Local government leaders from throughout Yuma County got together for a meeting last week in Wray.
The Yuma County Commissioners and some county department heads, along with council members and administrative staff from Yuma, Eckley and Wray spent about two hours visiting at the Election Center.
Everyone shared what is going on within their respective communities, and the county, and challenges each are facing.
The one common topic Yuma Mayor Tim McClung revisited was the state of ambulance service in the county.
“Ambulance (service) is eating us alive,” he said. “Something is going to have to change.”
Wray Mayor Chad Deyle brought up ambulance service as Yuma and Wray both are spending significantly out of their General Funds to keep the services going.
McClung noted there have been meetings with the county’s four ambulance services to figure out a funding mechanism. Discussions have been had about a countywide sales tax for ambulance service, like Washington County has for ambulance and other health services. McClung said he prefers a property tax.
Deyle said he prefers a sales tax over a property tax due to the current agriculture economy.
Wray City Manager James Depue said the best way to get started is to hire a consultant service to help educate the public and get it done right, providing expertise to help with the process.
Yuma Councilwoman Terri Frame and Wray Councilman Ben Gardner both noted it starts with the commissioners, they would have to be the one to put a tax question on the ballot.
Commissioner Scott Weaver noted that counties throughout the country have the same issue. He said one model is to form a Yuma County Ambulance District, combining all four services into the district and it would be up to that special district to put a tax question before the county’s voters. Weaver noted Yuma County would not have to reinvent the wheel as many counties already are doing it.
McClung said something needs to get going soon or Yuma likely will have to start cutting back its service starting in 2026.
Yuma County Commissioner Mike Leerar questioned if the four ambulance services would be willing to relinquish their own control if combined into a special district.
Depue said he worries a new special district would have a harder time getting a tax question passed. He suggested that perhaps that the Yuma and Wray municipal governments could work with the county’s two hospital districts to present a mill levy to the county’s electors.
Ambulance service discussion will continue with the four services’ leaders as well as the local government representatives.
It was noted by more than one meeting participant that county residents that live in the unincorporated Yuma County make a minimal contribution but get the benefits of services provided by the municipalities. It was mentioned there is a need in Yuma and Wray to draw in those who live outside of the city limit to somehow help share the cost burden of providing services.
Yuma
McClung updated the meeting participants about Yuma, such as the city manager search, and key issues such as housing and budget, as well as streets. The city is playing catchup in regards to streets, but the current council is up to the task.
He provided the recent history of the swimming pool situation. He said the hope is to have a pool opened by 2027.
When it was mentioned that Yuma cannot even get its citizens to approve a tax on other people (lodging tax), McClung said the city and council are working hard on building up trust with the public.
Eckley
Mayor Bud Hagemeier said the sewer ponds put in five years ago were not compacted correctly, and winds have torn up the liners. Eckley has settled litigation with the general contractor and the liner company, and work is starting on fixing the problem.
Eckley is looking into upgrades at its park, including maybe a splash pad and an outdoor public restroom. The Eckley Volunteer Fire Department has had a quality pumper truck donated to it from Aurora.
Several houses for sale in Eckley have sold recently.
Wray
Depue reported that there are plans for a city complex at the former site of Buchanan Middle School, including city hall and more. He said the city is working with the nonprofit daycare center of located a new one on the west end of that property, but it will be up to the daycare leaders if they can get that done. The Wray Museum has been bequested funds for a new museum.
Deyle said 40 new houses have been built in Wray the last two years, crediting the new Black Shirt Feeders feedlot straddling the Colorado-Nebraska state line for having a key role in that.
Depue discussed the need of Highway 34 in town needed resurfaced and the difficulty in obtaining CDOT and federal funds. He said road infrastructure funding is the toughest to come by.
Yuma County
Commissioner Adam Gates said the county has plans to rebuild 40 to 45 miles of county roads this summer. The effort is focused on high volume roads.
“The biggest thing we hear about is roads,” he said.
There also was talk about solar and wind power projects.
There was discussion at the meeting’s end about when to have another countywide gathering. McClung said he would like to have them quarterly.
However, the overall consensus was to have another one in six months as everybody had a lot of meetings to attend.
Yuma County hosted last week’s meeting. The City of Yuma likely will host the next one, which should be sometime in September.