BIG PINEY – The town is watching for progress from a homeowner who appeared in the Big Piney Municipal Court Jan. 5 after officials cited her for storage of flammable and unsightly materials that violates town code.

The Big Piney Town Council and code officer Greg Eiden at their Jan. 18 meeting reviewed Judge Ruth Neely’s decision that the property owner has until March 31 to clean everything up to meet town standards. There is a ditch by a sidewalk considered a public safety hazard that is supposed to be filled in as well.

“The judge gave her another 84 days until the end of March to have the stuff completely gone,” Eiden said.

Mayor Tyler Maxfield asked what would be the town’s standard of completion that Judge Neely’s conditions were met. Eiden and councilmembers Sherri Redden, Tawnya Miller, Stafford Polk IV and Sierra Banks agreed that “holding to the judge’s order” was sufficient.

As a committee member Redden invited councilmembers and staff to make and bring Dutch oven desserts for the upcoming Wyoming Stage Stop’s Mushers Dinner on Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. at the Marbleton Senior Center. The Big Piney-Marbleton stage begins at 9 the next morning at the Middle Piney parking lot and trailhead.

There are 30 mushers this year, Redden said, five more than usual.

In new business, Children’s Learning Center staff visited with screening information for all kids ages “birth through 5.”

The CLC has classrooms in Pinedale and Big Piney, where they repainted and recarpeted through COVID closures, they said. Upcoming fundraisers include a bowling benefit and pizza night.

In other youth-related discussions, Miss LaTisha from the Big Piney Library asked for permission to use Post Office Park, across from the library, for a “beach bubble party” in June when the summer reading program kicks off.

Also, the library and Big Piney Rec Center collaborated on a teen lock-in that everyone agreed went really well with lots of kids and lots of fun – and the teens even helped clean up afterward, said recreation manager Eddy Delgado.

In other Big Piney news:

• Delgado said the rec center will host Spanish classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning in early February.
• Parks and streets manager Kara Losik announced that Delgado was selected for the Sublette County Recreation Board, which she served on previously.
• Water commissioner Mike Wagstaff reported the town produced 5.796 million gallons of water last month and piped more than 3 million to the Marbleton wastewater plant, somewhere losing about 2.7 million gallons. One house’s pipes burst and the water can’t be turned off because the system is also connected to another house behind it.

Wagstaff is also working with a statewide program to document potential hazards to the town’s wells and create an emergency response plan.

• Sublette County Chamber of Commerce Director Joanie Christie invited everyone to its annual fundraiser on Jan. 20.