CASPER, Wyo. — Following public hearings on Tuesday, the Natrona County Board of Commissioners approved several resolutions and discussed topics such as a state grant, chamber of commerce membership, and gambling revenue allocation.
The board unanimously approved its consent agenda, which included the approval of bills totaling $2,457,297.82, as well as the renewal of a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families grant contract with the Wyoming Department of Family Services for the Community Action Partnership of Natrona County.
Earlier in the day, Kelly Wessels of CAPNC explained the contract renewal to the commissioners.
The grant is a federal pass-through fund that the county is required by state statute to oversee. Big Brothers Big Sisters and Climb Wyoming benefit from the funds, which are free of charge to the county.
“Rather than doing a whole new application, because of the current circumstances at the federal level, the Department of Family Services decided that they would just add a second year on, so they made an amendment for FY26,” Wessels told me.
The amendment extends the contract until September 30, 2026 and increases the total amount by $85,500 to $171,000.
Following a series of public hearings, the board approved a liquor license transfer, a new county burial policy, and a zoning variance. During the hearings, no one from the public spoke in support or opposition to any of the items.
The first hearing focused on the transfer of a full retail liquor license from BFS Official LLC, doing business as Luxe, to T and T Property Enterprises, doing business as Peyton, for the property at 1910 Talc Road.
Ted Thompson, the new owner, stated that he is under contract to purchase the property and has requested that the license be transferred in order to continue operating the business, which employs 15 people.
The county clerk confirmed that all publication requirements were met and that no public objections had been received. The transfer was approved unanimously.
Commissioners unanimously approved the Natrona County Indigent and Unclaimed Burial/Cremation Policy and Application. The policy had been discussed and revised in previous meetings, with input from the county coroner and local morticians.
The coroner stated that the policy was “about as solid a policy as we’re ever going to get,” and that no opposition had been raised since the revisions were implemented.
The third public hearing was for a variance request submitted by Ginsbach Construction on behalf of property owner Chris Barton for 1501 Scenic St. The request was to reduce the required 100-foot setback from an adjacent residential property line to 10 feet to allow for the construction of a new storage facility. The existing building on the light industrial-zoned lot falls within the 100-foot setback.
The contractor, Luke Ginsbach, told commissioners that other locations were unfeasible due to physical constraints such as semi-truck traffic and a high-voltage power pole that would cost millions of dollars to relocate.
Staff reported receiving a letter from the adjacent property owner stating that he was “ok with the 10-foot setback.” The board approved the variance, with Commissioner Chair Dave North explaining that the situation is “exactly what variances are for.”
During their work session, commissioners heard from Tina Hoebelheinrich of the Casper Area Chamber of Commerce.
She stated that Natrona County has a “courtesy” membership, which allows it to participate in the community table but does not provide the same discounts as a standard paid membership.
Sabrina Kemper, Natrona County Development Director, said she appreciated the benefits of attending legislative luncheons and hearing community updates while working with Mills’ administration.
Hoebelheinrich also emphasized the importance of the Leadership Casper program for professional development. There was no action taken.
The board also had a brief discussion about how the county gambling revenue would be used. Commissioners recalled that the funds have historically been allocated to the general fund and are budgeted as forecast revenue.
A Department of Health survey on how counties use funding designated for the prevention or treatment of problematic family behavior sparked the discussion. A staff member was instructed to complete the survey.
During a legal update, staff reported that work is underway on zoning regulation amendments, with the goal of presenting them to the board by the end of the year.
The legal department is collaborating with code enforcement to initiate court proceedings to bring some of the most “egregious” properties into compliance.
