08/11/2026
As a sitting Commissioner’s wife I take a risk putting in a comment here. But I will make an effort to express the principles of common courtesy and dialogue that are so often ignored, especially in our online communication.
I have been surprised by a lack of curious person to person communication by our friends and neighbors on many issues that are not able to be addressed in short statements. There are principles of freedom, property rights, Human Resources, and finances that are not able to be translated to short snippets. Rumors, misinformation, accusations, opinions and sometimes downright evil, are easy to be put on display, particularly online.
As a newly elected Sitting Commisioner, Paul was kept out of all meetings and legal procedures pertaining to The Tipi Retreats for years. When Judge Simpson spent 2 days here in hearings on the matter, the hired team of lawyers for the Commissioners petitioned to keep Paul from the courtroom. Judge Simpson ruled that since he was a duly elected Comissioner he was allowed to participate.
The County Attorney that is commissioned with giving the county commissioners legal advice recused herself from any actions that would give advice to Paul for about 2 years. He testified that he was the only participant that day in court that had no legal counsel. He testified that he had no knowledge of what damages the county was seeking from the Stevens family. He was learning those things for the first time in court.
During the same hearing Chairman Tom Ryan was dismissed from proceedings due to a previously planned vacation. Then sitting Commissioner Phil Scheel testified under oath, that it was the Commissioner’s intention to ruin the Stevens family. They were asking that the Stevens would be fined over $350,000 with the knowledge that this would likely bankrupt them. That in perpetuity (yes he knew that meant forever), they would never be able to use their property for income. And that they would have a permanent gag order that would prevent them from ever telling their story.
When Commissioner Scheel was asked if he had approached business owners about taking down the “save the Tipi” yard signs on display he testified that he had not. Citizens afterward responded with signed affidavits saying that he had, in fact, petitioned them on that matter.
This story of Tipi Retreats is much too detailed to explain here. The facts have been layed out for over 6 years now. It has been on display for anyone interested to make inquiry.
It has been six plus years and their land use change is still being held up for approval! Essentially by the county land use planner.
(This is one good reason for wanting a contractor to look this over.)
If AI is used with conservative numbers, the case can be made that our county has lost over $14 million in revenue by keeping the Tipi Retreats from opening for business. At the recent Candidate Forum I remember questions having to do with supporting economic growth and increasing our tax base. What was turned down all those years ago? Evidence of the Good Ol’ Boy network at play?
Was the Good Ol’ Boy network on display when Paul was brought before the Governor for a petition to remove him from office? We had good friends willing to testify to the Governor against Paul, without ever reaching out to hear the other side of the story.
Those that have reached out to my husband with open questions have been informed and on occasion even changed opinions after understanding a fuller explanation. The good people of our community who have chosen to not even be curious enough to go to ask questions, has left me with sadness.
And, can a man who is a Commissioner be able to be taught and correct his own views from time to time? Can the nuances and sometimes private information that are behind decisions always be on display and properly conveyed?
Work and executive sessions are employed, usually not because of secret intentions. But there are sometimes sensitive issues that need addressing and further discussion to come to understanding about.
Hostile and contentious newspaper and social media environments are not proper avenues of all public discussion.
My observations from the sidelines of my husbands service these last 4 years has left me marveling. This small community, in a small county, in what I thought was a conservative small state has shocked me! People who I thought were good in heart have displayed pure evil actions.
Most people do not understand or care to inquire about the proper role of government. The restraints that are imposed upon our system of governance have been pushed so far out of reason, mostly for personal gain, that it is hard to find citizens who actually understand and support the benefits and risks of freedom. The Good Ol’ Boy network behind the scenes of Hot Springs County politics has many times caused me to recoil in shock!
I previously understood and expected this at the federal level. But what I have witnessed on a personal level, in a small town, of what I had thought to be good intentioned people, has caused me to pause and reflect on the situation we have created. It is not the same feeling of goodwill I envisioned before my husband’s serving in the trenches.
As I have expressed some of my sadness to my husband, he has comforted me. He says it’s okay. If friends and community members choose to believe untruths, it’s okay. If he is reelected it’s okay. He will continue to stand for integrity and principles of freedom in our county. If he is not elected it’s okay. He will deal with living in a county that wants increased bureaucracy and restrictions. And he will have more time to spend on personal endeavors.
Either way. It’s all okay!
