After the name of his department changed at the Tuesday, August 16 county board meeting, Land Services Director Tim Nelson asked the board to authorize out-of-state travel for David Demmer of his office to attend the October 2016 Project for Public Spaces conference in Vancouver, British Columbia. Demmer was involved in the creation of the recent County Comprehensive Trails Plan.
Nelson said the county had been approached by Kristin DeArruda Wharton, the coordinator of the Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) and Moving Matters to send a county representative. According to DeArruda Wharton, the cost of airfare, hotel, mileage, meals and conference registration would be covered by the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Center for Prevention Moving Matters funds.
Following the conference, Demmer would be asked to attend a meeting of the county Active Living Steering Committee to share what he learned at the conference.
Commissioner Garry Gamble noted that there are numerous resources in the state that could be taken advantage of and pointed out another conference in California, a “trails and greenways” conference that would seem more fitting for the county.
Nelson said his office did not go looking for training. It is only because this opportunity is being offered at no expense to the county, other than Demmer’s wages, that it is being considered.
“My support is just that we could glean as much as possible from something like this,” he said.
Commissioner Ginny Storlie agreed that it was worthwhile for Demmer to go to network and get ideas.
County Board Chair Heidi Doo-Kirk said the offer is not just for Demmer, but another community representative as well. Doo-Kirk is the primary county liaison for the Moving Matters program, but she said she is unable to make the trip to the conference. However, she said Commissioner Jan Sivertson is able— and willing—to go.
A motion passed to authorize attendance at the conference for Demmer and Commissioner Sivertson.
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