City continues cleanup Staff Report Street sweepers also continue headstones were found to have cleaning streets from branches been undamaged in the after- City employees continue and small debris that was depos- math of the storm. cleaning up after the Labor Day ited by the storm. Sweepers “If you were one of the few storm much of Wyoming experi- logged 99 miles, with 13 loads that saw cemetery pre-cleanup, enced caused damage to prop- picked up Wednesday, Thursday this is a minor miracle,” Brad erty throughout the city. and Friday. According to the Raney, director of parks and According to an update issued release, sweepers are focusing recreation said in the update. Monday, all of the large trees on the city’s north side. Workers anticipate the load- blown over during the storm, The rodeo arena continues ing and hauling of branches to including large pine trees at the to be a drop off point for trees, end Wednesday. city’s cemetery, were hauled off branches and stumps. City The city is also planning a by contractors. Workers contin- employees continue pushing the volunteer cleanup at the cem- ue cleaning up smaller branches pile and will accept additional etery from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. and debris, as well as make material until further notice. The cleanup will take place from minor repairs. As for the city’s cemetery, about 5:30 p.m. to dusk. Wednesday, September 23, 2020 130th Year, 18th Issue Green River, WY 82935 Address Service Requested $1.50 Absentee ballots now available By DAVID MARTIN Publisher Sweetwater County residents wanting to vote from the comfort of their own home can request an absentee ballot from the county. “Wyoming’s citizens can begin to cast their ballots in the general election. In these unprecedented times, it is crucial that every Wyoming voter has the opportunity to safely exercise their right to vote either by absentee or in- person as outlined in Wyoming law,” Secretary of State Edward Buchanan said in a press release. Sweetwater County Clerk Cindy Lane said the ballots were made available to residents Friday, with the county sending more than 4,200 ballots to residents. Lane said her family received their ballots Monday, but recommends residents seeking an absentee ballot to give at least five days after making the request to receive a ballot. Any voter registered in Wyoming may request an absentee ballot through their county clerk as 45 days before the general election. Absentee voting continues until Nov. 2. According to the release the Secretary of State’s Office has taken precautions to allow safe and fast in-person voting at the polls on election day. Absentee ballots can be sent back to the Sweetwater County Clerk’s Office or dropped off at a special ballot box Break time located in front of the Sweetwater County Courthouse in Green River. Lane said she received questions about The doubles team of Domenick Kunkle and Camden Nelson take a break between sets Saturday morning as they play in the why such boxes were not available South Regional Tennis Championships. The team took fi rst in the Doubles #1 bracket. Star photo by David Martin throughout the county, saying the box is monitored by a high-resolution security camera and checked twice a Water recommendation revisits old day by election staff. She said similar boxes throughout the county would be difficult to monitor and check twice daily, especially in ground near regional airport towns such as Washam, Wamsutter and Bairoil. By DAVID MARTIN development could occur and the and tried to get federal funding for the Lane said residents wanting to know Publisher if their ballot was received can call the largest challenge for development project, but failed.” Sweetwater County Clerk’s Office to would be providing water to the area. That project aimed to bring water to have election staff check their ballot’s Water is a fuel for economic The authors of the study, William H the airport while providing additional status. If a ballot is not received prior to development and a recent meeting Smith and Associates and Thomas P. water to the Simplot facility and the election day, Lane said the voters could underscored the need for water in Miller and Associates, recommend the Arrowhead Springs subdivision south of have their absentee ballots canceled, the Middle Baxter Road area near the construction of a water storage tank Rock Springs. Paul Kauchich, director which would allow them to cast their Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport. with 2-2.5 million gallons of capacity of engineering and operations for the vote during the election. Members of the Sweetwater and a 8-12-inch waterline to service City of Rock Springs, said the plan Lane said she isn’t sure how long Economic Development Coalition the area. This isn’t the first time a would have connected those locations it would take ballots mailed to her discussed the second phase of a study project to bring water to the area has into the Joint Powers Water Board office to arrive, saying residents should aimed at developing the area into an been proposed. A proposal to extend system, which provides water to Green complete their ballot and mail it as industrial site attracting businesses a waterline from Rock Springs to the River and Rock Springs. soon as they can, but said ballots are which would complement the county’s airport was floated more than a decade The idea to bring water to the area high-priority mail for the United States existing trona and coal industries. ago. dates back further than the 2000s Postal Service. Infrastructure is largely unavailable “It was under my past years as mayor according to Mark Kot, public lands Residents wanting to cast their vote in the area. (during the) early 2000s,” Tim Kaumo, specialist for Sweetwater County. early can do so starting October 13. Water, electricity and natural mayor of Rock Springs, said, “We gas would be needed before any actually flew out to Washington, D.C. Continued on A2 More commercial land proposed in Jamestown By DAVID MARTIN planning and zoning offi ce, the Publisher area would be subdivided into fi ve commercial lots, with a road If a request to change zoning near leading through the section to a the Love’s Travel Stop is approved planned mobile home park behind next month, it could result in more the commercial section. Additional commercial development near commercial land is available next to Interstate 80’s Exit 85. the Love’s Travel Plaza divided into Jim Zimmerman, the code 17 lots and will be serviced by three enforcement specialist for the planned streets -- Ox Bow Drive, Ox Sweetwater County Land Use Offi ce Yoke Drive and Round Up Drive. said the a zone change on land With the Love’s Travel Stop, owned by Corner Property LC for a Zimmerman said the developers portion of land directly across where anticipate completion to be in early the Love’s truck stop is being built 2021. He said drywall was hung in on Wyoming Highway 374. The the convenience store and restaurant property is zoned for rural residential building, with windows anticipated use. A hearing is scheduled for the to be installed by the end of the week. county’s planning and zoning board Zimmerman also said paving to Oct. 13, with the fi nal approval Highway 374 will also be completed before the Sweetwater County this week, with pavement for the commissioners set for Oct. 20. entire property to be completed in According to maps from the early October. A2 www.greenriverstar.com Wednesday, September 23, 2020 Water plans date to 1970s From A1 plan for the possibility of airport to develop on. Kot said the idea annexing lands into the He attended a tour of was talked about when county or cities. the area with Wal-Mart he first was hired by The growth representatives as they the county in 1983 and management area were seeking land to believes conversations extends west of Green build a distribution took place as far back as River to Peru Hill, north center on. With access to the 1970s. of Rock Springs to 14- the interstate, a railroad, “This has been going Mile Hill, and includes a regional airport and a on for a long time,” Kot land east of the airport large population center said. and south to Arrowhead nearby, water was the Prior to being the Springs. Kot said the only piece missing for county’s public lands additions of the airport the retail giant. The specialist, Kot was and Arrowhead Springs company would build its director of the county were to include land distribution facility in land use department, identified for future Cheyenne. having worked his way industrial development “We just weren’t up through the office if infrastructure was quick enough,” Kot said. over the course of his developed. “Cheyenne had things in career. During the Yet, some place. We didn’t.” early 1980s, the county developmental challenges One of the largest was coming out of a existed. The biggest hurdles any project to booming period following problem developers faced provide water to the the construction and then, as they do now: airport is the cost to do development of the Jim water. so. Bridger Power Plant “We knew the airport Kayla McDonald, and nearby Bridger coal needed water,” he said. economic development mine. Following that Devon Brubaker, specialist for the SEDC, economic boom, Kot said director of the Southwest said the costs to bring county and community Wyoming Regional water to the area are leaders wanted to bring Airport, said the airport still being determined development into the receives water deliveries because the amount area to alleviate the trucked in from Rock of water needed is economic bust and saw Springs in 6,000-gallon dependent on the type potential in developing shipments.