September 30, 2024 |
Photo – Map of proposed Heritage area – Courtesy Lovejoy Consulting
The Carbon County Council of Governments voted to provide a letter of support for the Pathways National Heritage Area over the objections of two of its members.
Last year, Vernon Lovejoy and Dr. Glenn Haas, of Lovejoy Consulting in Denver, Colorado, proposed the creation of the Pathways National Heritage Area. The national heritage area encompasses Carbon and Natrona Counties and contains the various trails, paths, and other historically significant sites used during America’s westward expansion.
Creating a national heritage area requires a feasibility study to be submitted to the National Parks Service for review. If accepted, the National Parks Service will recommend that Congress add the site to the list of federally recognized national heritage areas. Lovejoy and Dr. Haas said that inclusion on the list has the potential to bring droves of tourists to both Carbon and Natrona Counties.
The Pathways National Heritage Area feasibility study is nearly complete. Lovejoy and Dr. Haas are requesting letters of support from county and municipal officials, as well as business owners and other stakeholders.
During the September 18th Carbon County Council of Governments meeting in Hanna, County Commissioner Travis Moore explained the scope of the project and how a national heritage area may increase tourism.
Commissioner Moore said the Pathways National Heritage Area feasibility study is nearly complete. The last step before submitting the document to the National Parks Service for review is collecting letters of support.
If the National Parks Service approves the project, it will be brought before Congress for a vote. Commissioner Moore explained that the current political landscape in Washington D.C. means the project is unlikely to be approved soon. The commissioner added that heritage areas are popular revenue generators for locations that utilize them, such as Cache La Poudre River and South Park National Heritage Areas in Colorado.
Commissioner Moore said a non-profit organization will take control of the Pathways National Heritage Area once it is approved. The board will be made up of himself and representatives from both Carbon and Natrona County tourism agencies.
Commissioner Moore explained that the Carbon and Natrona County visitor’s councils will provide the majority of the funding required to run the national heritage area. By volunteering to participate in the heritage area, property owners will receive money to maintain their historically significant sites. Commissioner Moore said property owners can also opt not to have their land included in the heritage area.
Commissioner Moore asked COG to provide a letter of support for the project. A motion was made and seconded, but Rawlins Mayor Terry Weickum said he does not support the project.
Mayor Weickum said after the idea was originally proposed, he discovered that Lovejoy and Dr. Haas had already been paid by both the Natrona and Carbon County visitors councils to begin working on the project.
During the proposal process for the Pathways National Heritage area, both Lovejoy and Dr. Haas said they were not receiving any money to work on the project. At the September 18th Council of Governments meeting, Mayor Weickum said he no longer trusts the two men after discovering that they were, in fact, paid. The Rawlins Mayor added that he personally didn’t care for Vernon Lovejoy.
Whether they were paid or not, Commissioner Moore said Lovejoy and Dr. Haas were responsible for getting the project off the ground. Once the last two aspects of the Pathways National Heritage Area are finalized, both men will cease to be involved with the project.
Commissioner Moore defended paying Lovejoy and Dr. Haas, saying the relatively small amount of money was used to promote the heritage area project. Mayor Weickum said the two men should not have claimed they were working for free.
Carbon County Council of Governments Chairman and Elk Mountain Mayor Morgan Irene called for a vote to submit a letter of support for the Pathways National Heritage Area. Mayor Weickum and Saratoga Councilman Mike Cooley voted against the measure. The vote passed six to two.
