Astute visitors to Teton County notice three things: that no matter the horizon, your gaze hits a mountain range that appears untrammeled; that some form of wildlife could and often does appear around any corner; and that the community surrounded by those ranges is vibrant, alive with small businesses, art, music and other forms of culture and entertainment. To a visitor, that’s Teton County.
To residents, our county runs much deeper. Our county is every bit as rich in human capital as it is in natural capital, and then some. Nourishing our human capital requires a focus on health and well-being. It requires defending personal rights and freedom of choice. And it includes preserving our natural capital. In fact, there is even an index to measure social progress on a national level. The concepts apply equally well at the local level.
Teton County needs to sustain basic human services sufficient to meet the needs of our community. We need access to proper health care, to good education, to centers of knowledge. We need arts, music and culture. And we need people who work in and support those services.
Yes, we are in a place with powerfully alluring vistas, abundant wildlife and wild land so expansive that only a few savvy backcountry travelers will ever traverse all of it on foot. We are also a community built around values reflected in social progress, values that promote social responsibility, civic awareness and personal responsibility.
