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Wednesday, April 8, 2026 |

Photo – Carbon County School District #2 – Bigfoot99 file photo

Due to statewide changes to school budget rules, all Carbon County School District Two students will be required to pay for meals next year.

For the past two years, Carbon County School District Two students in Encampment, Hanna, and Medicine Bow received free meals through the federal Community Eligibility Provision. Established in 2010 by the Obama administration, the Community Eligibility Provision allows high-poverty schools and districts to serve free breakfast and lunch to all students. Saratoga schools did not qualify for the free meal program because too few families in the community receive government benefits.

Speaking at Monday evening’s District Accountability Committee meeting in Hanna, District Two Superintendent Darrin Jennings announced that the Community Eligibility Provision failed to cover the district’s meal costs. As food prices continue to climb, Superintendent Jennings said the district will be leaving the federal meal program next school year.

The Wyoming Legislature recently passed Senate File 81, the School Finance Recalibration Bill, which prohibits schools from using instructional funds to pay for meals. Superintendent Jennings called the combination of leaving the Community Eligibility Provision and the passage of Senate File 81 a “perfect storm,” as of now, all District Two students will be required to pay for their breakfasts and lunches.

Even with the Community Eligibility Provision, Superintendent Jennings said District Two spent $443,000 on meals last school year. To address the shortfall and the inability to allocate additional funding for meals, Jennings proposed new breakfast and lunch prices that would take effect next school year.

Kindergarten through sixth‑grade students will pay $2.50 for breakfast and $3.00 for lunch. High school students will pay $3.00 for breakfast and $4.00 for lunch. Those eligible for free or reduced meals will still pay $1.00. Jennings added that no child will be denied a meal because of their family’s inability to pay.

Superintendent Jennings said the district can use so‑called angel funds, in which donors contribute money to help students pay for meals, equipment, and activities, to cover lunch costs for students from low‑income families. Jennings said District Two Technology Integration Specialist Andrew Hays recommended splitting donations between individual schools and the district as a whole.

H‑E‑M Principal Eli Hobbs added that a combined angel fund will give the district more leverage when making large food purchases. Superintendent Jennings also said the district’s food budget can be supplemented by donations of livestock from ranchers. The district would pay to have the meat processed at a certified USDA facility.

Leaving the federal Community Eligibility Provision would allow individual schools to set their own menus. Hanna Elementary School Principal Jackie Jones said she plans to replace commercially prepared foods with fresh ingredients.

The Hanna Elementary School cook staff celebrated the potential end of the district’s participation in the Community Eligibility Provision. Without the strict federal guidelines, staff can prepare meals the students genuinely enjoy.

Superintendent Jennings said the district’s kitchen staff are researching meal programs outside of the Community Eligibility Provision. The goal is to serve healthy meals students will actually eat.

Superintendent Jennings says you can judge the success of a lunch program by how much food students throw away. By moving away from the Community Eligibility Provision, District Two will have more flexibility over menus and serving sizes.

The cost of next school year’s breakfasts and lunches has not been finalized. Prices mentioned in this story may change as district officials gather more information.

The post All District #2 Students Will Be Required to Pay for School Meals first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Wednesday, April 8, 2026 |

Photo – Rawlins City Hall – Bigfoot99 file photo

A Rawlins City Council member clarified misunderstood rental prices.

Earlier this year, Rawlins City Council Ward One member Derek Elliot announced the closure of several local businesses, including two restaurants and a laundromat. Councilman Elliot explained that the loss of those services has had a negative impact on residents.

During the March 17th Rawlins City Council meeting, Councilman Elliot said he had contacted the owners of the Rawlins Plaza on West Spruce Street to ask about renting an unused portion of the shopping center as part of his effort to attract more businesses to the city. The Ward One representative said that if the price was low enough, the space could serve as a city-funded community activity center. However, he reported that the property owners appear to expect nearly $100,000 a month in rent.

On Sunday evening, Councilman Elliot posted a video to social media where he acknowledged that he gave incorrect information during the March 17th meeting. The Ward One representative explained that he confused the annual rent price with the monthly amount.

Councilman Elliot added that the property owners were asking $187,760 a year for the 18,000‑square‑foot adjoining storefront, which was formerly a grocery store.

