Bigfoot99 News - Bigfoot 99 Radio

JULY 18, 2025 |

Photo – Medicine Bow Marshal’s Office logo (now defunct) – Bigfoot99 file photo

The Town of Medicine Bow will sell firearms left over from the closure of its marshal’s department to a Saratoga sporting goods store.

In 2019, the Town of Medicine Bow used $1 million of impact assistance money from nearby wind turbine construction projects to fund the creation of a marshal’s department. Until that time, the town relied on the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement coverage.

The impact assistance money began to run out, until, at the beginning of 2024, the Medicine Bow Town Council voted to dissolve the marshal’s department, returning the town to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office. The town was left with surplus police vehicles and firearms until earlier this year, when the Sheriff’s Office purchased three patrol vehicles and three rifles from the defunct marshal’s department for $50,000 and an agreement to provide 50 hours of monthly patrols for one year.

Speaking at the July 14th Medicine Bow Town Council meeting, Mayor Justin George said the town still has ammunition and several firearms left from the former marshal’s department.

Mayor George said the town has two ways it can dispose of the remaining items from the marshal’s department. One option is to cosign the weapons to a local firearms dealer and sell the remaining furniture and other items to the public. The other is to arrange a sale to another Wyoming law enforcement agency, which would allow the town to bypass the legally mandated bidding process.

Mayor George suggested two firearm dealers that will take the guns on consignment: Dave’s Guns in Laramie and Koyoty Outdoor Sports in Saratoga. Both businesses will take the weapons and any sealed boxes of ammunition still in the town’s possession.

Mayor George asked the governing body for their opinion on the matter. Councilman Trevor Strauch recommended using Koyoty Outdoor Sports in Saratoga, saying that the dealer could accept all the guns at once. Councilman Lee Cook added that the wealthier clientele of the Platte River Valley made Koyoty a better choice. Council members Kristi Wickizer and Crystal Mayfield both agreed to use the Saratoga firearms dealer.

Medicine Bow Town Attorney Cameron Smith asked Mayor George to specify what exactly the town intends to sell to Koyoty Sports. The mayor responded that the store may purchase any items it wants, and anything left over will be offered to the public.

The Medicine Bow Town Council unanimously voted to authorize Mayor Justin George to contact Koyoty Outdoor Sports in Saratoga regarding the sale of the remaining guns, ammunition, and any other equipment the store wishes to purchase from the former marshal’s department. The automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, will be transferred to the Medicine Bow Volunteer Fire Department.

The post Med Bow Town Council Discuss Marshal’s Office Surplus Equipment first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

JULY 18, 2025 |

Photo – Image of Airloom wind turbines compared to traditional turbines – Courtesy Airloom Energy

Work continues in Albany County on building a new kind of wind turbine technology operation that should be up and running later this year.

During the Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting held late last year on December 3rd, 2024, representatives from Airloom Energy presented a plan to build a prototype of their new technology.

Airloom is a wind energy startup company based in Laramie.

Instead of deploying traditional vertical wind turbines using a motor and attached blades like aircraft propellers, the Wyoming startup will deploy a horizontal track roughly the size of a football field. The design features numerous small blades, each about 30 feet tall, positioned to capture wind and travel along the track to generate electricity.

During the meeting with county commissioners here, the company’s Chief Executive Officer Neal Rickner said his company was negotiating with private landowners in Carbon and Albany Counties to build a one-megawatt test track. However, by March, the company had settled on a site in Albany County, located 45 minutes north of its Laramie headquarters.

Speaking to Bigfoot99, Airloom Energy CEO Neal Rickner said the company broke ground on its prototype track in late June. Rickner credited Wyoming’s business-friendly environment for helping keep the project on track to begin generating electricity before winter.

Rickner said the test track in Albany County was designed solely to experiment with the effectiveness of the technology. Unexpectedly, a data center has expressed interest in using the electricity generated by Airloom’s prototype wind turbines. While the deal is not yet finalized, Rickner said he is optimistic that he has secured a buyer.

