(Fremont County, WY) – County 10 sent the following questionnaire to each of the Riverton mayor and city council candidates, ahead of next week’s August 18 Primary election. The answers from candidates who responded by the deadline are presented below, unedited and in alphabetical order. (Note: One candidate replied to the questionnaire but did not attach the answers in their email response. County 10 has reached out to this candidate, but they have not replied as of publication. Their responses will be added when received.)
Mike Bailey, Mayor
1. What do you feel is the most important issue the town of Riverton currently faces? What steps will you take or what plan do you have in place to address this issue?
The most important issue we face is improving our economy! All of the communities need to work together in making this happen. There are many factors that go into keeping our economy healthy, we have to create an environment that is attractive for business to operate in. We have to have good affordable housing. We need to keep regulations to a minimum and focus on making our community a place where we all want to Live, work & play. The City can look for ways to reduce unneeded regulations and improve our infrastructure to be ready for new growth opportunities.
2. Where do you stand on the proposed three-quarter percent sales tax? Please explain why either way. Is there anything about the proposed tax as written that you think voters/residents might have confusion about, or may be lacking clarity on?
I feel that the ¾ cent sales tax would greatly improve our ability to fund these vital services.
Ambulance service are vital to all of us having a good quality of Life here in Fremont County. Without these services available people will not want to live here, Businesses will not be able to be here. Our economy will suffer!
The Central Wyoming Regional Airport is a wonderful asset to our County & Community. It has reached new levels of usage, over 25,000 people boarded flights at our amazing airport in 2025. This is a huge economic driver for Fremont County. Every $1 dollar we spend on the Airport gives us more than $20 in economic benefit.
Local ground transportation will help so many people that otherwise would be unable to get to work, medical appointments and other basic services.
3. What town issues in Riverton do you feel do not get as much attention, but deserve to be addressed?
Building Cooperation with Fremont County Commission & the other Communities: Living out here in rural America, all of us need to work together to survive. What helps one of our communities, helps all of us. We need to thoroughly investigate any opportunity to share costs and services that could give us the ability to reach our goals at a lower cost. (A rising tide raises all boats)
4. Homelessness and public intoxication continue to be primary concerns in the Riverton community. What role does a Mayor/council member have in terms of addressing these concerns, and what ideas would you bring to the table?
This is one of the issues that almost every city has to deal with in some manner. I think we have made good progress with VOA, Eagles hope and now the Mercy house. The City has to make sure we are present in the community, enforcing the laws regarding Public Intoxication and the crimes that go with it. We can do this with compassion and still keep our City Safe and a place that we all can live together. I think that the city in cooperation with the other communities can work together and develop a plan that could bring more mental health and addiction facilities to help overcome this situation.
5. What specific strength would you bring to the role of Council member/Mayor? What is an area of weakness, or a subject matter that you would have to work on if elected? Can you think of a time when you failed at something, but overcame the failure or hurdle to work toward a solution that would apply to the role of City Council Member/Mayor? Please elaborate.
As A lifelong community resident, family man, experienced Business & Community Leader. I have the ability to make the Thoughtful, Fair & Tough decisions that Riverton Needs to move ahead and be a thriving City.
All of this takes community support. I have & will continue to support our many volunteer & non Profit organizations that provide so many wonderful services in Riverton.
I have failed many times. What really matter is when you fail, what you do then. I have always used those times as a learning experience and pivoted to use that experience to make better decisions in the future. The only way to really fail is not to try at all!
Tim Hancock, Ward 3 City Council
1. What do you feel is the most important issue the town of Riverton currently faces? What steps will you take or what plan do you have in place to address this issue?
Riverton’s most important long-term challenge is economic vitality–making sure our community can be a place where people find good jobs, raise a family, and choose to stay. It is not just “recruiting a new business” but taking care of the businesses already here, maintaining infrastructure, supporting services (like commercial air service, ambulance, and ground transportation), and making choices that continue to improve the overall quality of life.
I support practical economic development: remove unnecessary barriers where we can, pursue grants, invest in infrastructure, support employers, and make Riverton a community people want to invest in. Most of the time, government just needs to get out of the way. Sometimes, government needs to step in and ensure that development makes sense long-term.
2. Where do you stand on the proposed three-quarter percent sales tax? Please explain why either way. Is there anything about the proposed tax as written that you think voters/residents might have confusion about, or may be lacking clarity on?
I fully support the proposed three-quarter percent sales tax. It is a different tax than we had last time–there is no discretionary amount and the ballot language ensures that it only goes to three services: ambulance, public ground transportation, and commercial air service. The three services it would fund are services that are essential to the long-term economic health of our county.
This tax ensures that the cost is shared not only by property owners but by people who make purchases here, tourists and visitors.These services already cost money. If we choose not to fund them through this mechanism, that does not necessarily make the expense disappear; it means local governments will have to find the money somewhere else or reduce the service.
