Park County commissioners hear Platte Canyon health service district plan, set March 31 deadline for written response

Park County Board of Commissioners Chairperson Wissel presided over a special meeting March 16, 2026, at which the Platte Canyon Health Services District Committee presented a proposed Health Service District plan and the board received a substantial public-record of oral comments for and against the proposal.

Committee representatives including MaryAnne Wesoloski, Kim Shippen, Tim Peterson and Patty Lucy presented the plan and submitted a PDF of the proposal to the record. The meeting record lists the plan document as 'Platte Canyon HSD plan Feb 5, 2026.' Commissioners asked questions of the presenters; Tim Peterson and MaryAnne Wesoloski answered during the board’s question-and-answer period. County Attorney John Evans also addressed the board during that discussion.

Public comment included more than a dozen speakers identified in the meeting record. The transcript lists supporters such as Kim Shippen, Ed Winter, Trice Hufnagel, Dr. Katherine Fitting, Tim Peterson, Rob Green, Barbie McBee, Heidi Winter, Patty Newman, Dr. Teresa Gilliland, Charlotte Wytas, Emmy West and Heather Lynn. Speakers recorded as opposing the proposal included Wally Weld, Joyce Hines, Gary Fisk (reading a document on behalf of Mike Marshall), Debra Steven, David Soued, Angie Baker and Joan Carlson. The record shows organized statements on both sides; the board did not take final action adopting or rejecting the plan during the session.

During the board’s deliberations, Commissioner Amy Mitchell moved that the board provide a written response to MaryAnne Wesoloski on or before March 31, 2026; Commissioner Jason Gemmer seconded and the motion carried 3-0. After additional public comment (recorded as Heather Prewitt), Mitchell moved to close public comments; Gemmer seconded and that motion also carried 3-0. The motions and their outcomes were recorded on the public record and are part of the administrative record for the proposal.

Later in the afternoon, Chairperson Wissel moved — and Commissioner Mitchell seconded — to enter an emergency executive session pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes C.R.S. § 24-6-402(4)(b). The stated purposes for the executive session were: legal analysis of unauthorized signers; obligations and accountability of elected officials; the fair board transition process; and a review of the mineral and wildlife 1041 moratorium review process. The board’s motion to enter executive session passed 3-0; the executive session began at 3:35 p.m. and concluded at 4:19 p.m. The board then adjourned at 4:20 p.m. following a 3-0 vote on the adjournment motion.

The meeting docketed two administrative guidance documents as part of the record: 'General Guidelines for Public Speaking' and 'Guidelines for Remote Attendance.' The agenda also noted logistical information and the Park County administration contact for updates.

Next steps: the Platte Canyon Health Services District Committee’s proposed plan remains under consideration; the board has committed to issuing a written response to MaryAnne Wesoloski by March 31, 2026. The record shows the board convened an authorized executive session for legal analysis on governance and 1041-related issues; no formal public action or adoption of the HSD plan is recorded in the meeting minutes.