1. IR
Thermopolis
Independent
Record
THERMOPOLIS INDEPENDENT RECORD YEAR 117, WEEK 15, Sections: 2, April 14, 2016 THERMOPOLIS, WY 82443 USPS 627-300 75¢
John Sollo, from Antiques Roadshow, appraised local residents’ antiques Saturday at Broadway Bygones. Sollo has worked as an appraiser on
the show for 12 years.
Roadshow star analyzes antiques
photo by April S. Kelley
by April S. Kelley
TheHotSpringsCountyBoardofCommissionersheld
a special meeting Tuesday to discuss a special purpose
tax initiative and set a date for a public hearing for the
Hospital District Initiative as well as resolve the bud-
get crisis involving the Hot Springs County Library.
Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital CEO Rob-
in Roling presented a resolution for consideration of
a special purpose tax of one percent that would go to-
ward the construction of new patient care areas as well
as remodeling the current building, in the amount of
$16.4 million.
Chairman Brad Basse asked if the $16.4 million was
the total amount of the sales tax the hospital is trying
to collect.
“That’s the cost of the project including the construc-
tion and interest,” Roling said. “That is the amount that
we are requesting from the sales tax.”
Basse explained that special purpose taxes require
approval from the majority of municipalities.
Vice-chairman John Lumley suggested setting a date
for a public hearing to allow more public input.
Basse made a motion to set the public hearing at 7
p.m. June 21 to allow public input and to allow flexi-
bility with their normal meeting schedule. The motion
was approved by the board.
Thecommissionersalsodiscussedanapartmentlease/
purchase with the hospital.
Roling said the hospital currently owns apartments
across the street from the building but they are not in
great shape. She said they need to be removed, and
they would like to move forward on a lease/purchase of
property on East Arapaho, almost directly across from
Gottsche Rehabilitation Center.
Chairman Tom Ryan made a motion to approve the
lease with an option to purchase at $285,000 with credit
for $18,000 paid to lease.
The Hot Springs County Library director Tracey
Kinnaman addressed the board regarding the recent
budget crisis.
“We have two things to address today concerning
the library,” she said. “First there is the $20,000 over-
budget problem.”
Kinnaman said her current budget is $62,828 or
$42,828 without the $20,000 that should be in the re-
serve.
“$42,828 is what I have left in an accurate budget
for the next three months,” she said. “That leaves me
approximately $14,000 a month to spend.”
To resolve the $20,000 over-budget problem, Kin-
naman said she eliminated one position already and
stopped all spending at the library. She also said she
had a few outstanding bills in the amount of approxi-
mately $400.
“You’ll see in the line items, by eliminating that one
position and possibly eliminating a second position,
that’ll leave me with $14,396,” she said. “The beast is
the wage cost. You’ll also see where I’ve eliminated my
book budget, my maintenance and totally eliminated
Adult Services. That all adds up to $20,000.”
There was no mention of any reduction in salaries
for any remaining library employees.
Ryan made a motion to advance the library $30,000,
which was approved by the board.
Commissioners advance library $30,000,
set public hearing on special purpose tax
by Mark Dykes
HotSpringsCountySheriff'sDeputieswere
called to the scene of two separate incidents
in the county involving firearms.
OnFriday,April8ataround5:34p.m.Dep-
uty Daniel Eggli with the Hot Springs County
Sheriff’s Office responded to 1289 Jeffs Road
for an incident involving a firearm. Eggli re-
quested further backup from deputies Shawn
Milek and Jerimie Kraushaar.
Upon investigation, it was discovered Har-
lan Saltz had stopped Benjamin (Terry) Tonn
on Jeffs road and argued about Tonn’s dog at-
tackinghisdog.Saltzallegedlybeganassault-
ing Tonn with a baton, and Tonn retrieved
a gun with which to defend himself. Saltz’s
wife, Katherine, had a gun on Tonn as well.
After the fight de-escalated, Tonn fired a
shot in the ground, though Harlan fired a shot
in Tonn’s direction.
Both Harlan and Katherine were arrest-
ed; Harlan was charged with two counts of
alleged aggravated assault and Katherine
was charged with one count of aggravated as-
sault. According to the Hot Springs County
Detention Center jail roster, both were out
on Monday.
