WHEATLAND — While winter marches on, the Platte County economy seems to keep a steady pace with no desperate down turns. According to Platte County Economic director Tracy deRyk, sales tax collection was on the rise and unemployment in Platte County mirrors the rate in Wyoming overall, with Platte County’s unemployment rate dipping just a bit the past month. “Housing is steady as well as construction,” deRyk said. “Our employment rate is also holding steady. Sadly, school enrollment is down just a little, compared to last year at this time,” she added. “Currently, 884 students are enrolled compared to 902 enrollments last year.” 

deRyk has also been working with a hotel appraiser in the area where a hotel sale is in the works in Wheatland. “We will also have the outages coming up soon; in the middle of March,” deRyk said. “Levi Mickelsen, Basin Electric Results Engineer, said it will be a long one; lasting from half of March possibly through May,” she explained. “Our stores and housing should be busy and full during that time. There are also 26 tax petition bills that were proposed last year and none of them were passed, and according to Representative Jeremy Haroldson, that will be a big issue during legislation happening right now.” 

Darren Casey with Electrical Connections, Inc.  presented an updated schedule and map of the Black Mountain Electric Phase II project. “Any corrections that needed to be done are complete at this point,” Casey said. “We are proofing the last bit of existing conduit in the schedule this week. We will pull a few conduits; one on 16th Street and one South Street. We have our new drilling company coming in this week, so there is about three weeks remaining for the rest of our drilling,” he said. “There are four guys on site completing repairs and patch work. Another crew will come to terminate transformers and will start communicating that there will be residential outages.” Casey also stated that landscaping will take place after spring break, when the ground and weather is most compatible for corrective landscaping. “We want to return the area to preexisting conditions as much as possible,” Casey said. “This includes sidewalks, driveways, and sprinklers. We will keep homeowners involved.” 

Mayor Brandon Graves asked what the company’s warranty looked like once work was completed. “If there is something we didn’t do right, we will fix it,” Casey said. “We will put in good, solid systems that will last years and years. We realize this [project] has taken a long time, but we will get through it, and we have a solid team that is getting things right.” Although Casey stated that a written warranty is typically provided, he made it clear that his team was willing and able to address issues that may arise. “Usually, we have to provide a written warranty,” he explained, “and I can add to the warranty that if there are issues at any time, we will show up and take care of it.” 

Casey added that some of the landscaping would be sub-contracted, and that some would be conducted by his team. Residents and schools will be alerted when power outages are scheduled. 

Some discussion took place regarding the now-abandoned project that was meant to become Nessie’s Restaurant & Whiskey Bar. What was once looking to be a major makeover for the former Hilltop restaurant, is now looking more and more like an eyesore. Some concerns were expressed about the structure’s appearance on what is a prominent and otherwise pretty part of town overlooking the golf course. 

According to deRyk, siding has been removed and the interior has been gutted. Town attorney Doug Weaver did add that although an entity has one year to complete a building contract that a permit provided for, a remodel cannot be forced. Councilmember Alan Madsen suggested calling and asking what their plans were, and Candy Wright, Town Clerk stated she would attempt to get ahold of them and find out. 

 Cathi Anderson with the Platte County Chamber of Commerce reported that there was a good turnout to the 25th Annual Ag Appreciation Banquet where 230 people attended to honor the Ag Business of the Year (Mill Iron L Meats) recipient and to participate in the silent auction, which raises money for a scholarship program. “We did not necessarily hit our scholarship goal, but we did really well,” Anderson said. The Chamber also recently sponsored a Lunch ‘n Learn event where Representative Jeremy Haroldson and Ashley Harpstreith, Director of the Wyoming Taxpayers Association, spoke. “Haroldson told us that a large number of bills will be presented during legislation and that he is passionate about gun-free zones and other bills that affect municipalities.”