Park County commissioners agree to fund off‑site courtroom for large Gunwerks trial; approve cell‑tower permit and name Powell Tribune official newspaper

Park County commissioners voted Wednesday to support holding a large civil jury trial tied to the Gunwerks litigation at an off‑site location and to cover related county costs if necessary, approved a special‑use permit to expand an existing cell tower on Forest Service land with adjusted conditions, designated the Powell Tribune as the county's official newspaper for 2025, and directed staff to bring final Planning and Zoning Commission bylaws back for review.

The action to underwrite off‑site courtroom costs followed a presentation from the district court explaining that the Gunwerks case likely will involve multiple parties and 20-plus lawyers at trial and that the county courtroom cannot physically accommodate the attorneys, support staff and jurors. The court proposed renting meeting space at the Holiday Inn in Cody as the primary option and, as a fallback, using the larger courtroom in Green River (Sweetwater County). Commissioners approved moving the trial off site if necessary and agreed to review a budget amendment at year end or during routine budget work to cover any overages.

The commissioners' approval means the county will be prepared to pay the district court's local costs for a larger venue and related ancillary services; the court gave examples during the presentation including an approximate room‑block rate for attorneys of about $125 per night, an estimate that 35–40 hotel rooms could be used for trial participants, and example venue rental estimates of about $10,410 for a roughly three‑week (19‑day) boardroom setup and $14,080 for a four‑week setup (figures did not include taxes and other incidentals). The court also said it will seek daily cost monitoring and…