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October 15, 2015 7
news letter journal
from page 1
,themselves. He maintained
'Ithat the Planning and Zoning
Board is simply enforcing state
.2 statutes pertaining to subdivi-
tlsions, and that in the interest of
[maintaining the board s integ
W rity, its members refrain from
{ providing advice or assistance
ggto applicants outside the formal
','review process due to what he
:said were the problems that
(tends to lead to, based on past
,1 experience.
There s also been a
comment that s gotten back to
us as a board that it takes too
long, Dunford noted. What s
the time frame? All of that is
contingent upon the applicant
doing what s on the list. We
meet once a month. If you pick
up your packet and you ve got a
" small subdivision, let s say, and
f'lyou ve got to do the mailing.
7 You ve got to mail everybody
"within a thousand feet. We can t
"help with that. As an indepen-
dent board we give them the
I"rules and regulations that they
jneed to follow, but we can t
f assist in the performance of
"those things
" The board also declines to
offer contingency approvals,
'Dunford mentioned, due to the
tendency for applicants not to
{follow through on those items to
2(be completed, a situation com-
,pounded by the county s lack of
enforcement mechanisms.
,~ Planning and Zoning Board
"Member Mathew Ramsey
suggested that some of the
fault may lie with the current
lprocess, which he said he had
recently tested himself by
a
i
2,
i
from page 1
stopping in to the courthouse
building to request subdivision
information. He reported that
due to the absence of Morrison
and Lehman on that particular
day, he was unable to obtain
the necessary information and
paperwork.
Had I been a landowner
and walked in there on that
day, it would have been an
absolute waste of my time
he suggested.
I do think that there s some
misunderstanding as to the
process, Ramsey continued
If they go meet with Fran
[Lehman], they may not even
know the questions to ask.
Commissioner Tracy Hunt
suggested that a letter or cov-
ersheet that clearly explains
the process involved could be
distributed to applicants when
the application fee is paid to the
clerk s of ce.
If they knew on the front
end what they re in for, there
may be some of them who
decide not to go forward, Hunt
speculated.
There was general agree-
ment that such a letter would be
helpful, both from those present
and Planning and Zoning Board
Member Nicole McFarland,
who attended via phone.
Dunford said the board
would endeavor to draft such a
letter and present it to County
Attorney William Curley for
legal approval.
I don t think it s a problem
to come up with an introductory
letter to explain that this is a
process and that it s going to
take time and some real effort
to do, and there may be some
expense incurred, Dunford
commented.
Also addressed during the
discussion was the possibility of
updating the county s land use
plan, which Dunford described
as considerably out of date.
County Attorney William
Curley questioned whether the
political will to make such
changes to the plan exists, to
which Commissioner Marty
Ertman commented that though
opening up the entire plan
might not be advisable, spe-
Ci c amendments to it W011 ' t lsp0t replacement, you ll
have a
be workable. I v '
Dunford stated that land
use plans don t create zoning in
and of themselves and that he
believed resistance to updating
the county s plan that emerged
when changes were discussed
several years ago was based on
that mistaken assumption.
Hunt suggested that before
addressing the issue, a study
of communities across the
Western part of the country be
conducted that looks into why
some have grown gracefully
while others have not. He said
he would be willing to see the
county support such a study
nancially in order to use it as
a guide for decisions on Weston
County land use.
A downloadable copy of the
county s subdivision rules and
regulations can be found on
the county s website at http://
www.westongov.com/ depart-
ments/ growth development/
index.asp
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Dedic declared.
The weather is helping us. I think it s
bene cial We are on a downward trend, he
predicted. He did, however, acknowledge the
ongoing threat of the Mountain Pine Beetles to
state, federal, and private lands, and reiterating
the need for residents to contact the WSF when
infested trees are detected.
Why do I care what their forest looks like?
Why are we spending good Wyoming money?,
Dedic said in answer to rhetorical questions
a personmay. askwthemselves .whenthey nd
infected trees on their land: The answer to those
questionsriis- simple, according to Dedic, who
noted beetles do not follow fence lines, and don t
restrict themselves to strictly Forest Service land
- or vice-versa.
Dedic explained that there are many ways
for the public to determine whether or not trees
on their land are infested, or just under attack,
noting that Mountain Pine Beetles may attack a
tree without a successful infestation. Sure signs
of a complete infestation include frass, blue
stain fungus and dying wood, and the fading of
needles in early summer. Dedic noted that pitch
tubes are another sign of Mountain Pine Beetles
but are not necessarily a sign of total infestation.
Frass is a term used to describe wood dust that
is pushed out of the hole as the beetle infests the
tree and lays their eggs underneath the bark. Blue
Stain Fungus develops after a tree is infested and
is a sure sign of the beetles presence in the tree.
