The Mayor’s Minute from Mayor Patrick Collins – April 26, 2024
Published on April 26, 2024
My week started off with an economic development meeting. We asked LEADS to stop by to discuss options to help a company looking to relocate to Cheyenne. The LEADS team is such a great resource in finding ways to help create jobs for our community. In this occasion, we were not able to find the help requested but I so appreciate all that LEADS does for our community.
We purchased the Belvoir Ranch in 2003 while I was on the city council. Water, a landfill site, and recreation were some of the major reasons for the purchase. Another opportunity is to use a part of the ranch for economic development. We have had many inquiries from companies looking to bring emerging energy businesses to our city. Using part of the eastern half of the ranch to build an energy business park might be a great opportunity for them and a chance to diversify our economy. We have a lot to learn to see if the ranch can be served affordably with utilities and roads. It is an exciting potential opportunity.
The city council set a goal of making changes to 15th Street that would include bringing part of our rail heritage to life by placing a couple restored rail cars on the right of way. We got an update from our staff on the cars and the timeline. I think visitors who come to our city hope to see that part of our history. Putting some cool historic cars where they can be viewed will help deliver our rail history and bring folks to 15th Street.
I asked for a coffee with the Commander of our local base, and we met on Saturday morning. When our largest employer was founded at the same time as our city, we continue to find our interests are very connected. I wanted to get an update on what’s happening on the base and share the same from the city side. Things like housing, aging infrastructure, parking, grants, and food trucks are all shared concerns. Since 1867 we have grown together, and I appreciate all they bring and add to our community.
Saturday night, Judy and I were blessed to attend the Make a Wish gala dinner and fundraiser. Make a Wish Wyoming has been granting wishes since 1985 when their first wish of a BMX bicycle was granted to a young man with a terminal illness. Since that time, 748 children have been granted their wish. Kids who have these serious illnesses must grow up so fast, it steals their childhood. Make a Wish gives them the chance to be a kid with their families even for a short time a wish trip takes. Today we have 38 Wyoming kids waiting for their wish trip. The average trip costs $8,000 and during our dinner 24 wishes were funded. A highlight for me was a young man named Caleb whose wish is to go to Disney World and build a custom Star Wars lightsaber. Embridge granted his wish and at that moment the doors opened and a group of Storm Troopers, a 7’ tall Chewbacca, and other Star Wars characters came in to invite Caleb to a visit. It was a spectacular evening.
I spent Monday attending the Joint Corporations Interim Committee of the Legislature. We had asked them to study a couple of issues that are important to our city. First, we need additional tools to help incentivize building more affordable housing. Second, we have plans to construct a solar farm on our closed landfill and we need help from the Legislature. It was an all-day event, with the committee members working hard to get through a big agenda. I am pleased to report they agreed to study the housing topic and the possibility of adding tax increment financing as a tool for building more affordable housing. They also agreed to study the municipal generation of renewable energy. There is still much to do before the next legislative session begins next year.
Another fun event this week was joining the 6th grade classes from Bain Elementary School to celebrate Arbor Day. Arbor Day started in 1872 in Nebraska. Like Wyoming, there were not many trees, and they created a holiday to plant trees for the future. In Cheyenne, we have lost so many of our canopy trees it makes the efforts of Arbor Day critical. Mark and the team from our Urban Forestry and Rooted in Cheyenne did a great job educating the kids on the importance of trees and how to take care of them. I enjoyed being part of the celebration.
Wednesday was Administrative Professionals Day. I am so lucky to have Holly Martinez in my office and I want to publicly thank her for all she does to answer the public’s questions and take care of our office and me.
We have another new auto service business looking to build in Cheyenne. Doing so on an infill lot can be challenging. The owner and his team met with our city planning and engineering staff to find a way to make his business fit the lot. It was nice to see both sides willing to work to find a way to yes. Having entrepreneurs choose Cheyenne and be willing to make a big investment in our city is amazing and I know our residents appreciate them. I can report we found a way forward.
The Cheyenne Rotary Club Foundation made an amazing donation to our city this week. They bought 12 acres of land on the northwest corner of Powderhouse Road and Dell Range Boulevard and donated it to the city for the site of a future city park. We all know the property as the area with the creek running through it and the Greenway on the southern border. I am forever amazed with the civic trusteeship shown by our residents and civic groups. The Rotary Foundation continues that tradition, and their contribution will make a huge impact on the quality of life in our community for decades to come. Thank you all!
Debra Lee, our county clerk, and her Elections official came by so we could talk about county pocket annexations and the effect they have on the clerk’s ability to prepare the ballots for each precinct in the coming election cycle. As you know, the city council set a goal to get all the county pockets annexed. We now understand her concerns and timelines and will make sure the next county pocket annexations don’t hurt her election efforts. We also talked about the 15,000 residents of Laramie County who were purged from the voter registration rolls. If you did not vote in the last general election, you are automatically purged if you don’t let the clerk know you want to remain a registered voter. In Wyoming, you can still register at the polls and vote if you don’t get reregistered.
It was an amazing week with the generosity shown at the Make a Wish event, and with the Rotary Club Foundation donation. I am so proud to be mayor of this amazing city. Thank you all who give of your time and treasure to support those who need support in our community.