable project costs.
The GRFD provides fire protection services within specified areas in Sweetwater County, which are reimbursed under a fee schedule. The GRFD is not an eligible entity under the VFA program. Meeting documents also state that the required cash match was not approved in the Grants Projects budget.
The County Commission will also consider opting into the Wyoming State Forestry Division’s FY 2024 Emergency Fire Suppression Account. According to the Forestry Division, “this account offers the most expeditious and effective means of mitigating the impact of a disastrous fire.”
The county’s initial assessment due by July 15 would be $169,799. Sweetwater County is not currently a participating county in this suppression account.
The Forestry Division said in a letter to the Commission, “Your FY 2024 premium based on 2022 valuation ($56,599.96) was amended during the 66th Legislature, allowing non-participating counties to become a participating county by paying an initial assessment computed for that county under subsection (b) of this section multiplied by three.”
Sweetwater County will be joining 22 other counties if they decide to participate in this account.
To view the full meeting agenda, click here. To view the full meeting packet, click here.
