Wheaterville.com :: Too much time on their hands

In which various people speak their minds in a reasonably coherent fashion.

Recap of Platte Cnty Commisioner Sob Fest

Bad Obama Bad Feds Magic Platte Commisioners

Bad Obama Bad Feds Good No Great Commish Lucky Platte County

S H?

Once a month or so the Platte Board of Commisioners gets to whine in the paper of record. I decided someone should put the highlights here, where people might read it.

First off, they whine about the bridges that have to be fixed on the Platte Road and Bridges paltry budget. Can you say "plan ahead"? They can't. "Suddenly" there are crappy bridges in Platte, and the feds aren't going to pony up the bill to pay for the fixing. Yes, the same feds that we don't want any money from.

Speaking of not wanting any money from the government, the Platte electeds had this gem to say:

"We will take a twelve percent increase in health insurance cost, due mostly to Obama Care. The new census numbers are out and Platte County lost population which means less direct distribution money from the state...These are very interesting times for Commissioners and the world."

Oh for Pete's sake. Health insurance cost is going up because of all the morons who don't have insurance, use the emergency room as their primary care physician, and then decide to let the rest of us pay their bill. Plain and simple. The commissioners get free health insurance and so does everyone who works for Platte County. They HEAR about increased health insurance costs but really should keep mouths shut when it comes to whining about how much it costs the rest of us!

Finally, they close with a little pat on the back to themselves for the fine, fine job they do, and how lucky the rest of us are to have elected their sweet butts to sit in the cushy seats one day a month and make decisions for us. Golly, I do feel blessed.

Sunday
11/13/11 8:47 AM

the citezen:

remember,the time when people got along? neighbors were friends,your parents visited there friends and us kids played outside till dark? Well my friends and neighbors just because " times changed " does not mean that we sould forget the old memories we have of good times. Just take a few minutes to reflect on 20 years ago or even 10 years ago,Dont let the "new ways " get in the way of your " old memories" Take the time to remember the things that make you happy. Neighbors can still be friends, Every time I see my parents Friends I smile and think how lucky Iam to still be able to say hello to them. enjoy life its the only one we have...

Tuesday
10/25/11 12:51 PM

Y'all bunch of HATERS:

Boo-Hoo!!!! cry me a river....so what if the county people are all related?? looks like it works. and ya know i have been here 10 yrs. all the locals are related...kinda creepy. and just because you didnt get the job with the county, city, or state, it's no reason to call it nepotism. HAPPY HALLOWEEN HATERS!!! oh, one more thing, if your employer doesn't cover your health insurance, pay for it ? I pay for mine!! it is what it is, right?

Saturday
10/22/11 2:58 PM

Tired of it.:

Before you call someone a moron for not having health insurance why don't you go through town and ask the employers how many of them offer it. Even the one's that offer health insurance keep their employee's at part time status so they still don't have to cover them.

Platte County employee's pay a percentage for their health insurance like any other company has their employee's do.

Not sure where you are getting your information from but you need to do your homework before your open your mouth and insert your foot.

Wednesday
10/19/11 1:29 PM

clairification:

County employees do pay for health insurance. And the state pays for employees to go to the Law Enforcement Academy. Turnover is high because many other county and state entities pay better than Platte does.

Wednesday
6/15/11 12:22 AM

County Tax Payer-Road User:

It seems like we have 2 seperate issues in this discussion:
1st Platte Co roads - here's a thought... take a drive east of Wheatland out to Deer Creek Rd - let me tell you folks don't bring your car as you will be dragging bottom w/the ruts but it's ok - as soon as you hit the Platte/Goshen Co line because Goshen Co road has already been graded! Yep! That's right Deer Creek Rd gets excellent care starting at the Goshen Co line heading east - and this is in ALL types of weather and road conditions.

2nd Insurance - I think it is fantastic that the County is able to help provide insurance for their employees - and a few years ago those employees had the choice - insurance or not - those who did not take the insurance received a small amount of additional pay. The insurance costs have been rising for years and years and has NOTHING to do w/Obama "care". in 2003 when I attended County meetings directly dealing with insurance for staff - so that tells me that this issue has been ongoing for at least 8 yrs!!!!!!

