Park County commissioners are purchasing nearly 59 acres of land near the Clark landfill.

The property — which is being acquired for $52,956 — can serve as a buffer between the county-owned landfill and private properties in the area. However, the commission’s primary interest was in the gravel, crushed road base and other materials the land will yield for road projects in Clark.

The Park County Road and Bridge Department estimated the parcel holds at least $300,000 worth of material, and that doesn’t count the time and energy that will be saved — a time-consuming process that is “very expensive,” said Commissioner Lloyd Thiel.

“I think this is a definite win for the county,” Thiel said of the purchase. “I know revenue is tight, but a $50,000 investment for a borrow source ... for the county, I think it’s a win-win.”

Although the Park County government continues to look for ways to cut costs, Commission Chairman Lee Livingston said it made sense in this case to spend the nearly $53,000.

“Being a small businessman, there’s a reason you have a reserve,” Livingston said, referencing the county’s multi-million dollar savings account. “And sometimes having that reserve allows you to save money.”

The current owner of the Journey Road property, Tom Gregory, had approached the county to ask if they’d be interested in buying the 58.84 acres for $900 an acre. 

As part of the county’s due diligence, Thiel, who operates an excavation business, volunteered to dig a few test holes on the property; that look at the soil helped convince the county the property was worth purchasing.

Park County Engineer Brian Edwards said the site “looks real promising” and should set the county up with materials for years to come.

“We’re always looking for borrow sources,” he said, adding that they’re “getting harder and harder to find.”

Edwards said the county’s current pit in Clark is about out of material.

Gregory, who owns a home elsewhere in Clark, bought the land back in 2013. He signed a sale contract with the county on Jan. 28 and commissioners formally agreed to the deal Feb. 2.

The Park County Assessor’s Office had most recently pegged the market value of the property at $48,313, classifying it as vacant residential land. As long as the landfill-adjacent parcel remained undeveloped, it was unlikely to bring in much revenue to local governments: The taxes on the property totaled $305.14 last year.