Northern Wyoming News - Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years

TEN SLEEP – The Ten Sleep Town Council voted to amend the 2016-2017 budget Tuesday, to accommodate for a $724,000 sewage improvement loan from the United States Department of Agriculture.

The funding from the USDA will be used to replace outdated sewer lines and upgrades for the town’s lagoon. The project could cost an estimated $1.271 million, to be matched by a town contribution of $231,000 from one-cent sales tax revenue. The annual payment for the town was originally estimated to be $9,584 over 30 years.

In order to qualify for the USDA, the town council previously voted in a 9.4 percent increase to the monthly sewage rate, to a total of $23 per month for residential use and maintenance, with a $2.40 increase to business rates. The change in rates for motels was $83; the school pays a total of $2,044 per year, and the monthly rate for RV parks is $102.

In addition to adding the USDA loan amount, the town adjusted the budget to reflect $6,000 in donations to the town’s ambulance fund.