While the rate of the federal budget process would not normally affect the Town of Ophir, this year's expedited course of action might make a difference to the town.

On Tuesday evening, Ken Francis, director of the office of community services at Fort Lewis College, told the Ophir General Assembly that securing federal monies for the purchase of the Pauls Family mining claims in the Ophir Valley depended in part on action from a town and county task force.

The Pauls Family, which owns approximately 1,200 acres of mining claims in the Ophir Valley, has entered an option contract with the Trust for Public Lands to purchase the property. Federal Land and Water Conservation Funds will be used to purchase the property from TPL.

Unfortunately, the Bush administration has not budgeted for this fund as fully as in the past, explained Francis. Established in 1965, the fund receives money through royalties from off shore oil and gas production. The budget for the fund this year is $40 million, down from nearly $150 million five years ago.

The Ophir Valley project is highly competitive, Francis said, ranked number one by the Forest Service in the Rocky Mountain Region. However, it now has to compete against other number one projects in other Forest Service regions, as well as against Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and other agency projects.

Building community support and communicating that support to Congress will be key to ensuring that the project is funded, said Francis. Francis recommended patterning the task force and its efforts on the Red Mountain Project Task Force, a local group of 12 members.

Appointments to the task force will be considered by the Town of Ophir on Feb. 15, and San Miguel County commissioners on Jan. 24.