The Year in Review

January

As the year began, locals who had hoped for Sundance to become the next big source of rare earth minerals were pleased to hear that Rare Element Resources was aiming to restart the permitting process for its planned mine in the Bear Lodge Mountains. Meanwhile, Oneok Pipelines announced that it would be constructing a second pipeline following the same route as the Bakken line through Crook County.

The City of Sundance began the process of acquiring the piece of property on which Central Office had once stood, while also passing an emergency ordinance to revise the definition of a “vicious animal” after a situation involving an escaped dog.

Bids for the project to renovate Old Stoney came in higher than had been expected, leaving the project half a million dollars in the red. Stateline No. 7 Architect began the process of going over the project line by line to see if it could be stripped down and, later in the month, the Crook County Museum District confirmed it would move ahead on the rejuvenation while fundraising for the remaining $200,000.

Crook County School District announced it was considering the idea of moving the school schedule to a four-day week and had issued a survey to stakeholders.

February

Winterfest returned for its fourth year as the snow continued to fall and was once again one of the biggest events of the year, with hundreds of revelers enjoying the ski joring, tube rides and bar stool races.

The Sundance City Council was frustrated to hear that talks to create a regional landfill appeared to have stalled completely. While Moorcroft and Sundance still wanted to find a countywide solution to the garbage issue, it appeared that the remaining entities in the county were less keen on the idea.

Senator Ogden Driskill aired his own frustrations as the City of Gillette declined to entertain the request for landowners near Carlile whose wells had suddenly run dry or acidic to hook on to its Madison water pipeline. Testing results from the Department of Environmental Quality showed that 25 wells in the area had been affected, though the cause had not been determined.

Driskill attempted to push the issue to a resolution with an amendment to the omnibus water bill that would require Gillette to allow Crook County landowners to tap onto their line in exchange for continued funding of the city’s water project.

Oneok began the land acquisition process for its new pipeline, while the school district confirmed that it had received a positive response to its idea for a four-day week and would be instituting the new structure for the next school year.

Hazmat teams responded to a 3000-gallon pine alcohol spill on the interstate after the trailer pulling a tanker failed to spot a vehicle traveling in the wake of a snow plow.

March

The Lady Bulldogs earned an unprecedented state win in the 2A division, a first for basketball anywhere in the county.

Contractors broke ground on the Old Stoney renovation project as work began to transform the main floor into a museum area and the lower floor into office space. The City of Sundance approved a proposal to create a conceptual plan for the park next to the old building.

Unable to convince the rest of the county of the need to find a solution for the garbage crisis, Sundance and Moorcroft decided to go it alone, working together to keep the last remaining landfill in the county open. Not long after, the county commissioners and the Town of Pine Haven suggested they might be willing to come on board.

Two suspects were taken into custody after a burglary at the Aladdin Store when images from the security cameras were shared with the public. The Crook County Sheriff’s Office received a tip based on the hoodies suspects were wearing in the photographs.

April

The county commissioners discussed the viability of asking voters to decide at the 2018 elections whether a mill levy should be used to fund a garbage district. Feeling there simply wasn’t enough time to organize such a move, they asked the Crook County Solid Waste Joint Powers Board to resume its research while County Clerk Linda Fritz explored the options to issue a survey to county residents.

Senior services across the county announced their hope to consolidate into a single, overall district with a board of trustees to oversee it and mill levy funding to support it.

Strata Energy announced it had submitted a request to amend its permit to mind, allowing the use of low pH recovery solution at the Oshoto mine. The hope, said the company, was to increase production rates.

Rare Element Resources announced that it would be unlikely to resume its permitting activities in 2018 after all, stating that the lack of funding made it uncertain that the company could see the process through.

May

The City of Sundance launched an economic development strategy study funded by the National Main Street program. Meanwhile, the city approved a bid to privatize its garbage collection while waiting to find out if a countywide solution would be possible and county officials explored the idea of joining forces with Weston County to create a partnership on the solid waste issue.

The county commissioners heard from resident Otto Schlosser that Little Missouri Road is in poor condition and becoming ever more dangerous due to bentonite hauling. Though not initially receptive to Schlosser’s suggestion to seek grant funding to pave a portion of the road, the commissioners suggested that the idea could not be taken further without a firm commitment from the bentonite companies.

