Tuesday night was big for my family and I. I am so appreciative of the voters in Cheyenne that re-elected me to another term as your mayor. I realize that not everyone voted for me, and I will do my best to earn their trust over the next four years by working hard to represent everyone in the city. I love the city council team I have worked with for the past four years and it is bittersweet to have two of them leaving at the end of this term. Richard Johnson and Bryan Cook have been great members of the council, and I know they will continue to be active in our community in the future. Joining the council in January is Kathy Emmons and Mark Moody. I called to welcome them to the governing body, and they both shared their excitement and readiness to serve our city. I guess this means I will be writing the Mayor’s Minute for another four years. I hope you will still enjoy reading it.
Judy and I took a short trip to celebrate her 65th birthday. She loves old Hollywood and movies from the ‘40s and ‘50s. We toured Paramount and Warner Bros. studios and the Motion Picture Museum. It was very educational to see how movies and TV shows are actually made. The movie making technology is amazing, and I will be watching with a new perspective.
Chief of Staff Amber Ash and I met with Police Chief Francisco to discuss new technologies that could act as a force multiplier for the department. Crime analysts are not police officers, but they are an essential component of fighting crime by using technology to find trends that help our officers stop criminals. Recently, our crime analyst and crime prevention team made an arrest that will close many burglaries. We also talked about the importance of cameras and license plate readers to solving crimes and finding vehicles. I was very interested to learn how they could help with Amber Alerts and Silver Alerts. With the challenge to hire police officers, we will continue to look for technologies that can help our department’s efficiency.
The Fleet Reserve Association was founded 100 years ago on Nov. 11, 1924. It was created to represent enlisted personnel before Congress, and they have been part of every major piece of legislation passed regarding sea services since their founding. You might not expect a vibrant naval group here in Cheyenne, but they are here, and I enjoyed meeting them and proclaiming Nov. 11 as Fleet Reserve Association Day here in Cheyenne. Congratulations on 100 years of representing the sea services of our country.
I graduated from Cheyenne’s East High School in 1978. Every time I walk into the school it brings back so many memories. This week I joined our friends from the Wyoming Association of Municipalities on a tour of the school in preparation for holding the 2025 summer conference there. Being in the main lobby with the school logo reminded me of the many times upper classmen made me yell my battle cry. I am excited that teams from our 99 municipalities will be in Cheyenne next June. It will be great to show off our Capital City.
I was talking with a developer that has property ready to develop for up to 2,000 housing units. The challenge is that the cost of offsite improvements may make the lots too expensive. Offsite improvements are requirements to build infrastructure adjacent to the development to support the impact of the development to our community. Our grants team set up a meeting for me with the Wyoming Business Council and State Lands and Investment team to see if there are any programs that could help us make this development financially viable. I know these folks are very busy, and I appreciate their time and suggestions. With our housing shortage, it is going to take everyone working collaboratively to solve it.
Last summer, the federal government forced a bitcoin mining company named Mine One to close their doors and remove all remnants of their operation. The federal Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is charged with protecting our country from foreign entities whose activities are against our national security interests. The site has been cleared and we met with a company named Clean Spark again this week to make sure they are following the CFIUS order. The good news is they are cleared and ready to begin building their new bitcoin mining operation in the North Range Business Park. I spoke about the financial impact last week – it is big.
The ForMak Foundation was founded after Mak Evans was hit by a car while crossing Western Hills Boulevard. His mom turned that tragedy into her mission to make our streets, especially around our schools, safer for other families’ children. ForMak created a partnership with Taco Johns, Microsoft together with the city, and LCSD #1 to install a HAWK system (High-Intensity Activated Cross Walk) at the site of the accident by McCormick Junior High School and on Pershing Boulevard near Baggs School. This modern technology will help improve pedestrian safety, but nothing is more important than Cheyenne’s drivers pledging to always be attentive behind the wheel and never letting distractions impair their attentiveness. Our Metropolitan Planning Organization is completing their Safe Routes to School plan that will help our community prioritize safety investments around our many schools. They are also starting the Safe Streets for All plan that will look at the rest of the roads in our MPO area. I am so impressed with Janelle Evans and her leadership in making our community safer. I hope these plans will result in more public/private partnerships in the future.
The election is done, and it is time for us all to come together and get back to building our nation, state, county, and city. I know the rhetoric of the campaign can be tough at times, but the reality is we must find a way to put it behind us and look for ways to work together. I am looking forward to coffee and conversations with all the newly elected officials at all levels in Laramie County. Cheyenne can’t meet our goals and expectations without their help.
We’re also heading into the holiday season, and there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer and donate in our community. The City is assisting St. Mary’s School with their coat drive and we have a box available for new or gently-used coat donations in the Municipal Building lobby now through Nov. 23. I encourage everyone who is able to find a way to give back to the community or help those in need. Your time and donations are so appreciated!