Commission hears $189K in funding requests

During their May 16 meeting, they heard seven requests from organizations. The requests totaled $189,000.

The new requests join nine other requests the county has heard over the last month.

All requests will be considered next month when the county finishes up budgeting work for Fiscal Year 2024, commission chair Dossie Overfield said.

Below are summaries of the requests presented at the May 16 meeting.

Youth Clubs of Park County

The Youth Clubs of Park County, which offer summer and after-school programming for students in Cody and Powell, asked for $25,000.

Tina Bernard, executive director, said the funds would go toward the group’s Club Learn program. It includes activities for youth ages 6 to 18 focusing on subjects such as character and leadership development; education and career development; health and life skills; the arts; and sports and recreation.

Bernard said county funding helped keep the price of this program low and accessible for families across Park County.

Most recently, the club’s received $10,000 from the county for Club Learn in FY2022, according to Bernard’s application.

Discover Meeteetse

The Meeteetse Visitor Center, or Discover Meeteetse, requested $10,000.

The bulk of those funds — or $6,000 — will go to the lease and utilities of the visitor center building, according to the organization’s application. The remaining dollars will go for promotion.

In the past three fiscal years, the county has provided the $6,000 for the lease and utilities, but not the additional advertising funds being requested this year, according to the application.

Yellowstone Behavioral Health Center

Yellowstone Behavioral Health Center has requested $50,000. The dollars will be used to provide 24/7 emergency services to county residents, including crisis calls and Title 25 evaluations and diversions, executive director Becky Ransom said.

Individuals are not charged for these services, Ransom said, but they cost the organization nearly $91,000 last year. Some, but not all of the services, are covered by a state contract, Ransom said. The county money would help fund those unfunded service calls.

“It is becoming more and more difficult for us to cover this cost out of agency funds,” Ransom said in her application. “And we want to continue providing services to the many Park County residents who count on us to be there for them when they have a mental health crisis.”

The organization also received $50,000 from the county in the current fiscal year, Ransom said.

Cody Council on Aging

The Cody Council on Aging, which operates the Cody Senior Center, requested $55,000.

The money will be used as matching funds for federal and state grants, executive director Shelly Waidelich said.

The senior center received $55,000 from the county in the current fiscal year, according to the organization’s application.

4-H and Youth

Development

Park County 4-H requested $7,000. The funds will go to student project work, along with travel and competition opportunities for youth, and training for volunteer leaders, 4-H Educator Mary Louise Wood said.

The organization received $6,000 from the county in the current fiscal year.

Park County Court Supervised Treatment Program

The Park County Supervised Treatment Program requested $12,000. The dollars will help match a state grant, said treatment program director Shannon Votah.

“The county’s contribution toward our grant match has been vital to our receiving the state grant every year,” she said in her application. “Matching funds and in-kind donations are used to help pay for educational materials, treatment services, life skills training, program incentives and drug testing.”

The organization has received $12,000 from the county in the last two fiscal years, Votah said.

Cody Yellowstone

Air Resources

Improvement Group

The Cody Yellowstone Air Resources Improvement Group (CYAIR), which represents the interests of Yellowstone Regional Airport in negotiations with air service providers, is requesting $30,000.

The organization will use the funds to negotiate air service contracts with interested providers, which has become more important in light of a reduced number of flights, seats and destinations following the Covid pandemic, CYAIR board member James Klessens said.

The organization received $30,000 from the county in the current fiscal year, he said.