The fungus will start to appear in November,
but the fading of the needles will occur in early
summer after the beetle has left for the next tree.
The fading is a sure sign that the tree is dead
following an attack by the Mountain Pine Beetle.
In the summer the adult beetles are in the
process of leaving their host tree to attack a
new tree, Dedic said while explaining the one
year life cycle of the Mountain Pine Beetle. He
continued that the flight of the Mountain Pine
Beetle, which can travel at any distance neces-
sary to nd a proper tree, peaks in mid August
and ends in October. After picking their next
target, the adult beetle will bore up in the tree,
just under the bark, and lay their eggs.
In September and October the eggs that have
been laid under the bark will begin to hatch and
the larva stage will begin. The larva stage is
completed throughout the winter months, and
as the weather warms the larva reach their full
size. The pupa stage then begins. I is the stage
in which the larva changes to the adult form,
and it occurs in April to June. After the beetles
reach the full adult stage, they group together and
begin to fly at the same time to move forward
and attack a new tree.
The first indication of a tree that has been
attacked is the pitch tubes. If pitch tubes are iden-
ti ed, the next step is to look for frass, along.the -, .
bottom of the tree. One sure re way to identify
if your tree is Under attack, accordingssto Dedic,
is to chop into the bark and look for Blue Stain
Fungus. Once you have chopped into the back
galleries, the tracks throughout the wood made
by the beetle, may also be visible.
The Wyoming State Forestry Division uses
a process of cut and chunk to address the issue
of the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation. This
process includes identifying an infected tree,
Cutting the tree down and then chunking it into
smaller portions. This process keeps the beetles
from flying to another tree and Dedic announced
that they prevent 80 percent of the beetles from
flying if the tree is chopped and chunked at the
right time.
Dedic also con rmed that the Wyoming State
Forestry Division is continuing to look for new
techniques for stopping the beetles in their tracks
and bring an end to the epidemic.
Pheromone pouches hung on the trees have
also seen good results in keeping trees safe from
infestation, but Dedic made it very clear that
once Blue Stain Fungus is present there is no way
to save the tree.
One hundred and twenty-eight degrees is
fatal to the beetles 30 days at 30 below would
kill them all off as well, declared Dedic, who
joked that these options are not necessarily favor-
able to anyone.
' Dedic concluded that the Wyoming State
Forestry Division continues to do everything they
can to aid in solving the Mountain Pine Beetle
epidemic and encourages anyone who faces
infestation on their private land, or notices it on
state or federal land, to contract the Wyoming
State Forestry Division.
Locally owned businesses recirculate 70% more
money back into our community.
14 West Main Street - 746-2777
Bookfest Feast
A Breakfast and Fundraiser for Raising Readers in Wyoming
Saturday, Oct. 24
8 am. ll a.m.
Weston County
Senior Center
627 Pine St. in Newcastle
Free Breakfast
Basket Auction (Deadwood Trip 8: more)
Resource Tables
Storybook Characters
Story Time Reading Sessions
V .
The Families of Patrick Talbot Ally Toth would like to take this
opportunity
to express our sincerest appreciation for the thoughtfulness presented to
us
and love we have been given during our time of bereavement.
The Visits, Prayers, Money, Food, Cards, Flowers/Plants were greatly
appreciated! A special thanks to Upton Fire Ambulance, Upton Police,
Wyoming Highway Patrol, Weston County Hospital The VFW of Newcastle.
Mike Sherry Worden of Worden Funeral Directors for their care. Donna
Kennedy for your guidance in celebrating Patrick's Life. We love you!
To the entire Communities of Upton Newcastle for your continued
generosity, kindness and support for our Precious Bentley and his mom
Ally,we have no words to express our gratitude. Thank you all! How truly
- blessed we are to live in such a great place!
Shelley Talbot, Bob Sutherland, Ally
Toth Bentley, Craig Talbot, Sherry
Scribner, Rich Melody Toth
Door Prizes (Dress in costume not scary-
for an extra Door Prize ticket)
Donate a gently used children s book
for a chance to Win a Kindle Fire
(Books will be donated to the BookMobile)
Raising Readers in Wyoming encourages
parents to read to their young children by
providing beautiful new books as part of their
Well Child Health Care visits
Bless you all,
This event sponsored by these local businesses.
More to be recognized at the event.
4.
Weston County
Library mg
Stream
(enmaciem
THE WAY IANKHIG S OULD 6E
Weston County
Gazette
For more information please call
Dan at 680 7883, Brenda at 746-2206, or Denice at 941-40 .