Brighter Future for Fremont County takes Hard, Smart Work

Paid for by Forward Fremont County PAC

As Tuesday’s election nears, voters will soon make their final decisions on support for renewing the 1/2 percent economic growth initiative, on which commercial air service is dependent, ground transportation magnifies impact by 4x on funding matches, and ambulance service efforts might avoid property tax increases.

Amidst all the negative noise about the imaginary “they,” we think NOW is a good time to take stock of all that has been accomplished for the economic health of our communities these past four years, and the folks leading the efforts.

It was four years ago that local residents agreed we needed to seriously address our economic declines and voted to approve a new program that none of us had tried before. MANY people, throughout the communities in our county, stepped up to give their volunteer hours to what was an arduous, controversial and seemingly thankless effort. Change was constant to invent and improve this new wheel. These folks weren’t some faraway “they” in Cheyenne of DC. They were, and still are, your neighbors, friends, coworkers, even family.

Over the course of these efforts, they recommended over 100 projects they considered strong candidates for growing our communities. But for every one project recommended and later approved by city councils, there were many more that would be disappointed, because they could not “move the needle” in a significant enough way, weren’t quite the right project for their community at that moment in time, of there simply weren’t enough funds to go around. And that’s the heat these volunteers had to face.

Today we’ll look at some of their specific projects, consider the efforts of both volunteers and applicants, and say thank you to them all.

LIFT focus on strategic economic growth looked for the “right fits” for Lander

“The first four years of the tax was a great learning experience for all of us. We made changes regularly based on feedback from the City Council and the public. We welcome and encourage all feedback! While we have a long way to go, the next four years will be more organized and will have a larger and more favorable impact. Because we live in such a beautiful place, Lander will likely grow even if we do nothing. However, having a strong economic development program will allow us to grow like we WANT to grow,” said Marilyn Fisher, LIFT committee member.

Some of the important projects funded through LIFT, with support from LEDA (Lander Economic Development Association) and the Lander City Council included a wide variety of visitor and family focused events that brought thousands of people to Lander, benefiting local hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and retailers. These included the Central Wyoming Climbers Festival, Lander Old Time Rodeo Association, Wyo-131 Gravel Grinders Race, State Gymnastic Competition and Regional Babe Ruth Baseball Tournament. Assistance to organizations that provide benefits to seniors and children included Anam Cara home health services, Apply Valley School, Child Development Services Infant and Toddler care and the Lander Free Medical Clinic. Jobs-growing assistance to local manufacturers allowed them to increase new business coming to Lander, which will be paid back in a short period of time through increased wages, increased sales tax, property and lodging taxes. Those initiatives included Maven Outdoor Equipment, Pushroot Brewing, Western Printing, Back Country Cobbler, Wyo Glass, The Lander Motel and Dandelion Farms.

LIFT and LEDA participants put in hundreds of hours vetting proposals, listening to pitches, conducting financial analysis and making recommendations to their city. Forward Fremont County thanks the following LIFT and LEDA members for those volunteer efforts: Sarah Hamlin (past), Eric Andrews (past), Andy Gramlich (past), Bruce Gallinger (past), Dennis Selley (past), Lonnie Bull (chair), Mary Greene, Rick Bestul, Brian Brown, Marilyn Fisher, Charri Lara, Khrystyn Lutz along with city council liaisons Missy White and Melinda Cox. Thanks, too to the Lander Mayor and City Council.

MOVE’s county-wide reach looked for “skin” to ensure a balance of funding sources

From Mike Martin, a MOVE Committee member for the past year and a half, “One of the projects that I am proud that we funded was a project out near Ft. Washakie that was developed by Erica Warren and Jordan Giddings, called The Wind River Basin Campground. These ladies set up a series of teepees with beds and wood floors, fire rings and bathroom facilities. Their project has been a huge success, and they have added showers and other amenities to add to the experience of “glamping” in beautiful, wonderful Wyoming. They have shown that they have true, entrepreneurial spirit and are willing to work for it.”

In relation to how projects were evaluated and chosen, Mike said, “We only funded recipients that had a lot of skin in the game and their project provided an increase in employment or added revenue dollars in the form of tournaments and events. We did not support projects that involved deferred maintenance by owners of buildings. I think all of the committees in the County have had stumbling blocks to overcome and I think that has been accomplished.” Other county awards were made to support the CWC Ag Science Center, the Fremont County Start-Up Challenge for entrepreneurs and Wind River Adventure.

The most current members of the MOVE committee include Cy Lee, Bryan Warner, Mike Martin, Ryan Hedges and Brett Berg, Scott Ratliff (past) with Mike Jones as the county liaison. Forward Fremont County thanks them, past members and all of the county commissioners, for dedicating the enormous amount of time, energy and political will to this endeavor. Based on limited resources of the 1/2 % funds, they had to make some really tough decisions between so many great proposals.

Riverton’s EDGE group set standards for accountability and big, long term economic impact

Leo Kosirog, chair of Riverton’s EDGE committee told us a little about the process for funding projects. The Committee was made up of dedicated citizens focused on community growth, and worked to ensure funds were used effectively. It’s important to note that this money is not just a free handout to private businesses. There are stipulations that must be met, and if these requirements are not fulfilled, the funds will be recalled. Businesses are held to high standards because this is public money being invested in the private sector, and tangible results are expected.

