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WORLAND – An eight-month review of Guardian Flight program was given at the Washakie County Commissioner meeting on Tuesday morning.

Shannon Pollock, with Guardian Flight, met with the commissioners and went over response times and reflected on eight months of service in Washakie County. Guardian Flight is an air ambulance service in Washakie County. They are contracted with the county until 2020 for $25,000.

Pollock said transport volume has been good and the location is good. Since the contract started last year in November, the base opened in February of this year and they have had no problems retaining a full staff of eight.

“We’re busier than expected … for reasons I can’t share, but what I can share is our average response time to the patient bedside in Worland, he said. The average response time is 13.5 minutes, and Pollock said. “It’s pretty outstanding if you consider it.”

Other Guardian Flight sister bases have the ability to pick up Worland residents when the local base is out and Pollock said they also have good time. The average response time for that is 51.5 minutes.

Pollock also went over the membership program and said it’s working appropriately. “The process there works when a resident of Washakie County is transported from this base … their zip code is recognized in the system as being covered by the membership program. We’ll bill their insurance but the out of pocket responsibility is eliminated for the patient.”

Washakie County Commissioner Fred Frandson asked about potentially having a rotary service with the Guardian Flight service in Washakie County.

Pollock said it’s a possibility … but it’s quicker to go fixed wing rather than helicopter and with weather rotary wings are pretty limited. “Right now, I wouldn’t say there is a huge need, but we’ll continually to watch it for other potential opportunities,” Pollock said.

Resignation

In other business, the commissioners went into executive (closed) session for personnel with Homeland Security Director Mike Orona and Washakie County Sheriff Steve Rakness. Following the closed session, the commissioners accepted the resignation letter of Homeland Security Director Mike Orona effective Oct. 13. They will begin advertising for the position.

Orona, when reached for comment Tuesday evening, said, “I have resigned for personal reasons. I am very grateful for the opportunity and experience and wish only the best for the county and its citizens.”

Orona took over for Kimball Croft, who went to Park County, on May 21.

Cattle guards

Other business included a discussion with Road and Bridge Superintendent Randy Chenoweth about cattle guards. He acknowledged cattle guards are put in on county roads, but said the county doesn’t own both sides of the property where the cattle guard is put in.

Chenoweth said at a state board meeting, “we had a lot of discussion about money … so they’re trying to figure out how things work and what is the proper use of county funding … they feel the money is being used improperly if we are putting cattle guards in to separate private property for their use.”

In a rough count, Chenoweth said there are 212 cattle guards in the county. The maximum count for cattle guards available is 220 in the county.

Chenoweth gave the example from Crook County that if the county maxed out on cattle guards and they needed to put it more somewhere else, the county would have to remove a cattle guard and place it somewhere else or a person would have to pay for the amount of installation and maintenance of the cattle guard. Maintenance is estimated around $400 - $600.

“The rest of those cattle guards separating property on both sides will be required for maintenance. They (Crook County) are calling maintenance as long as you can drive across out without there being safety issues, the county won’t touch it,” Chenoweth said.

Commissioner Frandson asked if there is currently an issue with cattle guards within the county and Chenoweth said there is kind of an issue because 40 percent of the cattle guards are 30 years old or older and with a cattle guard costing approximately $12,000, the total cost to replace them is a good chunk of money.

Chenoweth said someone would only have to pay if they request one, and Commissioner Terry Wolf asked if we will dictate the location of the cattle guard.

“In essence it has to be a certain (way),” Chenoweth said.

Commissioner Aaron Anderson said his issues are, “The reason cattle guards (get dirty) is because of mud and dirt when people are going over it and the property was probably there before the county road easement.” He said he can see an argument on internal cattle guards, but ultimately the commissioners decided to table the issue and see where it goes.

Chenoweth said eventually a lot of counties might go to this because funding is going down so fast.