The Ward One representative said he misinterpreted the prices the property owners had given him and that he intended to make the correction during last night’s Rawlins City Council meeting.

Councilman Elliot thanked fellow council member Tonya Lewman for pointing out his error.

The post Rawlins Council Member Corrects Error on Rental Prices first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Wednesday, April 8, 2026 |

Photo – Property Tax invoices – Bigfoot99 file photo

County officials urge residents to consider what their property taxes fund before voting on additional tax cuts.

The Board of Carbon County Commissioners met yesterday morning, and while working through the agenda, the discussion eventually turned to property taxes. Commissioner Sue Jones referenced the upcoming Wyoming Homeowner’s Primary Residence Property Tax Exemption Initiative. If approved, the citizen‑led ballot measure would amend the state constitution to exempt 50 percent of the assessed value of a primary residence from property taxes.

Commissioner Jones said the state’s tax system needs refinement, but not through large‑scale statewide measures.

As an example, Commissioner Jones said the Town of Hanna receives $303,000 in property tax revenue. Cutting that amount in half, as the ballot measure proposes to do, would force residents to pay more for municipal utilities and services.

Even with the proposed property tax cuts, Commissioner Jones said tax revenue will continue to be distributed the same way, with schools receiving 70 percent, the county 18 percent, special districts eight percent, and municipalities only two percent of the total. While Carbon County may appear to have received a large amount of property tax revenue, Commissioner Jones said it only kept 18 percent, which must be used for essential services such as law enforcement, EMS, and road maintenance.

Commissioner Jones added that multiple libraries, senior centers, and museums aren’t considered essential services.

Commissioner John Johnson said residents who support the property tax relief programs may not fully understand how the revenue is used.

The Wyoming Constitution states that education is a fundamental right and that funding for it must come before all other priorities. Commission Chairman Travis Moore said confusingly, lawmakers continue to look for ways around that constitutional requirement.

Commissioner John Espy said the state is responsible for backfilling the education system’s lost tax revenue and questioned where that money will come from. Commissioner Espy asked if important state‑funded agencies, such as the Wyoming Department of Transportation, will face budget cuts.

Commissioner Espy asked if lawmakers would increase the state sales tax to make up the lost revenue, saying rural communities that produce less sales tax would be hit hardest.

Commissioner John Johnson said the Board of Commissioners has been discussing the property tax cuts for months, if not years. However, he said little is likely to change until a new group of legislators is selected during the August 18th primary elections. As it stands, Commissioner Johnson said lawmakers appear to be ignoring their constituents in favor of out‑of‑state interests.

Commissioner Espy agreed that the effort to eliminate property taxes appears to be coming from out of state. He said the end goal seems to be increasing states’ reliance on the federal government.

Commissioner John Johnson said that unlike municipalities, which can raise utility rates to compensate for lost tax revenue, the county is already at its maximum allowable mill levy. The only way the county can handle the reduced income is by cutting services, including road maintenance.

Road and Bridge Superintendent Kandis Fritz added that the reduced property tax revenue has limited the amount of anti‑dust magnesium chloride she can apply to the county’s dirt roads.

According to the Wyoming Taxpayers Association, the state’s taxpayers receive roughly $13 in services for every $1 paid in total state and local taxes. Carbon County officials are asking residents to consider what those tax dollars support before voting on the 50 percent Homeowner’s Primary Residence Property Tax Exemption Initiative.

The post Commissioners Discuss Property Taxes and What They Fund first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Tuesday, April 7th, 2026 |

Photo – Pam Thayer and Bob Davis – Courtesy 68th Wyoming State Legislative Session

Carbon County’s two state representatives will hold a public meeting in Rawlins to discuss the recent legislative session.

During the March 17th Rawlins City Council meeting, House District 15 Representative Pam Thayer announced that she and District 47 Representative Bob Davis will meet with constituents next week at the Carbon County Higher Education Center. Thayer said they’ll update the public on actions taken during the 2026 legislative session.

Representative Thayer co‑sponsored six bills in 2026, including Senate Joint Resolution Nine, which asked the United States Congress to ensure that Wyoming’s public spaces continue to be used for the benefit of the state. The measure was signed into law by Governor Mark Gordon.

