HOBACK, Wyo. — After the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) opted not to hand over a parcel of land in Hoback for a new fire station, Teton County has agreed to purchase the 1.64-acre plot for $750,000.
On Tuesday, the Teton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) gave the go-ahead to accept the sale offer from WYDOT. The land sits on the east side of the Hoback traffic circle and will be the future site of an upgraded fire station, something that has been on the County’s wish list for more than a decade. In a 2012 Fire/EMS facility assessment, the Hoback Fire Station was described as having significant deficiencies in the current structure, and in need of a larger site.
“As you all are well aware, we’ve been working with WYDOT for nearly two years to secure a parcel,” JH Fire/EMS Chief Mike Moyer told the BCC when presenting the agenda item.
Chief Deputy County Attorney Keith Gingery explained a couple of concerns with the sale offer that had arisen, including the type of deed that WYDOT is prepared to transfer and a reversion clause included in the contract. A warranty deed is a real estate document that certifies the property is owned outright with no outstanding liens or claims, whereas a quitclaim deed simply transfers ownership without guaranteeing the same level of protection. Though Gingery would prefer a warranty deed for this transaction, he said it is unlikely anyone would come forward with a claim on the property in the future.
The reversion clause was added to the sale offer by WYDOT when the agency set the parcel price. “All they’re saying is, ‘Hey, if you ever stop using this for a public purpose, you have to give it back to WYDOT,” Gingery said. Originally the BCC opposed the reversion clause, but after some discussion, the County plans to clarify how WYDOT defines “public purpose.” That will likely be resolved when the quitclaim deed is written.
Commissioner Len Carlman asked Moyer and Gingery to take into consideration the many public services carried out by the County, including housing, if possible: “Be generous in your list of things that are typical Teton County public purposes.”
In 2017, the Specific Purpose Excise Tax (SPET) vote allocated some funds for the acquisition of land, easements, and planning and engineering for a future Hoback fire station. In 2022, voters passed a $15 million SPET option for planning, designing, and constructing a new fire station in Hoback and/or Wilson. Based on the rising cost of construction, it is expected that the $15 million from 2022 will no longer be adequate for both the Hoback and Wilson fire stations.
