Jefferson County Commission talks guns, roads and cloud-seeding

Jefferson County Commissioners are working on a new ordinance that would forbid the discharge of firearms at Jefferson Lake. The action came after a sportsman expressed interest in hunting geese there. The new ordinance will also ban hunting. Commissioners determined there was just too much public use of the grounds to make it an appropriate place for firearm activity.

Jefferson County Commissioners share public concern over travel access over the Great Feeder Canal. However, after meeting with canal owners and members of the public this week, commissioners reaffirmed the head gate is privately owned. Any work by the county to build a public road would require easements and public hearings.

High Country RC & D has begun collecting pledges from upper valley cities and counties to help pay for a cloud seeding program this winter. Jefferson County Commissioners agreed to put up $5,000 as the county’s share of the project. Supporters say the cloud-seeding has been successful in generating additional snowfall and that is a benefit to agriculture, recreation and other economic interests of the region.