Spoils, branches being dumped in rights-of-way

Last month the Big Horn County commissioners learned about trimmings from trees being thrown into the county road rights-of-way. On May 6, they learned of another issue with items dumped along the side of the roads.

A land user was trimming trees along the fence line. Anything he cut off was thrown into the county road right-of-way. He was contacted and told he had to remove the trimmings. If he wasn’t willing to do so, the county would remove the trimmings and then bill the land user for the work. 

This month the county road and bridge supervisors told the commission that something similar was happening. Land users are clearing out their ditches and leaving the spoils next to the county road. Several pictures were provided. 

Like with the tree trimmings, the supervisors were directed to reach out to the land users. The same options were provided: either remove the spoils or be billed by the county to remove it.

Bridges

Acting county engineer Matt Leonhart discussed two bridge projects in the county. The first was a bridge across Shell Creek. The county will have to acquire a new right-of-way for one portion. No one has been able to find any documentation of that right-of-way even though the bridge has been there for years. 

The other bridge discussed was the Rairden Bridge. WYDOT notified the county that the bridge is eligible to be listed as a historical bridge. Commission chair Deb Craft will sit on the committee discussing whether the bridge should be on the list.

Leonhart told the commissioners that the county received the final approval on a grant for Forest Service Road 17. The plan is to start construction in 2030. The grant is for $7.6 million; no matching funds are required. 

AIRPORTS/LAND PLANNING

Giving the department updates for airports and land planning were Paul Thur and Stephanie May. 

The airport board requested to move the south end meeting from the Weed & Pest office to the Greybull pilot’s lounge. 

Master plan projects are completed. They are waiting for WYDOT and FFA approval. 

There will be an open house at the Cowley airport for the new pilot’s lounge. It is scheduled for July 2.

OTHER BUSINESS

In other business:

• An executive session for contractual issues was requested by the county attorney.

• An executive session for personnel was requested by the county assessor.

• County Fire Warden Brent Godfrey gave the commissioners the annual fire operating plan. 

• Fair Manager Catherine Foss gave a department update. New to the fair this year will be a laser show.

• Sabrina Burke, Northern Wyoming Treatment Court, gave a department update and a funding request.