PDR board to be named

by Cat Urbigkit

With Bernie Holz and Tom Davenport in attendance to discuss the issue, Sublette County Commissioners on Tuesday discussed the creation of a county Purchase of Development Rights Citizen Review Board.

Both Davenport and Holz served on the PDR Working Group that recommended that the county institute a pilot PDR program. The commission agreed to do so, allocating $500,000 to the program.

Although the commission was slated to make the review board appointments in its morning session, County Clerk Mary Lankford pointed out the county hadn't enacted a resolution officially creating the board or its duties. She noted that County Attorney Van Graham would attend the commission meeting late in the afternoon and would be available at that time to talk about drafting the resolution.

Later in the day, Graham advised the commission that he would write the resolution for the commission's consideration in July.

At Commissioner Bill Cramer's suggestion, Davenport agreed to assist Graham in drafting the resolution.

The commission received six applications for the five review board positions, in addition to receiving three applications for the paid PDR coordinator position.

Applying for the review board were Pinedale businessman Bill Kellen, Wyoming Game and Fish Department employee and Sublette County PDR Working Group member Bernie Holz, native son and real estate agent Travis Bing, rancher Max Boroff, Jr., Big Piney cattleman Tim Thompson and Cora's Rita Donham-Burgess.

Holz's application was put forth in the form of a nomination by Nancy Espenscheid and Tom Davenport, both of whom served with Holz on the PDR Working Group.

The commission plans to enact the resolution and make the review board appointments at its first meeting in July.