Dear editor:

To rural Park County property owners, 

We have a possible chance to protect our private rural property rights at the next election of  county commissioners. Only one candidate has been fighting for our rights since the rezoning  issue began. Current Commissioner Lloyd Thiel voted AGAINST hiring consultants from Colorado for $750,000, which may cost us closer to a million before all is completed. He has openly opposed Pennsylvania transplant, Planning Director Joy Hill, in her efforts to change all  our rights to use our properties to benefit “the public,” including signing the petition to remove her. He has been the only voice of reason of our five elected commissioners.  

Candidate Tim Lasseter labeled Commissioner Thiel an elitist for his use of the word  “outsider,” even accusing Thiel of being communistic. Thiel was referring to the outsiders who move here to change Park County to match where they came from. Lasseter seemed to take it personally because he is from Missouri. Lasseter’s verbal attack on Thiel, and the graphic post of his Lasseter bomber targeting Park County, are two examples of his self-described “brash” persona making the changes HE seeks. 

Ignoring the high level of opposition to the proposed rezoning and uses of our properties, Commissioner Scott Steward has firmly stated, “Round one is going to pass at some point, maybe not in this form, but it’s going to pass, plain and simple ... But round one is going to pass. It’s just a matter of when.” Apparently regardless of what rural property owners think. Steward has been Hill’s biggest fan, imploring people to “stop picking on her” and evidently defending her unprofessional and arrogant remark to a Cody property owner, as reported on the petition, who sought a permit to expand her business. When the woman asked Hill why she would not allow it, Hill answered, “Because I don’t want it!” Hill has also been heard to say that we don’t understand what we have in Park County, and SHE is here to save it for us. Steward’s chosen loyalty speaks volumes of his priorities. In his speech at The Commons he also spoke of zoning to accommodate a data center in Park County! 

Hill reports only 1,865 responses to their Development Standards and Regulations questionnaire out of 6,500 rural Park County property owners. Only 52% of those respondents (969) are actual property owners. So the rights to use our private rural properties are being influenced by 896 people who may live, work or do business on rural property they do not maintain or pay the taxes on. The only opinions that should matter are those of the owners! 

Please vote for commissioner candidates who will continue to fight to protect rural Park County property owner’s rights. 

Kay Anderson

Rural Park County property owner