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Residents urge commissioners to back youth center, more patrols and a paid firefighters ballot question
Summary
During public comment, residents urged the board to create a youth center, increase patrols of Island Park and other tourist areas, and put a paid firefighter proposal on the 2026 ballot; presenters cited local school-performance data and recent wildfire response as supporting reasons.
Multiple residents used the public-comment period at the April 1 meeting to urge action on youth services, public safety and firefighter funding.
Ken Conk, speaking for a county youth-center committee formed 18 months earlier, asked the board to appoint a small adult board and a teen advisory board and to authorize committees to study building design, location, programs and funding. Conk cited survey results and local education metrics, saying the committee’s analysis identified drug abuse, teen pregnancy, child abuse, poverty and lack of safe places to spend time as primary negative factors affecting local youth. He told commissioners, as part of his address, that “75 percent of our students did not earn the reading scores necessary to prepare them for high school” and that the committee’s materials showed math readiness was similarly low. He also cited absenteeism figures the committee had collected.
Several speakers urged more visible law enforcement patrols in tourist areas, including Island Park, to address vandalism and discarded drug needles. One resident suggested assigning foot patrols during peak hours to deter petty crime and drug use in public spaces.
Multiple speakers also expressed support for placing a paid firefighters measure on a future ballot. Julia Richards told the board she supported paid firefighters and asked that the board allow public participation in drafting any ballot language so the question would be clear to voters. Commissioners and staff acknowledged the suggestion and said the timing and exact wording would be discussed if the board pursues that option.
Other public commenters raised permitting and inspection issues. Ronnie Morris, an electrical contractor, praised local inspectors, urged retention of experienced staff and suggested potential fee adjustments or small user charges (for example, on train riders) to help offset county personnel costs.
No formal action resulted directly from public comment; commissioners said they would consider the requests in the context of upcoming budget and public-safety discussions.