Representative Davis sponsored three bills and co‑sponsored another 22 during the 2026 session. Among them was House Bill 29, which would have required the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to clarify requirements for nonresident trapping licenses. The House of Representatives did not take House Bill 29 up for consideration.

Both Carbon County representatives voted to move House Bill 19 to the Wyoming Senate. House Bill 19 would have placed the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling legalizing corner crossing into state law, but the Senate defeated the measure. Similarly, Representatives Thayer and Davis voted in support of House Bill 32, which allows all law enforcement officers in Wyoming to take commercial truckers off the road for failing to meet federal minimum English‑proficiency standards. Governor Gordon signed that measure into law early last month.

Representatives Pam Thayer and Bob Davis will hold a public meeting to discuss their work in Cheyenne on Tuesday, April 14th at the Carbon County Higher Education Center in Rawlins, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

The post State Representatives to Hold Public Meeting 4/14/26 first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Tuesday, April 7th, 2026 |

Photo – Seminoe Reservoir – Bigfoot99 File Photo

State lawmakers say they will educate themselves about the impact the Seminoe Pumped Storage Project may have on wildlife.

On April 1st, the Wyoming Management Council met to review the upcoming work schedules for the state’s committees and boards before the next legislative session. Senator Bill Landen said the Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee, which he co‑chairs, will use the off‑season to meet with wildlife conservation groups. The committee plans to discuss the possible effects of the proposed Seminoe Pumped Storage Facility on the Seminoe-Ferris bighorn sheep herd and the blue‑ribbon Miracle Mile trout fishery.

Utah‑based rPlus Hydro, also known as Black Canyon Hydro, has proposed building a pumped storage facility at Seminoe Reservoir. Plans call for a 13,000‑acre‑foot man‑made lake to be built on a mountaintop above the existing reservoir.

The plan calls for the upper and lower bodies of water to be connected by an underground electrical powerhouse. During periods of high wind‑energy production, water would be pumped from Seminoe Reservoir into the upper lake, where it would be stored until needed. When demand outpaces production, the water would flow downhill through the underground turbine, generating approximately 900 megawatts of electricity for up to 12 hours. The cycle would repeat as needed.

At the April 1st Wyoming Management Council meeting, Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee co‑chairman Andrew Byron added that local county commissioners have asked the state to closely monitor the project.

Wyoming Management Council member Jeremy Haroldson questioned why the Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee was involved in the Seminoe Pumped Storage Project discussion. The Laramie and Platte County representative said another committee may be better suited to handle energy‑related issues.

Senator Landon responded that many constituents are concerned about the effect the project may have on the Seminoe-Ferris bighorn sheep herd. The Natrona County Republican added that the herd is the last in the state still free of domestic livestock diseases, such as pneumonia.

Senator Landen said the Wyoming Game and Fish Department received considerable public feedback about the potential effects on the downstream ecosystem, particularly the Miracle Mile. Landen noted that the Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee has chosen to educate itself on a wide range of wildlife‑related issues, including the Seminoe Pumped Storage Facility, before the next legislative session.

Senator Landen said the committee will share what it learns with sportsmen, landowners, wildlife groups, and interested constituents.

Representative Andrew Byron reiterated that the Seminoe Pumped Storage Facility may negatively affect the Miracle Mile, noting that trout are highly sensitive to changes in water temperature.

Representative Byron acknowledged that the Seminoe project relates to several joint and standing committees, but said many state agencies, including the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, argue they’ve been left out of the process. As a recreational angler, Byron said he wants to know more about the potential effects the facility could have on the Miracle Mile.

Senator Tara Nethercott, who sits on the Minerals, Business, and Economic Development Committee, agreed that the Seminoe Pumped Storage Facility is relevant to many areas of state government. Senator Nethercott said the Minerals Committee isn’t focused on the project’s potential impact on wildlife, and that the Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee’s involvement is warranted.