Rickner said when finished, the test track could potentially produce one megawatt of electricity, which is enough to power up to 1,000 homes. However, because Airloom Energy is a relatively small company with limited finances, the CEO said the prototype will be limited to several hundreds of kilowatts.

Several years ago, Airloom Energy built a smaller, 5-kilowatt-scale prototype of its wind turbine technology in Pine Bluffs, Wyoming. CEO Neal Rickner said the Albany County prototype will be used to test the efficiency and cost of scaling the technology up to commercial levels.

Additionally, the Albany County test track will help identify any flaws in the technology. Rickner said the Airloom system draws from proven rollercoaster designs, and the company has hired several engineers with experience in that field. However, like any new technology, there are bound to be unforeseen challenges.

Anyone who has visited an amusement park knows rollercoasters can be quite loud. Rickner said the Albany County test track will help determine the real-world noise level of Airloom Energy’s technology, along with strategies for noise mitigation.

Airloom Energy has applied for two Small Business Innovation Research grants from the federal government. CEO Rickner said he is confident that his company will receive the grants when the decision is announced in early August. In the meantime, the Laramie-based wind energy company has secured funding from investors from around the country.

Rickner said Airloom’s track technology offers several advantages over traditional vertical wind turbines, including reduced visual impact thanks to its lower tower height. Additionally, the smaller blades can be hauled using lighter trucks, reducing disruption to highway traffic and minimizing wear on county roads.

Rickner said the International Energy Agency predicts that rising demand from artificial intelligence and data centers will cause electricity consumption to double within the next five years.

Traditional electricity production methods, such as natural gas or nuclear power plants, may take years to decades to bring online. Rickner said Airloom Energy is a quicker and more flexible way to meet those growing energy demands.

CEO Neal Rickner thanked Airloom Energy founders Robert and Blossom Lumley. Rickner said their dedication and personal sacrifice were instrumental in bringing the horizontal-tracked wind turbine technology to life.

The post Airloom Energy Starts Building Prototype Turbine in Albany County first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

JULY 17, 2025 |

Photo – Leaning headstones at Rawlins Cemetery – Courtesy City of Rawlins

Rawlins officials say that more money and manpower is needed to improve the city cemetery.

Following numerous complaints about the condition of the Rawlins Cemetery, especially regarding mowing and pest control, the governing body held a special workshop before its regular meeting to discuss the issue.

On Tuesday, July 15th, City Manager Tom Sarvey presented a 25-page report on the condition of the cemetery and what is needed to maintain the 40-acre parcel.

Sarvey began by detailing the three sources of revenue generated by the cemetery: plot sales, burial service fees, and perpetual care costs.

In 2024, the city earned $9,330 from plot sales, $12,215 from burial fees, and $3,600 in perpetual care costs, totaling $25,145. City Manager Sarvey said over the past decade, the cemetery has averaged $19,000 in revenue each year.

Burial fees range from $75 to $500 depending on the timing of the burial and whether it involves cremated remains or a full casket. Sarvey said two city employees are tasked with digging graves and setting up for internment services. With an average cost exceeding $900, the City Manager said the city loses money on every burial.

Sarvey suggested placing the cemetery revenue into a separate fund within the city’s parks department so residents can see exactly how the money is used to benefit the graveyard.

Next, the City Manager discussed cemetery maintenance, noting that the parks crew is responsible for managing all 103 acres of the city’s green spaces, including the 40-acre cemetery. Sarvey said that four full-time staff members and one seasonal employee are each tasked with maintaining 20 acres of parkland every week.

Sarvey said the city’s current strategy directs crew members to finish mowing parks before spending any remaining time at the cemetery.

Additionally, the City Manager said the parks crews are using outdated and unreliable equipment to maintain the city’s green spaces. Sarvey said the city has not allocated enough money to purchase new mowers.

Sarvey said if the city does not increase its financial commitment to the cemetery, it will become increasingly difficult to maintain every year.

One area where the cemetery has improved is in rodent control. City Manager Sarvey said poison bait stations appear to be successfully controlling the population of Richardson’s ground squirrels.

Sarvey added that controlling the rodent population also helps keep destructive badgers out of the graveyard.

