Teton County commissioners suspend wildlife advisory committee for 60 days amid controversy

The Teton County Board of County Commissioners voted Monday to suspend the Wildlife Advisory Committee for 60 days and open the panel to new applications.

The motion, introduced by Commissioner Ron James, passed after public comment and internal debate. James said the pause will allow legal review and reapplication to ensure balanced representation. He framed the move as an attempt to reduce community animosity and to “reseat” volunteer panels with a more diverse membership.

Supporters of the committees said the suspension penalizes volunteers and risks interrupting ongoing work. “Please don’t suspend any of the committees. Build on what we already have,” Alice Stevenson told the commissioners during open mic, urging continuity and staggered terms so committees retain institutional memory. Several other residents echoed that sentiment, saying committees provide technical advice the board otherwise lacks.

Opponents of the committees’ current roster argued for review and reset. Commissioner James and others said the wildlife committee in particular has created polarizing debate and that some members may present real or perceived conflicts of interest. James said he sought an impartial process to solicit new candidates and review charters and procedures.

The suspension affects the Wildlife Advisory Committee specifically; the board exempted the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Agricultural Protection Area Commission and the Fair Board from the pause. Commissioners said those bodies are either required by state statute (P&Z and Ag Protection Area) or need to continue in the run-up to the fair (Fair Board).

During the meeting dozens of residents urged the board to take different approaches. Several speakers, including Dan Verbaten, director of Teton Valley Trails and Pathways, and multiple doctors and business owners, stressed public safety and scientific input regarding wildlife and roadway safety. Others said advisory committees represent community expertise and volunteer time and should continue.

The commissioners directed staff to publish a reopening plan and to seek legal review of committee charters and procedures during the 60-day pause. The board said it would solicit new applications and aim to return the committees to service with clarified membership rules and conflict-of-interest procedures.

The suspension drew sharply divided reactions at the meeting, underlining continuing tensions between resident volunteers, developers, and newly elected county leadership over land-use and wildlife policy.

Ending: The board said it expects the 60-day review to produce a recommended process for reconstituting the committees and to return to the public with a schedule for reappointments.