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Commissioners table county press release supporting Hispanic community; staff to redraft for next meeting
Summary
The board discussed a draft press release expressing support for Teton County’s Hispanic community, raised concerns about language and legal authority, and agreed to table the item until the next special meeting so staff and counsel can produce a revised version.
The Board of County Commissioners discussed a proposed press release intended to express support for Teton County’s Hispanic community and decided to table the item until the board’s next special meeting so staff can redraft language and have legal clearance.
Commissioners said they supported the intent of an expression of support but were concerned about wording that could be read as implying the county has immigration enforcement authority. One commissioner said, “as a Board of Commissioners, we have no legal authority in this area,” and asked that the release explicitly state that the board has no authority over immigration matters. Another commissioner who drafted the release said legal redlines from the civil deputy had been received and that she would rework the language and run it by counsel and the county civil deputy.
Outcome: the board agreed to add the press release to the agenda for the March 6 special meeting (notation in the meeting record) and to prepare a revised draft for review at the next meeting. No press release was issued at the March 6 meeting.
