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WORLAND – Washakie County Commissioners will meet today, to hear county agency reports and recognize the contributions of Worland residents Lowell and Punkie Peterson, the 30-year owners and operators of True Value Hardware. The couple closed the landmark Worland hardware store late last year, in order to retire.

In a bid to begin a process recommended by the state, the commission will also appoint the Washakie County Wyoming Public Lands Initiative advisory committee, made up of 13 volunteers. The goal of the group is to reach a consensus as to the use of Wilderness Study Areas (WSA) in the county, through public input. The primary areas of concentration in Washakie County include the Honeycombs (located between Ten Sleep and Worland), Cedar Mountain (south of Winchester and shared with Hot Springs County) and Bobcat Draw (in the northwest corner of the county, shared with Big Horn County).

The Washakie County Advisory Committee will develop a proposed management recommendation for the WSAs within the county. The committee may also consider other areas of interest for potential inclusion, including other land use designations, transfers, or other management not necessarily related to the WSA designation.

Once committee recommendations have been formalized and approved by the county commission, the final recommendations of the WPLI will be sent to a federal delegation for introduction in the U.S. House and Senate in 2018.

The Wyoming County Commissioners Association (WCCA) launched the initiative in December 2015 to resolve issues with federal land designations the have existed across the state for over 40 years. The Wyoming Public Lands Initiative (WPLI) will empower county commissioners to develop county-by-county agreements on the final designation or release of Wyoming’s 45 Wilderness Study Areas.

Aquatic Center meeting

In other business, commissioners will discuss options provide additional funds as needed for the Worland Aquatic Center with the Washakie County District No. 1 Board of Trustees, Aquatic Center Board members, and members of the Worland City Council at 11 a.m.

The District No. 1 Board of Trustees approved a “cash advance” policy for the Worland Aquatic Center (WAC) in December, pending approval from the commissioners and the council.

The council discussed the cash advance policy but took no action due to concerns. The meeting today is in hopes of finalizing an agreement

A subcommittee was formed in late January 2016 to address use of the endowment funds and budget shortages for the aquatic center. In late 2015, the WAC Joint Powers Board had approached the three entities about a no-interest loan, which the commissioners and council denied.

The County Commission will meet at 8:30 a.m. in the commission chambers of the County Courthouse. All meetings are open to the public.