Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 12

A12 Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo Wednesday, December 2, 1992 Areli Budget College Among other things, Maier asserted that commission staff have not served "as an advocate for community college education and services in Wyoming. Rarely has the staff publicly recognized the successes of the colleges or the daily benefits received by Wyoming citizens." Instead Maier noted that "the si. ill has icpeatedh criticized and denigrated the colleges, both individually and collectively, in public loi inns and in the press." flic Staff response to the 'en rollmenl audit' including the ranking of offending colleges to the pies, is one example," wrote Maier. The results of a system-wide audit released in April characterized Eastern Wyoming College as the school ith the "largest number of problems" in the way it reported enrollment figures to the stale As a result of the audit, the school voted to terminate requests for $150,000 in annual state aid to three off-campus instructional programs, Colleges receive a share of state funds based on the number of full-time equivalent students or FTE's enrolled at a particular community college.

Maier also faulted staff for "the handling of the Bob Neeb issue" which, he said, suggested a "damaged relationship" between the commission and the university. Neeb acted as a jointly-funded liaison between the University of Wyoming and the colleges until Meznek terminated the commission's contribution to the position. Six of the seven presidents supported the no-confidence motion and a seventh recently appointed Laramie County Community College President Charles Bohlen abstained "due to a lack of history." Maier on Monday refused to discuss ihc contents of the letter, but did say the letter was an "accurate representation" of his views. The presidents fell we had a need to express an opinion lo the trustees, because they are the ones who deal with the commissioners We expressed our opinion to the trustees and they took it from thai point." Maici s.iul According lo I aramie County Community College trustee oin Hauman, the trustees group "over-whelmingly" endorsed the presidents' letter and directed the trustee group's president, Linda Hebout, to make a report to the college commission. Hut Hauman s.ud he did not agree with the trustees' endorsement.

Hebout declined to discuss the presidents' letter or any subsequent actions taken by the trustees' group. "It was an internal matter that we handled internally." said He bout. "Wc have every right to discuss it privately. We have a responsibility to discuss it privately. I don't care to comment on it any further than that." Commission Vice Chairwoman Kate Missett said members were "surprised" by Hebout 's presentation "and still left wondering what it is they wanted us to do." Rosebud awaiting permits for plant CASPER Rosebud Energy has obtained environmental permits for a petroleum-coke burning power plant near Billings, but is still awaiting approval from that state's Public Service Commission.

A recent Star-Tribune story incorrectly reported the status of Rosebud's Hillings plant. College Piesulcni JoAnnc Mut-I arland and I astern Wyoming Communitv ollcge President Roy Mason both declined to comment on the vote. "Had we wanted to discuss this issue in public, we would have gone about this whole thing dif-i cicntly MacFurlund said. Menek says he's "not all that surprised" that at least some college presidents are dissatisfied with his work. "I don'l do this job to make friends," Menek s.ml Menek, however, s.ml he was "offetlded' by the presidents' decision to "operate in secret" by not involving any of the commission staff in discussions regarding their concerns, "I his basically amounts to a kangaroo court ith little or no opportunity rot a i espouse, he '-nil "I think tins whole issue of the no-confidence vote is encased in thai larger issue of the commission's role and the role of staff since 1985 the commission has had broad and sweeping statutory authority.

Since I've been here, we have tried to delineate what that authority is, We have not tried to expand that authority. We have merely attempted to implement it." Maier's Oct. 1 2 letter outlined a list of complaints that led to the no-confidence measure. "We vote no confidence in the commission staff and we urge local boards of trustees to consider a vote on the same question." wrote Maier. Maier wrote that the six had concluded "the commission staff is unable to provide effective leadership for the Wyoming Community College System The letter said that conclusion was based on a number of "concerns regarding the commission staff." WttMMtl I I He said Ihe discussion will) the Republican legislators also could include removal of tax exemp lions ami further siale government program cuts, as well as tax increases )ne ol the major challenges of the WS session, he said, will be for lawmakers lo resist the temp lalion lo spend Sl2 million in one time funds for schools or olhei ongoing government operations, I he one time bump iii hinds is the result of the state's change to a new accounting system in com piiancc iih Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ((iAAI'l Sullivan is recommending the $35 million ol ihe V2 million in One-time funds be used for public school capital ci nstructioni $15 million foi deferred maintenance $14 million for worker's compensation.