On March 9th, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality issued a Section 401 Water Quality Certification for the Seminoe Pumped Storage project. The state agency concluded that the facility will not degrade water quality in the Seminoe Reservoir or the downstream Miracle Mile trout fishery. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which is handling the licensing process, has targeted June 12th to release its Final Environmental Impact Statement. Afterward, FERC will have until September 17th to file an Order Issuing License to approve or deny the project.

Before work can begin, rPlus Hydro must still secure authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Bureau of Land Management, which is being asked to amend the Rawlins Resource Management Plan to allow year‑round construction. Under the current plan, work is limited to a four‑month window from May through August to avoid disturbing the local bighorn sheep population.

The post State Lawmakers Take Closer Look at Seminoe Pumped Storage Project first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Tuesday, April 7th, 2026 |

Photo – Carbon County Official Seal – Bigfoot99 File Photo

After months of delays, Carbon County’s revised land use plan is set to be completed this summer.

In 2023, county officials began working with Y2 Consultants, a Wyoming‑based engineering and survey firm, to update the official Carbon County Land Use Plan, which outlines where specific types of development should occur to balance economic growth with resource preservation and public safety. The previous land use plan was created in 2012 and updated in 2016.

During Monday’s Carbon County Planning and Development Committee meeting, Planning and Development Coordinator Kristy Rowan said the land use steering committee, made up of residents and local stakeholders, had not met since July of 2025. After nearly nine months of delay, largely due to staffing changes at Y2 Consultants, Rowan said the group has now received an updated land use plan draft. The planning and development coordinator advised the committee that the document is likely to change before they receive the official version.

Rowan said the Carbon County Land Use Plan Steering Committee is scheduled to meet again on April 29th to review the draft plan. Afterwards, Y2 Consultants will make any recommended changes and resubmit the draft by mid‑May. The Planning and Development Commission will receive the amended document shortly thereafter.

Next, Y2 Consultants range scientist Bree Burton said she’ll incorporate the recommended changes from the April 29th steering committee meeting and have an updated draft ready for the Planning and Development Commission to review by May 4th.

Planning Commission Chairman Rich Wilson urged Burton to schedule an additional steering committee meeting before submitting the draft land use plan to the commission. Wilson said that last July, the steering committee spent several hours working through the original seven‑page document, and the new draft is nearly 20 times as large.

Burton said she’ll see how much of the draft the steering committee covers during the first meeting and add another session if needed.

Soon after beginning the land use plan update in 2023, Y2 Consultants sent postcards to ranchers and other stakeholders, seeking their participation in a survey. When too few people took the survey, it was opened to all Carbon County residents to complete online.

Planning Commission member Karen Kurtak asked if the land use plan listed the ages of the survey respondents. Kurtak said she was concerned that the online survey may have alienated older county residents.

Y2 Consultants range scientist Bree Burton said she will check if age demographics were collected during the survey process and report her findings to the Planning and Development Commission.

Kurtak also asked to see the source of the county’s tourism revenue broken out in more detail in the updated land use plan.

Burton said she would incorporate the Planning Commission’s corrections and suggestions into the draft land use plan before it goes to the steering committee on April 29th. If the process stays on track, the Planning Commission will receive the final draft by May 18th. At that point, the Commission may choose to recommend the plan to the Board of Carbon County Commissioners for further review and official adoption.

Due to the land use plan’s complexity, Planning and Development Coordinator Kristy Rowan recommended that both the Planning and Development Commission and the Board of Carbon County Commissioners hold individual 45‑day public comment periods before adopting the completed document.

The post Carbon County Land Use Plan Set to Complete first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Monday, April 6, 2026 |

Photo – Corner Crossing example – From court documents

State lawmakers agree to delay further action on corner crossing.

On April 1st, the Wyoming Management Council met to set interim policy ahead of the January 2027 legislative session. During the meeting, the Management Council heard from members of the Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee.

Senator Bill Landen and Representative Andrew Byron outlined the Committee’s interim priorities, including the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s budget and landowner habitat issues. Representative Byron said that during the coming months he and his fellow lawmakers will continue to research private property hunting access.

Senator Landen added that landowners, stock growers, and sportsmen are some of the state’s most important partners in wildlife management and conservation.

Management Council member Representative Jeremy Haroldson recommended continuing the conversation about corner crossing. The Laramie and Platte County Republican said the state must define when and where corner crossing can occur.

