Here are the results.
Recreational prospecting will still be allowed at the Larimer County areas in question:
Meeting Results But beware: (quoted from the article) "If we boil it down, this is not a countywide ban on gold-panning," Gary Buffington, director of the department, said. "It effects seven areas in Larimer County, our parks and open spaces.
We don't think we own the mineral rights on those properties, so how can we allow the extraction of minerals?"
This should be a troubling statement to recreational prospectors with interest in these areas for future discussions. The issue of legality
will eventually resurface if the question of mineral rights ownership is not resolved.
COME ON GARY... do they pay you for this??? Are you even a competent employee? You
really don't know who owns the mineral rights? You can't even delegate to your secretary or intern to actually find out????
just laughable
Department Director Gary Buffington should figure out if they own the mineral rights
before addressing issues of mineral rights in relation to recreational use activities, plain and simple. The ignorance of Larimer County officials in this case is astounding, good thing they're not lawyers. You recreational prospectors should thank your lucky stars for now, they weren't at all prepared to make a decision and caved. It will cave in on Gary if he's trampling on someone else' mineral rights under the veil of 'management'. That's not legal.
Larimer County officials appear to be shooting from the hip on this one without knowing if they even own the rights, and they blatantly admit it. (this paints Gary Buffington as a fool)
Could be a pissed off mineral rights owner out there waiting to pounce on Larimer County to collect for damages and estimated mineral loss. I know I would. (this would probably result in Gary being reprimanded, demoted, or even fired)
or.... maybe Larimer County actually DOES own the mineral rights and they just don't know it (if this is the case, Gary is probably not fit to serve)
or... maybe they DO know it and they're toying with the recreational users (lynch mob of rec prospectors? lol)
who knows? I reckon they either know or are
incredibly inept
enjoy it for now... the seven Larimer County parks, rec, and open space areas are there for you all to 'play' as they see fit... and
for now, the 'play' activity of recreational prospecting "fits".
Is it legal? We'll see... it's not over yet.
The issue of 'who owns the mineral rights' on these lands is still largely in question and it's not a secret... the ownership
can be identified as it is a matter of public record.
I may do some research when I have time, someone should do Gary's job for him, right?
Would love to know
who actually owns the mineral rights.... wouldn't you?
Possibly Larimer County... but Director Gary Buffington
surely doesn't know......
How could he know? He's just the "DIRECTOR". Jesus... how did this guy get hired?