Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 13

star Wyoming Bl Friday, June 20, 1 986 Star-Tribune, Casper. Wyo. Link deposit biUOK'd Legislators split on bills' effect v. I By JOAN BARRON Star-Tribune capital bureau CHEYENNE Despite uncertainty that the right people will be helped, the Legislature has passed the "link-deposit" bill setting up a state-subsidized loan program for business and agriculture. Legislators were nearly split on whether the "link-deposit" bill will help the people it is supposed to help, Sen.

Dan Sullivan said Thursday. The Natrona County Republican said the lawmakers will be able to be to assess the program next year when they receive reports listing the borrowers of state-subsidized loan money. The bill, which went to the desk of Gov. Ed Herschler Thursday, will allow the state treasurer to invest up to $100 million of state deposits in commercial and agriculture bank loans in i Siar-I nbuncBill Willcox Sen. Robert Frisby, R-Park, who chaired the special committee on worker's compensation, listened to debate Monday Worker's comp staff: bill is 'big relief I TTTT A L.

available to the fund during the 1987-88 biennium, although legislators say that doesn't mean all of that money will be needed. As the bill passed out of the House earlier this week the emergency funding system was designed to tap into either the Budget Reserve Account or the Legislative Impact Assistance Fund, and some thought the Senate's decision to tie the emergency funding to the Permanent Mineral Trust Fund might doom the bill's acceptance in the House on Thursday. Woodward said she didn't care where the money came from. "The (emergency) funding pro- By KURT J. REPANSHEK Associated Press writer CHEYENNE Thursday's legislative approval of a bill designed to bolster the Worker's Compensation Fund sent a wave of relief through the Worker's Compensation Division, Director Ann Woodward said.

"It's going to take a while for it all to soak in," she said. "We were all so sure the last time Now that we've got it, it is a big relief. "At least now we know which direction we're moving in." The legislation is necessary to stem the monthly losses of hundreds of thousands of dollars that have devastated the fund, which has remained basically unchanged since 1913. In 1986, the monthly losses have been averaging $700,000 because more in claims are paid out than is received in premiums. Both chambers of the Legislature suspended their rules this week to rush the bill through.

It contains an experience rating system that will boost the premiums of businesses that have had a history of heavy claims against the fund. In spite of the ratings system, the bill also contains an emergency funding provision that will create a pool of money of mineral severance tax revenues that the state treasurer can tap if the compensation fund's balance of unencumbered funds drops below $6.5 million. That emergency funding system is expected to make $38 million Birr pleads not guilty to 4 drug charges GILLETTE Charles Edward Birr, 40, pleaded not guilty Thursday to four drug dealing charges in Campbell County District Coun, according to county Deputy Attorney Russ Birr continues to be held in the Campbell County Detention Center in lieu of $20,000 cash or surety bond, Hansen said. Campbell County Sheriff Spike Hladky has said Birr is a suspect in the March 1, 1985, deaths of Robert Bernard, 32, and Kathleen Bernard, 30, who were found with their throats slashed. More candidates file for legislative seats CHEYENNE Ted C.

Gert-sch, R-Albany, filed Thursday for re-election to the Wyoming Senate. Gertsch was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Sen. David Nicholas when he resigned to run for governor. Filing for re-election to the House Thursday were Reps. Bill Mcllvain, April Brimmer Kunz and Cynthia Lummis, all R-Laramie; Patti MacMillan, R-Albany and Johnnie Burton, R-Natrona.

Non-incumbents to file for the House were Democrats Richard Honaker, Sweetwater, Ronald P. Jurovich, Hot Springs, "Bad" Bob Wright, Lincoln, and Charles R. Ross, Carbon; and Republicans Ted Blair, Park, Richard Emond, Fremont, and Dennis O. Nate, Lincoln. State board honors Cokevillc school COKEVILLE (AP) The state Board of Education has honored the children and faculty of Coke-ville Elementary School with a Wyoming Award of Excellence.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Lynn Simons said Thursday the award will be given annually to a school that shows exemplary service. "The award is a very small token of the admiration we all have of how they perservered through that very terrible experience," Simons said. Apollo Drilling loses in court ruling CHEYENNE Apollo Drilling has lost its bid to avoid a lawsuit over a car accident involving a five-man crew. The Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that Johnson County District Judge James N. Wolfe properly refused to reinstate worker's compensation claims filed by the employees.

Apollo wanted Wolfe to rule the employees were covered by worker's compensation because the coverage would foreclose a lawsuit for damages. The accident occurred in August 1985 when a driller for Apollo, Gerald Barlow, was driving his four-man crew to a well in Johnson County. Barlow swerved to miss a deer and rolled the vehicle. Seevers, one of the passengers, died as a result of the accident. Barlow, Robert Lentz, Darold Gamble and Clifford Haux were injured.

Arch miners seek to keep dues in state HANNA Miners from Arch Mineral properties here will go to court Thursday seeking an injunction against the Progressive Mine Workers of America. Steven Wilcoxson, president of PMWA Local 1973, said a pcrma nent injunction is requested against the international organization to keep union dues paid by local members in Wyoming. The local union has filed suit against PMWA seeking some $20,000 in past dues which have not been returned to the local organization. The permanent injunction request was held Thursday in U.S. Federal Court.

Wilcoxson said. Legislative results CHEYENNE The following are the bills that passed and failed in the 4-day special legislative session that ended late Thursday afternoon. Passed: Expand coverage of the worker's compensation system, base payments on employers' claims experience and deliver the program a jolt of money to keep it from going broke. Allow investment of up to $100 million in state funds in bank loans to business and agriculture at interest rates 3 points under the market rate. Give the Department of Probation and Parole access to criminal records.

