Commissioners approve drone photographs, seek auctioneer and refer $24,000 Sunny Meadows stipend to council

Commissioners authorized outside aerial photography of Sunny Meadows to create a historical record and aid planning while leaves are still on trees. The board approved a TZ drone proposal for outside imagery at roughly $1,800 while excluding Matterport 3-D capture and optional editing until the county decides on those additional services.

Committee members said the drone footage will provide a baseline of the site before further changes and that the county would retain ownership of the footage. "We keep it for sure," one commissioner said when discussing ownership language in the contract. The board also authorized staff to pursue a local auctioneer to inventory items left behind after residents depart so staff can determine what to sell, what to retain, and what to dispose of.

On staffing and closure logistics, the Sunny Meadows committee recommended retaining the land as a green space temporarily and compensating four county hourly employees who adjusted their schedules during the closure. Committee members proposed a two-month stipend equal to roughly two months' pay (about $6,000 per employee) — approximately $24,000 total — and commissioners expressed support for referring that proposal to county council for funding and ordinance action.

Commissioners directed staff to prepare the stipend request for the council and to continue planning for property disposition options, including potential auctioning and winterization or demolition if a sale is pursued.