JACKSON, Wyo. — The Town and County’s new Core Maintenance Facility is nearly 100% operational following the ribbon-cutting ceremony in early April.
The new facility is located on Karns Meadow Drive, next to the START Bus facility.
The project was funded through a 2019 Special Purpose Excise Tax (SPET) ballot initiative that received 54% approval from voters. SPET funds are collected from an additional penny of sales tax, on most goods and services, excluding unprepared foods like groceries.
The Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Jackson celebrated the opening at a Chamber Mixer held at the new facility on April 11.
The Core Maintenance facility will be used to service and maintain general use and first responder vehicles for the town and county. Vehicles include snowplows, street maintenance vehicles, law enforcement vehicles, buses and water/sewer maintenance vehicles and buses.
This upcoming winter will be the first time mechanics will not have to fix machinery outside.
Funding for the project was initially approved at $18.5 million but ran into a $14.2 million shortfall in 2022, which was blamed on inflation and the labor market. The final cost of the project came in below the increased budget, totaling $30 million.
According to Johnny Ziem, Assistant Public Works Director, the finishing touches to the facility should be complete by June, which includes several “punch list” items and equipment deliveries.
“I am very excited to have this project completed because it will really allow our Fleet team to expand services to local government,” Ziem told Buckrail while the project was still underway. “We have outgrown our current garage shops here at Public Works, so added space will not only increase our efficiency but also our storage needs as well.”