Crook County Medical Services District announced a renovation project for the emergency department and CT scanner as well as end-of-life rooms for the comfort of patients and their families.

At the recommendation of Driskill, the city and the Old Stoney Restoration Committee applied to the Wyoming Business Council for funding to cover the shortfall caused by the bids coming in higher than anticipated.

June

Sundance residents enjoyed a street party to celebrate the 50th birthday of Croell Redi-Mix at the beginning of the month, with local country music superstar Chancey Williams taking to the stage.

A hailstorm took the county by surprise, bringing hailstones that reached the size of golf balls after a morning of sunshine and clear skies. Damage was felt across the area, including to countless vehicles and a number of roofs, sidings and windows.

Mayor Brooks announced he had been approached by Wyoming Rural Development with a proposal to partner on a project to bring natural gas to Sundance. The council heard that a survey had been performed to gather input on potential designs for the new park next to Old Stoney and also that a snag had been encountered on the project to cap the municipal landfill when several unexpected pockets of waste were uncovered during the dirt work.

The county commissioners meanwhile approved a resolution to add a four percent lodging tax to the ballot at the year’s elections and heard a progress report from Schlosser, who had moved ahead with preparing a grant proposal but had not yet been able to secure a commitment from the bentonite companies.

The City of Gillette announced it would be turning down state funding to continue work on its regional water system in response to Senator Driskill’s amendment. The city felt it would be better to wait until there was a better understanding of what had caused wells near Carlile to run dry or acidic and cited several concerns with the repercussions the amendment might cause.

July

The doors opened to the annual county fair under the theme of “Freedom, Flags and Friends”. The municipal pool opened for the year with a brand new water slide in place after several months of effort to install the new attraction.

Trails and roads in the north Black Hills remained closed after the hailstorm in June as the National Weather Service confirmed that two supercells had moved across the area and spawned a tornado that traveled from southeast of Sundance to Spearfish Canyon. The Forest Service worked for almost two weeks to clear debris and other hazards, including numerous snapped trees.

A second severe storm hit in the middle of July that brought enough hail in some areas that there were reports of snow plows clearing inches of it from the roads. Northeast Wyoming escaped the worst of the storm, but did experience hail, thunder, flash flooding and strong winds.

Crook County Medical Services District announced that its plans to revamp the ambulance were now complete, transforming the department from the traditional staff of volunteers to a hybrid agency that benefits from full-time paramedics. The hospital also announced that it had become the first in Wyoming to reach the top level possible in the annual federal review.

The Crook County Sheriff’s Department announced its deputies would now be carrying narcan, a substance capable of reversing the effects of an opioid overdose. The move was made in response to the growing problem of a new drug called fentanyl analog, just a few grains of which can be enough to kill.

August

Sundance was rocked on the first day of August to hear the tragic news that local man and city employee Doug Haar had been killed in a suspected homicide. A Crook County woman was also arrested on homicide-related charges after a crash on U.S. 212 when she pulled out in front of a group of motorcyclists after allegedly believing they were planning to turn.

Rally Week arrived more quietly than in years passed, although Wyoming Highway Patrol responded to five motorcycle crashes in the week leading up to the annual event. Law enforcement reported a quiet week with generally good behavior and a positive atmosphere.

A recount was necessary after the primary election, with several tightly contested races including one between candidates for the county assessor seat that saw just six votes between the incumbent and challenger.

The school year began with the promised new structure of only four days per week for students. The Forest Service asked the public to avoid areas of the Bearlodge Ranger District while heavy logging operations took place to salvage trees from the June tornado.

The City of Sundance considered whether it should continue to be in the “ambulance business” and began discussions of handing ownership of its ambulances over to the hospital district and its volunteer EMS crew as other towns in the county have always done. The council also passed its first reading of a new ordinance prohibiting people from depositing trash in receptacles around town unless they had paid the fee to do so.

FEMA asked the city to pay back the approximately $300,000 contribution it had made to the 2013 project to replace the Cole Water Storage Tank in a new location when it was found to be sliding off the hill. As the new site was on private land, neither the city nor the state and federal agencies involved in the project realized that a NEPA process should have been performed.

