The Park County Travel Council is not taking the process of finding a new public relations firm lightly. 

A request for proposals drew responses from 10 different firms and the council is forming a committee to sift through the offers. The committee is made up of five council members — the largest possible number below a quorum — and two community members. 

The committee will work with travel council staff to pick their top five companies and then, Executive Director Michael Wambolt said, "boil that down to three or four" companies to bring out in July to interview in person, if possible. 

“We got some really good opportunities,” Wambolt said at the June board meeting. 

The council’s top choice will replace Mesereau Travel Public Relations, out of New Mexico, as owners Mona and Tom Mesereau are retiring.

Council chair Quintin Blair pitched the idea of opening the committee up to community members — who will make recommendations but not vote on the final decision — and the rest of the board agreed. 

“I think it lends itself toward transparency,” board member Mike Darby said.

Fellow board member Jake Ivanoff said the public spots should go to people in industries affected by the travel council’s marketing. He suggested Mike Christiansen, head of the East Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce which represents a group of guest lodges and dude ranches up the North Fork, including Christiansen’s Shoshone Lodge. 

Blair said Christiansen was already on his shortlist.