Campbell commissioners turn down request for group home money

GILLETTE — While the Campbell County Commissioners would like to see the Greenhouse Group Home remain open, the county isn’t able to kick in any money to help that happen.

In April, Campbell County Health announced that the group home, which serves adults dealing with mental illness and homelessness, will close this summer because of state budget cuts.

At a budget workshop after their regular meeting last week, the commissioners discussed whether the county could do anything, funding-wise, to keep the group home open.

The commissioners decided that the cost was too high and were unanimous in not supporting it financially at this time.

Commissioner Del Shelstad said he asked Mikel Scott, executive director of the Council of Community Services, how much the city and county would need to pay to keep the group home going. The total between the two would be about $400,000.

Commissioner Colleen Faber said that becoming certified by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, or CARF, would qualify the group home for $150,000 from the state. The certification process costs between $14,000 and $15,000.

The hospital, Personal Frontiers and the YES House are the only organizations in town that have CARF certification.

If the county kicks in money for the certification, “I feel like we’re setting them up to fail on that part of it,” said Commissioner Rusty Bell.

While it would qualify the group home for $150,000, it would still be short at least $250,000 and inevitably end up in front of the county and city asking for more money, Bell said.

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Carbon commissioners appoint new coroner

RAWLINS — The Carbon County Commissioners named former Chief Deputy Coroner Brittany Nyman to be the new Carbon County Coroner at the May 4 meeting. 

Nyman had served briefly as the Interim Coroner following Paul Zamora’s retirement on April 30. 

She was sworn in by Carbon County District Court Judge Dawnessa Snyder shortly after being nominated. Her nomination came at the end of an all-day commissioner meeting. 

Nyman will serve as the appointed coroner until December 2022, filling out Zamora’s unexpired term. 

Nyman is already a Wyoming Certified Coroner. She was nominated by the Carbon County Republican Party since Zamora was a Republican. No other Republicans submitted their names to be considered for this position. 

She told commissioners that she will stand for the coroner’s position in the next election.

Commission Chairman John Johnson asked Nyman to address the commissioners why she wanted the position. 

“I do love the work and take pride in what I do,” Nyman said. “I love helping people in whatever capacity they need me to be, making sure they are taken care of.” 

She has worked in the coroner’s office since 2018. 

“I am fully aware of what this position entails and requires as far as time commitment,” she said.

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SkyWest resumes service at Rock Springs airport

ROCK SPRINGS — The Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport will once again be offering two daily flights to Denver.

After being temporarily paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SkyWest Airlines will be restoring twice daily United Airlines service to Denver International Airport starting May 27.

“This is great news for our entire region,” said Airport Director Devon Brubaker. “We are grateful for our partnership with SkyWest Airlines and the Wyoming Department of Transportation that has allowed air service to remain in place throughout the pandemic. This partnership allowed for rapid adjustments to flight schedules as passenger numbers plummeted to record lows in 2020 and is allowing for the proactive resumption of service as our customers return to the skies.”

Information on steps taken by the airport to ensure a safe trip for customers in light of the pandemic can be found online at www.flyrks.com.

The service resumption announcement coincides with an increasing number of daily passengers both at the airport as well as across the domestic air transportation system. In addition to the return of pre-pandemic air service levels, United Airlines has also introduced lower fares to dozens of destinations from coast-to-coast. Travelers can find the latest fare and schedule details by visiting www.united.com or downloading the United Airlines mobile app.

As travelers return to the skies, United Airlines is providing resources to help them understand requirements, preflight testing resources and more. Customers can visit United Airline’s Travel-Ready Center to get started.