By Ernie Over
WyoToday
The city of Riverton receives direct distribution funding each year from the state, which is typically allocated for one-time usage. A portion of that funding is dedicated to local programs and organizations whose work benefits the city, according to City Administrator Kyle Butterfield. He noted that organizations are not city departments. Last year, Butterfield said the city council approved $270,500 in the program. This year, there were $603.661.42 in applications. The city council will, during its budget deliberations, determine the amount, if any, to grant to the requests. There are 17 applications this year.
• Central Wyoming CATS – $10,000 for interactive educational activities;
• Child Development Services of Fremont County – $100,000 to expand services and add two teaching positions;
• Eagle’s Hope Transitions Center – $49,661.42 for utilities and property insurance;
• Family & Community Support Team – $10,000 to provide individuals and families with financial assistance with housing, food, transportation, child care, evaluation fees, substance abuse evaluation, parts to fix a furnace, cleaning and other emergency needs;
• Injury Prevention Resources – $7,500 for roadway safety education, Intensive DUI Supervised Probation and the Intensive DUI Monitoring programs.
• Juvenile Justice Services of Fremont County, aka Youth Services – $35,000 for Riverton Youth Services probation officer salaries and benefits who provide in-depth intake interviews, drug and/or alcohol urinalysis screening, ankle monitoring, moral reconation therapy, etc.;
• Legion Post 19 Riverton Raiders Baseball – $7,500 for concession stand upgrades, including a commercial ice maker;
• PAWS for Life – $75,000 to improve the shelter’s living conditions, purchase of a new bath station, a larger capacity hot-water heater and repairs of dog and cat kennels that are 19 years old and in disrepair;
• “R” Recreation – $135,000 to operate a community recreation program for the city of Riverton and create new programs;
• Riverton Adult Softball Association – $15,000 to begin fixing and upgrading the softball complex off Smith Road;
• Riverton Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center – $50,000 to create tourism awareness and develop attractions, destination package development, beautification programs, signage, education, economic development and provide a community meeting space;
• Riverton Little League – $3,000 for utilities and field maintenance including chalking the fields and new clay bricks for pitching mounds;
• Riverton Senior Citizens Center – $31,000 for a new roof on the Sr. Center owned bus garage;
• Riverton Swim Club – $5,000 to host one or two swimming meets that would bring three to serve teams to the city for each event;
• Riverton Volunteer Firemen – $5,000 for the RVFD’s benevolent fund, the RVFD reserve account and mutual aid account;
• Volunteers of America Northern Rockies – $55,000 to fund Center of Hope operations and up to two additional social detox beds; and
• Wind River Heritage Center – $10,000 for walls and partitions and electrical updates for a public meeting space inside the museum, and a visitors center office at the entrance to the museum. The museum will now be the offices for the WyRiverton Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center.