Commissioners updated on museum opportunity

Racine Morgan, director of the Hot Springs County Museum, filled in the Hot Springs County Commissioners on what is going on at the museum at Tuesday’s meeting.

Morgan said they have applied for a large grant that will allow them to do some interesting things with the 1920s school house at the museum annex, including activities that will help today’s children understand what it was like to actually go to school during that time.

An interesting opportunity has come up for the museum that involves the airport in Riverton. Currently, the airport is doing some remodeling and our museum will be putting up a display at the airport that will hopefully catch people’s eye and bring them to Thermopolis for a visit.

Mike Cavin reported the museum is getting more local visitors than usual and overall, visitations to the museum are up from last year by 19 percent. Admissions are 36 percent higher and sales from the gift shop is up as well.

Morgan said they have schools from all over the basin who bring their students to the museum during the school year and they are always free. She is a bit concerned that our local classrooms are not coming to the museum, especially since it is a great way for students to learn the history of our town.

The commissioners approved the purchase of a new vehicle to replace the Durango for the Sheriff’s Department from the rolling stock budget line.

Although the bid for a new vehicle came out higher than anticipated, the insurance payback for hail damage to the Durango and the trade in will offset the higher price to a manageable level.

Sheriff Jerimie Kraushaar reported most of the vehicles have been repaired through insurance since the hail storms. Two of the vehicles are waiting on hoods and roofs.

The commissioners also approved hiring Drew Consulting to review the county’s Natural Resource Plan.

County Planner Bo Bowman will finalize the scope of work they would like the company to do before passing it on. The hope is they can get started on the review in January.

Bowman said the Natural Resource Planning Committee will work with the company as necessary and assured the commissioners they are not asking them to re-write the plan, simply review it to ensure the plan isn’t missing anything critical.