I appreciate Mark Rinne and City Council for their Council Communique last week. It was an opportunity for the council to share all they have been working on over the past year. I hope you enjoyed it. I will try to fit highlights from the past two weeks in this week’s Minute.
I was so proud of our Community Recreation and Events department as they hosted the Wyoming Recreation & Parks Association Conference. Folks from all around the state and in the region came to the Capital City to take part. Our team had three keynote speakers who helped motivate these professionals, and they had great speakers that taught specific topics of interest. Our city team taught many of the sessions. So proud!!
We held our first meeting of the Critical Traffic Control Area program committee to discuss the traffic safety concerns on Gardenia Drive. The city engineer, police chief, and I are members of the committee, and we voted to declare the area eligible for enhanced speed enforcement with speeding tickets doubled for violators. The goal of the program is to respond to neighborhood safety concerns and to give the committee tools to help remedy the concerns. We will revisit the data every two weeks to see if the safety concerns have been alleviated and the designation can be removed.
I was proud to give the keynote address and take part in the Steel Days events at Puma Steel. Eight years ago, Rex Lewis and a few folks from Puma Steel gave some scholarships to LCCC for welding students. Folks loved the idea and today, 170 student welders competed for 30 scholarships up to $4,000. I was so impressed by the quality of the work and did not envy the judges who had to choose the winners. Thank you, Rex and the 27 sponsors who made this day happen. Our state needs folks just like these students in our workforce to build our economy today and in the future.
I would like to say thank you to East High School for the honor of inducting me into their hall of fame. I graduated from East in 1978, and I have wonderful memories from my time there. Thank you!
We have been working hard to align our regulations to encourage affordable and attainable housing. I learned that in 1950, the average new home was 950 square feet; in the 1970s, homes started getting bigger; and today, the average new home is 2,500 square feet. Homes are getting bigger and so much more expensive. We discussed building homes in the 900 to 1,100 square foot size that our workforce can afford to buy. It is so exciting to see a builder who understands and shares our vision.
I spoke at a recent real estate investor conference a couple of weeks ago and I shared my thoughts that Cheyenne needs senior housing. From that talk, I was introduced to Shane Wright, who has been building senior housing developments in nine states and is excited by the opportunities here in Cheyenne. His senior cooperatives give seniors companionship and a maintenance-free home. I am so happy I said yes to speaking at the conference. Fingers crossed he decides to make Wyoming his tenth state.
LCCC has spent the past couple of years rebuilding the Blue Recreation & Athletics Complex. They call it the RAC. Dr. Shaffer had been keeping us updated along the way, so I had high expectations. The final product blew my expectations away. I would encourage all of you to go to a volleyball or basketball game and check it out. It is an amazing investment for the students and for our community. Wow!
The city has a great partner with Tom Hirsig and Cheyenne Frontier Days. We had coffee to talk about that relationship and make sure we are on the right track moving forward. It takes a coordinated partnership from so many people and agencies working together to successfully put on the Daddy of ‘em All. Each year, Judy and I marvel at the CFD experience and thank all of you who have a part in the event.
Vince Bodiford and I met four years ago for coffee and from that discussion came the idea for the Mayor’s Minute. Vince is the new president and publisher of APG of the Rockies and we got together for lunch to talk about the state of the print media and media in general. I want the media to hold us accountable in our actions as elected officials, and to help tell our city’s story. I want to wish Vince luck and thank him again for helping me with the concept for the Mayor’s Minute.
Twenty years ago, I was on a ride-along with a police officer and witnessed a confrontation between a large man and several officers. The man was not intimidated by the officers and seemed willing to fight them all. An officer showed up with a K9 and this huge man turned around and said, “Please don’t let the dog eat me.” He peacefully surrendered. It was at that moment that I came to appreciate how important dogs are to police work: drugs, bombs, and in that case, deescalating situations. Last week, folks from the Horse Palace donated $33,000 to replace three of our K9 officers who are ready to retire. Trained dogs are expensive, and this gift will ensure our department has a vibrant K9 force for another decade.
I attended the 13th Annual Africa MAAFA Education Conference at LCCC on Saturday morning. Dr. Peebles and Jill have brought interesting speakers for years. This year, they invited elders from the community to speak on their upbringing and influences. It was unique and fun to hear how they became who they are today.
John Tyler came to CFD in 2023 and was captivated by the bronzes on Capitol Avenue. It led to a family conversation about doing a bronze to honor their mother and tell the forgotten story of the vibrant African American history of Cheyenne’s west side. Mary Tyler is 92 years old and raised 11 children on Bent Avenue. About 100 people came to honor her and to see the unveiling of the bronze on the corner of 21st and O’Neil. Cheyenne’s vibrant African American community was supported by the UPRR bringing hundreds of porters to town and Fort DA Russell was home to the Buffalo Soldiers. The area around Civic Commons Park was the epicenter of life. It was a beautiful ceremony.
Tuesday and Wednesday, I spent time at the Capitol attending the Corporations Committee meetings. Tuesday, I testified for a bill that would give municipalities the ability to partner with our utility to build a solar farm on our closed landfill. It would be a way for the city to generate revenue on an unproductive piece of land. The committee voted to sponsor the bill. Wednesday, I testified in favor of a bill that would allow the use of Tax Increment Financing to build affordable housing. It would be a powerful tool in our effort to build more affordable housing. Both bills passed the committee, and I am so appreciative. Next step is the full Legislature in the new year.
I had the opportunity to speak to the Wyoming Academy on Thursday. It is the economic development version of Leadership Wyoming. I was asked to share my journey to becoming mayor and the challenges we face as a community. I love how this program brings people together from all over the state to learn best practices in economic development. I am convinced that it will make a difference with each class that graduates. I appreciate the opportunity to brag about our city and our team.