As America approaches its 250th birthday, I've been wondering what citizenship actually means. Not in Washington, the media, or on Facebook, but here at home, face-to-face in Teton Valley.
Over the past year, our elected officials and civic organizations have wrestled with some of the biggest decisions in recent memory. The reality of Grand Targhee's expansion is unfolding amid uncertainty about regional wastewater treatment. Housing affordability, traffic, water, wildlife, recreation, wildfire, growth, and community character are all topics of daily conversation.
Yet for all the energy we spend debating these issues, many residents still feel unheard. That should concern all of us.
One thing I hear repeatedly from neighbors across the political spectrum is NOT that they want to get their way. They simply want to understand what is happening, be treated respectfully, and have confidence that their voices matter. Unfortunately, our current civic habits often produce the opposite result. Public meetings have become performative. Social media rewards outrage over understanding. We spend enormous amounts of time identifying and attacking who or what is wrong and very little time finding common ground and solutions.
The irony is that most of us agree on more than we think. We want our children to be able to afford to live here. We want clean water, healthy wildlife populations, thriving local businesses, and responsible growth. We want Teton Valley to remain a place where community still matters.
What kind of place do we want Teton Valley to be in 2050?
The question is not whether we share goals. The question is whether we can develop better ways to work through our disagreements.
Organizations like Braver Angels and National Issues Forums have spent years helping communities move beyond debate and toward problem-solving. Their approach is simple: listen first, understand what people care about, identify areas of agreement, and work together on practical solutions.
