SUBLETTE COUNTY – With maintenance and road and bridge/ waste management department heads present at their Nov. 6 meeting, Sublette County commissioners undertook a discussion about Commissioner Doug Vickrey’s suggestion for those departments to put more purchases of goods and services out for bid.

Maintenance supervisor Andre Irey and roads/ waste management supervisor Billy Pape as well as commissioners Tom Noble, chair Sam White, Mack Bradley and Dave Stephens heard Vickrey’s proposal to put some “smaller projects” out to bid rather than often calling on the same contractors.

“I brought this up; what I’m going to propose will not impact the budget process,” Vickrey said. He said he gets calls from business owners and service providers asking for “an opportunity for smaller folks to bid on some projects.”

Vickrey proposed a $25,000 line for department heads to publish requests for bids.

“If it’s out there to bid on, we could be a little more fiscally responsible and local contractors could bid on projects to $25,000,” he said. “It’s a fairly reasonable number to start with.”

Irey said people rarely approach him with interest in a project and he has invested time building relationships with the contractors he often calls. “Most contractors don’t even want to do these smaller projects. It’s not that I won’t use other people.”

Putting these projects out to bid could damage his successful working relationships “I put a lot of time into.”

Vickrey told Irey that the people elected the five county commissioners and “we hired you.” Many projects are never advertised and commissioners need to be more open about how they choose to spend money, he added.

“I shoot for quality,” Irey said, and if one bid is lower, “I would rather get quality.”

“We’re not obligated to take the lowest bid,” Vickrey replied. Maybe the amount could be $35,000 or $50,000, but, “I am bringing this up because smaller contractors ask if a project will be put out to bid. It would appear to me to be simple and worthy of discussion.”

Irey said those contractors “should come see me sometime. … I do a lot of $20,000 to $25,000 projects. So does Billy.”

Chairman White asked Pape and Irey how they decide what to put out to bid and how do they navigate the process.
“I bid out everything one time a year,” Pape said. “Oil, propane. I try to bid everything I know of. For buildings and trucks, I get three estimates.”

Emergencies are difficult to build into his budgets but for example, when a boiler breaks down or equipment is damaged, Pape goes right to the source who provided the product or service. “Everything else I bring to you.”

Irey said breakdowns of generators, fire systems and boilers are also very specialized repairs.

“I can’t just use someone else. We want to use the same equipment (the county) uses everywhere else,” Irey said. “A lot of our smaller stuff we buy locally already.”

Vickrey said, “You’re just going to do what you want to do, anyway.”

“Right,” Irey said.

Vickrey pointed to a recent fire station cleaning contract that did not go to the highest bidder and the work quality is excellent. “Those are the things that make sense,” he said. “There has to be a limit someplace when you’re spending taxpayers’ money.”

Irey repeated that could negatively impact relationships he’s built with contractors who respond immediately “in hopes they can get bigger stuff later. … I’m not arguing; I’m just giving my 2 cents.”

Noble asked who would write these bid packages, which take time and cost money.

He proposed that “whenever something big is brought up in budget,” the county could advertise for interested contractors to visit with Pape and Irey.

Stephens said, “The public believes we take bids on everything we do,” which isn’t the case.

“We price shop and I know Billy does and Blake (Greenhalgh) does too.”

Bradley said there’s a time gap between when the county talks about budgets and when a project might actually begin.

“I would like people to come talk to me if they want a shot Irey said. He pointed out the bid-package process is very expensive and didn’t think much money would be saved.

“We’re looking for solutions to a problem we don’t have,” Noble said.

“A solution for the folks in this county for ‘why can’t we get some of these jobs,’” Vickrey replied, adding the county should not have to spend $50,000 each to put together two projects.”

People throughout Sublette County know Pape but say, “Who’s Andre? Right now other than the inner circle, no one knows.”

Irey agreed; “Maybe every once in awhile we can put a notice out for work and say ‘come see me.’”

Any project estimated at more than $50,000 goes out to bid anyway, Noble said.

Bradley said a public notice “might drum up some local interest.”

“Great conversation,” White said. “Where do we go from here?”

Irey said notices “that occasionally could benefit others,” as Vickrey put it, would be okay. “No problem. Nothing wrong with that at all.”

White asked about publishing general information for contractors that the county would be open to hearing from them if interested.

“Works for me,” Vickrey said.

In other business, Sublette County Attorney Clayton Melinkovich again requested two separate executive sessions for legal matters; no actions were taken.

Deputy attorney Gaston Gosar reported that a settlement was reached with Eidens for scrap iron. Melinkovich presented a $10,000 consulting contract for Reilly Johnson Architects regarding a proposed justice center site evaluation; commissioners approved both unanimously.

Sublette County Preservation Board’s Clint Gilchrist requested and received $5,000 from the county to match its application of the Emerson Schoolhouse to the National Register of Historic Places. The Sublette County Historical Society now owns the land.

Vickrey questioned the Sublette County Golf Board’s contract for 15 golf carts  – “Not one time do I see the word ‘lease’ in here – so this is a $15, 50 payment five times?”

On the last page, he said, the five-year contract comes to a total of $78,750 for the carts with almost $25,000 of that as interest. “Why is Sublette County borrowing money – to purchase them?”

“This is the most open contract I’ve ever seen,” Stephens said. “Do we want to buy them instead?”

White said the Golf Board drew it up and can explain it at the next meeting, Nov. 21.

Human resources manager Andrea Jean asked if commissioners would approve use of development funds to allow four volunteer firefighters to undertake basic EMT training.

“It’s more and more often that they are the first responders so they could act in that capacity until EMS arrives,” Jean said. She explained that first they need to apply and qualify for EMT training, already making a commitment to complete the training.

Commissioners agreed to fund the four if they are accepted and if they don’t complete basic training, would reimburse the county.

“Volunteers are hard to find in this day and age,” Noble said. “This is another benefit supporting our volunteers.”

“I’m good with these four to start with,” White said.

Planning

Planner Dennis Fornstrom and commissioners talked through the next step with the draft county planning and zoning ordinances. He offered “clean” copies after Whiskey Rock Consulting amended and removed red lines.

White asked if commissioners would read and approve the rough draft, then send it to the consultant for comments and then open the final draft for public comments.

Fornstrom also suggested “letting the red lines go to Jeremy,” then he would forward it to commissioners and then for public comment.

“We have to put together a plan and follow through what we committed to,” Noble said.

Bradley asked Fornstrom if he could generate monthly reports for building permits rather than one annual report.

Commissioners heard one zoning change request in Bondurant that Bradley and Stephens objected to with nay votes, 3-2. Christian and Austin Smith recently purchased the triangular 7.9-acre parcel, with an existing 1,200-square-foot home and a 720-square-foot cabin on one side, that his family has leased many years. It is locally known as “the Dockham Place.”

Smiths asked to change zoning from Rural Residential 5 to Rural Residential, making two 3.59-acre parcels. Fornstrom said the county planning & zoning commission recommended approval because other nearby properties range in smaller sizes.

Stephens and Bradley both expressed concern this would open the door to more zoning changes

“I did consider it,” Bradley said. “I think it’s time the county starts telling where to divide up these little lots.”