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Question:
Do you think Jim McCotter's actions since leaving GC in 1986 still reflect on GC?  (Voting closed: April 11, 2007, 09:19:34 am)
Yes - 10 (62.5%)
No - 6 (37.5%)
Total Voters: 16

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Author Topic: Jim McCotter's WY Ski Resorts shut down - dumping RAW SEWAGE  (Read 9371 times)
Miss Current
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« on: April 11, 2007, 09:19:34 am »

I just found this on Jim McCotter's blog site which you can link to here:

http://jimmccotter.wordpress.com/2007/01/06/jims-bad-deeds-after-leaving-great-commission-church/#comment-231

Below is what was posted.

Jim McCotter does it AGAIN!!!  When will this guy simply do what is right and quit messing with people's lives?

Below is a link to the Northern Wyoming Daily News which featured an article on April 10, 2007 about Jim McCotter's Wyoming Ski Resorts.  Below the link is the first page of the article.  If anyone can get their hands on the full article please post it here.

http://www.wyodaily.com/

RESORTS SHUT DOWN AFTER SEWAGE FOUND IN CREEK

Jilaena Childs, Staff Writer

TEN SLEEP — Big Horn National Forest closed the doors to Deerhaven, Meadowlark and Big Horn Ski Resorts Saturday because of raw sewage being dumped into Ten Sleep Creek.

Environmental Senior Analyst for the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Allen Nipple said, “I can confirm that we did receive a complaint. I can confirm that we conducted an inspection, which validated the complaint. The situation is under investigation for potential enforcement action.”

Nipple said the complaint alleges that raw sewage was reaching Ten Sleep Creek and that legal repercussions depend on the results of the investigation.

An order to shut down both Meadowlark and Deerhaven was made by Bighorn National Forest Supervisor Bill Bass, of Sheridan. The forest supervisor said the investigation is ongoing and includes Wyoming DEQ and Big Horn County health officials. No action was taken on the ski resort since it had already been closed for the season.

Jim McCotter, owner of the Bighorn Mountain Resort structures, does not own the land, however he is responsible for the buildings he operates on forest service land, according to Cindy Gradin, Law Enforcement Officer for the Bighorn National Forest.

McCotter was unavailable for comment Monday.

John Hagengruber, spokesman for the Bighorn National Forest said, “Our concern is that there may have been events that have taken place up there that could jeopardize health and public safety if there was, in fact, a spill. I haven’t been up there, but we did get reports of a spill that has occurred.”

A meeting was held Monday in Sheridan between the Bighorn National Forest Service and representatives from the DEQ. Hagengruber said that no conclusions were made in the meeting but the investigation is still ongoing.

Aaron Buttrick, who managed both lodges for a short time, said he was laid off by Bighorn Mountain Resorts Monday.
“They said that they have no more hours for me,” he said.

For the complete story click here to subscribe to the DAILY NEWS
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Miss Current
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« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2007, 12:40:19 pm »

An update on this, looks like following the sewage incidents McCotter has decided to sell the Big Horn Mountain Resorts:

Big Horn Mountain Resorts up for auction
Owner faces citations for sewage spill at Deer Haven


By Katie Hulet
(Created: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 8:34 AM MDT)

As of June 26, Jim McCotter likely will no longer be the owner of the Big Horn Mountain Resorts.

McCotter said other financial obligations are the reason he decided to auction off the three resorts “ Meadowlark Lake Resort, Deer Haven Resort and Big Horn Mountain Ski Area“ as well as a fourth property, the 840-acre Wilderness Ranch.

"We have enjoyed the resorts in many ways over the years but are now in need of extra cash at this time for our primary company, the Maverick Jets," McCotter said in a statement provided via E-mail.

The sale announcement arrived after environmental agencies and the Forest Service were investigating two of the resorts for leaking sewage into Ten Sleep Creek.

Meadowlark passed its latest inspections, while Deer Haven remained closed due to an ongoing investigation, according to officials. McCotter faces citations stemming from the investigation.

Sheldon Good and Company of Denver announced May 21 that the properties would be sold through a sealed auction bid.

