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County staff seek short-term extension of restoration support contract for Anaconda Uplands
Summary
Staff presented a modification to contract 800030 to extend county support with the Natural Resource Damage Program while an expected donation for AHIL remains unresolved and the state finalizes an amended restoration plan; public questions focused on where the Uplands are and whether access will include trails.
County staff member Carl presented Contract 800030, Modification 1, described as an extension of an existing support contract with the Natural Resource Damage Program to keep restoration funding in place while the state finalizes an amended restoration plan for the Anaconda Uplands.
Carl said the extension is a stopgap measure so that if the anticipated donation of AHIL from the Nelson Family Estate to a local Rec Center nonprofit moves forward, the county will have reimbursement funding ready and will not need to reopen negotiations with the state program. He explained that if acquisition does not advance in the near term, the project will be folded into the state annual work plan and return to the commission as a potential acquisition item.
During public comment, Janice Hagen asked where the Anaconda Uplands are located and when they would be open. Carl clarified that the Anaconda Uplands include county‑owned parts of A Hill, Lehi Hill and Stuckey Ridge, and that "open lands" in this context means publicly owned, accessible open space that is not developed with recreation infrastructure. The commenter raised ideas about accessible trails and potential connections to the cemetery for handicap access; Carl acknowledged those as longer‑term possibilities.
Why it matters: The modification preserves the county’s ability to receive state restoration reimbursements and keeps the option open for acquisition of AHIL if the family estate donation proceeds. Public questions show community interest in access and trail connections.
No formal vote on the contract extension is recorded in the transcript excerpt provided; the presentation framed the change as an interim administrative step while state processes continue.
