County adds Firewise grant to budget
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WORLAND – Washakie County Commissioners held a public budget hearing Tuesday to amend the annual budget to include a $259,000 Firewise grant, obtained by the county.
A federal program to aid county fire wardens with wildland fire mitigation, the grant also provides educational resources for homeowners in other than urban areas, easily threatened by wildland fires.
County Commissioner Aaron Anderson explains that the grant enables the county save money on the front end, when faced with the possibility of a heavy fire danger to homes off the grid.
“In essence, it gives us the resources to go in and clear out timber and brush that could threaten properties in timber areas,” said Anderson.
According to Firewise.org, the governing agency, the program is designed to implement the National Fire Plan and
assist communities at risk from catastrophic wildland fires. The program provides grants, technical assistance, and training for community programs that develop local capability, including assessment and planning, mitigation activities, and community and homeowner education.
“Firewise has been a great tool and was a real asset during the [2016] Hatchery Fire,” said County Fire Warden Chris Kocher. “The county also benefits from the outreach opportunities, educating residents with homes directly impacted by large growth and vegetation on their property.”
Also during the regular session of the commission on Tuesday, commissioners heard from Road and Bridge Supervisor Stuart Bower, who reported that the county has plans to re-stripe roads in 2018 andf will secure a vendor, and that a road grader owned by the county is in need of repair due to a blown fuel pump and wear from over 8,000 hours of use.
The county tabled the decision to invest in the grader further while they research the monetary difference in a trade-in versus repair or rebuild.
Tom Schmeltzer with county maintenance reported that the Cloud Peak Lighthouse facility is ready for a walk-through inspection by the commission, and that final carpeting had been finished and fire suppression system was in the final stages.
The five-bed Lighthouse center run by Cloud Peak Counseling housed almost 70 patients in 2016, from Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park, Fremont and Washakie counties. The latest expansion brings the facility to a seven-room center, with a social detox area, at a projected cost of $97,000.
