Paonia Bear Ranch Land Exchange Meeting: Audio

Wednesday night (1/11/12) was the second local meeting regarding the proposed Bear Ranch Land Exchange. While many are familiar with this by now, the exchange is being driven by and for the benefit of billionaire Bill Koch, and would involve trading roughly 1,800 acres of public land off of Highway 133 for parcels in Gunnison county and Utah.

Originally set for Paonia Town Hall, the meeting was moved to the Paradise Theater because of the unexpectedly high turnout. More than 200 people filled the Paradise. Paonia Mayor Neil Schweiterman moderated. While it was intended to be a public comment session to inform the town council, only two other council members were present. Mayor Schweiterman explained that there would be no action taken by the council last night but rather that it would be discussed at their next town council meeting on the 24th.

Here’s the audio from the meeting:

Part one: Paonia Bear Ranch Meeting_1

Part two: Paonia Bear Ranch Meeting_2

bear ranch, bill koch, Delta County, ed martson, hiking, hunting, land exchange, oxbow mine, Paonia, rob gill