The Mayor’s Minute from Mayor Patrick Collins – Oct. 9, 2026
Published on October 09, 2026
Judy and I met at the University of Wyoming, and we love all things Cowboys. We drove to Fargo this past weekend to watch our football team play the undefeated North Dakota State University Bison. The Fargodome holds 18,000 fans, and I was so impressed by the hospitality of their fans. At least a dozen fans stopped to thank us for coming to Fargo and asked if we were being treated well. And we were, except on the football field where our Cowboys were shut out 28 to 0. Last weekend all my teams won. What a difference a week makes; only one winner.
It was nice to catch up with Loriana, who graduated from high school here in Cheyenne and is a cheerleader for NDSU. I was so impressed with the athleticism and strength she showed in the stunts they did during the game. It was great to see her and her folks.
The Wyoming Community Development Authority issued a Statewide Housing Needs Assessment in 2024 that told us we need more than 5,000 new housing units built by 2030. In 2025, they issued a Statewide Strategic Housing Action Plan to give communities policy options to improve the housing supply and affordability across the state. Cheyenne has implemented almost all the recommendations from the report and from the Affordable Housing Task Force. I am encouraged by the statewide effort currently underway to find solutions to our housing shortage. The Housing Caucus started with a couple of people with a passion for fixing our housing shortage, and it has expanded to legislators, local government officials, nonprofits, and people who just want to help. Our meeting this week has inspired me that the right people are involved, and we will start to make progress building much-needed housing for Cheyenne and Wyoming.
The city held its annual free flu shot clinic this week. I got my heavy-duty, over-65 flu shot. I was researching the impact the flu has on our nation, and it is significant. In the 2024-25 flu season, 51,000,000 people got the flu, 710,000 were hospitalized, and 45,000 died. I encourage everyone to consider getting the flu shot to help prevent getting the flu or at least make recovery easier. I hate getting sick and am hoping for a mild flu season.
The Finance Committee considered a professional service agreement this week to complete the design work for the recently approved Johnson Pool. The voters of Laramie County approved the project on the 6th penny sales tax, and it will replace the over 70-year-old pool we had to close last year. Construction is scheduled for next year, and a grand opening is scheduled for the following spring. I can’t wait to see families swimming and having a blast again.
We received some bad news from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development this week. The Cheyenne Housing Authority gets funding from HUD, which they use to provide housing vouchers. They were informed that HUD has cut the budget for vouchers, and that shortfall will mean up to 500 Wyoming families will potentially lose their homes. CHA serves as the HUD representative for 11 Wyoming communities. I have talked with our federal delegation about the funding HUD has to help cover community shortfalls. I am hopeful that they will find a way to keep people who really need help in their homes.
October 2nd to 11th is National Dance Week. A group representing the six Cheyenne dance studios came by to talk about dance and the physical and social benefits that come from dance. As a person with no dancing ability, I admire those who can perform the art, preserve the traditions, and teach dance. It was interesting to learn about some of Cheyenne’s dance history, from the early days of burlesque to the dance troupes that appeared at the Cheyenne Opera House, to WWII dances at the Winter Garden Ballroom, and to today’s performances at the Civic Center. Thanks for sharing your dance skills with our community.
The Wyoming Association of Municipalities represents Wyoming’s 99 cities and towns. WAM is broken into six regions. Cheyenne is part of Region 1, which includes the municipalities from Laramie, Goshen, Platte, and Albany Counties. We met in Torrington this week to discuss the upcoming legislative session and the other issues municipalities face. It was nice to have legislators attend to listen to our local elected officials and for us to hear what has happened from their positions at the Capitol. I have really come to enjoy the relationships we have with other communities and their elected officials. Sharing experiences and helping educate each other makes us all more effective in our elected positions.
The best part of visiting North Dakota was spending a couple of days with our three grandkids. Hanging out with a 4-year-old, 2-year-old, and 3-month-old is awesome and exhausting. I don’t know how parents find the energy to keep up with their activity level every day. Our hearts are full!