It’s been a decade since county commissioners for the bordering Teton Counties met on a more regular basis. But finding solutions for shared concerns — road safety on Teton Pass, regional transit, tax revenue, critical services and opposition to Grand Targhee’s expansion plans — brought the Wydaho communities together last week in a joint meeting.
Staff of public policy institutes from the Universities of Idaho and Wyoming facilitated dialogue aimed at solutions for a “prosperous future” for the region. County commissioners from both sides of Teton Pass engaged in a full day of workshops and drawing-board sessions where they spitballed ideas that may or may not pick up traction.
“In the near term, I do think we have some quick action steps to look at, [like] the capability of Grand Targhee [and] utilizing their resort district tax,” said Mark Newcomb, chair of the Teton County Wyoming Board of County Commissioners.
Idaho Commissioner Ron James suggested both counties look into the feasibility of a toll fee that would target visitors heading up the Idaho road to Grand Targhee.
During a roundtable session, commissioners agreed that future lobbying in Boise, Idaho, Cheyenne and Washington-D.C. might help the counties navigate resources and revenue across state lines. A case study of Lake Tahoe communities split across California and Nevada was a centerpiece of a session on “Approaches around the Region.”
“On the Wyoming side, our senators have been very responsive and they really do punch way above their weight in Congress,” Newcomb said.
Jackson Commissioner Luther Propst supported a look into Grand Targhee Resort’s resort tax. An ongoing question is whether those taxes could help pay for roads, emergency services or other impacts of spillover tourism in Idaho. The Wyoming ski and mountain bike destination is only accessed by car via Driggs, Idaho.
“What is the fair share for any mountain resort that is only accessible through Idaho?” Propst said, during a session on mutual agreements between the cross-state communities. “What’s a fair thing they should pay to mitigate the impacts of their land use?”
Both county commissioner boards recently penned letters opposing the 57-year-old ski resort’s plans to expand by nearly 700 acres, which the Caribou-Targhee National Forest initially approved most of earlier this year. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department also spoke out against the expansion, in part because the additional acreage is prime habitat for a fragile bighorn sheep herd.
Wyoming County Commissioner Len Carlman thinks it’s time for face-to-face talks with Grand Targhee.
“We could convene [and] meet directly with the resort and go through those objections, both with the Forest Service and not with the Forest Service,” Carlman said.
A fatal crash on Teton Pass a few weeks ahead of the already scheduled meeting also made transit and road safety another top priority. Many commissioners agreed that improving cross pass transit could go a long way.
“I truly think holding out that big vision of a possible regional authority is worth looking at,” Newcomb told KHOL.
The same faces are expected at a community-organized town hall at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 3 at the Old Wilson Schoolhouse. State electeds and transportation officials are slated to attend. KHOL will provide a livestream on 89.1 FM or 891khol.org.