The City Manager moved on to the abundance of uneven or sunken headstones. Out of the cemetery’s 5,902 grave markers, Sarvey said approximately one-third require maintenance.

Sarvey said the city’s parks crew can right the smaller headstones. However, he recommended hiring an outside contractor to fix the larger monuments.

Next, Sarvey said several sections of the cemetery are either overgrown with weeds or left as bare dirt. Without healthy topsoil, any areas the city attempts to reseed are likely to only grow weeds. To address the issue, the City Manager suggested creating a composting system at the landfill to produce quality topsoil for the cemetery.

City Manager Sarvey also recommended purchasing a new stump grinder to remove the 41 stumps scattered around the graveyard, saying that they are a tripping hazard. Additionally, Sarvey suggested allocating $40,000 to purchase a ground penetrating radar system to locate unmarked graves before crews begin digging.

Rawlins Administrative Assistant Sonia Gamblin explained that many grave registrations have been lost over the cemetery’s 150-year history. Gamblin said the records the city has managed to digitize are incomplete, resulting in crew members breaking into existing burial sites.

Community Development Director Lou Lascano proposed replacing the paper directory currently at the cemetery with a digital kiosk to help visitors locate specific graves more easily.

In the end, City Manager Tom Sarvey said the main takeaway from his 25-page report is that the city is not investing enough money into its cemetery.

Sarvey recommended hiring two additional parks employees, one fulltime and one seasonal, to focus specifically on the cemetery, adding that returning the graveyard back to a proper state will take many years. The City Manager said he will begin working on next fiscal year’s budget early in an attempt to find the money to pay for the additional staff and equipment needed to adequately maintain the cemetery.

The post City Manager Requests More Funds for Cemetery Maintenance first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

JULY 17, 2025 |

Photo – Carbon County Library main branch – Bigfoot99 file photo

Representatives from the Carbon County Library System are urging everyone to support their local branches amid ongoing county budget cuts.

During Tuesday’s Saratoga Town Council meeting, Carbon County Library System Board of Directors member Adelaide Myers addressed the governing body. Myers explained that the Board of Carbon County Commissioners has cut the library’s budget by more than half, resulting in a loss of approximately $164,000.

State-wide property tax relief measures have reduced the budgets of every county, all of which rely on the tax dollars to fund services, such as road maintenance, senior centers, and libraries. Speaking at Tuesday’s Saratoga Town Council meeting, Library Board member Myers noted that Fremont County residents are opposing a smaller reduction to their library system’s budget, which receives significantly more funding than the Carbon County Library System.

Myers added that in the 2013 through 2014 fiscal year, the Carbon County Library System received over $700,000. County funding has steadily decreased over the years, and the library system is now receiving its lowest level of funding in decades.

Myers said Library System Director Maria Wenzel approached the Carbon County Library Foundation for additional funding. While the Foundation agreed to increase its financial contribution, the money cannot be used for the day-to-day operations of the county’s seven library branches.

To help save money, Myers said the Library System is lowering the salaries of its 14 employees and reducing hours of operation countywide. Additionally, funds from the library’s reserve accounts will be used to supplement the reduced budget. However, Myers said this measure will not support the Library System beyond the current fiscal year.

Myers explained that the Library System’s budget shortfall is the result of property tax relief bills recently passed by the Wyoming State Legislature. The Library Board member said the Board is asking everyone to contribute more to their local libraries to help offset the lost tax revenue.

Myers added that she will be donating the $1,000 she saved on her property taxes to the Library System.

The Library Board member said municipalities were impacted less than the county by the property tax cuts. Because of that, the Library Board is requesting towns to contribute additional funding toward their local branches.

Myers said the Saratoga Library is the second most visited location in the county, adding that the Friends of the Saratoga Library have agreed to cover postage costs in addition to a previously pledged $1,000 donation.

Myers asked the governing body to provide additional financial assistance to the Saratoga Library, such as paying salaries for the two staff members. While the town’s library is unlikely to close, the Library Board member said it is not immune to the consequences of the budget cuts.

Myers said that not all branches can remain open under the current budget. Even with the increased donations, Myers said the Library System will run out of money before the next fiscal year.

