Over the past year, oil and gas prices have fallen and coal production has struggled due to Federal regulations principally concerned with deteriorating air quality. Since a majority of state revenue is linked to these resources a tighter state budget will result with a trickledown effect to local governments. Counties, cities, and towns will most likely be facing similar tasks and working around balancing their future budgets with reduced sources of revenues. A great debate is expected when the legislature convenes in February relative to the wisest use of the state’s “Rainy Day Account,” officially known as the Legislative Stabilization Reserve Account, as to whether or not our economic downturn qualifies for tapping into these funds and how much, if any, should be provided to local governments. These decisions will be critical for cities to be able to provide a high level of government services and the accompanying quality of life our citizens deserve.
Regardless of the outcome of that debate , local governments have been alerted to this economic concern for approximately six months and in Green River’s case, have been doing what they can to plan for the inevitable lower revenues which are forecast. The city administrator has met with his department heads and they in turn with their staffs and are brainstorming and implementing numerous cost saving ideas.
The city has also had a number of employees retire this year and many of those positions have not been filled as an on-going evaluation of how we might be able to reorganize, absorb duties, or provide services without filling those positions either in the short or long term. For the coming year at least, if the legislature at least funds to the level that the governor is recommending, we should be able to fund our needs adequately.
While we may be feeling the pinch from the state in the revenues we receive to run the city, you will still be seeing progress and activity all around us as we move through 2016. This is because of the prior planning and funding that was done during this year and previous years. Many improvements had already been funded mostly through the sixth-penny tax or state and federal grants, and we are also actively pursuing several additional projects for 2016 and beyond in a similar fashion.
During 2016 some of the projects and improvements that will be completed include new lift stations in the Hutton Heights area and in the Collier area, both are fully funded, that will correct current deficiencies and provide capacity for future growth. We are applying for grant funding in January to replace the Northside lift station and a force main that handles about 60 percent of our capacity. The design of it is funded and the grant would be for construction. There are also many road improvement projects that have been funded through our 6th penny tax or the Wyoming Department of Transportation Urban Systems.
The biggest of these is the update to Second South from the underpass to Uinta. We will be replacing waterlines, doing some storm and sewer work and a total resurface to include Americans With Disabilities Act compliance and as much beautification in that area as we can get done with the funding received. Additional road work to be completed this summer includes projects on East Teton Boulevard (Colorado Street to California Street), West Teton Boulevard (Upland Way to Bridger Drive ), and Hitching Post (Upland Way to Iowa Avenue). You will also see construction begin this summer on the new Transfer station for waste collection that will make it easier for residents to use replacing the landfill that must be closed by the end of 2017.
An important navigation and tourist aid will be the installation of informational signs placed throughout the community starting this Spring. These “way finding” signs were funded through the Wyoming Business Council in a grant we were awarded in 2015.
We also received a forestry grant which will result in the planting of numerous trees and we will also be including additional plants at the east entrance into our city.
Finally, we have several new businesses being constructed as well as several new subdivisions and a number of other ideas and projects still in the development/planning stage that will help set the stage for continued growth throughout the next years.
We understand the importance of progress and maintaining services that we provide.
All in all we are cautiously optimistic that we can continue to grow on the progress made in 2015 and we will continue to reevaluate where we are, how we are organized, where we are going, and search for those additional funds that are vital to us as a city and what we provide.
With that in mind I would like to wish all our citizens a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!
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