Commissioners dissolve Parks advisory board after contentious public debate; trustees board remains statutory body

The Natrona County Board of County Commissioners voted to dissolve the county Parks advisory board and to proceed with the statutory Parks trustees board that commissioners established last year.

Commission discussion ran long and included questions about legal authority, historical paperwork and whether the advisory board had properly been dissolved in prior decades. Several commissioners and multiple public commenters urged patience and called for the new trustees to incorporate institutional knowledge from long‑time advisory members.

Commissioner discussion: Commissioners debated whether it was appropriate to act immediately or to wait for confirmation from the secretary of state and the county attorney about historical filings. One commissioner said records suggested the prior 1950s board had not been properly dissolved in statute at the time, and another said the statutory trustees board established in 2024 does comply with current statute and is properly constituted.

Public comment and institutional knowledge: Multiple long‑time advisory board members and mountain volunteers urged the commission to preserve institutional knowledge and encouraged members of the current advisory board to apply for seats on the trustees board. Bruce Lamberson and Jim Miller, both advisory board veterans, told commissioners the advisory board’s history is more complicated than shorthand accounts and urged the county to keep experienced volunteers involved.

Outcome: Following debate and after a formal motion and second, the board approved the dissolution of the advisory board by voice vote. Commissioners said staff and legal counsel will confirm historical filings with the secretary of state and will bring forward bylaw and appointment steps for the trustees board; several commissioners emphasized they expect some advisory members to be appointed to the statutory board where appropriate.

Why it matters: The action changes how the county organizes volunteer oversight for parks and who will advise or manage park priorities. Commissioners said they intend to move responsibilities to the trustees board and rely on subcommittees and ad hoc advisory groups where necessary.

Next steps: County counsel and staff will gather outstanding records about prior board actions, confirm the trustees board’s procedural compliance, and bring back appointment and bylaw matters to the board for formal adoption. Several commissioners asked staff to expedite an organized process for recruiting and staggering trustees’ terms so the board can reach full operating capacity and preserve institutional memory.