Published on December 14, 2018
We are excited to share the news! Midas Gold and eight of the communities surrounding the Stibnite Gold Project site have officially established a community agreement. The agreement, signed on November 30, creates a collaborative environment for local communities to work together with us throughout the life of our project. It also provides a venue for cities and counties to address concerns and opportunities directly with our company and establishes the Stibnite Foundation to support community projects.
We are looking forward to working with the members of the Stibnite Advisory Council. Working alongside communities has always been an important pillar of the Stibnite Gold Project. We’ve spent a lot of time out in the communities, speaking with our neighbors and listening to their ideas because we know this information helps make our project stronger. Through this agreement, we’ve formalized this philosophy and given every signatory to the agreement a voice and seat at the table throughout the life of our project. Plus, working together with all of these communities ensures we develop regional solutions and that each city and county, regardless of size, is treated equally.
Since August, Adams County, Cascade, Council, Donnelly, Idaho County, New Meadows, Riggins and Yellow Pine all voted unanimously to become part of the community agreement. We are so grateful for the hard work Anne Labelle, Midas Gold Idaho Board Member, and Belinda Provancher, community relations manager for Midas Gold Idaho, put into this agreement. They both worked closely with each of the communities to gather their feedback and incorporate it into the final document.
Almost every community has appointed a representative to sit on the Stibnite Advisory Council. Here is the list so far:
Lynn Imel – Yellow Pine
Glenna Young – Cascade
Gene Tyler – Donnelly
Julie Good – New Meadows
Bob Crump – Riggins
Tami Testa – Council
Denis Duman – Idaho County
Anne Labelle – Midas Gold
We are thrilled to be working with each of these individuals and the communities they represent. Based off of our conversations in the community, it seems the feeling is mutual.
“Midas Gold has shown itself to be a good corporate citizen and partner. The company has taken its commitment to another level with the community agreements,” said Julie Good, the President of the New Meadows City Council. “We are pleased to be a part of the Stibnite Advisory Council and look forward to working with Midas Gold and giving our community a voice in the Stibnite Gold Project.”
Under the agreement, the Stibnite Advisory Council will meet regularly to get updates from Midas Gold and to discuss topics of concern or interest regarding the Stibnite Gold Project. The advisory council held an initial planning meeting on December 5 to establish its bylaws, set out a regular meeting schedule and start to discuss how partnerships can be formed around matters such as workforce training, housing and infrastructure, employment, recreational access and business opportunities. You can read the summary here. Each advisory council member is tasked with sharing information from the meetings with the communities they represent.
“I am grateful Midas Gold sees the value of working collaboratively with those who live closest to the site,” said Bob Crump, a Riggins business owner. “As the Stibnite Gold Project moves forward, it gives me peace of mind knowing the community agreements are in place and local voices will be able to help shape the plan for the restoration and redevelopment of the site. I am also excited for the opportunities the Stibnite Foundation will create in our communities. This foundation will help all of us benefit from the Stibnite Gold Project.”
The Stibnite Foundation will support projects that benefit communities surrounding the project. While Midas Gold will be required to directly address impacts of the project, such as power and road improvements and environmental mitigation, as part of the permitting process, the foundation will be a tool to fund projects that address other community desires and needs that may arise. Midas Gold will fund the foundation through a combination of cash and stock contributions. The Stibnite Foundation is being set up so it will be able to function even after mining at the Stibnite Gold Project ends.
We are excited the community agreements have been finalized so that our neighbors can have a meaningful way to work with us now and into the future.
Want to learn more? Check out our press release on the community agreements.
