Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 13

star Wyoming Bl Saturday, June 7, 1986 Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo 22 resolutions win easy WAM passage Little discussion, few 'no votes fir -V f. in i7 FRED SCIIROEDER Stack of bills in hand MIKE SULLIVAN Couldn't sleep natural gas stored in Wyoming. Earlier, Casper city officials said the resolution requiring the OGCC to complete applications within six months is necessary because the commission has been dragging its feet on two applications made by companies wanting to provide natural gas to Casper. The city officials said the PSC resolution was important because that body has been reluctant to release information on stored gas.

Other resolutions passed by the WAM members include support for: Constitutional Amendment No. 4 creating a revolving investment fund to promote Wyoming's economic development. Legislation that "promotes and protects" the nuclear and uranium mining industries. The federal government continuing to administer the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Hazardous Waste Act, instead of the state's Department of Environmental Quality. A plan to spend money generated through federal program cuts on reducing the nation's budget deficit, not on new Candidates file in Cheyenne By ERICH KIRSHNER Star-Tribune capital bureau CHEYENNE Members of the Wyoming Association of Muncipalities passed a package of 22 resolutions including four supporting efforts at obtaining low-cost natural gas during its annual business meeting here Friday.

The nearly two dozen resolutions passed quickly with little discussion and few "no" votes. The natural gas resolutions included support for legislative efforts to: Address "municipal financing tools for purchasing gas supplies andor existing distribution systems." Force utilities to sell large surpluses of inexpensive gas now being stored. Repeal the July 1988 sunset provision in the Natural Gas Act and require the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to complete its review of potential gas suppliers within six months of receiving application. Require the Public Service Commission to release information on the amount of inexpensive Birr bound over to district court GILLETTE A suspect in the March 1985 murder of a Gillette couple was bound over to district court here Friday on three of four felony drug charges he faces, officials say. Charles E.

Birr, 40, is expected to be arraigned next week in district court on three charges of delivery of a controlled substance, Campbell County Deputy Attorney Russ Hansen said. Birr, 40, has not been charged in connection with the throat-slashing deaths of Robert and Kathleen Bernard in their Gillette mobile home, although Campbell County Sheriff D.B. "Spike" Hladky said this week Birr is a suspect in those deaths. Hansen said two investigators and one protected witness testified at Birr's two-hour court appearance Friday. Birr is still being held in Campbell County Jail on $20,000 cash or surety bond, Hansen said.

Birr was arrested May 28 in Sheridan. BOB BURNETT First candidate to file notice to his mother retiring Secretary of State Thyra Thomson. Many candidates said they were in town to canvass supporters from the three conventions Wyoming Stockgrowers, Wyo-ming Association of Municipalities, and the Wyoming Trucking Association held in Cheyenne this week. The filing period runs through June 20 for the primary, which features a crowded Republican race for the gubernatorial nomination. The following is the list of candidates who filed for office Friday: U.S.

House: Republican incumbent Dick Cheney and Democrat Michael Dee of Albany County. Governor: Democrats Mike Sullivan, Casper, Al Hamburg, Torrington, and Pat McGuire, Albany County. Republicans Bill Budd, Cheyenne, Dave Nicholas, Laramie, Russ Donley, Casper, and Fred Schroeder, Douglas. Herschler: Budget cuts won't wipe out services CHEYENNE (AP) Gov. Ed Herschler told the Wyoming Association of Municipalities meeting here Friday that budget cuts he has ordered for state agencies will keep Wyoming on financially stable ground.

The Democrat announced that essential service levels residents have grown accustomed to will, in most instances, be maintained. Herschler said Wyoming should stay solvent under the budget belt-tightening "until we see an upturn in From staff and wire reports CHEYENNE Wyoming politicans trickled into the Secretary of State's office Friday, the first day to file for the Aug. 19 primary. Bob Burnett, Republican candidate for the state Senate from Albany County, was the first person through the doors, followed by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Sullivan. Sullivan said there was no reason to delay doing what everyone already knew he was going to do.

"Besides, who could sleep in on such a beautiful day?" he asked. Republican gubernatorial candidate Fred Schroeder arrived with the required $100 filing fee in 100 SI bills. He said, each dollar bill was from a different supporter, and represented the type of grassroots campaign he was trying to run. Republican secretary of state candidate K.C. Thomson personally handed his check and filing Truckers By ERICH KIRSHNER Star-Tribune capital bureau CHEYENNE The trucking industry pays the highest taxes and is "everyone's favorite whipping boy" because not enough time or money has been spent lobbying Congress, one trucking lobbyist -k told to lobby harder our revenue picture.

