‘Amazing’ amount of building happening in county

In a report to Sheridan County’s legislators this week, County Commission Chairman Nick Siddle said an “amazing” amount of building is happening in the county.

The housing report was part of Siddle’s “state of the county” presentation to legislators during the Legislative Forum presented Tuesday by the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce.

Siddle said despite the downturn in the economy and the impact of COVID-19, Sheridan County continues to provide the most effective and efficient service possible at the lowest cost. He said minerals aren’t a huge part of Sheridan County’s revenue, so while the county doesn’t gain as much as other counties in Wyoming when mineral revenues are good, the county also doesn’t suffer as much as other counties when those revenues are down.

He said this year’s budget of just over $16 million is a little less than 2 percent lower than last year’s budget.

Siddle said staff levels are the same as for last year. Local county valuation increased by nearly five percent over last year. He said state-assessed properties decreased in value by over seven percent while county assessed property grew in value by nearly six percent.

Sales tax collections increased over four percent from last year. Siddle said collections in October were over four percent higher than for the same period last year. He said everybody found that somewhat surprising but certainly helpful.