§ 28-12-103 — 36-3-102. Duties generally

(a) The director shall keep the records of the board of
land commissioners, and be the secretary thereof. He shall make
out and countersign all patents, contracts or other instruments
issued by him to purchasers and others, and make out and sign
all leases. He shall keep a record of all such leases, patents
or other instruments in books or other records. He shall file
and preserve in his office all bonds, contracts, leases, and
other instruments given by lessees, purchasers and others. He
shall have the custody of the seal of the board, and shall keep
the minutes of the proceedings thereof, and shall perform such
other duties concerning the business transactions of the board
as it may direct. He shall receive all applications for
purchasing, leasing, entering, locating or in any manner
acquiring title to, interest in, or any benefit from or use of
any lands belonging to or under the control of the state of
Wyoming, and he shall allow or disallow, subject to the approval
of the board of land commissioners, such applications to
purchase, lease, enter or otherwise acquire title to, interest
in, benefit from or use of the lands, or the appurtenances
thereof, and in all cases where there have been no conflicting
applications, he shall report his decisions to the board for its
approval at its next ensuing regular or special meeting, but in
all cases where there have been conflicting applications to
lease or otherwise acquire interests or benefits in the lands,
he shall, before reporting his decisions to the board, give each
of the applicants notice of what his decision is with reference
to their applications, and if none of the applicants files an
appeal in writing from the decisions of the director to the
board within a period of thirty (30) days, except in the case of
oil and gas leases when the period shall be not less than ten
(10) days nor more than thirty (30) days at the discretion of
the board, after the date of the notice, the director shall
report his decision to the board for approval at its next
meeting and in case an appeal in writing is taken from the
decision of the director to the board of land commissioners
within the time provided, the director shall give each of the
applicants at least ten (10) days' notice, except in the case of
oil and gas leases when the period shall be five (5) days'
notice in writing of the date on which the appeal will be heard
by the board. The director shall keep on file in his office the
original of all documents filed as required by W.S. 36-1-102. He
shall insure that these documents are properly indexed for
reasonable public access, and to show ownership by each state
commission, institution, department or board.
(b) Upon application and the annual payment of fifteen
dollars ($15.00) by any person qualified to lease oil and gas
lands of the state of Wyoming, the director shall place the name
and address of the person on a mailing list and mail to the
person a complete list of lands open for filing prior to the
date when the lands become subject to filing. The payments shall
be placed in the general fund.
(c) The board shall have authority to override any
decision made by the director. Upon such terms and conditions
as shall be established by the board, in addition to other
powers enumerated in this section, the director shall have
authority to:
(i) Issue all standard lease and permit renewals
which do not convey any permanent interest in state lands;
(ii) Approve lease assignments, sublease agreements
and surface damage payments, and concur in water right petitions
involving state lands;
(iii) Approve applications to construct improvements
within criteria established by the board pursuant to W.S.
36-5-110(a) and 36-5-111;
(iv) Approve timber sale auctions within criteria
established by the board pursuant to W.S. 36-1-112;
(v) Approve acreage adjustments, suspension of
operations and unit or communitization agreements under W.S.
36-6-101;
(vi) Determine, subject to approval of the board, the
best use for acquired institutional lands managed by the board
pursuant to W.S. 9-2-2005, 9-2-2006 and 9-2-2012 consistent
with:
(A) Consideration of the needs of the
institution;
(B) Consideration of alternative uses of the
property which are compatible with the mission of the
institution; and
(C) Limitations contained in the constitution of
the state of Wyoming, state and federal law and the conveyance
instrument.
(d) For any lands belonging to the state of Wyoming and
under the control of the board of land commissioners, the
director shall coordinate with the department of agriculture
regarding weed and pest control needs and control efforts, which
the department of agriculture shall manage pursuant to the
Wyoming Weed and Pest Control Act.