Kelly said there should be 300-400 full time jobs.

That is the cause of some concern for Medicine Bow Mayor Kevin Colman. "We're going to have to do a lot," Colman said. The town does not currently have housing for workers who may come, he said, though there is a developer who would start building if ground is broken on the plant. "The biggest (issue town government) is going to run into is law enforcement, how to work with that type of influx," he said, adding the town doesn't currently have a police force. Water lines were improved last year, and Colman said the water and sewer systems can sustain a population of up to 5,000. The Town Council plans to apply for a grant to have the town surveyed. Once surveyed, a master plan could be drafted and zoning could be modified.

Residents   are  cautiously  optimistic  about   the  project,

"There are so many opportunities that are always coming and they never develop, he said." So the talk of the town is it looks promising and the more you look at it the better and better it looks, but at the same time the joke is, "We'll believe it when they break ground, we'll believe it when we see it.' -- We can't sit back and say this is our only savior."

Kelly said DKRW officials are "pretty confident" the project will eventually come to fruition."We've spent a heck of a lot of money and five years of work to get to this point," he said.

Contact Sean Harkins
307-324-3411 or sharkins@rawlinstimes.com.
www.rawlinstimes.com