1 0 million lor the education tntlt fund, $5 million for the University of Wyoming lor debt service, and to re itore the stale's endowment. Sullivan said he will rccom mend thai Ihc 1 4 million for the worker's compensation program be used to reduce the program's 1 50 million unfunded liability. Since much of that liability was built up during the boom years by employers who have since left the stale, is not fair to expect current employers to foot the bill, he said. Sullivan also said thai while there musl be an increase in cm ployer premiums for worker's compensation he docs nol intend to allow increases proposed by the Stale Division of Workers' Compensation to go into effect. A hearing on those proposed rales began I uesday in heyenne.

In his executive branch supplemental budget, the governor is recommending nearly $2S million for Ihe Department of Health, including 1 7 million for Medicaid benefits for needy people. The budget also includes $2 million for the Department ol family Services, primarily for increased A I OC caseloads; $1.5 null ion for the I reasurcr Office for investment management and the expansion of eterans' tax exemptions; $310,000 for the Department of Agriculture; $300,000 for the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Lducation, and $250,000 for Ihc Department of Audit for increased mineral and excise tax audits. Rivei Projects, said the reservoir could fill to the high water mark in a single rams season il Ihe precipitation levels weie within 10 percent of historical highs. Asked if BuRec had any recourse lo protect the reservoir in the event of a maximum walei sup ply year. Randolph said the Bureau of Land Management "manages that aspect of things for us" through an sgrectnenl Ith BuRec Lynn Rust, duel ol Ihe state Bl Mining I aw and Solid Minerals Branch, said if the water line reached its high mark ihe reservoir, all the Bl could do is ask the slate lo lake action lo gel ihc spoil pile removed from the buffet zone.

Randolph said he has made informal comments to the DEQ expressing his concerns regarding the overburden near the reservoii Randolph did not list tftOM concerns, inn said he fell the tnettei was being addressed appropriate ly by both the DEQ and the BLM DV.Q Director lleinnier said that even if the reservoir did reach lis high water mark, the 1)1 would have to determine if the reservoir would actually be harmed if the overburden met it. The DEQ'S Shaffer, meanwhile, said the DEQ did not issue an order telling Arch to discontinue activity in the one because "there really wasn't anything to cease "What had happened had already happened," Shaffer said, "it was apparent lhai they should nol do that again. I think that was witnessed by the penally." lie said. The $22,000 assessment levied against Arch of Wyoming warns il and other companies not to violate the stipulations of their mining permits in Wyoming. Shatter said.

"While in a lot of cases it may not seem like a large enough penalty, it gets their attention, because these penalties cost a lot of legal time to the company," Shaffer said. "Let's face ft," added Hemmer, "unless we go for some horrendous costs, the costs (of the penally are probably within everyday operational costs I don't know what a tire costs on that equipment anymore, but it's a bunch of money The "bigger impact" to companies is the risk that they run into if they establish a pattern of violations in the state or elsewhere, he said. If such a pattern of violation develops, existing mining permits could he revoked and future permits denied, he said. The fine levied against Arch was one of seven the DEQ has issued against various companies for violations of Land Quality Division regulations since July I of this year, Shaffer said Unlike the EPA the DEQ does not publicize its fines, he said Continued from A I The slate Department of Environmental Quality lale lust year issued a notice of violation and financial penalties totalling $22,000 to Arch for piling spoils from its Medicine Bow coal mine near Manna within a prohibited butler one. The one was designated in Anil's milling permit to protect nearby Seminoe Reset voii from sediment deposits.

