Designated Mill Funding - Boards


Most county departments and services are funded under a general fund allocation set by the Sublette County Commission, but certain county services have a direct mill levy allocation that is provided at a level set at the discretion of the county commissioner. The following program areas all receive funding under the county's 12 mills:


  • Fair (Fairgrounds and County Fair)
  • Airports (Big Piney / Marbleton and Pinedale
  • Library (Big Piney and Pinedale)
  • Museums (Museum of the Mountain Man and Green River Valley Museum)
  • Recreation (Ice Arena and Recreation Board)

FAIR 1.2 million

The fair mill levy allocation provides funding for the county fair as well as the overall fairgrounds operations in separate budgets. Fair Manager Kailey Barlow oversees the county fair program with supervision by the Sublette County Fair Board.


The fair board budget totals $426,500, including $180,500 for the 2022 fair, $184,500 for the 2023 fair, and $61,500 for administrative expenses.


The fairgrounds budget is $790,587 and includes approximately $281,000 in personnel costs for Manager Jay Brower and his staff, which will increase by one position this year. Brower reports directly to the county commission.


Major line items in the fairgrounds budget include $94,000 for equipment, $17,000 to replace an ATV used on the grounds, $44,000 to purchase tables and chairs for use at public events; and $40,000 for canopies.


Other expenditures include $140,000 in utility and telephone costs, $70,000 for projects, $35,000 for repairs, and $45,000 for building maintenance. The budget also includes $12,000 for landscaping, $14,500 for training and travel, and $20,000 for gas and oil.

AIRPORTS $172,000

Both airports in Sublette County benefit from county mill levy funding. The Big-Piney-Marbleton airport will receive $86,000 for general operations and maintenance, and the Pinedale airport will receive the same amount.


The Big Piney-Marbleton Airport Board will use the county funding for general operations, while the county's contribution to the Pinedale airport is limited to match funding for improvement projects, and not for general operations.

LIBRARY $1.7 million

It takes about $1.7 million to operate the Sublette County Library system for a year, covering operations in both Big Piney and Pinedale locations. The importanace of our count library system is demonstrated by the fact that 58% of Sublette County's population has a library card.


State statistics indicate that the Sublette County Libraries have the second-highest circulation rate per capita in Wyoming. Sublette County libraries also rank far above statewide averages for both total program attendance and children's program attendance per capita (topped only by Niobrara County in both categories).


After 25 years in the library system, Library Director Sukey Hohl retired this year and Michelle Humber has taken the reins as the new director.


MUSEUMS $435,263

Historic preservation in Sublette County is advanced through budget allocations totaling $435,263, and the nonprofit organizations operating both museums in the county will benefit from small boosts to their budgets this year.


A total of $240,900 will go to the Sublette County Historical Society for operating the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale, as well as the Sommers Homestead Living History Museum and three historic sites. The Green River Valley Museum in Big Piney will receive $123,383 to help fund that facility's operations. The Sublette County Museum Board will receive $5,980 for its own operations as well as educational programs,. In a separate allocation, the county also provides $15,250 for the county's historic preservation board.

RECREATION $1.6 million

The recreation mill levy funds both the Sublette County Recreation Board and the Ice Arena in Pinedale


The Rec Board's $1 million budget includes annual commitments and maintenance of cash reserves totaling approximately $180,000. Ongoing annual financial commitments including lighting for ball fields, grooming Nordic trails, golf course equipment leases, maintenance of Shelter Park, providing electricity for rural television, and approximately $40,000 for the board clerk and office expenses.


This year's major projects include $105,500 for equipment for Rendezvous Meadows Golf Course, $27,000 for the Big Piney ice rink, $17,510 for equipment for the Big Piney Gun Club, $28,000 for programming by the Pinedale Fine Arts Council, and $8,000 to the Pinedale Theatre for a Broadway musical concert. The budget also includes lesser amounts to support a variety of other recreational programs in the county.

Ice Arena

The $641,900 ice arena budget includes approximately $255,000 in personnel costs with the additional of one full time staff member, $212,500 for equipment and tools, including the purchase of a new Zamboni. Other major items in the ice arena budget include $100,000 for utilities an increase in order to have ice two additional months of the year.