While nothing has been decided yet, Myers said to expect reduced hours at every library in the county.

Earlier in the month it was revealed that the Town of Saratoga was negotiating with the county to take ownership of its library building. At Tuesday’s Town Council meeting, Library Board member Adelaide Myers explained that the deal would mainly benefit the county, as it would not affect the library’s day-to-day expenses.

Saratoga Mayor Chuck Davis said the town has pledged $1,000 from its current budget to support the local library branch, adding that it is the maximum allowable contribution.

The Carbon County Library System has launched its ‘Save Our Libraries’ initiative, encouraging public donations. Contributions can be made online at www.carboncountylibraries.org or in person at your local branch.

The post Library Board Members Still Urging All to Donate first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

JULY 17, 2025 |

Photo – Saratoga Police Department patch – Bigfoot99 file photo

Saratoga’s governing body opted against the purchase of a new police vehicle and instructed the Chief of Police to find a cheaper option.

As reported by Bigfoot99, in May, the Saratoga Town Council authorized Police Chief John Moore to spend $62,309 on a 2024 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4 patrol truck, purchased from ESU Pursuits in Edwardsville, Kansas. The vehicle came fully equipped with lights, sirens, and Saratoga Police Department branding.

During the July 1st Saratoga Town Council meeting, Chief Moore said ESU Pursuits is selling a 2025 Chevy Tahoe patrol vehicle for $57,700. The police chief said Councilman Mike Cooley instructed him to search for a lower price. Chief Moore said he found the same vehicle at a Denver, Colorado, dealership for approximately $4,000 less.

Chief Moore asked for authorization to purchase the 2025 Chevy Tahoe from John Elway Chevrolet in Denver. Councilman Cooley added that outfitting the vehicle for police duty will require additional money. The police chief explained that the equipment needed to upfit the SUV will increase the total cost by nearly $40,000.

Chief Moore pointed out that the vehicle would come fully equipped with the latest hardware, such as a radar speed gun. In total, the 2025 Chevy Tahoe police SUV will cost $93,283.94.

Councilman Bub Barkhurst asked how the vehicle would be used. Chief Moore said it would replace an existing Ford Explorer, which is unreliable and unsuitable for K9 duty.

Councilman Barkhurst asked if an existing vehicle could be upfitted to serve as the department’s K9 unit. Chief Moore responded that a 2021 Chevy Tahoe could be retrofitted with a dog cage. However, that vehicle is suffering from an undiagnosed mechanical issue.

Chief Moore said the warranty on the 2021 Tahoe has nearly expired. The police chief added that the 2025 model includes a 5-year, 100,000-mile warranty, which the Denver dealership will activate only after the Saratoga Police Department takes delivery of the fully upfitted vehicle.

Councilman Mike Cooley suggested trading in the 2021 Tahoe before purchasing a brand-new SUV. Chief Moore said that would leave his department one vehicle short, requiring him to spend another $62,000 on an additional Dodge Ram from ESU Pursuits.

The governing body agreed that the town was not prepared to spend $93,000 on a new police vehicle. Chief Moore said he explored options for a pre-owned vehicle, but the only Chevy Tahoe available lacked a warranty and offered little cost savings compared to a new model.

The Saratoga Town Council voted to deny Chief Moore’s request to purchase a new 2025 Chevy Tahoe police vehicle and instructed the chief to continue searching for a less expensive option.

The post Saratoga Town Council Denies Request for New Police Vehicle first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

JULY 16, 2025 |

Photo – CR 351 also known as Seminoe Road – Bigfoot99 file photo

As budgets tighten, county officials acknowledge the deteriorating condition of Seminoe Road.

During Monday’s Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Road and Bridge Superintendent Kandis Fritz provided an update on Seminoe Road, the highway connecting Sinclair to Seminoe Reservoir. Fritz said the road is in poor condition, with six different sections requiring immediate repair. The Road and Bridge Superintendent proposed two options for repaving the road once the repairs are complete: fresh pavement or recycled asphalt.