Folks - this is a county issue - there isn't money to keep up on the roads/bridges yet just a few years (since 2007) the county commissioners have managed to afford a pay raise for themselves AND completely remodel their hearing room/offices - and if you haven't seen them - they sure are nice!!!! The Sheriff's Office - has an incredibly high level of staff turn over - how much does it cost to send a person to training to be a deputy - just to have them go somewhere else? So I would guess that our issue is with department supervisors who aren't held accountable for their department and Commissioners for not holding those supervisors accountable!!!

Enjoy folks - but don't forget come election time!!!!!

Monday
6/13/11 2:57 PM

I live in the County too and I vote:

What is with all the county roads around here? Where have all the road graders gone ? Did they take the summer off ? My job takes me to many homes on Platte County Roads and these roads just seem to get worse and worse! Usually I would see a road grader out during my travels but in the last couple of months I haven't even seen them out at all and some of the ruts in these roads could swallow a Lincoln Town Car! I've called county maintence and that guy just says, "We're gettin to it." Is there anyone else that these people are accountable to? I've tried the County Commissioners and the response was, "We don't micromanage." Well I know who I won't be voting for in the next election. Is there any other way to get these people to respond and make them do what they get paid for?

Tuesday
6/7/11 8:49 PM

Agree:

I will have to agree about the roads. Most are not to good. Jim is to worried about trying to get some money out of the oil people. If he does it will make him look good.

Tuesday
6/7/11 2:21 PM

County Road Dweller:

Dear County Commissioners,
Jim Lockman spent a quarter of a million per grader for five brand new off the show room floor machines this year. Why does my county road still look like crap and rattle my poor vehicle to pieces? Jim, don't don't tell me its because I drive too fast or blame my neighbors for tearing up the road. Its called road maintenance and it has to be done regularly. I don't care to move to town I have lived here all my life and I do vote. I invite each of you three County Commissioners to actually take a drive on some of these roads and tell me exactally what that money was used for because my road has not seen a grader in several weeks! The insurance that that county employees recieve is the least of the mismanagement going on at the Platte County Road and Bridge Division. By the way, did anyone see the way the water was running OVER the roads a few weeks ago? Honestly, what do these guys DO anyway?

Sunday
5/22/11 12:34 AM

best jobs in wheatland:

county jobs are the best in wheatland for sure but you have to be related to someone to get one of them. Hartville got caught for nepotisim. Wheatland should be next. The whole county building on Thanksgiving and holidays is all at the same couple of houses because they are all related. County commish and Sherriffs same deal. And we pay them holiday pay while they do family reuninions. They should put it to the vote. they already hae the best jobs, they shouldn't get insurence too. Same for all the goverment. Tell barasso to give back his health insurence since hes so happy to give away mine.

Wednesday
5/18/11 8:55 AM

Why :

I dont understand why the county has to carry insurance for any of its employees. Let people buy their own, give them a choice. Either take a small raise in pay or take the insurance. I would just about bet you that most would take the raise in pay. This would CUT overall spending in the long run. When is the spending going to stop. Someone answer me this. Now that the fire hall is complete, when are the sales taxes going back to 5%. or how about trying to lower them. Does anyone ever try for goals in saving the consumer money? Heck No! its just spend, spend, spend!

Wednesday
5/18/11 1:12 AM

SkyeOwl:

Seriously, county commissioners? Healthcare's been going up double digits for several years, long before Obamacare. Try again.

Friday
5/6/11 5:30 PM

inquiring mindz:

Seems like the people who should be throwing the stink about that Paul Ryan health bill are those who are like 40 -54, since his plan will keep the 55 plus people covered and happy, but shaft the dickens out of the almost middle agers. They'll get a coupon for health care and have no where to spend it because ain't no way in hell an insurance company is going to cover fat smokers with or without pre-existing! Ryan's plan will have insurance companies laughing all the way to the bank and back again. Read it and weep. Really, read it. Dare you!

Monday
5/2/11 4:45 PM

WYO WITCH:

Is that for real? Your elected officials are claiming that "Obama Care" is to blame for rising healthcare costs? Guess they don't get out much. Insurance companies and the Republicans who lobby for them are the reason for skyrocketing healthcare costs, along with the uninsured. Smokers also add to the burden. They are an expensive habit for society!

Sunday
5/1/11 9:20 PM

Auntique Mame:

Dear "for the board": You may want to turn of Fox News and let your head clear. Or, wrap your baseball cap with an extra layer of heavy-duty tin foil. I find that often helps.

