(Lander, WY) — Fremont County Commissioners grapple with a projected $2.5 million decline in revenues for the upcoming fiscal year, largely due to lower mineral production and the Tribes pulling the oil fields out of the county tax base. The commission met last Tuesday and discussed the county’s challenging budget outlook and potential cuts to balance the budget.
The commission reviewed an exercise in cutting departmental budgets, with most commissioners agreeing to leave the proposed cuts alone for the time being. However, they acknowledged the need for significant reductions in the future to maintain a balanced budget.
One area of concern is the rising cost of emergency medical services. The county’s EMS budget has increased to nearly $2 million over the past three years.
The commission discussed the possibility of reducing EMS services in Dubois to save costs.
Another potential source of savings is the county library system by reducing hours.
The commission also explored the idea of seeking financial assistance from the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Tribes, who have recently taken control of their healthcare systems.
Sheriff Ryan Lee also expressed the urgent need for salary increases for his deputies to remain competitive in hiring and retention. “I am really in need of an immediate fix to, as I’ve expressed, get something adjusted here,” said Lee. “We’re just, we’re so far down below, not even the local, but the state averages.”
The commission discussed the possibility of offering signing and retention bonuses as a stopgap measure until a more comprehensive salary adjustment can be implemented.
County Treasurer Jim Anderson informed the commission that up to $2 million could potentially be transferred from the county’s investment pool funds to the general fund to offset revenue shortfalls. However, he cautioned that this would be a one-time solution and not a sustainable long-term strategy.
As the commission continues to grapple with the budget challenges, they emphasized the need for ongoing discussions and tough decisions.
The commission will hold a public budget hearing today, June 26, at 5:30 p.m. to gather input from residents before finalizing the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
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