County socioeconomic study begins

The county commissioners have approved an agreement with consulting firm DJ&A to begin work on a socioeconomic study that focuses on the impact of natural resources on the health of Crook County.

The study will be added to the current natural resource management plan as a supplement addressing the impact that the county’s three top industries of timber, minerals and agriculture have on growth and economic stability.

On Wednesday, the commissioners checked over the minor changes to the agreement that were requested at their April meeting. A motion was also passed to transfer $9780 from the commissioner’s budget to pay for the plan.

The cost to create the plan will ultimately be reimbursed by the state through a new addition to the program that was used to create the natural resource management plan.

The socioeconomic study, like the natural resource plan itself, can be used in the future to negotiate with federal entities and to pursue potential grants. It will investigate how timber, minerals and agriculture and the service industries that support these industries have influenced growth and economic stability in Crook County.

It will also look at how demographics such as age, education and income reflect the influence of these natural resource industries and how the industries in neighboring counties impact this one.

Additionally, the supplement will detail the impact of infrastructure – or lack of infrastructure, such as available broadband. It will also explore how the resiliency of the county has been impacted by the diversity of natural resource-based industries and the effect of recreation and tourism trends on the local economy.