Dear Editor: I would like to know why all these foreign sexy ads are gracing the streets of the Wheaterville News. If I were not happily married to the opposite sex I might add, I would be having a hard time not looking. Shame on you for strewing temptation in my path. I am happy to have you to blame if indeed I do succumb and click.

Sunday
5/1/11 9:14 PM

for the board:

How dare anyone question what our Platte officials do when they over and over put thereselves out there for the good of all? They are right. Obama Care has done alot of bad. Obama got our troops into Iraq as well as trying to give us socialized health care. What good is health care you don't pay for? If you don't pay the doctors why would they work? I do use the emergency ward for my doctor because I can't afford a doctor if I have to pay for it and that's what i pay taxes for so lay off. Thank you to our board for fighting against taking federal money unless it is for our cattle. And also thank you for the board and our senator Bareasso for fighting the fight against healthcare!

Still No Apology from the National Guard!

See the slideshow below for more photos

Fred Osburne

1Note from Ace et al: Local and long-time rancher Fred Osburne lost buildings and fences, and 2,000 acres of his land was damaged by the 2006 fire set by the National Guard. Nicknamed the "Tracer Fire" because it started when Guernsey National Guard members fired live ammo rounds into dry grass on a windy day, the fire destroyed a total of over 13,000 acres. We're printing Osburn's letter here in Wheaterville because the story shouldn't fade away. And Osburn deserves an apology at least! The local papers never covered Osburn's side of the story. Instead, the Platte County Record Times quoted the National Guard's statement that the fire was "one in a million." Osburn and others challenged that, but the challenges were never printed. The following piece by Fred Osburn was finally printed in the Platte County Record Times in early January of 2008. He was told that it couldn't be printed as a Letter to the Editor. Instead, it was put on the back page of section two, in small font. And Osburn had to pay $1,500 for that. That just doesn't seem fair...and it sure ain't the Wheaterville way. We're gonna leave it up here until he gets that apology...

Click Here for a slideshow of some of the fire damage.

IT HAS BEEN 19 MONTHS SINCE THE NATIONAL GUARD SET THE TRACER FIRE ON THE NORTH RANGE. This June 13, 2006 fire caused by negligence burned approximately 13,000 acres including 2,000 acres of my property. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN APOLOGY FOR THIS. The damages to my property were very extensive. Miles of fence were burned which will take a lot of material and repair. The fire also ruined the north part of historic Sawmill Canyon and burned several buildings and corrals. Also the fire ruined grazing land and killed thousands of trees. The BLM recommends not to graze burned out areas for two years and the trees are not going to recover for 100 years. THE TRACER FIRE WAS ONE IN A MILLION” was a National Guard quote from the meeting held in July 2006. In the last 30 years, the National Guard has a very poor record as to fire prevention on the North Range and other ranges during training on their land. It has become routine for the Guernsey and Glendo Fire Departments to fight fire set by the National Guard. More than one instance the Guernsey Rural Firemen were stopped by the National Guard from going to a blaze on private property so the NG could continue to shoot artillery! The newspaper coverage of the Tracer Fire was terrible. None of the newspaper articles showed the destruction of private land and buildings. A few months after the Tracer Fire, the local editor was going to publish photos with an article on how the fire affected the landowners. That article never did happen. I think the Tracer Fire and the Chicago Mine Fire of 2006 were probably the two worst fires in northern Platte County ever. I’m guessing the two fires burned 28,000 to 30,000 acres of which approximately one-half of was caused by National Guard negligence. Another fire occurred west of Guernsey on Sept. 29, 2007. This one was set by ROTC during training. The similarities now are showing between this fire west of Guernsey in Sept., 2007 the Tracer Fire of June, 2006 and some of the California fires in October, 2007. They were all started by people in extremely high winds and severe drought conditions. According to the Guernsey paper, people were very uneasy about the west Guernsey Fire, as they should have been. This fire could have easily jumped over the river bed and been in town. Later at the council meeting, concerns about the National Guard fire policy were simply brushed aside with statements of “This is what we do.” Isn’t anyone outraged by this??? So far I’ve had NO APOLOGY and no help from the National Guard to repair the burned fences or to clean up the destroyed buildings from the June 2006 Tracer Fire. Some fence material was available after I contacted them. This letter has been submitted to make the people of Guernsey and Platte County aware of what is happening at or near the Camp Guernsey Training Areas. Photos are also included to show the damage done to my property north of Guernsey taken in June thru September of 2006. I had not intended to write this letter but after the Sept. 29, 2007 fire I felt I had to.Fred Osburn, Osburn Ranch, Guernsey, WY