Jim McDonnell, executive managing director of the real estate company in charge of the auction, said that because the owner of the Big Horn Mountain Resorts wants to get rid of the businesses, three of the properties would be sold regardless of price.

"The owner is obligated to sell even if the properties go for a mere $25,000," McDonnell said.

The Wilderness Ranch is the only property that will have a reserve, according to McDonnell. He added that the property is the only piece that is situated on private land. The ranch is 840 acres located about seven miles west of Deer Haven Resort.

"The current owners see this as a prime piece of land for development purposes," McDonnell said.

McCotter has been the owner of the three resorts that sit on Forest Service land since 1999. While he doesn't own the land, he is the owner of the buildings and improvements that have been made.

Whoever purchases the resort properties must first apply for a permit from the U.S. Forest Service. According to U.S. Forest Service Lands and Special Uses Program Manager Gayle Laurent, without a permit the new owner of the resorts would be in trespass. "The new owner would be in trespass if they did not have a permit to first operate," she said. "The Forest Service is under no obligation to issue them a permit until they first submit an application that includes a business plan."

McCotter first began working with the real estate company back in April, during the same time that Meadowlark Lake and Deer Haven resorts were shut down after employees alerted the Department of Environmental Quality that sewage from both had leaked into the Ten Sleep Creek drainage.

According to Bighorn National Forest Supervisor Bill Bass, repairs were made at Meadowlark Lake resort just in time to open up for Memorial Day weekend. Bass said there is an ongoing investigation involving the infrastructure of the sewage system at Deer Haven resort.

McCotter has been issued a number of citations due to the continued problems at Deer Haven resort, according to Big Horn Forest Service law enforcement officer Cindy Gradin.

Gradin said that McCotter has been given a mandatory court appearance for his failure to comply with his permits.

These issues, if and when the resort is sold, will not be relinquished. "This is not a cleared matter," Gradin said. "The problems will be brought forth in court and he (McCotter) would still have to answer to these charges on a federal level."

Ongoing problems at the resort would fall into the new owner's hands at the time the property is sold, according to Powder River District Ranger Mark Booth.

"It is my understanding that Jim McCotter could sell the properties to a qualified purchaser in the condition that the resorts are now," he said. "Whoever is the owner will be responsible for the problems before they can operate."

Booth was hopeful that whoever buys the property would first meet with officials from the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of Environmental Quality.

"We would like to meet with the new person to make them aware of the things that need corrected," he said. "I expect them to use their due diligence in researching these issues."

http://www.buffalobulletin.com/articles/2007/05/31/news/local_news/doc465d85fc7ed64238678291.txt
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puff of purple smoke
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« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2008, 08:30:05 pm »

An update:

Forest Service shuts down two Big Horn Mountain resorts

Associated Press - May 29, 2008 5:55 PM ET

TEN SLEEP, Wyo. (AP) - The U.S. Forest Service has shut down two resorts in the Big Horn Mountains, alleging health and safety violations.

Bighorn National Forest special use program manager Gayle Laurent (Lor-AHNT') says Deer Haven Resort and Meadowlark Lake Resort will both be closed until the problems are fixed at the facilities.

The resorts' permits were suspended last week.

The resorts are owned by Wyoming Mountain Resorts, which does business under the name Bighorn Mountain Resorts.

Owner Jim McCotter declined comment to the Northern Wyoming Daily News on Wednesday.

A person who answered the phone at the resort (today) Thursday says he knows of no health risks and hung up the phone.

Laurent says that among the alleged problems at the Meadowlark resort are two faulty septic pumps.

At Deer Haven, the Forest Service says buildings have fallen into disrepair.

On the Net: Big Horn Mountain Resorts, http://www.thebighorn.com/

Information from: Northern Wyoming Daily News, http://www.wyodaily.com

http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=8397938&nav=menu554_2_2
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« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2008, 03:00:05 pm »

Owner of shuttered resorts says repairs ongoing

 By The Associated Press

Story Published: May 30, 2008 at 9:03 AM MDT

Story Updated: May 30, 2008 at 9:03 AM MDT
TEN SLEEP, WYOMING - The owner of two Big Horn Mountain resorts that have been shut down by the U.S. Forest Service for alleged health and safety violations says he hopes to have the problems fixed in about a week.

