MOUNTAIN VIEW — Cold, blustery winds didn’t deter Valley residents from turning out for the Bridger Valley Health Fair and Bridger Valley Electric meeting last Saturday in Mountain View.

The Health Fair included a myriad of booths dealing with health issues and other things. In addition, BVEA hosted a breakfast for those who turned out for the day.

As in the past, Senator John Barrasso was on hand to meet with the public. He was running a taunt schedule so he wasn’t on hand as long as normal, but he was enthusiastic about the Valley and Wyoming.

And, as he always says, “It is always better in Wyoming. Always,” when he started his remarks to the crowd during the BVEA meeting. He said Wyoming’s congressional reps job in Washington is to promote Wyoming and to protect Wyoming.

He spoke of a recent “bipartisan” committee meeting in which there were two Republican Senators and two Democrat Senators and they discussed multiple items. But, when reported on national TV, basically all that was talked about was the Mueller report. He spoke of the New Green Deal and said if you don’t agree with it, according to the “climate alarmists…you are some bad person.” In addition he talked about the “sharp left turn” of the Democrats now who are trying to promote the New Green Deal, and said it would be devastating for Wyoming and for the country. He said the New Green Deal was bent on eliminating oil, gas, coal. He said, “They don’t understand,” and noted there is a need for the energy that has ran the country for years and years.

In addition, Barasso said, the United States is being sacrificed because of its energy footprint, but “…we have to be realistic. The United States’ only produces 13 percent of the emissions around the globe. China and India each produce 31 percent so the United States is a small part of the issue. And, the energy produces a strong, growing economy.”

He noted the U.S. economy was strong and had experienced a 22 percent economic growth.

According to the information at the BVEA meeting, BVEA is sound financially, according to board chair Kim Charles. The five-year plan developed some time ago has helped the coop in focusing on the upgrade and revitalization of the infrastructure. In addition, the coop has been able to deliver electricity 99.98 percent of the time.

All three board members – Kim Charles, Rick Maxfield, Marvin Applequist – were reelected to the board.