Fritz acknowledged that the county lacks the resources to fully repave all 33 miles of Seminoe Road, comparing it to the recently paved Sage Creek Road, which is already showing signs of deterioration. The Road and Bridge Superintendent recommended applying the recycled asphalt as a temporary fix and addressing any future damage as it occurs.

Fritz explained that over 60,000 visitors use the road to reach Seminoe Reservoir and the nearby Miracle Mile every year. If the county chooses to use recycle asphalt to repair the road, it will require annual applications of the anti-dust chemical, magnesium chloride, which the county lacks the resources to purchase. The Road and Bridge Superintendent asked the Board of County Commissioners for guidance.

Commissioner John Johnson said the Board is legally required to ensure the health and safety of everyone in Carbon County, including making sure local roads are safe and accessible. However, Commissioner Johnson said he is unable to make a decision on Seminoe Road until Fritz can provide repair cost estimates and identify potential funding sources.

Recent property tax relief measures passed by the state legislature have reduced the county’s budget by nearly $500,000 this fiscal year.

The property tax money is used to pay for services, such as libraries, museums, and road maintenance. Commissioner Johnson casually remarked that the county could shut down Seminoe Road until funding levels returned to normal but clarified that neither he nor the Board were seriously considering that approach.

Road and Bridge Superintendent Kandis Fritz echoed the Board’s frustration and offered to obtain cost estimates to repair the failing sections of the road.

Fritz revisited the question of funding for the Seminoe Road repairs, noting that her current budget does not have enough money to cover any additional infrastructure projects.

Fritz said when she began working in the Road and Bridge Department 22 years ago, her budget was $3 million. Now, it’s closer to $1 million. Repaving the entire 33-mile stretch of Seminoe Road is estimated to cost nearly $60 million, putting it out of reach of even her 2003 budget.

The Road and Bridge Superintendent said the county lacks both the funding and personnel needed to maintain the 100 miles of paved roads.

Commission Vice Chairwoman Gwynn Bartlett asked Fritz to prepare two separate estimates: one for repairing Seminoe Road section by section, and another for repaving the entire 33-mile stretch of roadway. The Road and Bridge Superintendent agreed to gather the pricing information as soon as possible.

The post No Money for Needed Road Repairs on County Road 351 first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

JULY 16, 2025 |

Photo – Sign for Medicine Bow – Bigfoot99 file photo

Individuals found guilty of illegal dumping in Medicine Bow will not be given a warning before receiving a fine.

During the May 12th Medicine Bow Town Council Meeting, Mayor Justin George introduced a measure to either lock the burn pit, located on the north side of town, or install cameras. Residents are only permitted to dispose of small brush items in the burn pit. However, Public Works Director Brian Lashley explained that people are throwing prohibited items, such as furniture, into the pit, forcing town employees to manually clear the debris. Lashley said he’s unsure how best to prevent the unauthorized dumping, but suggested cameras as one possible solution.

After the discussion, the governing body agreed that cameras were the most effective way to catch people dumping prohibited items into the town’s burn pit. Councilwoman Kristi Wickizer donated a trail camera to the town to help catch the illegal dumpers.

At Monday’s Medicine Bow Town Council meeting, Public Works Director Lashley said he installed Councilwoman Wickizer’s trail camera at the burn pit. The footage helped identify several residents dumping prohibited items. Lashley suggested sending warning letters instead of issuing fines but said he hadn’t yet drafted the letter for Town Attorney Cameron Smith’s approval.

Mayor Justin George said despite the presence of a clearly marked sign detailing what can and cannot be disposed of in the burn pit, people are still throwing away prohibited items. Rather than immediately issuing the legally mandated $750 fine, Mayor George said he chose to send warning letters instead.

Councilwoman Crystal Mayfield asked when the town will begin imposing fines to those caught dumping illegal items into the burn pit.

Mayor George responded that because illegal dumping had gone on unchecked for so long, he felt a warning was appropriate. If the behavior continues, those responsible will face Municipal Judge Dan Massey.

Councilman Trevor Strauch agreed that issuing a warning was a reasonable first step, adding that many residents may be unaware of the dumping restrictions. However, other members of the governing body pointed out that the town has posted signs clearly listing what can and cannot be legally disposed of at the burn pit.