He told those attending the association's convention that the oil industry slump will impact everyone's budgets. "However," he said, "this should not serve as the catalvst for sticking our told the Wyoming Trucking Association Friday. Jerald Halvorsen, an American Trucking Association vice president for governmental affairs, was a luncheon speaker at the WTA's convention in Cheyenne. Besides complaining about the trucking industry's low stature in heads in the sand or for HERSCHLER handwringing." The governor added necessary services can be provided under reduced budgets without destroying the school or local government systems. "We are in a lot better shape than a majority of our sister states.

We are not burdened with heavy, long-term debt. We have relatively new public facilities. We have been able to set aside a fairly substantial sum of money that continues to provide us with an insurance policy and a source of income," he said. Herschler said the association should develop new approaches for solving the state's problems in the next several years. cii Secretary of State: Republicans Gerald Geis, Worland, and Keith Coffey Thomson, Sheridan.

State Treasurer: Republican Lee Galeotos, Evanston. State Auditor: Republican Jacques A. Sidi, Natrona County; Democrat William "Bil" Tucker, Albany County. Wyoming Senate: Bob J. Burnett, Albany County Republican.

Wyoming House: Republicans William A. "Rory" Cross, Converse County; Ron Micheli, Uinta County; Ellen Crowley, Laramie County; John J. Hines, Campbell County; James Hage-man, Goshen County; Bob Grant, Platte County, and Democrat H. L. Jensen, Teton County, all incumbents.

Non-incumbents include Republicans Gary Lynn Yordy and Louis Mandis, both Laramie County; John Rankine, Hot Springs County, and Mary Behrens, Natrona County, and Democrat Len Edger-ly, Natrona County. the nation's capital, Halvorsen urged WTA members to write to Congress urging the defeat of a bill limiting the use of lie detector tests. Wyoming trucking executives should also remind congressmen of their support of measures allowing the use of long trucks some measuring one-third the length of a football field in 17 western states, Halvorsen advised. Halvorsen warned the group strong lobbying efforts are needed if they are to remain in business. "They will tax us out of business if we let them.

We will just have to keep reminding people again and again that we are the highest taxed industry and we can't take any more. "We are everyone's favorite whipping boy because we are not as involved politically as we should be. We cannot compete with the doctors, the realtors, the railroads and the Teamsters," Halvorsen told the Wyoming trucking officials. Halvorsen said the trucking lobby "TRUCK-PAC" is only supported by 12 percent of the ATA's members, and has 5 percent as much money as the Teamsters political action committee fund. But Halvorsen said the trucking industry has had good "cooperation" from Wyoming's three-member congressional delegation.

The lobbyist suggested the WTA members contact Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson to voice their opposition to a measure limiting the use of lie detector tests. Halvorsen said the polygraph tests are "the best tool we have for keeping bad drivers off the road." that opposition to the project would have continued to mount because of the precedent-setting nature of building a generating station within a national park. Councilman Paul Brunn was glad to see the project shelved. "I don't think the town's resources would be best spent on what would be a long-term battle," he said.

Town Administrator Mel Webb suggested that the Salt Lake City firm of Moran Associates be advised of Jackson's decision since it too had filed for a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission permit to conduct a feasibility study on the project. The firm withdrew its permit application when Jackson officials filed their application. State workers willing to forego raises for economy i Thunderstorm crosses state CHEYENNE (AP) The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch until 8 p.m. Friday for portions of northeastern Wyoming as an unstable air mass over most of the state was expected to trigger large hail, dangerous lightning and damaging winds. Crook, Weston, and northern Converse and Niobrara counties were pinpointed for the severe thunderstorm watch, including the towns of Sundance, Moorcroft, Newcastle, Mule Creek Junction, Bill, and Redbird, the Weather Service reported.

