The County Commission talked Thursday about the results of a 2019 employee survey showing a pervasive lack of trust in county elected officials.
The conversation, which came during the boardâs goal-setting retreat, was the first time in over a year that the board had discussed the survey at length.
Some saw that as a problem.
âIt felt like it took an awful long time and somewhat circuitous route to get here,â Commissioner Mark Newcomb said of the discussion about improving the surveyâs low scores.
The News&Guide reported on the survey in October, and County Administrator Alyssa Watkins said then that an update would be presented to the Teton County Board of County Commissioners by Nov. 2.
Planning for an 18-unit affordable housing development on East Kelly Avenue is chugging along, and Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Teton Area and Y2 Consultants are now part of the team.
âTeton Habitat is anxious to work with the county again,â Executive Director Kris Greenville told the Teton County Board of County Commissioners this past Tuesday. âThe Grove is nearing completion, and I believe that stands as a good example of the types of work that we can do together.â
The Grove, Phase III is Habitatâs library-adjacent development and a public-private partnership. The go-ahead on the Brown development should give the nonprofit home builders a consistent work stream over the next four years. Thatâs how long Habitat estimates it will take to build all 18 units. Commissioner Mark Barron wondered if that timeline was fast enough, and whether the county should look to another developer to speed things up.
People who have participated in early public reviews of the proposed 100% deed-restricted Red House Apartments praised the project — and the process so far.