Tuesday
10/25/11 4:59 PM

Fred Osburn Guernsey Wyoming:

I haven't checked this website for a long time, and missed the comment from mr or ms taxpayer so here it goes: Taxpayer:When the National Guard bought my land I was paid less per acre than some of my neighbors, who had recently sold to them. If you think I complained too much(whined as you put it) you should be a neighbor to the National Guard for --50+YEARS--. The Tracer fire wasn't the only fire started by the National Guard. I can remember at least 30 fires, started by them in the last 40 -50 years. Their negligence has bordered on the criminal. No Mr. or Ms. Taxpayer, I was not overpaid, I was underpaid. By the way I'm also a taxpayer. Have you ever heard of capital gains tax? I've probably paid more taxes in the last few years than you have your entire life. So next time you write an insulting comment about me: know your facts, sign your name and spell my name correctly.....

Saturday
1/22/11 4:18 PM

taxpayer:

Someone should check and see how much money the state recently overpaid Osburne for buying the land he has whined about for years.

Friday
1/15/10 2:34 PM

fire:

Fire is a natural part of the ecosystem - especially the poderosa pine forrest (which is what the North Training Area is). This area was loooooooong overdue to burn, just too bad it was started by man. If it had been a lighting caused fire there wouldn't be all the hub-bub.

Sunday
1/10/10 7:02 PM

Stander By:

Definatly do NOT think fire is funny. Do think that the powers in charge back then are probably long gone now. My comment was about the "old" news etc that stays on Wheatlerville even after it is no longer news.
Site is becoming stale other than few comments

Sunday
1/10/10 9:24 AM

Auntie Em to Stander By:

Nothing funny about fire. What's funny is that there's still no apology which is why I think the story is here. It says it's going to stay here until there is an apology which since its got to come from the national gourd is not probly goingn to ever come. One thing to think is that since it has been up here and people heard about it on wheaterville and the ad that Osbourne had to pay for in the Record Slimes, they have not started any more fires out there. Maybe you are not a Stander By but someone who was one of the morons who shot live ammo into dry grass and started that fire? Try not to laugh at fire. Thanks wheaterville for keeping this "old news" in their faces when noone else would even report on it or talk about it.

Saturday
1/9/10 8:43 PM

Stander By:

even funnier, this is still on the wheaterville site for comments... VERY OLD NEWS

Monday
1/4/10 9:26 AM

Just a bystander:

I find it funny that he would want an apology since not only has Mr. Osburne made a living off ranching but suing the NG as well. The funniest thing is this; he complains and complains but if we had a state emergency he most likely would be the one standing up saying help me help me; and if they didn't he would sue!

Saturday
8/2/08 1:37 AM

Phyllis Osburn:

Comment on comment from Mom posted 6/30/08. Good Grief MOM, according to you then, it's ok to burn and destroy a person's property as long as the NG supports the town. The Railroad, Rock Quarry, Ranchers, Farmers etc. support the town too. There's more to Guernsey than the National Guard. So MOM why don't you comment on the NG lack of common sense and the difference between right and wrong? PS. Thanks again Wheaterville for keeping the Osburn Ranch letter and pictures going.

Monday
6/30/08 9:35 AM

Mom:

Good luck Guernsey if the NG wasn't there!

Friday
5/30/08 3:17 PM

Donna Harvey:

Fred:
You know the ARNG has coveted your land for a long time. Do you really expect them to try to help you keep ranching on it? No. They want you to sell out to them. Expect more fires until there is a "fire sale!"

Friday
2/22/08 12:00 AM

no name rank or serial number:

Its good to see someone trying to get them to own up to this.

Thursday
2/21/08 12:00 AM

A Neighbor:

The National Guard is no one's good neighbor. It is dangerous to live near them. When things aren't burning down around them because they're shooting rounds into dry grass, then their "leaders" are being taken to court for sexual misconduct with the juvinile delinquints we the taxpayers are paying to keep them out of trouble. No one wants to live anywhere near them so Guernsey will never grow.

Wednesday
2/20/08 12:00 AM

Brownie:

You will have this up for a long long time because they will never say anything except "Oh it all changed since 911 and this is how it will be." They will fire as many live rounds into dry grass as they want to and weill never be responsible for any negative outcomes ie fires and damage. Good for you to keep this in the public eye as the national guard asks for more tax dollars.