 - The Fremont County Commission plans to discuss potential uses for its remaining half percent sales tax funding for economic development during a regular meeting Sept. 15.){kind=link}
(Lander, WY) – The Fremont County Commission plans to discuss potential uses for its remaining half percent sales tax funding for economic development during a regular meeting Sept. 15.
In July, the Commission allocated $400,000 of its remaining $1.6 million in half percent sales tax revenues to help install a kitchen at the new RiverPeak Health hospital being developed north of Riverton.
That leaves about $1.2 million remaining in the fund – more than enough to cover the “gap” funding that the Wind River Transportation Authority and Fremont Air Service Team are expected to request this month, Commissioner Mike Jones said.
“Air service is projecting they’re going to ask Lander and ourselves for $275,000,” he told the Commission this week. “And then WRTA is going to be asking for $107,000. So, that’s something we need to consider and talk about here before the end of the month.”
The Commission also needs to “make sure the ambulance is covered,” Clerk Julie Freese noted.
‘Getting real’
Local officials are in the process of shifting responsibility for the local ambulance service from the Commission to the Fremont County Association of Governments, Riverton Mayor and FCAG Chairman Tim Hancock said this week.
For example, he said FCAG is now working on hiring an EMS director.
“It’s getting real,” he said. “So, if you know someone who is (eligible), encourage them to apply.”
He also expressed excitement that the three-quarter percent sales tax option was approved last month, characterizing the outcome as “an opportunity (to) make sure that we’re being very transparent.”
“That was one of the criticisms of the previous tax,” Hancock noted, referring to the half-percent sales tax for economic development that local voters chose not to renew in 2024. “(So) one of the things that I would encourage is that, rather than just dismissing concerns that have been expressed … we are very careful to make sure that whatever we’re doing is being very transparent to the community about how funds are being spent.”