Town Attorney Cameron Smith recommended notifying Municipal Judge Dan Massey as soon as someone is positively identified for illegal dumping. Attorney Smith said the judge is unlikely to impose the full $750 fine and would instead require the individuals to remove the items themselves or make other restitution to the town.

Council members Kristi Wickizer and Crystal Mayfield agreed that going through the court would be a more effective deterrent than sending warning letters.

Councilman Trevor Strauch asked what the town can do about individuals who can’t be identified through the trail camera footage. Public Works Director Brian Lashley said he has their license plate numbers, but Sheriff Alex Bakken is not authorized to run out-of-state plates on the town’s behalf.

Attorney Cameron Smith suggested using social media to enlist the public’s help in identifying the culprits. The town attorney said the method has worked well in Cheyenne.

The governing body agreed to involve Municipal Judge Massey. Mayor Justin George directed Public Works Director Brian Lashley to share the trail camera footage with Town Attorney Smith, who will pass it along to the judge.

The post Medicine Bow Council Discusses Dumping of Prohibited Items first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

JULY 15, 2025 |

Photo – Rawlins Brownfield Grant info web page – Courtesy City of Rawlins

The state contractor hired to conduct hazard studies of Rawlins properties will meet with residents later this week.

This Thursday, July 17th, representatives from Ayres Associates will meet with the public to address potential contamination of some Rawlins buildings, including hazards such as lead and asbestos. The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality hired Ayres Associates to assess properties across the state for potential qualification under the Environmental Protection Agency’s federal Brownfields program, which provides financial assistance to municipalities with abandoned or underutilized buildings that have known or suspected environmental contamination.

Rawlins Community Development Director Lou Lascano explained that the city was awarded a $500,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Assistance Program. Lascano said the city will use the grant money to determine what, if any, environmental hazards exist at a variety of abandoned properties around the city.

Rawlins officials have collaborated with Ayres Associates to identify nine properties that may qualify for the Brownfields program. In addition to the areas Lascano already mentioned, the city is planning to conduct hazardous material studies on the Rectory, located at 1513 West Maple Street and a former propane site, located at 2224 West Spruce Street.

Lascano said on Thursday, July 17th, representatives from Ayres Associates will attend Music in the Park at Washington Park. The Community Development Director encouraged people to direct their questions about the Brownfields program to the Ayres team.

On the following day, Friday, July 18th, representatives from Ayres Associates will hold smaller pop-up meetings at locations around the city. Lascano said the goal is to ensure every resident has a chance to share feedback on the Brownfields program and the proposed cleanup sites.

Lascano asked residents who believe their properties may be contaminated to attend one of the five Ayres Associates meetings. With funding from the EPA grant, the city can pay for a Phase One study on the site, where Ayres Associates examines historical land use, ownership records, and industrial activity to determine whether a more in-depth assessment is necessary.

Rawlins Public Information Officer Mira Miller said landowners are under no obligation to act on the findings of the Phase One study, except under very specific circumstances. Otherwise, the property owner is receiving a valuable assessment at no cost.

Miller added that the majority of the properties under consideration for the Brownfields study are privately owned. Miller noted that residents may submit sites for consideration in the program, regardless of ownership.

Miller said the $500,000 EPA grant only covers the cost of the initial site studies and does not include funding for the actual cleanup. Community Development Director Lou Lascano added that the grant is unlikely to pay for assessments on every property that is submitted, but the city will fund as many studies as possible.

Representatives from Ayres Associates will host their first Brownfields community engagement meeting this Thursday, July 17th, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. during Music in the Park at Washington Park in Rawlins. On Friday, July 18th, Ayres Associates reps will visit Starbucks, the Depot Building, and the Rawlins Senior Citizens Center at different times throughout the day.

The city has also created a website containing details about the Brownfields program and the nine sites being considered for an environmental study. A link to the website will be included in this story when it is posted to Bigfoot99.com.

For more information about the Brownfields program or the upcoming public engagement meetings, call Rawlins Public Information Officer Mira Miller at 328-4500, extension 1022.