Allow waterfowl hunting with non-toxic shot in Goshen and Big Horn Counties this fall. Let the Wyoming Board of Agriculture set up a $250,000 fund to pay beekeepers for hives destroyed from grasshopper control spraying in 1986. express appreciation to Bill and Virginia Mcintosh for donating a stuffed steer to the state in honor of Gov. Ed Herschler. Appropriate $92,000 to pay for the special session.

Failed: A bill to require less complicated rules for the controversial pay-for-performance appraisal system for state employees. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Charles Scott, R-Natrona, died in a joint conference committee. A bill to raise the legal drinking age from 19 to 21. blem was definitely just a legislative decision," she said.

"As long as we have funds to carry us through to get us back on our own feet, it's up to the Legislature to decide where the money comes from." The bill also contains an $800,000 appropriation to be used to purchase a computer system to implement the ratings system. Management Systems Limited, a Canadian company that has by ill similar systems for four Canadian provinces and North Dakota, is expected to build Wyoming's system. But Woodward said she didn't plan to rush immediately to a telephone to order the system, which is expected to take a year to build. "We're going to need some time to look through the bill and digest," she said. The House approved the Senate-amended bill on a narrow 35-29 vote, and Woodward said she wouldn't be surprised if changes to the legislation were proposed during the Legislature's 1987 general session.

"There sounds like there may be some people here who want to make other modifications," she said. Companion legislation approved this week comes in the form of a proposed constitutional amendment that, if approved by the voters in November, would give the Legislature authority to extend the compensation plan to employees in non-hazardous jobs. The current system applies just to those whose work is considered "extrahazardous." BILL BUDD Critical of Industrial Siting Act duplication of that effort by the Industrial Siting Council. Donley said the council was originally set up to address the problems of a rapid influx of industry. "Industrial Siting has served its purpose.

It's done what it is supposed to do. We should get rid of it," Donley said. SULLIVAN Those 10-year loans must be made at interest rates of up to 3 points under the market rate. According to the Legislative Service Office, the program could cost the state a maximum of $3 million per year in lost interest. Critics of the bill said the availability of the subsidized loans were not properly restricted.

But attempts to limit the loan money to new businesses that would create new jobs failed. As the bill stands, the loan money can be used to refinance existing businesses and agriculture operations. Sullivan served on a joint conference committee that ironed out differences in the House and Senate versions of the bill. The bill requires banks to set fixed interest rates for the first five years of the loan, Sullivan said. The rate can be adjusted if the loan is renewed for an additional five years.

Sullivan said the state money will not be at risk because the banks must pledge 150 percent collateral on all state deposits. Because of the collateral requirement, not all banks in Wyoming will be able to participate in the program, according to Sullivan, a former banker. Wyoming By BETSY BERNFELD Star-Tribune correspondent MORAN With nearly half the jobs in Wyoming's minerals industry lost during the past five years, the president of the Wyoming Mining Association does not foresee a bright future for that industry in the state. Association president Lee Nugent, in an interview with the Star-Tribune, said there has been a 43 per cent reduction in the number of people employed in the mining industry in Wyoming between December 1980 and December 1985. And he said further reductions in the bentonite industry have occurred since then.

Seven candidates campaigning to become the governor of the Cowboy State also addressed the 31st annual convention of the mining association and offered a few specific proposals designed to help the industry. GOP candidate Russ Donley repeated his earlier promise to abolish the Industrial Siting Council if elected. The council reviews the social, economic and environmental effects of new industrial development to control its impact. The mining association, which consists of 45 mining companies mining group's head sees bleak future ahead Office of Strategic Resources in Washington, D.C. said the problems Wyoming is experiencing are happening across the board in the mining industry.

Domestic barriers to mining include energy costs that are twice as high as in most other countries, according to Wilson, and labor costs that are double Japan's and West Germany's and nearly five times more than some Latin American and African countries. Wilson also pointed a critical finger at costs associated with health and environmental safety regulations. He said that since 1972, when the National Environmental Protection Act was passed, America has spent more than $675 billion dollars on environmental controls. Wilson sharply attacked the U.S. policy of participating in international loans, which finance mineral production in competitive foreign countries.

Several gubernatorial candidates attending the convention offered some specific proposals regarding what state government can do to boost the minerals industry in Wyoming. Donley suggested job incentive tax credits in the coal, oil and gas, uranium and soda ash industries. Democratic candidate Mike and about 125 support industries, had a showing of about 250 members at the annual convention, which runs through Saturday at Jackson Lake Lodge. Nugent said that number is down frdm more than 1,000 who usually attend the organization's Jackson Hole convention. He attributed the lack of participation to the downturn in the minerals industry.

Nugent, who is employed by Pathfinder Mines Corp. in River-ton, said he did not see many bright lights on the horizon for mining. While the oil industry in the past has experienced a number of booms and busts, Nugent said, "never have I seen the kind of reduction of work force in the oil industry that we have seen this time." From the drastic reductions, Nugent said he infers a long term slowdown in the oil and gas sector. Regarding the coal industry, "I don't see any significant changes forthcoming that will be beneficial," Nugent said. He said uranium mining may turn around after a gradual reduction of the current inventory so that it becomes more in line with supply and demand.

Wilson Director of the 1 -fc RUSS DONLEY Promises to abolish ISC Sullivan said he favored an oil import tax. Donley and fellow Republican Bill Budd, who once served as executive director fo the association, were very critical of the Industrial Siting Act. Budd said environmental concerns were "taken care of very adequately" by the Department of Environmental Quality, and the state does not need a.