Park County Commissioners agree to pursue joint powers board for shooting complex

POWELL (WNE) — The Park County commissioners have agreed to pursue a joint powers board to oversee the state shooting complex if it does indeed receive final approval to be built south of Cody. 

At their Aug. 27 meeting, the commissioners unanimously voted to pursue a joint powers agreement between the county and City of Cody if the estimated $14.2 million complex is approved. 

Chair Dossie Overfield said she still liked the idea of the local group who worked to get task force approval on a county complex finishing up the details of a board. The agreement will then be reviewed by both the city and county attorneys before being sent to the state for approval. 

“That can be a two, three, four month process when it gets to Cheyenne,” she said. 

James Klessens, who has been leading the local shooting complex group, said the agreement should pass muster at the local and state level as it uses the language from the Park County Travel Council, another area joint powers board, when the council revised its agreement two years ago. 

The basic layout of the board will be what was proposed by the group at its early August meeting. Of the members of the proposed board, six would be appointed by the county and three by the city, with most tied to representing an industry, like the travel and tourism and firearms sectors, and representatives of the local governments involved. 

There will also be at large positions, which Klessens said would provide the flexibility for both Cody and the county to appoint whoever they wanted.

This story was published on September 5, 2024.