A Forest Service official has said an inspection by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality led to the inspection by the Forest Service and the decision to close Meadowlark Lake Resort and Deer Haven Resort.

Big Horn Mountain Resorts owns both resorts. Owner Jim McCotter says a winter manager at the resorts allowed them to fall into disrepair and has since left the business. McCotter says the owners are now making repairs to open for the summer season.

http://www.kulr8.com/news/wyoming/19388929.html
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« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2008, 06:55:58 am »

Forest Service boots resort owner

By the Star-Tribune staff Saturday, July 19, 2008
http://www.jacksonholestartrib.com/articles/2008/07/19/news/wyoming/dcaa78abc37302948725748b00062a8e.txt

TEN SLEEP -- After shutting down his resorts twice and suspending his permits in May, the U.S. Forest Service is now permanently barring the owner of two Big Horn Mountain resorts from operating his businesses in the National Forest.

Following a series of investigations and closures for alleged health and safety violations, the Bighorn National Forest announced Friday it is revoking the special use permits for Meadowlark Lake and Deer Haven resorts. It noted, among other things, the owner has failed to adequately fix two faulty septic pumps and other items that have fallen into disrepair, according a written statement from the U.S. Forest Service on Friday.

Jim McCotter, owner of Big Horn Mountain Resorts and Wyoming Mountain Resorts LLC, has 45 days to appeal the decision.

McCotter told The Associated Press in May that the problems at the two resorts would be repaired. At the time he said a winter manager at the two locations allowed the resorts to fall into disrepair.

"There was another manager at the resorts this winter that had an option to purchase and was legally responsible for the resorts, but he did not raise all his money for purchase and did not make his payments and now has since left the resorts," McCotter said. "While there he did not keep things up as we had previously, but we are now back in control, and have turned back on the power, and are now getting everything repaired and ready again for this summer's activities."

Gayle Laurent, Bighorn National Forest special use program manager, said in May that the Deer Haven and Meadowlark Lake resorts would be closed until the problems were fixed at the facilities.

The resorts' permits were suspended at the end of May.

According to the statement issued Friday by the Bighorn National Forest, McCotter has failed "to meet the terms and conditions of the individual permits at these two lodges."

The agency decided to revoke the permits based on "Forest responsibility for public health and safety," the statement said.

Among the problems noted in the release was the resorts' "inability to provide full service or modify operating plans." There are outstanding Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Environmental Quality violations, according to the National Forest, as well as "a lack of inspection records, no documentation of a violation settlement with the DEQ, failure to fix all of the defects noted in the May inspection, (and a) history of noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the permit and operating plans."

The Bighorn National Forest will now ask the owner to remove personal property from the two sites, and he'll be required to either put the properties up for sale, or remove the buildings and other improvements from the National Forest, the statement said.

NEWS TRACKER

Last we knew: The owner of two Big Horn Mountain resorts had his operating permits suspended in May, following a series of investigations and closures related to alleged health and safety violations.

The latest: Officials with the Bighorn National Forest announced Friday they are permanently revoking the permits.

What's next: The owner of the resorts has 45 days to appeal the decision.
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« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2008, 12:26:31 pm »

Sale pending for Big Horn resorts

The Buffalo Bulletin: Wednesday, October 8, 2008 12:03 PM CDT
Meadowlark Lake Resort, located 40 miles west of Buffalo along Highway 16, is the focus of a pending sale.

The owner of Big Horn Mountain Resorts said he is poised to sell Meadowlark Lake and Deer Haven resorts, two area destinations that lost their federal permits to operate on the Bighorn National Forest.

This summer, the Bighorn National Forest announced its intention to begin revocation procedures on the special use permits issued for Meadowlark Lake and Deer Haven resorts. That order is under appeal by Jim McCotter, owner of Big Horn Mountain Resorts and Wyoming Mountain Resorts LLC. A decision on his appeal is expected within the next two months.

For an update on the summer resorts and Big Horn Ski Resort, see this week’s Bulletin.
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