Fair board gets $15K boost to operation budget
By BRENDA TENBOER
The Big Horn County Commission voted March 3 in favor of allowing the fair board to move $15,000 from a county line item into the current operation budget.
The move was necessary to cover wages and insurance for fairgrounds manager Howard Gernant and administrative assistant Vangi Hackney and other routine expenses until the start of the new fiscal year, which begins July 1.
The $15,000 was originally earmarked to be used as a cash match for potential grants to improve the fairgrounds, possibly even the indoor rodeo arena now in its planning stages.
Commissioners Keith Grant and Jerry Ewen indicated the new building should remain a priority and said the county would dedicate additional funds for a match if a grant is awarded.
Historically the fair board has depleted its operating budget in the spring after using the lion’s share of its budget during July and August, the first two months of the new fiscal year.
Reasons for the shortfall include poor ticket sales at the headline fair entertainment group, Vocal Trash, last year. Only about 100 people attended the event, according to fair records.
James Reilly, certified public accountant recently released the results of an audit of fair board finances, which showed a $17,673 shortfall for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009.
Revenues included $151,027 in tax dollars and $79,000 in charges for services with total revenues of $230,047.
Total projected expenses were listed $235,800 but in reality came in slightly higher with a total of $254,720 for a total deficiency of $18,920.
The commission also met with the fair board in executive session on personnel matters.


 

By KARLA POMEROY

County officials anticipate Big Horn County Jail revenues will decline with the opening of the new Wyoming prison in Torrington, however, Sheriff Ken Blackburn told the Big Horn County commissioners last Tuesday, March 2, that “February doesn’t look great but was not as bad as expected.”

Revenues totaled $84,754.13 in February, with the majority coming from federal prison contracts and only about $11,600 from state inmates. Blackburn said that $11,000 will be going away as the Torrington prison is able to accommodate more prisoners.

He said he has been negotiating with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to house prisoners since Big Horn County is already a certified federal facility. If successful, the county could house prisoners from the Wind River Indian Reservation and from a reservation in Montana.

Commissioners Jerry Ewen and Keith Grant told Blackburn that while they were at the 2010 Legislature in Cheyenne they spoke to State Treasurer Max Maxfield and State Auditor Rita Meyer. They said they told them that while they did not have a written contract with the state when the county obtained the State Loan and Investment Board grant there was an understanding that the county would house state prisoners.

Blackburn said he is also checking with other nearby states including California and Washington about contracting for prisoners. “We’re not looking at hard core sex offenders, homicides or flight or escape risk prisoners,” Blackburn said.

Ewen asked if Blackburn was preparing long-range plans if other revenue avenues did not come to fruition. Blackburn said he is expecting this year’s budget to be tight.

Grant asked if an option would be to close down a portion of the jail and house the prisoners in what was originally designed as the juvenile pod.

Blackburn said they are averaging 55 prisoners a day, but only 20 of those are county inmates.

“We’re going to continue to get new contracts,” he said.

Despite the possible upcoming budget constraints, Blackburn said as of March 1 the county now has 24-hour coverage. He said with the help of the school resource officer and the deputy shared with Frannie and Deaver they are able to schedule 24-hour coverage, which will be less expensive than having officers on call in the late hours.

He said deputies will work four days on and four days off. Part-time officers will help cover a few shifts, including three in March, he said.