Teton commissioners to appoint hearing officer in Ridgeline abatement case

Teton County’s Board of County Commissioners was scheduled to consider an order appointing a hearing officer in an enforcement “abatement hearing” involving MT-WY Capital LLC, doing business as Ridgeline Excavation, at its Feb. 23 voucher meeting. The agenda lists the action item as “Consideration of Order for Hearing Officer – Radda.” (Board of County Commissioners Meeting Agenda)

A prior county staff report describes the related process: county planning issued a notice to abate to Ridgeline Excavation that staff said was not resolved within 30 days, prompting the Planning Director to seek an order to abate from the commissioners and to set an abatement hearing. That report says retired Teton County Circuit Court Judge James Radda agreed to serve as hearing officer, at a proposed rate of $150 per hour paid from a litigation line item in the county’s general project budget. (Staff Report for Hearing Officer in Ridgeline Excavation Abatement Hearing)

If approved, the appointment would shift fact-finding and procedure in the quasi-judicial enforcement matter to an outside hearing officer rather than the full board, before any final order or penalty decision returns to commissioners.