In 2021, a group of four Missouri hunters used a ladder to “corner cross” from one public parcel to another on Elk Mountain. The adjacent private landowner sued the hunters for trespassing, arguing they violated his airspace despite never setting foot on his property. The Carbon County District Court ruled in favor of the hunters, and the case was eventually brought before the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. In March 2025, the federal court upheld the lower court’s decision, citing the 1885 Unlawful Inclosures Act, which protects public access to federal lands in checkerboard regions. Since that time, Wyoming law enforcement officers have been directed to follow the court’s finding that corner crossing is legal when done at the corners of two public parcels without touching the adjacent private land.

During the March legislative session, state lawmakers introduced House Bill 19, which was set to codify the 10th Circuit Court’s ruling into state law. Supporters said the bill would reduce confusion when law enforcement responds to trespass calls. Opponents argued it failed to protect private property rights and that, because GPS devices can be inaccurate, corner crossing should occur only over clearly marked U.S. Geological Survey monuments.

Ultimately, the Wyoming Senate voted four to 27 to indefinitely postpone House Bill 19, effectively killing the measure.

At the April 1st Wyoming Management Council meeting, Representative Jeremy Haroldson urged the Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee to revisit the corner‑crossing issue during the interim.

Representative Andrew Byron acknowledged that House Bill 19 failed to satisfy both landowners and sportsmen. The Lincoln and Teton County Republican added that the amendment requiring a USGS monument to legally corner cross would have been too costly.

Senator Bill Landen said the Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee can use its 60 years of experience to come up with a solution that balances the interests of stock growers, landowners, and hunters.

Senator Tara Nethercott took a different stance from her fellow Management Council member, Representative Haroldson. The Laramie County Republican recommended waiting several years before introducing additional corner‑crossing bills.

Representative Byron agreed that the legislature needs more time to consider the issue of corner crossing. The Lincoln and Teton County Republican said opponents of House Bill 19 argued that lawmakers should wait to see how the issue develops before acting.

Senator Landen said in the interim, the Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee will continue listening to landowners, stock growers, and sportsmen to learn more about the issue of corner crossing.

The post State Law Makers Agree to Delay Action on Corner Crossing Issue first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Monday, April 6, 2026 |

Photo – Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming – Bigfoot99 file photo

Saratoga officials are preparing to meet with Boys and Girls Club representatives to discuss the possibility of a new joint recreation center.

During the April 1st Saratoga Town Council meeting, Mayor Chuck Davis announced that Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming Chief Executive Officer Ashley Bright had reached out to arrange a meeting with the governing body. Mayor Davis said the discussion would need to occur during a public workshop and suggested dates for the meeting.

In 2022, Saratoga resident Nick Haderlie proposed building an indoor swimming facility to serve the Platte Valley. However, projected operating costs proved too high and the project was eventually set aside.

Last year, Haderlie met with representatives from the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming to remove the pool from his original plan and rework the concept into a more traditional recreation center. Speaking to Bigfoot99 in February, Chief Executive Officer Ashley Bright explained that the proposed facility would feature two separate gymnasiums: one operated by the Boys and Girls Club and the other by the town of Saratoga.

The proposed $15.5 million facility would be built on town-owned land between the Saratoga Middle High School and the library on West Elm Avenue. Saratoga would retain ownership of the property, while the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming would own the facility and lease the second gymnasium back to the town, with a local board of directors overseeing the Platte Valley facility. The Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming estimated that 250 young people will utilize the facility.

Last November, the Saratoga Town Council approved a resolution expressing support for the proposed recreation center and granting the organization access to the land on Elm Avenue for testing. Speaking to Bigfoot99, CEO Ashley Bright said housing both Club and municipal activities in the same building would ensure reliable year-round services that meet the needs of residents.

The Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming is working on a feasibility study to determine if the combined recreation center would work in Saratoga. Bright emphasized that the plan has not yet been finalized.

At the April 1st Saratoga Town Council meeting, the governing body scheduled its meeting with the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming for April 22nd at 6:00 p.m. in the town hall.