On Monday, Deputy Kraushaar responded
to two incidents on Kirby Creek Road. At 1:26
p.m., he received a call from Sheldon Skel-
ton, who reported he had an altercation with
someone in a red sport utility vehicle with
Casper plates, whom Skelton said pulled a
gun on him.
At 3:38 p.m. Kraushaar was contacted by
the SUV driver — identified as Eli Miller —
whoreportedasimilarstory,butwithSkelton
pulling the gun on him and firing two rounds
inhisdirection.Thedeputiesinvestigatedthe
allegationsandfoundMiller'sstorytobetrue.
Skelton’s firearm — a .44 caliber lever ac-
tion — was seized and charges are pending.
Charges filed in assault involving firearms
Antiques
Roadshow
appraiser
visits town
by April S. Kelley
Antiques Roadshow star
John Sollo visited Thermopo-
lis on Saturday at Broadway
Bygones where he appraised
antiquesbroughtintothestore
by local residents.
Sollo said he was invited
to do this event by his friend,
Barb Heinze.
“We’ve done all kinds of
fun things today,” Sollo said.
“We’ve done a little bit of fur-
niture — a little bit of every-
thing to tell you the truth. I
haven’t found anything yet
that people will be able to re-
tire from — no Rembrandts,
but I did see a lot of nice stuff
and I met a lot of nice people.
It’s been a good time.”
Sollo has worked on An-
tiques Roadshow for 12 years,
but this particular event was
just for fun and not sanctioned
for the PBS show, he said.
“Ilikepeoplewaymorethan
I like stuff,” he said. “That’s a
rare thing in the antique busi-
ness. I’m glad to be here and
I think Thermopolis is a great
little town.”
Barb Heinze said she and
her husband met Sollo and
his wife, Nan, six years ago
throughtheirbusiness—Mer-
lin’s Hide Out. She said she in-
vited Sollo to Thermopolis for
this event to bring the com-
munity out.
“I think this brings people
out into the community,” she
said. “I think we have amaz-
ing artifacts in the community
and it’s a chance to have some-
one look at them that has the
knowledge needed.”
Heinze said she was excit-
ed to bring Sollo to the com-
munity.
“He’s just a phenomenal
guy and we’re doggone lucky
to have him here,” she said.
Comments sought
on HSSP Master Planby April S. Kelley
The Hot Springs State Park seeks
input regarding their 20-year master
plan which will be released April 18.
Director of the Wyoming Depart-
ment of State Parks and Cultural Re-
sources Milward Simpson said this
is a really exciting master plan that
needs public input.
“It is crucially important that the
community feels like they have some
inputonthepark,”hesaid.“Inasense,
they are part owners of the park for
helping to envision its future.”
Simpson said he would love to see
great input from passionate commu-
nity leaders and residents.
“The master plan for the state park
plays a major role in the future of Hot
Springs County, both economically
and recreationally,” he said.
Simpson said there will be an open
house for public input on the master
plan at 2 p.m. Monday, May 2 at the
Fire Hall in Thermopolis.
“There will be a 45 day public com-
ment time period, in which we hope
to receive feedback that will help us
make some decisions on the master
plan,” Simpson said. “The public com-
ment period will end June 2. We just
really want the people in the commu-
nity to be involved in this process.”
The Hot Springs State Park Mas-
ter Plan is a 20-year plan to guide the
long-termphysicalimprovementofthe
park, the management and use of the
entire 1,100-acre park.
This plan includes public and pri-
vately owned buildings, lands west of
Highway20,thebisonpastureandthe
thermal and recreational features. It
will provide a comprehensive plan-
ning and decision-making structure
to accommodate the development of
recreational access, amenities and
infrastructures in balance with the
preservation of cultural and natural
resources.
The final draft of the master plan
and the plan narrative is under devel-
opmentuntilallpubliccommentends.
Simpson said there will be sev-
eral events throughout the state to
discuss the master plan and receive
public input.
On Monday, the plan will be avail-
able for viewing online at www.hot-
springsmasterplan.com. Hard cop-
ies will be available at Hot Springs
StateParkHeadquarters,HotSprings
County Library and Fremont County
Library in Riverton.
The planning for the HSSP Mas-
ter Plan is a collaborative pro-
cess involving the Wyoming Divi-
sion of State Parks, Historic Sites
and Trails and park staff, a steer-
ing committee representing a broad
range of interests and public input.