“One area where this tax has already made a significant impact is in healthcare,” Kosirog said. “Fremont County has been struggling with healthcare access, and the new hospital is set to be a huge economic driver for our community. This facility will not only improve services but also create jobs and stimulate local growth. Additionally, there are plans to support a home health company in Riverton that will provide after-discharge care, addressing a critical need in our area. These initiatives are vital for improving the quality of life for many residents while also contributing to the local economy.”

He believes Kifaru International is a true success story. “I’ve heard firsthand from multiple local businesses that have seen an increase in customers thanks to new residents relocating to Riverton as a result of Kifaru’s move. This is precisely how we envision this tax working—creating a positive ripple effect that benefits the entire community.”

Moving forward, Leo said, “We cannot afford to sit idly by while Wyoming stagnates. If we do nothing, we risk being left behind as the rest of the country continues to grow.” When asked why one business receives support over another, “I say it’s because they applied. This isn’t a matter of winners and losers; the idea is that with growth, we can all benefit. I encourage everyone to attend a meeting to see firsthand how transparent this process is.”

“It’s vital that we work together to support initiatives that reflect the needs and desires of our local citizens.”

Our thanks go to all past and present Riverton committee members including Mary Axthelm, Ryan Preston, Jeremy Hughes, Cody Beers, Jack Schmidt, Rochelle Sheldon, Janet Winslow (past), Julie Buller (past), Josh Saltsgaver (past), Marissa Selvig (past), Vivian Watkins (past), Brett Watson (past), Matt Coughanour (past) and Leo Kosirog, along with City Council liaisons Lindsey Cox and Mayor Tim Hancock. Additional thanks to the Riverton City Council.

Thank you to hard-working applicants and smaller communities

The application process was not particularly easy for anybody. Applicants had to present their project, its benefits, the risks and rewards involved. They had to substantiate how their project would create or retain jobs, and on what timetable, or revenues for a net community gain. And they had to produce enough “skin” that public committees and city councils required. That skin represented a financial investment that applicants were willing and able to make for the good of their business, but also for the good of our collective communities. They were grilled, asked to go back to the drawing board, asked countless questions. Many of these projects moved forward even without receiving Growth Fund awards. We can not name you all here, but we thank you, for your gumption, your service to us all, and for your hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Similar to Lander, Riverton and the County, our smaller communities conducted their own due diligence, evaluations and made grant awards without the benefit of vetting committees – putting all the work on their mayors and town councils. We thank them – Dubois, Hudson, Shoshoni and Pavillion – for making sure your communities felt those economic benefits.

FreCo has a strong Foundation for Economic Growth Efforts

We can not overstate our gratitude for the folks that gave so much for no more than the love of their community and a vision for the future. Fremont County benefits from the economic growth efforts of folks all across the county that have not yet been listed. Folks like the mayors and town councils of Dubois, Hudson, Pavillion and Shoshoni, Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribal councils, state representatives including Patrick Edwards of the Wyoming Business Council and Kevin Kershisnik of Manufacturing Works, economic development boards like LEDA, IDEA, Inc., Wind River Development Co., Wind River Development Fund, Riverton and Lander Chambers of Commerce, Wind River Visitors Council, our CWC resources headed up by president Brad Tyndall, and workforce developers like Wind River Job Corps and Wyoming Workforce Services. ALL of these people provide every-day efforts to move our communities forward.

Additional thanks go to the people that help us move people around, including Tim Nichols and his staff at WRTA that ensure young people get to work, children get to childcare and seniors get to their medical appointments.

And thanks to FAST – the Fremont County Air Service Team that has been meeting for nearly ten years now, addressing the critical, and sometimes crisis issues, to maintain commercial air service in this small community. From the downfall of Great Lakes Airlines, establishing and marketing the Denver Air Connection remedy to local flyers, moving to provider Skywest/United, then dealing with “unnatural” disasters including Covid, the ensuing inflation that sent fuel costs skyrocketing, pilot shortages and the loss of local community general funds, and then helped bring a second daily flight. All of these sent the group begging to ensure we did not have any loss of air service. Those thanks go to Mick Pryor, Cy Lee, Missy White, Kevin Kershisnik, Ernie Over and Cathy Cline, along with city staff Kyle Butterfield, Brian Eggleston and Bruce Ransom.

Special thanks also go to Eli Bebout, former Senator to Wyoming for our area. It was Senator Bebout that, in speaking to SkyWest, who had numerous lucrative markets many times bigger than us where they could dedicate their planes, pilots and crews, convinced them to consider Riverton, and Wyoming, as a place to invest their energies. Fremont County has benefited from the commitments of the entire Bebout family many times over.

A Final Word

Tuesday, as you go to the polls, please seriously consider the impact of your vote. Hanging on it is our ability to continue to offer commercial air service that is so critical to our economic health. Millions of dollars of funding that come from far outside Fremont County are available to us because of the small (20%) match we make using these funds, in particular for bus services. And we are told that ambulance services will require either sales tax funding (as this initiative can provide) or increased property taxes in the near future that will be a lot more difficult to swallow. Please vote YES to renew the 1/2 % Economic Development initiative.