ROCK SPRINGS – While the national political scene is a giant mess due to the government shut down, local politicians are still hard at work. Among them is State Rep. Stan Blake who spoke to the Rock Springs City Council Tuesday.

“The budget session starts in four months and nine days and so many hours,” Blake said with a big sigh that brought laughter from the room.

Getting back to serious discussion, Blake explained the legislature will have some extra money this session. He said he will do everything he can to get this money back to the cities and towns.

Blake also explained it appears more money will also be added to waste disposal and solid landfill budgets. Again he said he would do what he could to get the money back to Sweetwater County.

Mayor Carl Demshar said the city knows how hard he works in Cheyenne to get money for Sweetwater County

“We know you do everything you can to get money for us,” Demshar said.

Sixth-Cent Tax

Councilman Glenn Sugano gave a brief update on the sixth-cent tax and the work the board is doing. Sugano said currently they have approved $5 million for the various projects. This is money coming directly back to the cities and towns.

A spreadsheet was given to them from the last Sixth Penny board. Sugano said he made some minor tweaks to it but nothing made sense. He personally thanked Kristen Munez for help straightening out the mess.

Sugano also welcomed anyone to come to the meetings and see how the tax is being used. The Special Purpose Sixth Cent Board meets every third Wednesday.

Fire Engine

The council also approved a change order on the new fire engine. There were eight line items that were changed. Councilman Clark Stith asked city staff to explain the changes. Director of Finance and Administration Lisa Tarufelli explained each line item was different. She explained while some were additions to the cost other lines were reductions. The sum of the items came to be a $987 addition.

Stith asked what the changes were for. RS Fire Chief Lyle Armstrong said they were for additions to the truck which the city asked for.

Stith took one item and asked why the needed a plastic cap on the back of the truck.

“It’s just a plastic cap right?” Stith asked.

Armstrong explained that running the hoses on the back without this cap causes more wear than if they have one on. Stith said the new engine. a $500,000 item, was a big ticket purchase for the city.

“It just feels like we are getting nickeled and dimed to death,” Stith explained.