Commissioners approve camping at Park County Fairgrounds and adopt budget timeline; pass routine seasonal resolutions

Park County commissioners on Feb. 3 voted to authorize camping at the Park County Fairgrounds when expressly authorized, adopted a timeline for the FY2027 budget and approved routine seasonal and safety resolutions.

The meeting record shows Martin presented a draft resolution that implements a clause of a no-camping ordinance passed Jan. 27 allowing the commission to expressly authorize camping at county locations for events and agricultural stopovers. After brief public comment and questions about whether camping could occur between events, the board moved and voted to sign the resolution permitting camping at the fairgrounds when expressly authorized.

The decision followed public comment from Sabina Strauss Gardner, who asked whether the ordinance prevents camping between events and whether operating the campground between events could be a revenue source. Commissioner Vermillion said statutory requirements on subdivision review changed Oct. 1 and that sanitation and licensing remain considerations; she said community groups are exploring next steps.

Also on consent, the board adopted the FY2027 budget timeline presented by Erica, with commissioners directing staff to keep the timetable on weekly agendas and highlight any changes for the public. Commissioners said the timeline provides a useful planning framework for the budget season.

The commission approved a resolution establishing the 2026 controlled burning season; Greg Coleman said the only changes were to reflect DEQ rule updates on winter open burning requests. The board also signed the annual weight restrictions resolution so Montana Motor Carrier Services can issue citations for overweight vehicles on county bridges, a step staff said is required under the Montana Code Annotated.

Votes at a glance: - Resolution permitting camping at Park County Fairgrounds — Motion carried by voice vote; recorded as "aye" (no roll-call tally recorded in the transcript). - FY2027 budget timeline adoption — Motion carried by voice vote; recorded as "aye." - Resolution establishing 2026 controlled burning season — Motion carried by voice vote; recorded as "aye." - 2026 weight restrictions on county bridges — Motion carried by voice vote; recorded as "aye." - Approval of meeting minutes for January 2026 — Motion carried by voice vote; recorded as "aye."

What happens next: The camping resolution authorizes the fairgrounds department to sign contracts and follow the county’s standard authorization process for camping during events; staff and community groups will continue to explore whether and how camping might be offered between events consistent with subdivision, sanitation and licensing requirements.