The Mayor’s Minute from Mayor Patrick Collins – July 18, 2025

Published on July 18, 2025

As I drive around town, I take time to look at all the amazing businesses. I was reminded this week that many of those businesses happen because Cheyenne is blessed with entrepreneurs who make huge investments and take risks to bring them to us. Kishore Kodru is one of those. I was invited to a groundbreaking for his newest project on West Allison Road that includes a daycare, a Jumpin’ Jack’s bounce house, a Cold Stone Creamery, and a coffee shop. Now you know I love me some Founder’s Favorite ice cream, and this new location will be so much closer to my office. We are seeing some great development and investment happening in the south side of our community and Kishore and his family are making the next one happen. Thank you, guys.

Cheyenne is blessed to have voters who support our local governments with their votes for the 6th Penny sales tax. Our current 6th Penny will expire next year, and we have started the public process of discussing what city projects may go on the next ballot. City Council held a work session to let our Community Recreation and Events team discuss two projects they have prioritized. The first is the Johnson outdoor pool in Lincoln Park. The pool was built in 1954 – an amazing 71 years ago. Today, the department is doing everything possible to keep it going each summer. In the last 6th Penny, voters approved funding to design a replacement pool, and the drawings look amazing. It will be so much more family friendly, ADA compliant, and will be a blast for the entire family.

The other project discussed was the Greenway. We started the Greenway in 1991, and today we have 48.3 miles of trail completed. 34 years after the first sections were built, we need to prioritize maintenance, as some of our Greenway sections are showing their age. Our staff detailed a future 6th Penny plan to include maintenance dollars and funding to build the next Greenway sections. Connecting new neighborhoods to our existing trail system gives those neighbors a chance to experience what we all value so much. We will have more work sessions to outline requests from other city departments over the next few months.

A highlight for me this week was an hour phone call with LEADS CEO Betsey Hale. Cheyenne has a contract with LEADS that puts them in charge of our economic development efforts. Hearing about all the activity going on in our community and the new companies looking to make Cheyenne home is humbling. My talks with Betsey get me fired up about Cheyenne’s future.

The Cheyenne Frontier Days Coronation Ball is the official start of Frontier Days to me. Judy and I attended the ball this year to celebrate a tradition that started in 1931 when Jean Nimmo Dubois was crowned the first Miss Frontier. Haylie Turley was crowned Miss Frontier, and Katherine Olson her Lady-In-Waiting. These ladies have already been all over the country representing our rodeo, and they are so excited for CFD to begin. They are great ambassadors for the “World’s Largest Outdoor Rodeo and Western Celebration” as well as for Cheyenne.

Our Critical Traffic Control Area Committee met this week to review the progress being made in neighborhood safety by slowing down vehicle speeds on Central Avenue. While speeds are coming down, they are still too high. 28% of vehicles driving south on Central are speeding, some at very dangerous levels. The committee voted to leave the critical traffic control area designation on Central Avenue that keeps the increased police enforcement in place and doubles the fines for speeding. I have received weekly complaints and concerns from residents about speeding in their neighborhood and noisy vehicles ruining the quality of life. We will review the designation in another month.

I work with Austin Allen from Black Hills Energy on a regular basis. He is a vital part of our economic development efforts by finding innovative ways of providing electricity that is required by every business, especially our data center and manufacturing industries. He was nominated for a very prestigious award, and I did a video interview singing his praises. I shared that as you look up and down I-80, the growth of data centers happening in Cheyenne is not being replicated elsewhere. I attribute that to Black Hills Energy and their willingness to make investments in bringing electricity to the centers. Economic development is a team sport, and we couldn’t ask for a better teammate than Austin.

The 582nd Helicopter Group is headquartered here in Cheyenne at F.E. Warren AFB, and it has additional squadrons in Minot, N.D., and Great Falls, Mont. This week, Colonel Philip Bryant relinquished command to Colonel Bryant Bevan. Colonel Bryant is retiring after a long career that began at the Air Force Academy. Colonel Bevan also graduated from the Academy and was most recently stationed in Korea. One highlight for me was getting to see the new MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopter that will be replacing the legacy Hueys that were manufactured in the 1960s and are still serving today. Wishing Colonel Bryant and his family a great and well-deserved retirement, and welcoming back to Cheyenne Colonel Bevan and his family. It was good to catch up with them at the ceremony.

I brag about the volunteerism of Cheyenne all the time. Tuesday evening, I attended the CFD Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. I met volunteer families that have three and four generations all serving on committees together. More than 3,000 volunteers will be very busy starting Friday, and I want to say thank you to them and everyone that volunteers in Cheyenne. You make a difference.

I toured the new Senior Activity Center on Wednesday afternoon. I was there for the groundbreaking last year, and it was my first view of the new facility. Wow! The kitchen is huge, and I hear the meals are delicious. There are so many activities to keep seniors busy. Special shout out to Commissioner Troy Thompson. He was approached in 2012 by a constituent about the need for an updated senior facility, and he never forgot. In 2021, the county commission was able to put the facility on the 6th Penny sales tax ballot and the voters overwhelmingly supported the project. Seniors, you need to visit this new facility, it is amazing.

My dad and I visited the Children’s Museum on Wednesday evening. The museum opened a couple of months ago and it was great to see the finished product. The interactive exhibits keep the kids engaged and learning. I love hearing all the happy noises the kids make. The next step is to build some active learning and fun spaces outdoors. I am so impressed with the volunteer board that has spent the past 11 years with a single-minded focus to make the museum happen.

Another interesting visit Thursday was when the Romanian ambassador, Andrei Muraru, came by the office as part of his plan to visit each of the 50 states. I learned that Wyoming and Romania have much in common with mining and agriculture as important inputs to their economy. I enjoy meeting people from around the world and learning about their countries.

I don’t have any artistic ability, but I have a huge appreciation for those who do. Judy and I attended the Old West Museum’s Art Show Thursday evening. The amount and quality of the art blows me away each year. I fell in love with a charcoal on paper named “Life is Good” by Guadalupe Barajas, and a Robert Spooner oil on panel named “Under the Evening Sky.” Part of the proceeds go to support the museum, and I want to thank the amazing artists for participating in the show.

Folks, Cheyenne Frontier Days is here. I love these 10 days of the year, and I hope you all will take time to enjoy the festivities. It makes me so proud of Cheyenne.