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

BASIN - Hilary LaBudda of Basin has left his mark on highways, maybe more than any other Wyoming Department of Transportation employee in northwest Wyoming.

LaBudda, 58, is WYDOT's urban paint striping foreman; he retires with honor on Dec. 1 after 27 years of public service.

Like other long-time WYDOT employees, LaBudda remembers his first day at WYDOT -- March 16, 1988. "I moved to Wyoming on the Ides of March in 1982," LaBudda said. "I moved out here for full-time work. My brother said that would be oil field work, but the oil boom went bust."

The Ides of March is the day on the Roman calendar that corresponds to March 15.

"Six years to the day of moving here, I got a call from the Wyoming Highway Department, got an offer from (former highway striping foreman) Butch Baty (of Riverton) and went to work," LaBudda said. "I've had a very fun career. The work has always been personally rewarding, because you always see a finished job when you're striping the highways. For me, it's personally rewarding to finish a job when I start a job."

LaBudda has supervised WYDOT's urban striping crew for the past 12 years out of Basin. WYDOT's rural striping crew is based out of Lander.

"I don't plan to volunteer to paint straight lines anymore," LaBudda said. "I enjoy working in traffic for the excitement of it. It keeps me on my toes, it's good for the mind, and it has definitely occupied my days."

He enjoys being part of the WYDOT family. "WYDOT people are caring people. They care, and our district staff cares about every worker," LaBudda said.

Highway striping can be a lonely way of life, with plenty of motels and café food being part of the life. "We spend about 10 weeks a year on the road," LaBudda said.

The cure for paint on your hands and clothes: soap and water. "Better yet, don't get paint on yourself in the first place ... or, he adds, wipe it on your friend."

LaBudda said he learned a few things right away about striping in towns and cities throughout northwest Wyoming. He volunteered only one thing. "9 a.m. is the time to stripe Federal Boulevard (in Riverton)," he said, smiling.

LaBudda said his crew has striped over a few dead animals on the road through the years. He said the most common animal hit by vehicles on northwest Wyoming highways is the raccoon.

"We stripe over as many animals as we can," he said with a smile. "We look for animals. We have fun. We striped over a skunk several weeks ago near Lander. Do we do it on purpose? No, but we have fun with it."

LaBudda has a retirement plan, which includes running a small animal trap line in the winter, and "possibly," golf in the summer. "I'm going to maintain my house a little more than I did in the last 15 years. I was painting my house 15 years ago, but I went to striping. Now I can get back to painting my house," he said.

"I'll probably do a little fishing, too," he said. "We go fishing once a year in Wisconsin, and so now I can go any time I want."

LaBudda looks forward to spending more time with family, too. He has been married to his wife, Deborah, for 35 years. The couple has one daughter, Hilarie, and the couple has two grandsons, ages 12 and 10.

LaBudda started trapping small mammals when he was 13 years old. That outdoors pursuit continues today. "I used to go home from work, and skin my animals until 1:30 a.m. in the morning -- coyotes, bobcats ... mainly predators. I'll have more time now."

He is a proud member of the Wyoming State Trappers Association and the National Trappers Association.

LaBudda said he'll miss working at WYDOT. "Hell yes I will, but I've got my peace of mind."