The post Saratoga Council Sets Meeting to Discuss Possibility of New Rec Center first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Monday, April 6, 2026 |

Photo – SCWEMS patch – Bigfoot99 file photo

County officials praised our area’s volunteer emergency responders.

During the March 17th Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Commissioner Sue Jones said she had attended a recent South Central Wyoming EMS meeting in Saratoga. The organization, known as SCWEMS, is a mostly volunteer‑based service that provides emergency medical care and ambulance transport to eastern Carbon County.

Commissioner Jones said the county benefits from having dedicated emergency response personnel, particularly when responding to frequent crashes on Interstate 80.

Commissioner Jones said it’s easy to forget that emergency responders don’t simply appear when needed, adding that it’s important to recognize the commitment they make to public safety.

Commissioner Jones also complimented the Carbon County Unified Dispatch Center.

Last July, emergency dispatching services for Saratoga and Encampment were consolidated into the Sheriff’s Office, creating a single countywide call center. Commissioner Jones said the unified dispatch center kept emergency personnel informed during the windstorms occurring at the time.

Commissioner Jones continued, saying that in many remote parts of the country, you may have to wait a long time to receive help. But here in Carbon County, our emergency responders work together to reach those in need as quickly as possible.

Despite the county’s reliance on volunteer emergency responders, organizations like SCWEMS are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit new volunteers.

As reported by Bigfoot99, the medical transport service is considering a rate increase to help attract additional volunteer personnel. Municipalities under SCWEMS coverage currently pay $34 per resident for ambulance service. During the March 18th Saratoga Town Council meeting, SCWEMS representative Steve Martin said the service was looking at raising the per‑resident fee by four dollars.

Martin said that under the increased price, SCWEMS anticipates generating an additional $20,000 annually across all participating municipalities. Saratoga Mayor Chuck Davis cautioned that municipalities would have to approve the fee increase before it can go into effect.

The post Commissioners Praise Volunteer Emergency Responders and Dispatchers first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Friday, April 3, 2026 |

Photo – Wyoming Public Defender logo – Bigfoot99 file photo

Saratoga officials discussed the cost of supplying a public defender, something the town has not had to do for decades.

During Wednesday evening’s Saratoga Town Council meeting, Mayor Chuck Davis announced that a resident has requested a public defender to represent her in a municipal court case. Mayor Davis added that the town is responsible for covering the attorney’s fees.

Mayor Davis said Saratoga’s prosecuting attorney, Robert Piper, estimated a public defender would charge around $75 an hour, while Municipal Judge Daniel Massey put the figure closer to $150. The mayor said he wasn’t sure what a public defender would charge, but the town is required to provide counsel for the defendant no matter the cost.

Councilman Mike Cooley said an attorney is likely to charge for milage as well, given they may come from Cheyenne or Casper.

Police Chief John Moore said a defendant is typically required to pay public defender fees if they’re found guilty.

Councilman Jerry Fluty asked why the town, and not the county, was handling the trial. Mayor Davis replied that the defendant is charged with violating a municipal ordinance and that the town is legally required to provide an attorney.

Police Chief John Moore added that residents may request a trial no matter the charge. In Saratoga, proceedings are limited to non‑jury, or bench, cases. However, defendants are still entitled to an attorney.

Chief Moore said any cases involving potential jail time, such as DUIs or felony theft, are remanded to the county court.

Councilman Bub Barkhurst asked if the town had ever provided a public defender. Chief Moore said he couldn’t recall a defendant requesting an attorney, adding that he’ll have to ask the town’s Clerk of Court, Marie Christen. Mayor Davis said the last municipal trial he could remember occurred over 30 years ago.

Mayor Davis said that by law, the town must provide a public defender when requested, which the resident has done.

The Saratoga Town Council voted to hire an attorney for the upcoming bench trial, with a cap of $150 an hour.

Bigfoot99 reached out to the Carbon County Assistant Public Defender’s office in Rawlins to ask about attorney fees. The staff member who answered said they do not speak to reporters and ended the call.

In Laramie, court‑appointed attorneys are limited to charging $100 an hour, up to a maximum of $1,000.

The post Saratoga Resident Charged with Municipal Offense Requests Public Defender first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.