Benefit dates back to 1937

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
The policy regarding the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s requirement to provide housing for game wardens was last revised in 2007, according to Rebekah Fitzgerald, communications director for Game and Fish. Providing such housing has been a long-time benefit, dating back to 1937, according to the website wyominggamewardens.com. The policy on which today’s housing benefit was not established until 1998, Fitzgerald said, although the idea had been part of the department’s infrastructure for decades. 
“In order to better serve the public and protect the wildlife resources of Wyoming, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department maintain numerous residential structures to be used by department employees on either a temporary or permanent basis,” the updated policy states. (The commission serves as the policy-making board of the Game and Fish department.)
Housing is provided to “certain employees and their immediate families” when such housing is for the convenience for the department or a condition of the positions employment, the policy says. 
“Convenience of the department” includes housing that will allow public access to the department facility and personnel outside of traditional office business hours; for stations such as hatcheries, bird farms and research facilities; in situations where it is necessary to store department-owned property in combination with providing public access to the facility; and to address the lack of affordable housing in Teton County. 
“In all of the above conditions, except to address affordable housing in Teton County, the employee is required, as a condition of employment, to reside in Department housing to enable him/her to properly perform the duties of his/her employment,” the policy states. 
Fitzgerald elaborated on the policy, stating that the housing is considered department infrastructure and is there to serve the public. 
“It is so the wardens can be available. It is especially important in areas without regional offices,” Fitzgerald said. “It is used by the public and houses the warden. Those employees can move throughout the state as they take on different roles. Sometimes a warden stays in an area and sometimes they move.” 
Game and Fish has eight regional offices. They are located in Laramie, Casper, Gillette, Cody, Lander, Jackson, Pinedale and Green River. Newcastle is in the Casper region. The department has 62 game wardens, according to its website.
“We look at the role and functionality as it serves the public and department need. We assess our needs holistically,” Fitzgerald added. 
According to Brian Nesvik, director of Game and Fish, when the policy was last reviewed, it was determined that the state as a whole needed to continue with the housing policy. He said that he is unsure if the policy was ever discussed in Weston County and a number of public comments received on the topic could not be provided by press time. 
“What I can tell you is that iT has been part of the job since Troy (Achterhof, Weston County game warden) and all other wardens started. They are required to live in the game warden station and serve the public out of it. It is one of the conditions of employment and a long-standing culture of service,” Nesvik said. 
He noted that although the policy is “an age old policy,” it has changed over time. 
When asked about wages and housing costs dating back to 1937 when the department first started providing housing for game wardens, Fitzgerald said that is a “hard number to track down” because those records are all paper. 
The current average wage for game wardens across the state is $5,187 a month. This does not include benefits or housing, Nesvik said. 
“Since such housing is provided for the convenience of the employer and as a condition of employment, it meets the criteria of the Internal Revenue Service Code of nontaxable to the employee,” the policy says. “Accordingly, the value of such lodging will not be considered compensation to the employee and shall not be included in the employee’s gross income. Additionally, the employee will not be charged rent or required to pay operating costs of the department owned facility.” 
The policy notes that these operating costs include utilities, real property taxes and repairs to the building or any other property located on or within the facility.
The policy also includes purchasing guidelines for Game and Fish. 
“The Commission shall acquire buildings for department use in a prudent manner while considering the best interests of the department and the public. Therefore, the commission shall not pay more than market value to acquire any house,” the policy states. 
The commission approves any housing purchase through the acquisition and budgeting process. The policy also states that the appropriate division chief or  designee is responsible for locating a suitable house and passing the information to the chief of the Service Division, who directs “the program within the guidelines.” The attorney general’s office must review all contracts and title policies, and the chief engineer is responsible for obtaining all necessary structural, electrical, mechanical and other inspections before an offer is made to purchase or a contract is signed.
Housing standards include the following: all new housing units must have a minimum of 1,300 square feet of living space on the main floor, three bedrooms and a single car garage. All housing acquired must possess either a room for an office or a fourth bedroom. To comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, all housing must have a handicap accessible room of 100 square feet minimum that is located on the ground floor. The housing must be located in an easily accessible and visible location for the public. 
The policy is not scheduled for review by Game and Fish or by the commission.