Arch contested the violation, arguing that the buffer one was less extensive on some leases than on others, and thai lis activity was in fael allowed under its mining permit, Hut in a January HW2 decision, DEQ Director Dennis Hemmer wrote that "it appears" Arch officials "have decided the course they ill lake, permit be damned," and Memmer upheld the violation. Arch also tried to convince the DEQ that a $22,000 fine was too high, but "the argument that the assessment is excessive ignores the condition and the magnitude of the incursion into the buffer one," Hemmer wrote. Less than 10 acres within the prohibited area have been disturbed, said Larry Kmoch, an official in the Bureau of Land Management's Rawlins office who has toured the site. In a March 1992 settlement stipulation. Arch agreed to pay $1 1,000 to the DEQ and to spend $11,000 on additional photographing, mapping and staking of the buffer zone.

Also under the stipulation, Arch agreed to reclaim the disturbed area, but not until "within three years of this agreement or when mining ceases, whichever comes first." "If conditions dictate, Arch may request additional time and the (DEQ Land Quality) Division will review such request considering the water elevation of the reservoir," the stipulation said. No environmental threat Roger Shaffer, director of the DEQ's Land Division, said recently the overburden pile poses no environmental threat to Seminoe Reservoir because the reservoir's water level is so low and so far away from the spoil deposits. "We looked at the water level in Seminoe, and we felt if we had some kind of sediment control around that which we do have, although its not as fancy as we'd really like to have it why as long as we've got that there's no runoff going to take anything into Seminoe Reservoir because the water level's so far down," Shaffer said. Seminoe Reservoir is administered by the Bureau of Reclamation, and Ken Randolph, assistant manager for BuRec's North Platte (jail Zimmerman, SD-27, Casper, chairman: John Rankine, SD-20, Wor-land; Henry H. R.

(Hank) Coe. SD-18, Cody. Agriculture, Public Lands, Water Resources: Bob Grieve. SD-I I. Sav-ery, chairman; Rankine, Cieringer.

Travel. Recreation. Wildlife: Coe. chairman: Cubin, Miller. Corporations, Elections, Political Subdivisions: Bob LaLonde, SD-17, Jackson, chairman; Susan Anderson, SD-28.

Casper; Zimmerman. Transportation and Highways: Peck, chairman: Jim Twiford, SD-2, Douglas; Grieve. Minerals. Business. Economic Development: Twiford.

chairman. Robert Trent. SD-22, Kaycee; Lummis. Labor and Federal Relations: Scott, chairman; Enzi. Anderson.

Rules and Procedures: Dixon, chairman; Eddins, Scott. Journal: Trent. Nov. 24 special election in SD-23, Gillette, won by Republican Larry Gilbertz. The Republicans control the Senate 20-10 and all Senate committee chairmanships.

The 10 Senate Democrats will make their committee assignments Sunday Dec. 6 when they caucus in Rawlins. The complete list of Senate Republican committee assignments follows: Judiciary: Geringer, chairman; Cynthia Lummis, SD-5, Cheyenne; Carroll Miller, SD-19, Shell Appropriations: Kinnison, chairman; April Brimmer Kunz, SD-4, Cheyenne; Gilbertz, SD-23, Gillette. Revenue: Mike Enzi. SD-24, Gillette, chairman; Barbara Cubin.

SD-29. Casper; Bob Peck, SD-26, Riverton. Education. Health and Welfare: Check with us for Quantity Discounts and all your Party Nkkds! nr' Geringer Continued from Al Newcastle. During the 192 budget session, Geringer opposed the Republican Senate caucus position, which favored across-the-board cuts in state agency budgets.

Geringer openly advocated program cuts as a more responsible way to hold down state spending and balance the budget. Neither Dixon nor Geringer could be reached late Tuesday afternoon to comment on whether tfc switch in committee chairs was a disciplinary move against Geringer. a Wheatland farmer. Dixon said last week that, although he is solely responsible for the Senate committee appointments, he intended to consult with Sen. Boyd Eddins, SD-16.

Smoot, who will be majority floor leader next year, and with Vice-President-elect Sen. Charles Scott, SD-30, Casper. Eddins and Scott could not be reached either, nor could Kinni-son. Although the House Republicans and Democrats made their committee assignments earlier, the Senate held up their committee assignments because of the nere serving i lunch Monday A Saturday thru 'UouOTcnxil the holidays. Tomorrow's Mother 'ome enjoy our relaxing atmosphere 840 CY Ave.

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