To be clear, however, the ballot language itself does not contain the 54%/31%/15% distribution. Those percentages are contained in the separate agreement between the participating governments. I think voters should understand the distinction between the ballot language and the agreement. Even for those governments that have not passed the agreement, the funds are restricted only to those services in the ballot language even if they don’t agree to the distribution.
I know a lot of people have expressed that they wish these services were not “lumped together” in one tax. The problem with that argument is that all sales taxes have to be either divisible by .5% (general sales tax) or .25% (economic development). The goal of the ballot language is to ensure that the amount taxed is no more than is necessary. The needs of each individual service would not fall cleanly within that breakdown, hence the odd numbers in the distribution and the services being “lumped together.”
3. What town issues in Riverton do you feel do not get as much attention, but deserve to be addressed?
When those systems work, nobody thinks very much about them. When they fail, suddenly they are the most important issue in town. We have to resist the temptation to spend only on projects that are highly visible while allowing basic infrastructure to deteriorate.
A good current example is Riverton’s water system. The City is moving forward with an expensive well-replacement project and has pursued state revolving-fund financing that is anticipated to receive 100% principal forgiveness, with no expected utility-rate increase attributable to that project. That is exactly the kind of work I think local governments should emphasize: identify a problem before it becomes a crisis and aggressively pursue outside funding so local taxpayers get the greatest value possible.
I would also put neighborhood quality of life in this category—lighting, property maintenance, parks and recreation, and the appearance of our community. None of those issues individually generates the attention of a major controversy, but together they have an enormous effect on whether people feel safe, whether businesses want to invest here, and whether families want to remain here.
4. Homelessness and public intoxication continue to be primary concerns in the Riverton community. What role does a Mayor/council member have in terms of addressing these concerns, and what ideas would you bring to the table?
Although the City has an important role, we cannot solve homelessness, addiction, or alcoholism by ourselves. These issues involve law enforcement, courts, treatment providers, healthcare, county and tribal governments, nonprofits, families, and individuals themselves.
The Mayor and Council do have responsibility for public safety, city ordinances, the police department’s resources, the city budget, liquor licensing, and deciding which community organizations the City financially supports. We also have an important role in bringing the different organizations involved in this issue together rather than expecting any one of them to solve it.
I do not believe the choice is between compassion and accountability. We need both. People who are committing crimes need to be held accountable. At the same time, simply cycling somebody through jail over and over again without addressing addiction or mental-health problems has not solved the underlying problem. Our municipal, circuit, and district courts remain focused on treatment but there is still a lot of individual accountability that comes into play.
I would continue pursuing several approaches at the same time: strong and fair enforcement of laws; better access to substance-abuse evaluations and treatment; cooperation with the county, tribes, courts and treatment providers; thoughtful use of lighting and surveillance in problem areas; and support for organizations that can demonstrate that they are helping people move toward sobriety, employment and stable housing. Those are all approaches the Council has already been examining. The city has opioid suit funding that it needs to spend as well and I would like to see us get those funds going towards efforts that will help make a safer community.
Mercy House is a promising recent example. The City provided funding toward the project, and the shelter opened July 1. In its first month it reported more than 50 people registering to stay overnight. It is providing a great service to make our community better.
These are problems Riverton has struggled with for many years. I do not believe there is a single ordinance, arrest strategy, treatment program or shelter that will magically solve it. We have to be willing to try approaches, measure whether they are working, change course when they are not, and keep the safety of the entire community at the center of the discussion.
5. What specific strength would you bring to the role of Council member/Mayor? What is an area of weakness, or a subject matter that you would have to work on if elected? Can you think of a time when you failed at something, but overcame the failure or hurdle to work toward a solution that would apply to the role of City Council Member/Mayor? Please elaborate.
My greatest strengths are probably experience and a willingness to ask questions and reconsider my position. I have had the opportunity to serve both on the City Council and as Mayor. I understand much more today about municipal budgets, personnel, infrastructure, economic development and the limits of municipal authority than I did when I first joined the Council.
My legal background is helpful. I frequently read statutes, ordinances, and contracts. I am very willing to consider competing arguments before reaching a decision. A council has six people, a mayor, professional staff and thousands of constituents with different priorities. You have to be able to disagree and still work together the next morning.
An area I continually have to work on is the temptation to look at the details and ignore the bigger picture. My professional training encourages me to analyze problems very closely. That can be useful, but elected officials also have to know when to rely on folks that know a subject better than we do. I have gotten better at asking questions without assuming that I need to personally have every answer.
One lesson in failure for me has been our community’s long struggle with public intoxication. I wish we could be further towards solutions. I intend to keep trying and reconsider options for ways we can handle that problem. The lesson I have taken from that is that failure of one approach is not a reason to quit working on the problem. Government sometimes has to admit, “That did not work as well as we hoped,” learn from it, and try something better.
Levi Shull, Ward 1 City Council
1. What do you feel is the most important issue the town of Riverton currently faces? What steps will you take or what plan do you have in place to address this issue?
