Niobrara Health & Life Center (NHLC) Hospital Administrator Bob Brummond approached the Town Council on Nov. 3, asking their blessing to move forward with moving forward with the new temporary helipad for Life Flight.

An on going issue NHCL have always had issues with having Life Flight landing on the street near the emergency room entrance. Mainly it was the concern of the hospital that with power lines, the issue of having to land in a residential area and having to block off the street completely when landing. Brummond had first approached the council at last month’s meeting concerning this matter. Brummond met with councilwoman Pat Smith and Lusk Ambulance Director Cory Wilcox to discuss plans and potential helipads for Life Flight to land. Wilcox agreed that the EMS would transport patients to the new helipad via ambulance as needed. Brummond had made arrangements to have Amber Keller, who is also an EMT to help cover ambulance calls during business hours as needed.

Although the helipad is only temporary, Brummond will be working closely with Wilcox to determine a permanent site. During a later discussion Wilcox pointed out that the downside of having to transfer patients that the patient will be charged for three different transfers. The first will be from the first time the patient is transferred to the hospital, and then transported to the helipad and then the transfer to another medical facility with Life Flight. This matter will be discussed further with the appropriate parties involved.

During the department updates Wilcox approached the council again about the matter of paying EMS personal for wait time while on medical transports to other facilities. Wilcox had asked that the council consider paying EMTs $10 per hour while waiting for patients to receive their care. For example if a patient has an order for some sort medical test that NHLC cannot facilitate and there is request for transporting the patient to another medical facility with a wait time for EMTs. The council opted to discuss this matter further at a later time. Wilcox also reported that all EMTs would be receiving the H1N1 flu shot. He also recommended that all departments get the flu shots during the flu season. Per new state requirements all EMTs will be finger printed.

Director of Public Works Denis Peterson updated the council concerning the Lusk Business Park. The parking lot is now completed and the road will be completed within the next few weeks as long as the weather cooperates. Peterson also gave an update with new plans for a new swimming pool. According to Peterson the pool will be ‘L’ shaped and will be three and half feet deep to seven feet deep. There will be a separate shed to store the pools chemicals. The floors will be painted with grip paint in the bathhouse. To be more cost effective the town crew will install the bathhouses sinks and toilets.

There was lengthy discussion concerning the matter of the town landfill. Earlier in the day the council had met with Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Solid and Hazardous Waste Division program principals Dale Anderson and Craig McOmie. McOmie and Anderson discussed various options with the pending closing of the landfill. Manville’s, mayor and town council members also attending the meeting as well as Manville will also have to close their landfill in June of 2010. Throughout the meeting there were several concerns as to how to prepare for the closing of both landfills. According to both McOmie and Anderson this has been on going nationwide issue with landfills. It has been a concern for both Lusk and Manville due to the options being limited. Years ago when landfills all over the state of Wyoming were being developed and later utilized by all towns did DEQ discover that it took years later for contaminates to seep into ground water and soil. It was assumed that Wyoming was too arid with polluting the ground water. It wasn’t until later that with test wells and monitoring that low levels of pollutants were seeping into the ground water.

One of the solutions, which many towns were faced with, was with lining the landfills. With lining a landfill entails high costs at the town’s expense. Another solution to the dilemma is to contract out through independent businesses that specialize in waste management. Regardless of the outcome there will only be a few functioning landfills throughout the state.

Although it will be at the expense of the town, the hopes of some that efforts in recycling will be the forefronts of solutions. The more waste products that are taken for recycling will mean less garbage to be hauled to a designated landfill. All that attended the special meeting were in agreement that this would not be an easy task to complete, but a task that must be dealt with. And dealt with very soon.

The Town of Lusk has opted to move forward with another two-year permit through DEQ to continue use of the landfill and to prepare for the permanent closing of the landfill. There several different companies that the town will be looking at to fulfill the needs of waste management. For now though all that attended the meeting did agree that both Manville and Lusk and surrounding communities will need to work together to resolve this matter.

Officer in Charge Sean Dreesen reported that Halloween was a quiet Holiday with only two citations being issued to two minors. Dreesen will be hosting an open house at the Lusk Animal Shelter on Saturday Nov. 7 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Police Officer Mike Youngquist will be there with Officer Krypto, the police dog from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. During the open house there will be a tour of the newly renovated building and new dog pens. All are encouraged to attend.

Fire Chief John Eddy gave an update about the new pumper truck that the fire department purchased this year. According to Eddy the pumper truck will be picked up from Bozeman, Mont. within the next couple of weeks. He also reported that the fire department would need to purchase new fire hoses and parts for the pumper truck.

Visitors from Solutions For Life Bob Shinmori and Jory Shoopman updated the council about new community efforts with the Community Service Mentor Program. Shoopman was recently hired as the Tobacco Prevention Specialist/Prevention Framework manager. She will be working closely with local agencies with helping to educate the public about tobacco and alcohol use. Shoopman currently works with five juveniles that have been court ordered to participate in the Community Mentor Program. All five youths were sentenced with community service as part of their participation. She told the council at this time she needs to assign community service that the youths can work. They each have 35 hours that must be completed. Peterson will be meeting with Shoopman at a later time concerning this matter.

The next Town Council meeting will be held on Dec. 1 at Lusk Town Hall at 5 p.m.

For the complete article see the 11-04-2009 issue.

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