Carbon County officials want the public’s input on the possibility of the county taking on some debt that would be used for conserving and preserving land and resources in the county.

Last week, the commissioners authorized the Trust for Public Land to move forward with a public opinion survey for county homeowners regarding the possible debt.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said the survey aims to see if the residents would support putting a referendum on the ballot regarding a bond issue strictly for preservation purposes.

“Look at Carbon County,” he said, pointing out that the biggest revenue source for many communities is tourism due to the natural beauty of the area. “This would help to preserve this open space.”

He added that it would also allow more farmland to be preserved.

“Our farms are disappearing. Farmable land is disappearing,” he said. “It’s getting quite concerning.

“I think we have to start looking harder here in Carbon County to make sure we have open space for years to come.”

The county said the survey will most likely take place within the next month and will be a quick turnaround once completed.