GREEN RIVER — The Scott’s Bottom area is recovering well after a 40-acre fire burned through the area last month.
John Freeman, chairman of the Greenbelt Task Force, updated the Green River City Council about the ecological recovery occurring in the Scott’s Bottom area. Grass and riparian vegetation are returning, and wildlife has come back to the area.
“The wildlife has come back,” Freeman said, noting that ospreys have returned to the area near the FMC Bridge.
Freeman said city crews have maintained temporary fencing to protect regrowth while a sprinkler system has been operating to support tree recovery. He praised city parks staff for their response in the aftermath of the fire but cautioned the recovery effort is still in early stages.
“We want it to be as natural as we can,” Freeman said.
He said arborists have identified additional trees that will still need to come down. Freeman also spoke to the emotional impact the fire had on the community.
“People were very, very truly impacted by the whole thing,” he said. “I get stopped a lot because they think that I have some authority. They say, ‘What are you gonna do? How is it gonna come back?’ And people would really like to see it come back.”
RMP Franchise Agreement
Chris Meats, director of finance for the city, updated the council on franchise agreement negotiations with Rocky Mountain Power, saying both parties have exchanged drafts in recent weeks.
“We did make a lot of headway in the last two weeks,” Meats said.
He said while several issues remain unresolved, he is hopeful a finalized draft could be ready within the next few ordinance readings. The agreement has been under negotiation for several months.
