Proposed projects for the specific purpose sixth penny tax coming up on the ballot in November are being limited to basic infrastructure needs like water and sewer.
The Sweetwater County Commissioners voted during Tuesday’s meeting to move forward with two projects for the county to put forward, both of which involve water and sewer — one for Jamestown and one for North Rock Springs.
The commissioners narrowed a list of five county projects down to a final two. The initially proposed projects were a Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County lab expansion project for $6.2 million, a Sweetwater Events Complex waterline project for $1.2 million, Castle Rock Ambulance Service requesting seven ambulances for $2.14 million, the North Rock Springs water and sewer project for $6.2 million and the Jamestown water and sewer project for $12 million.
All five projects being funded at their original request amount would have added up to a total of $27.74 million for the county to be funded by the specific purpose tax, which, if passed, will also fund projects for other municipalities including the cities of Green River and Rock Springs and smaller cities throughout the county.
It had previously been determined the county’s percentage of the tax funds would be 25.57% of the total amount being asked, which would total $18.2 million out of a total $85 million, which is a flexible amount.
Commissioner Randy Wendling pointed out the feedback on the sixth penny tax so far has suggested the tax should only be used for basic infrastructure purposes, and said he didn’t think the request for more ambulances and the hospital’s lab expansion project qualified as infrastructure projects. He expressed concern over the entire tax failing if non-infrastructure projects are included, which could make voters feel as if they were lied to.
“I don’t want to take a risk on any project sinking good infrastructure projects,” Wendling said.
Commissioner Roy Lloyd expressed similar concerns about being careful what projects are listed on the ballot and making sure voter trust isn’t lost, especially if proposed taxes were to fail two years in a row.
Wendling and Lloyd both agreed not only is the water and sewer project in Jamestown an important infrastructure need, but it is also a good development opportunity which could provide new economic expansion in the community.
When discussing the proposed projects for the hospital and events complex, Chairman Jeff Smith and Commissioner Lauren Schoenfeld explained how other funding options could be available to complete those projects, such as funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
After discussion of multiple options for eliminating some projects and decreasing the amount of funds given for others, the commissioners voted to approve a plan to take the hospital, ambulance and events complex projects off the list and move forward with the water and sewer projects in Jamestown and North Rock Springs. The motion decreased the amount for the Jamestown project from $12 million to $9 million, for a total of $15.2 million for both projects. Wendling also added an amendment to the motion specifying the extra funds from cutting the price on the Jamestown project would not be moved to any other municipalities, bringing down the total requested amount for the tax.
The motion passed 4-1, with Commissioner Roy Lloyd voting against it.
An updated project list for all municipalities is available on the county website, showing currently requested projects and projects that have been removed. The current total requested amount to be raised by the proposed tax is $78.96 million.
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