Park County Planning Board holding outreach meetings in Emigrant, Gardiner
The Park County Planning Board wants to know how you would like to be heard. Join neighbors and Planning Board members to brainstorm communication ideas.
Members of the Park County Planning Board are hosting a series of Public Engagement Community workshops starting next week, with the plan to conduct at least seven such meetings in different parts of Park County over coming months.
A subcommittee of the board has been working on details since the start of the year, before getting an official go-ahead April 20 at a joint County Commission - Planning Board meeting.
Organizers, Kate Stewart and Bryan Wells, are optimistic the process will help build trust at a time when it might be the most needed. Stewart, who is an expert in helping build better relationships through better communication, developed the Park County Engagement Plan that helps lay out overall goals and benefits of improved engagement.
The Planning Board expects to host meetings in Wilsall, Clyde Park, Cooke City, Emigrant, Springdale, Gardiner and Livingston. Meetings in Emigrant and Gardiner are scheduled May 4 and May 15 (details below and stay tuned for details on future meetings).
Board member Wells, who sits on the sub-committee, thinks better processes are needed to help the county find solutions to its most trying issues. Wells believes more trust is needed between residents and county officials, and that public processes need to be more accessible to the general public.
“It’s every person’s responsibility to be involved in the government of their community but it’s the government’s responsibility to make it easy to be involved,” Wells said.
Current planning board members include: Taya Cromley (chair), Bryan Wells, Dustin Homan, Lara Birkes, Gordon Elley, Anne Buckley and Zachary Park.
Public Engagement Community Workshop Schedule
Emigrant
Emigrant Hall
101 Story Road
Thursday, May 4, 5:30 p.m.
Gardiner
Gardiner Community Church
318 W. Main Street
Monday, May 15, 5:30 p.m.