Lynda James

Strategic Master Plan

I was referring to the Park County Strategic Master Plan which was adopted in 2001. It is a citizen-based plan that is to guide development in each specific area of the county. It has guiding principles and implementation strategies that have never been implemented. Plus the Plan was watered down from the draft before adoption by the Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners.

 It was also to guide revisions of the Land Use Regulations, but has been ignored in many ways. 

I support fully implementing the SMP after a formal review by citizens as to if the Plan is still relevant or needs updated.  

Recently, the SMP was added to the county’s website at www.parkco.us. It is located under Documents.

Here some sentences from the intro of the SMP.

 “Policy recommendations and implementation strategies will guide elected and appointed officials and

“The plan seeks to maintain memorable landscapes, native vegetation, wildlife, fisheries, and scenic view corridors and proposes that future growth and development address the concerns of existing residents without impinging on the private property rights of existing, platted lots or legally created lots.”“The character and integrity of Park County and its communities shall be preserved and enhanced by following the guiding policies.” “The plan, as written, promotes a cautionary stance towards development until significant water quality and quantity issues are resolved countywide.”

Reduce Taxes

County taxes are based on the adopted county budget in Dec. for the following year. Mill levies are calculated from the adopted county budget. In recent years, the adopted budget has not been spent. Unspent money (fund balance) has been put in interest bearing accounts or long term bonds. The fund balance for the entire county budget has grown from approximately $6 million in 2000 to approximately $12 million in 2007.

Some money does need to be carried over to meet expenses the next year until taxes are received and some funds are dedicated to specific purposes and can not be moved to other funds.  By state law, 3% of the budget must remain in reserve for emergencies.

By adopting a more realistic county budget for the year instead of over-estimating it as has been done recently, the mill levy will be reduced and individuals’ county property taxes will be reduced.

Improve Road Conditions

Part of the $12 million in fund balances that can be transferred should be transferred to the Road and Bridge budget.   Then more people could be hired and more time devoted to road maintenance.

The department now has 45 employees, down from almost 70 in the early 1980’s. The department needs to be fully staffed to provide timely and good maintenance.  Then operators need full training and on-the-job coaching.  Currently, they are getting two weeks training and then being put on roads alone. One can not learn how to crown roads or cut and pull ditches in such a short time. Without on-the-job coaching, most will not learn proper techniques.

The department can not utilize the county’s eleven gravel pits to produce gravel and chips because it does not own a crusher. Getting a used crusher will reduce costs of road materials and then more could be spent on building good road bases.

We also need a chip and seal schedule/plan for high use gravel roads. If the county adopted road impact fees for new subdivisions, etc, money could be generated to pay for chip sealing more roads.  According to the R&B director, studies show that any road with over 700 vehicles a day should be chip sealed to reduce maintenance.

In a nut shell, a fully staffed department, cheaper road materials and better trained personnel means better road conditions.

Question from RJ (Due to the length of RJ's comments, I have editted for space, but kept the content)
This week's Flume has an article regarding development of the site of the King Coal Mine.  I first visited the locale on a field trip organized by a South Park Symposium.  I was impressed by the grand nature of the place.  Yet among the hillocks, wind, sun, and grass are subtle contours and half-buried debris showing the human activity of the past.

I have no issue with the creation of a shooting range here; in fact, as a long-time part-time resident, I welcome the idea that more people would be drawn to the area.  I am aware, though, that as a part of the operation of the mine, men have died here and may still be entombed there..