Pen inmate given life sentence RAWLINS (AP) A Wyoming State Penitentiary inmate has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of first-degree murder in the April stabbing death of another inmate. Frank Lopez, 40, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the charge filed in connection with the April 2 death of Steven Montez and was sentenced by state District Court Judge Robert Hill. Montez was found in his maximum security cell suffering from multiple stab wounds and died in a Rawlins hospital the same day. Lopez, now serving a sentence for burglary, is to begin a life imprisonment sentence stemming from a 1979 murder when his burglary sentence ends. Hill said Lopez' newest sentence will begin when he completes the sentence handed down in the 1979 murder.

Jackson residents say Anschutz OK'd JACKSON (AP) Anschutz plans to drill for oil in the Bridger-Teton National Forest along Mosquito Creek already have been approved, according to several area residents opposed to the project. No official decision on the project has been made, but letters sent to the Jackson Hole News said Jackson District Ranger Joe Kinsella had decided last week to give his approval for the project. District Ranger Al Reuter said Friday afternoon that he still was reviewing the environmental assessment prepared on the project and that a ruling probably wouldn't be made before Wednesday. "I'm still chewing on it," he said. "We received the EA about three o'clock, and we're analyzing it." One of the letters received by the newspaper, written by Bruce Simon, said Kinsella had made the decision but wasn't going to announce it publicly until the environmental assessment was i Lobbyist: Trucking industry pays highest taxes '1 4 i Star-TribuneFile photo it would cost $3.2 million this year to build the generating station, time needed to put it out to bid would push the actual construction back to 1988, when it probably would cost $4 million.

Jackson Mayor Bob Shervin agreed that the project wasn't needed. "I see no sense in going on with something like this," he said. Shervin said a large part of the problem with the project was the opposition to it from environmentalists. The controversy surrounding the proposal began when the Interior Department told Jackson officials that hydro projects are inconsistent with the purposes of national parks. Critchfield also told the council Jackson council halts hydro project "There's no resentment against the governor," Reynolds said, "He's been great for state employees traditionally and I don't think any of them feel betrayed.

They just don't. That's not what we're getting back from them." When rumors about a pay freeze first started circulating, the WPEA board asked the association staff to contact Herschler to make sure the move was absolutely necessary. "We came back and said it is absolutely necessary," Reynolds said. "The feedback I'm getting from employees is that they think it is really necessary." State employees received an average 5 percent pay raise in 1985; 2 percent in 1984; and a flat $25 per month increase in 1983. The governor's executive order excludes the legislative and judicial branches of state government.

Reynolds said he did not detect any feeling of resentment by executive branch employees because the other two government branches will not be affected by the pay freeze. Herschler said earlier he would talk to Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard V. Thomas about budget cuts for the judiciary. Thomas could not be reached for comment Thursday. Retiring House Speaker Jack Sidi, R-Natrona, said Thursday the Legislature may curtail interim committee meetings in an attempt to save costs.

Herschler said Thursday that the budget, after the cuts, is at about the same level as during the two-year biennium that ends in June. By JOAN BARRON Star-Tribune capital bureau CHEYENNE State workers are disappointed to lose their scheduled pay raises, but are ready to do their part, a Wyoming Public Employees Association official said. Gov. Ed Herschler last week froze a 3.2 percent pay raise for executive branch employees that would have gone into effect July 1. That freeze was to last at least eight months.

Agencies also were instructed to assume the freeze would continue for two years, unless state revenues rebound. If the freeze should last that long, it would also block 2.5 percent raises scheduled at mid-bien-nium. Overall, it would cut employee income over the two years by an average of 4.5 percent, with the biggest effect in the second year, when average pay would be reduced by 5.8 percent. The freeze was part of $78 million in spending cuts ordered by Herschler to compensate for falling state revenues. Bob Reynolds, WPEA deputy director, said Thursday that while state workers have "sacrificed" much pay in recent years, they realize the state's revenue situation is serious.

Reynolds said he understood the state budget division pulled out the pay raise package as a "paper transaction." He said the governor can rescind his executive order and the pay freeze if the state's revenue picture improves. JACKSON (AP) Jackson officials, citing environmental concerns and marginal profitability, have decided against proceeding with plans to install a hydroelectric generating station at the Jackson Lake Dam in Grand Teton National Park. The city council took that position after Councilman Jim Critchfield, an engineer who has closely reviewed the proposal, recommended against it. "It is my opinion that further pursuit of the proposed hydroelectric project should not be attempted by the town," Critchfield said in a letter to the council. "If it were my personal dollars, I would look elsewhere for lower risk investment opportunities." While Critchfield projected that.