Mayor Steve Sproul of Moorcroft was unsuccessful in appealing the verdict of his 2017 trial for unlawful contact following a disagreement with a council member.

September

The Sundance Beer Festival attracted more visitors than ever as malt lovers crowded the streets to get a taste of the unique flavors on offer. A 91-year-old Florida man, Dr. Bill Weber, broke the record to become the oldest known person to ever have climbed to the summit of Devils Tower.

The county became involved in the battle to provide water to landowners in the Carlile area after heading a proposal from Harry Labonde, Director of Wyoming Water Development, that would see the county sponsor a grant to extend an existing part of the Madison pipeline. The county opted to apply for a water study to further investigate needs and possibilities in that area.

Residents along Douglas Road petitioned the commissioners to form an improvement and service district that would help to maintain and service portions of Kara Circle and Windy Way. After hearing arguments both for and against the district, the commissioners requested that names of landowners who would not benefit from the maintenance be removed.

Mayor Sproul of Moorcroft elevated his appeal against his misdemeanor conviction for unlawful bodily contact to Wyoming Supreme Court. The court declined to hear the petition.

The Sundance Food Pantry made the transition into a new home inside the Central Office building, leaving the city to consider its options to sell the old building it had previously occupied.

October

Main Street found itself covered in pumpkins and traversed by horse-pulled wagons during the annual Pumpkin Patch Festival, while the roads elsewhere were adorned with scarecrows both attractive and entertaining as Sundance competed to win the annual competition.

Members of the public were asked to comment on plans to discharge around 900,000 gallons of chlorinated water across Crook County land from the new Madison water wells, a step that needed to be taken before they can be brought online. Many expressed concern that the water would travel straight across private property.

City projects raced against the early onset of weather, but contractors were not deterred from attempting to finish their work. Pavers continued to work on the city streets and the new walking path continued towards completion.

The Old Stoney renovation project hit a snag when it transpired that excavating for the elevator required working underneath the level of the building’s footers – a potentially dangerous enterprise. Contractors announced that the project would likely be delayed around one month as they continued to work carefully and precisely to achieve the installation.

Wheatland man Christopher Nesius was found guilty by a jury of charges including aggravated assault and battery after a high-speed chase in 2017 ended in a collision that seriously injured a motorcyclist.

November

The general election yielded few surprises as Republicans swept the board in state-level seats and a number of incumbents won back their positions in county and city roles. Moorcroft and Pine Haven both welcomed new mayors, while an array of candidates for boards and districts left voters with a wide playing field to choose from.

Of those boards to be elected, Crook County Senior Services stood out as it was the first board to come together for the brand new district. Voters had approved a mill levy for senior services at the primary and the new board was formed to oversee the funding.

At the state level, Crook County celebrated a rare event when Senator Ogden Driskill was named Senate Vice President and Representative Tyler Lindholm was named Majority Whip, placing both legislators in leadership positions. The double achievement was believed to be unprecedented in this county.

The City of Sundance settled on a plan for its recycling services with the help of contractors Western Waste Solutions. The council agreed to a new deal that would continue operations in a similar way, while bringing the collection of recycling in-house.

Strata Energy was granted permission to perform a small-scale field test using low-pH lixiviant as part of the company’s request for an amendment to its permit to mine that would increase the mine’s productivity.

December

Christmas arrived in style with a number of festive events, including the Parade of Lights, a Ladies Night, a decorating contest and the annual raffle to win Sundance Bucks.

A resolution was reached in the ongoing battle to bring water to Carlile residents as the City of Gillette agreed to provide taps. The agreement will be brought before the legislature by Senator Driskill at the upcoming session.

Mayor Brooks and Clerk Treasurer Kathy Lenz were unsuccessful in their attempt to secure funding from the State Lands and Investments Board to repay the approximately $300,000 to FEMA for the relocation of the Cole Water Storage Tank. Though the board was not hostile to the request, the mayor reported that it unfortunately did not meet the required definitions.

The City of Sundance agreed to appoint Public Works Director Mac Erickson as its zoning code officer in an attempt to prevent citizens from building on to their properties without having first obtained the appropriate permit. Council members also heard that the timeline to obtain a permit to construct and open a new construction and debris pit was longer than expected, with an estimated six to eight months’ wait.