Bigfork Steering Committee pulls back to annual meetings

Bigfork Steering Committee members decided to shrink back operations to only an annual meeting last week.

The committee, which worked on the Bigfork Neighborhood Plan, has seen attendance dwindle at meetings since the plan was completed last year. Members have commented on the lack of energy surrounding the committee and any projects for the time being, but have said it will have use again once an issue emerges in the community or when the plan needs to be updated again in four years.

“I think the viability of the steering committee in time will come back,” member John Bourquin said.

The committee took a hiatus between July and October with the aim of weighing options of what to do with it in the interim. Only four people attended the meeting last Thursday, Oct. 14.

“We used to meet once a week and then once a month,” Bourquin said. “This is the first meeting in 90 days and there is no attendance.”

Bourquin, also the vice chairman of the Bigfork Land Use Advisory Committee of which BSC is a subset, said there are still several subcommittees members should keep an eye on, since they are specified in the plan.

BSC subcommittees include the Dark Sky Lighting Committee, Information Committee, Bigfork Stormwater Advisory Committee and North Lake County Planning Committee.

The latter two committees have regular meetings outside of BSC for their work but emerged out of it and continue to give reports.

The steering committee voted to hold the annual meeting in June when most members would be in the Village and before the summer season gets too busy.

Elections for leadership positions in the committee will also take place at that meeting. Special meetings can be scheduled with proper notice throughout the rest of the year as need arises.

More information and meeting postings can be found at www.bigforksteering.org.