The Teton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) passed three items related to housing at their recent meeting. The Board approved the implementation of workforce restrictions for two employee units at Astoria Park, considered adding County units to the building plans for a new coroner’s facility, and amended the County housing policy to prioritize first responders in lotteries for County-owned units.

First Responders Get Priority

The amendment to the housing policy for first responders garnered the most discussion. The item passed 4-to-1, with Commissioner Wes Gardner opposed, citing concerns that first responders could potentially fill all of the county’s 45 staff units, leaving few or none for other departments. However, Commissioner Natalia Macker argued that this was not an immediate concern and that the issue could be addressed as the housing program grows.

First responders, including about 35 Jackson Hole Fire/EMS team members, 20 Teton County Sheriff’s Office patrol staff, and 16 dispatchers, will now be given the first opportunity for County-owned units. Emergency personnel will qualify for the housing priority immediately upon being hired, which Sheriff Matt Carr said would assist in recruitment efforts.

The BCC declined to vote on a proposed stipend for first responders who live within Teton County in market-rate housing. The stipend, which could come before the BCC at a later date, would offer up to $2,500 per month to first responders in market rentals, under the condition that they move into a subsidized unit when available.

Original reporting: Buckrail (Jackson WY) — read the source article.