Sweetwater County officially received its first Gateway West Impact payment Tuesday.
During the Sweetwater County Commissioners meeting Tuesday morning, the Commissioners heard an update from Sweetwater County Treasurer Robb Slaughter about the impact funding the county is receiving.
Slaughter said the county received its first payment of $254,155.56 Tuesday and is supposed to receive this same amount each month for the next 15 months from the Industrial Siting Council. Slaughter said the total should be about $3.8 million. These amounts will be distributed to those impacted by the Gateway West Transmission Line project, including the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s department, Road and Bridge, Land Use Department, Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, Sweetwater County Fire District No. 1, Food Bank of Sweetwater County, the ambulance board, Rock Springs and Wamsutter.
Slaughter wanted to speak with the commissioners to make sure everyone was on board with how he wanted the funds to be distributed. There are certain entities that don’t have boards that can accept and account for the funding. This is why he suggested they use the voucher system and have it run through the clerk’s office like other vouchers are.
Chairman Wally Johnson was concerned the funds wouldn’t be the same every month like they were told because that is not what they were told for the Trans West pipeline project.
Deputy attorney John Deleon said the funds will come from Wyoming’s general fund and are going to be distributed on a monthly basis as long as the project continues. He said it is rare for a project not to continue, but recently one stopped in Carbon County.
Johnson said he just didn’t want departments purchasing a big piece of equipment and later finding out the project has stopped and so has the money to pay for the equipment.
Deleon said if payments on equipment are made in advance that is a risk.
Payment amounts
Sheriff’s department, $605,107.72
Road and Bridge, $871,298.16
Land Use Department, $48,365.20
MHSC, $390,270.24
Fire District No. 1, $156,910
Food Bank, $91,222.86
Ambulance board, $219,674
Rock Springs, $517,483.64
Wamsutter, $912,001.53
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