Commission narrows camping, vehicle access for Goosetown tournament after insurance review

Anaconda Deer Lodge County commissioners on July 7 amended the Goosetown softball tournament special‑event permit to tighten where overnight camping and vehicle access are allowed and to require specific commercial auto insurance for any vendor that must drive inside park areas.

The 5‑0 decision followed lengthy staff, counsel and public exchanges about whether the event's insurance documents adequately protected the county. County Attorney Morgan Smith said the updated certificate of insurance "does contemplate camping, which I think does provide sufficient coverage," but she and staff noted the policy did not include hired/non‑owned automobile coverage, so vendors who need to drive inside parks must provide commercial auto coverage naming the county as an additional insured.

Event representative Adam Cook presented maps showing areas designated for vehicle‑pulled camping (roadways and parking areas) and separate tent‑only areas. Cook supplied portions of the event master policy and a USA Softball policy; he said the event policy provides $2,000,000 in liability coverage and, together with the tournament's USA Softball coverage, resulted in duplicate coverage the attendees described as protecting the county up to roughly $5,000,000 in the event of claims.

Commissioners also set site conditions: Marty May fields were excluded from tournament use; Benny Goodman Park was included; no alcohol sales would be permitted from the Charlotte Yeoman concession stand (alcohol could be sold from a separately approved location); and overnight camping would be permitted only in the map‑designated parking/maintenance area behind the pool, explicitly excluding the Splash Park area. The commission allowed one vendor to park inside the Charlotte Yeoman Complex pending receipt and county review of commercial auto insurance naming the county as an additional insured. Commissioner Steve Gates moved the amendment; Commissioner Mike Beausoleil seconded, and the motion passed 5‑0.

Event organizer Bill Hill and public commenters said the tournament is a long‑running community event that brings out‑of‑town revenue; Hill said tournament activity "brings $800,000 into this community right now" and described measures he takes such as hiring police and paying for cleanup. Several public commenters urged approval. County staff and the CEO said they would work with MMIA and field staff to revise the county's special‑event permit guidelines to reduce last‑minute submissions for future events.

Commissioners instructed staff to ensure the required commercial auto certificate arrives before any vendor is allowed to drive on park turf and to publish the specific camping map and boundary rules for the upcoming tournament.