Rawlins Brownfields Website:Rawlins, Wyoming

The post Rawlins Residents Encouraged to Meet with Brownfield Grant Contractor first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

JULY 15, 2025 |

Photo – Saratoga branch library – Bigfoot99 file photo

Property tax cuts could force county libraries to close, says library board member.

The 2025 through 2026 fiscal year budget was set during Monday’s Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting. At that time, Commissioner Sue Jones said bills passed by the Wyoming State Legislature in March reduced county property tax revenue by $496,000.

Commissioner Jones explained that property tax money is used to fund county services, including road maintenance, museums, and the library system. The commissioner encouraged residents who received property tax relief to donate those savings to the services they enjoy.

Commissioner Jones said every donation, no matter how small, will help keep the county’s libraries, museums, and senior centers open. The commissioner added that the state legislature’s actions will have far reaching consequences and encouraged the public to run for office in next year’s elections.

Carbon County Library System Board of Directors member Adelaide Myers, who clarified that she wasn’t speaking on behalf of the Library Board, said that after learning about the property tax cuts, the board created a float for Saratoga’s Fourth of July parade. Myers said the float served to educate the public on the financial hardships the library will experience in the coming fiscal year.

Myers said she created a QR code that allows people to donate directly to the library system. Unfortunately, the initiative hasn’t generated the response the Library Board was hoping to receive.

Myers urged the Board of County Commissioners to help spread the word about the library’s financial troubles. Without a significant increase in funding, Myers said the library system may eventually be forced to shutter some branches.

Commissioner Sue Jones said the Board appreciates the towns that donate water and sewer services to their local libraries. However, the commissioner instructed the Library Board to ask the towns to contribute more to ensure their branches stay open.

Library Board member Adelaide Myers acknowledged that Carbon County legislators did not support the property tax cuts. However, the library system is still facing a substantial budget shortfall that cannot be made up with small donations or by laying off staff. Myers said the library board cannot rule out the possibility of shuttering some branches in the future.

Myers said the Carbon County Library Board of Directors will do everything it can to prevent branch closures and committed to meeting with the County Commissioners before making any decisions.

The Board of Carbon County Commissioners passed the 2025 through 2026 budget, which includes the $496,000 loss in property tax revenue.

The post Board Member Concerned About Library Funding first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

JULY 14, 2025 |

Photo – Clean-up Day poster – Courtesy City of Rawlins

The City of Rawlins is asking for volunteers to participate in an annual community clean-up day.

Continuing a tradition that spans decades, this Wednesday, July 16th, the City of Rawlins will host an annual community clean-up day.

Rawlins Code Enforcement Officer Brian Markut explained the event focuses on beautifying the Interstate 80 ramp on the city’s east side. However, Markut said volunteers are not required to work in that location and may choose other areas around the city to clean.

Participants are asked to gather at the Rotary Park Pavillion, on the corner of North Higley Bouvard and East Cedar Street, at 4:00 p.m. The city will provide the volunteers with safety vests, work gloves, and quality trash bags. Code Enforcement Officer Markut said that following the event, the city will collect all the filled bags and calculate the total amount of trash removed.

Participants are encouraged to focus on entry points into the city, such as the intersection of East Cedar and Interstate 80. However, Public Information Officer Mira Miller said volunteers may choose alternate locations, as long as they notify the event organizers.

In addition to gloves and trash bags, Code Enforcement Officer Markut said the city will provide free water. Members of the Rawlins Fire Department will also prepare dinner for the participants.

While the community clean-up event is scheduled from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., Public Information Officer Miller said participants may volunteer as much or as little time as they’re able.

Code Enforcement Officer Markut said the annual event gives residents a chance to help improve the city’s appearance and reflects officials’ commitment to maintaining a clean and welcoming environment.

The Rawlins Community Clean-up Day is this Wednesday, July 16th, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Participants are asked to gather at the Rotary Park Pavilion, located on the east side of the City Market and Bomgaars parking lot. Volunteers will receive all necessary equipment, along with a complimentary dinner courtesy of the Rawlins Fire Department. For more information about the event, call the Rawlins City Hall at 328-4500.

The post Volunteers Needed for Community Clean-up Day first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.