January 25, 2024 |
Photo – Carbon County Search And Rescue logo – Courtesy CCSO
To help increase and maximize donations, the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office is working to make the county’s two search and rescue teams tax exempt.
Earlier this month, Sheriff Alex Bakken said he was restructuring the county’s search and rescue operations to allow them to operate as a tax-exempt entity.
Speaking to Bigfoot99, Sheriff Bakken said in the past, municipalities in Carbon County fielded their own search and rescue teams. The sheriff said the teams worked well together, but it was difficult to properly administer the individual organizations.
To make them easier to manage, Sheriff Bakken consolidated the county’s search and rescue operations into two teams. The sheriff said the teams are split between the eastern and western portions of the county.
Sheriff Bakken said in the past, Carbon County search and rescue had tax exempt status in Wyoming. Bakken said the tax exemption was lost several years before he took over as sheriff.
Instead of going through the state again, Sheriff Bakken said he is working to acquire a 501(c)(3) designation. The sheriff said having federal tax exemption will allow Carbon County search and rescue to receive and use donation money more efficiently.
Before applying for 501(c)(3) designation, Sheriff Bakken said the county search and rescue teams needed to revise their two-decade old bylaws and elect a board of directors. The sheriff said once the west team receives federal tax exemption, he’ll begin the process with the east team.
Sheriff Bakken said he is working with the Carbon County Attorney’s Office to ensure the 501(c)(3) filing is done correctly.
Sheriff Bakken said he wants to have the west search and rescue team incorporated as a 501(c)(3) by the summer. However, the sheriff said the Internal Revenue Service is ultimately responsible for determining how long the process takes.
Sheriff Bakken said reacquiring state tax exemption would be a quicker and easier process than going through the federal government. But the sheriff said having 501(c)(3) status will allow Carbon County search and rescue to pursue more funding opportunities.
Sheriff Bakken said having tax-exempt status can help donors be more confident that their money is actually going to Carbon County search and rescue. The sheriff also said having 501(c)(3) designation will reduce the amount of red tape the search and rescue teams must navigate to purchase equipment.
Sheriff Bakken said Carbon County search and rescue has already responded to a call this year. The sheriff said on Saturday, a snowmobiler became stranded in the Snowy Range. Sheriff Bakken said he expects an influx of rescue calls as the snow mobile season kicks off.
