GREEN RIVER – Discussion about a purchase request from the Sweetwater County Events Complex highlights ongoing concerns about the county’s budget.

The Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners approved the purchase of a wheel loader for $164,555 for the events complex, voting 4-1 in favor of the motion. Chairman Keaton West voted against the purchase, though he was quick to admit it wasn’t because he didn’t support the events complex’s request. 

“I think our priorities have always been county core, component unit, then outside agencies and it feels a little bit odd to me,” West said. “Don’t take that nay vote as not supporting you … I kind of want to see everything before we dive into it.”  

Kandi Pendleton, executive director of the Sweetwater County Events Complex, said the wheel loader is something they use almost every day and have paid $80,000 since 2022 to keep the loader they have operational. As part of the request, a lease option was included that would have pushed the loader’s cost to $181,504.27. 

Commissioner Island Richards, the events complex board liaison for the commissioners, said the situation with the wheel loader is an ongoing need at the complex and supports approving the purchase. He said the commissioners cut deeply into capital requests made before the commissioners approved the 2024-2025 budget, saying requests similar to the events complex were expected. 

“I remember the conversations during budget time and there were a lot of unknowns as far as what we may or may not be faced with,” West said. “We cut … everywhere, from county core to component units to outside agencies and I support this request,” West said.

West believes the county’s capital committee, which reviewed capital funding requests submitted to the commissioners as they worked on the budget, should meet again and reassess what the county can fund now. His concern is once the commissioners approve the loader request, other groups will make a second attempt to receive county funding for their capital expenditures. 

“At the same time, I didn’t want to hold up the events complex with the ongoing maintenance issues with the machine they do have,” West said.

Commissioner Robb Slaughter also said he was in favor of the committee meeting again because the county did receive additional funding at the end of the fiscal year they did not anticipate.