Grassroots campaign begins to re-open Antelope Butte; meeting set in Greybull next week

By Karla Pomeroy
A grassroots campaign to reopen the Antelope Butte Ski Area has begun and is quickly gaining support.
Terri Dahlin of Sheridan appeared before the Big Horn County Commissioners seeking support and input for her campaign. Several ideas were presented at the meeting, as well as an impromptu community meeting Dahlin held in Sheridan last Saturday.
Dahlin told the Big Horn County Commissioners that she had submitted a proposal to the Forest Service last summer to operate Antelope Butte, but all proposals were rejected. She said she was spurred recently to start the grassroots campaign after talking to a Forest Service official, for about the fourth time, asking if they would be requesting proposals any time soon. She said she was told they were looking at salvaging the equipment.
She said she is not doing this because her proposal was rescinded. “I am concerned citizen wanting to facilitate the re-opening of Antelope Butte,” she said. She added that she realized if something is not done the area will lose a great asset.
In an interview following her presentation, Dahlin said she likes the proposal of moving forward with a joint powers board and involving the four counties in the Big Horn Mountains — Big Horn, Sheridan, Washakie and Johnson. She said she would be meeting with the Sheridan County commissioners at their March 3 meeting to gauge support for a joint powers board.
Two of the commissioners, as well as Bighorn National Forest Supervisor Bill Bass were in attendance last Saturday’s meeting, Dahlin said. She said everyone at the meeting was in support of trying to re-open Antelope Butte with several Sheridan residents volunteering services to help with the cause.
Dahlin said she was pleased with the support from the commissioners in Big Horn County. Big Horn County Treasurer Becky Lindsey, attending the meeting via telephone, said she would help with the efforts and had knowledge of how to set up a joint powers board.
Grants Administrator Linda Harp said as a winter sports enthusiast she would be happy to help as a private citizen as well.
Another idea was to form a similar group that formed in Lovell to support the Big Horn Lake, Friends of Big Horn Lake. The group has a board and a membership with dues helping to support the group’s activities, Commissioner Keith Grant said.

Public meetings
Two public meetings have been scheduled to further organize residents in the grassroots campaign, as well as obtain more ideas and input. Dahlin will be hosting a meeting in Sheridan tonight (Thursday) at 6:30 p.m. at the Sheridan Public Library.
Joining Dahlin’s grassroots campaign locally are Tom Easterly and Jack Wright, both of Greybull. Easterly said they have scheduled a meeting in Greybull at 7 p.m. next Thursday at Big Horn Federal.
Anyone interested in more information can contact Dahlin at (307) 673-4422, Easterly at 765-2742, Wright at 272-6422 or visit Dahlin’s Web site at www.bighornmountainrecreation.com.
In other business, Tuesday, the commissioners:
• Accepted with regret a resignation from long-time fair board member Bill Greer.
• Approved a bid from Security State Bank for a 4.49 percent interest for a lease-purchase of a new grader for Road and Bridge.
• Tabled a decision on purchase of a new copier with Grant requesting quotes for a color copier.
• Reviewed a conceptual drawing for the Lovell Library addition. The remodel would expand the library from about 2,400 square feet to 4,502 square feet.