Park County: A Five-Year Forecast

6 days ago

3 min read

By Truman Esmond

Originally published in the October 2026 edition of the Ute Country News - https://UteCountryNews.com

Forecasting the future isn’t on my resume. Around here, predicting next week can be challenging enough. Looking five years down the road is about deciding what we want to build, improve and protect.

Five years from now, what should Park County look like? Will it still feel like home? Will people have the opportunity to live, work and raise a family here? Will residents have a meaningful voice in what comes next?

I’m running for Park County Commissioner, and “here’s what I believe” only gets you so far. Asking for the job should come with a clear idea of what the next five years could accomplish.

This isn’t a list of campaign promises. It’s a look at what we should protect, where we can do better and what we should start now.

Don’t Take My Word for It

County government shouldn’t require a decoder ring. Residents deserve clear information and transparency about why decisions are being made.

Important issues should be communicated while there’s still time to ask questions and weigh in. Once decisions are made, residents should be able to follow the money and see what their tax dollars accomplished.

We should measure results. Did it work? Was it worth the investment? If not, be accountable, learn and adapt. Not everyone will agree with every decision. That’s healthy. No one should be left wondering how we got there or what happens next.

Sometimes Boring Is a Good Thing

Some of the best signs of progress are things we barely notice because they work.

Roads are maintained based on clear priorities. Emergency responders have the resources they need. We’re prepared before wildfire or another emergency arrives, not scrambling after. County services work when residents need them.

We can’t do everything at once. Separate the nice-to-haves from the must-haves, put resources where they’ll make the biggest difference and finish what we start.

More Than a Mountain View

The view may be priceless, but mountain living isn’t. Housing, transportation, access to services and distance from good-paying jobs add to the cost of calling Park County home. Those pressures hit businesses too, making it harder to find help, grow or keep the doors open.

County government can’t solve every challenge or control the economy. Its role is to clear obstacles and make it easier to live, work, build and do business here.

That means backing local businesses, expanding broadband and remote-work options, connecting housing with workforce needs and taking a hard look at unnecessary barriers.

I want young people to picture a future here, families to put down roots and businesses to build something that lasts.

Keep Park County, Park County

Park County won’t stand still. Our job is to move forward without losing what makes this place home.

Growth and new opportunities can be good for Park County, and they bring more pressure on roads, services, infrastructure and natural resources. Planning ahead means understanding impacts before they become problems.

Our rural character and open spaces, agriculture and ranching, public lands and outdoor recreation aren’t obstacles to progress. They’re part of what makes Park County worth investing in and preserving.

The goal isn’t growth for growth’s sake or resisting every change. It’s understanding what’s changing, building on our strengths and being thoughtful about the future.

Know When to Call a Neighbor

Park County doesn’t have to go it alone. Our towns, fire districts, businesses, nonprofits and community organizations bring knowledge and experience. Beyond the county line are partners and resources that can help us get things done.

Start with the problem, understand what we need, find the right people and work together on a solution. When partnerships, expertise or outside funding can help, we should make every local dollar go further.

Now Comes the Work

The Park County we’ll be living in five years starts with decisions we make today.

I won’t have every answer, and good leadership doesn’t require that. I do know how to tackle complex problems: listen, understand the challenge, work from facts, bring the right people together, set priorities and turn ideas into action.

This vision will require all of us and a roadmap for how to get there. Some things can start right away. Others will take partnerships, funding and persistence. As Commissioner, I’ll work to put those pieces in motion and make sure residents can see what’s getting done.

A forecast isn’t a prediction. It’s a goal: knowing where we want to go, having a plan to get there and doing the work.

Five years from now, we should be able to look back and see more than good intentions: what we started, what we finished, what worked and what we learned along the way.

That work starts now.