WSP10086

• File Number: 8040.100
• Description: Section D General Studies - Power
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 3/1/1976
• Author: HUD
• Title: Rapid Growth from Energy Projects - Ideas for State and Local Action
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

for the day-care center, but the County subsidizes
much of the cost.

GJldJr
B. SERVICES TO PEOPLE

Contact:

Director, County Recreation Center,
1000 Douglas Road, Gillene, Wyoming
82716. [phone]

Counseling Centers: State of Wyoming
Social services can be a serious problem in boom
communities. Wyoming has seen increases in alcoholism,
divorce and mental health cases. To assist with these
on the individual and family level, the State has set
up regional counseling centel"\ throughout the State.
These centers are staffed by psychiatrists, psychologists
and social workers. Fundmg is provided by the cities
and counties within the region, matched by the State,
with some Federal support from HEW.

Contact:

EIDean V. Kohrs, Clinical Director,
Central Wyoming Counseling Center,
504 South Durbin Street, Casper, Wyoming
82601. [phone]

Jobs for Women: Nowhere
In larger. more balanced communities there are
jobs available for women. 800m towns don't have those
opportunities. Little attenlion has been given to creat-
ing more jobs for women. which might involve:

Opening up jobs at the energy projects in both con-
struction and operations to women, r<lther th<ln the
m<lle e:c.clusiveness of most projects, Women drive
he<lvy equipment at the Jim Bridqer Power Plant and
mine coal elsewhere;
Expanding the secondary jobs by attracting more
retail and service business to the community;
TralOing programs to prep<lre women for job!., and
day-care centers to allow them to work. The
Gillette RecreatIOn Center has a day.care center,
but rapId growth commuOlties will need f<lr more
than just one day.care facility. Energy companies
might consider them for their employees.

Human services program capabilities - medical,
education, recreation and pubHc safety - are often
overburdened by the rapid growth rate. Expansion of
these services always lags behind the influx of people
even in more stable times. It is difficult to recruit
professionals to small, remote communities. Taxes
generally lag behind growth, making it hard for local
governments to build new classrooms and recreation
facilities. Wage competition from the energy project
may make it hard to retain needed employees.
Medical services suffer the most. In only a few
years, the same number of doctors may be trying to
handle doubled loads. Many people, then, have to go
outside the community to get even routine care. Extra
loads are placed on hospitals.
School impacts will vary depending on the rate at
which workers relocate their families in the area. In
Calvert County. for a nuclear power plant, only 250
students were added when peak construction hit
2,500 workers. In most coal areas, there will be about
one new student for every new worker. Overcrowdirog
and double sessions will result. School tax~ will have
to go up, at least until the energy project is on the tax
rolls. Recruiting teachers is not as difficult now as it
has been because of declinirog opportunities elsewhere.
In small and rural communities. the recreation has
been provided by the great outdoors. New residents
are often used to a more urban type of service: parks
and recreation centers. With all the other demands on
local government, these are given low priority. Those
most hurt are women and children in mobile homes.
With the rapid growth, crime rises. Urban standards
of crime, law and order are transferred to the rural
setting. Police forces used to a quiet community are
hard.pressed to deal with the influx. Police forces are
often left short.handed as officers leave to go to work
in the projects and mines. Volunteer fire companies
may have problems dealirog with scattered mobile
homes and large commercial buildings.
ldea~ for improving services to people include the
following:

I

Wyoming Human Services Project

The purpose of the Wyoming Human Services
Project is to train students in their final year of course
work at the University of WyomirMJ (at both under.
graduate and graduate levels) to work in multi.disciplinary
teams in Wyoming communities for a period of one
year after graduation. They are then salaried profes-
sionals working in such areas as mental health, social
services, law. recreation, day.care, public health, educa.
tlOn and public administration.

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