Outdoor Recreation Mitigation Board elects chair, advances draft grant that prioritizes SAR and EMS reimbursements

The Outdoor Recreation Mitigation Board elected a chair by acclamation and moved forward on a draft grant application intended to reimburse counties for visitor‑related emergency and safety costs, members said at a meeting devoted to shaping program rules and application logistics.

Jared Henry moved to close nominations and appoint Andy as chair; Jorge Vasquez seconded, and no objections were voiced. The chairmanship is a rolling one‑year term under the board’s organizing statute, and Andy presided over the remainder of the session.

Board staff presented a multi‑part draft application designed to capture project metadata, eligibility criteria, and line items for visitor‑related emergency costs (search‑and‑rescue and EMS reimbursements) and visitor‑related safety costs (road repairs, solid‑waste operations, law enforcement). Seth from the state auditor’s office said his office “has our form out there already for what we’re currently collecting, and we have the authority to change that form,” and…