I believe Riverton’s most important challenge is balancing the cost of providing essential services with the financial burden placed on residents. Public safety should remain a top priority, but we also need to make sure taxpayer dollars are being used efficiently. I would work to understand the city’s finances, look for opportunities to improve efficiency before increasing taxes, and support responsible economic development that strengthens our tax base and creates good local jobs.
2. Where do you stand on the proposed three-quarter percent sales tax? Please explain why either way. Is there anything about the proposed tax as written that you think voters/residents might have confusion about, or may be lacking clarity on?
I have concerns about the proposed ¾% sales tax as it is currently structured. I support reliable ambulance service, commercial air service, and public transportation, but I question whether combining three different needs into one tax is the best approach. I also believe voters should clearly understand that the proposed tax is divided among those services, with 54% going to EMS, 31% to commercial air service, and 15% to public transportation. Residents deserve to understand exactly what they are being asked to fund before voting.
3. What town issues in Riverton do you feel do not get as much attention, but deserve to be addressed?
I think economic development and housing deserve more attention. We need to make it easier for existing businesses to grow and attract new employers, particularly good-paying manufacturing and skilled-trade jobs. At the same time, people need somewhere affordable to live. Reviewing unnecessary barriers to housing development and making city processes efficient and predictable can help Riverton grow without sacrificing the character of our community.
4. Homelessness and public intoxication continue to be primary concerns in the Riverton community. What role does a Mayor/council member have in terms of addressing these concerns, and what ideas would you bring to the table?
A council member’s role is to help create a safe community while recognizing that homelessness and addiction are complex problems. I support effective enforcement when people are creating unsafe conditions or breaking the law, but I also believe we need better coordination with law enforcement, health services, treatment providers, and community organizations. I would support programs that address the causes of these problems while ensuring residents and businesses can safely use our public spaces.
5. What specific strength would you bring to the role of Council member/Mayor? What is an area of weakness, or a subject matter that you would have to work on if elected? Can you think of a time when you failed at something, but overcame the failure or hurdle to work toward a solution that would apply to the role of City Council Member/Mayor? Please elaborate.
My biggest strength is problem-solving. As a production supervisor, I regularly have to identify problems, learn quickly, work with others, and find practical solutions. My biggest weakness is that I do not have years of experience in municipal government, so there will be a lot for me to learn. I am comfortable admitting when I don’t know something and doing the work to learn it. One lesson my career has taught me is that when something goes wrong, the important thing is to understand why, correct it, and improve the process so it doesn’t happen again.
Daryl West, Mayor
1. What do you feel is the most important issue the town of Riverton currently faces? What steps will you take or what plan do you have in place to address this issue?
I feel the biggest problems Riverton is facing are crime, drugs, and alcohol. Our city needs to pay the police officers a more competitive wage, so we don’t lose officers to other departments that pay more. A juvenile detention center would help the youth in our community be held accountable for their actions and turn them in the right direction for the rest of their lives. Bringing back a center to take adults in over night to sober up instead of taking them straight to jail. Some citizens are going to be an issue no matter what the program implemented.
2. Where do you stand on the proposed three-quarter percent sales tax? Please explain why either way. Is there anything about the proposed tax as written that you think voters/residents might have confusion about, or may be lacking clarity on?
My supporters and I are against the ¾% tax increase because they do not trust leadership to spend the funds responsibly. Leadership was not truthful about the last tax increase and spent money where it was not intended to go. Whenever there is a meeting for people to come and ask questions about the tax, the voters that are going to vote no do not show up. Voters already have their minds made up and are not going to change their mind. I am not trying to sway votes either way. Many of us live paycheck to paycheck with no extra money to spend when fuel prices are higher than other cities in our county, food cost more, water utility costs are increasing, and electric bills increasing.
3. What town issues in Riverton do you feel do not get as much attention, but deserve to be addressed?
We need more activities and businesses geared towards our youth. Many residents want a recreational center. There is not enough for young people to do in Riverton to keep them occupied.
4. Homelessness and public intoxication continue to be primary concerns in the Riverton community. What role does a Mayor/council member have in terms of addressing these concerns, and what ideas would you bring to the table?
Mercy House and Eagles Hope are helping our homeless residents. I totally support the work that they are doing, and I would like to see the city continue to support them. A center for our intoxicated citizens would be a good thing to bring back to help keep the jail from being overcrowded. The mayor cannot just change anything; the city council must work together for anything to change.
5. What specific strength would you bring to the role of Council member/Mayor? What is an area of weakness, or a subject matter that you would have to work on if elected? Can you think of a time when you failed at something, but overcame the failure or hurdle to work toward a solution that would apply to the role of City Council Member/Mayor? Please elaborate.
Experience could be considered my weakness but it’s not the only qualification for leadership. A mayor’s job is listening to people, making decisions, building teams, solving problems, and being accountable to the community. Elections give voters the chance to decide whether a candidate’s vision, character, trustworthiness, and abilities are strong enough, regardless of holding office before. One thing I’ve failed at in the past is trying to take on too much myself because I felt responsible for making sure everything was done right. I learned being a good leader doesn’t mean having all the answers or doing everything yourself. It means trusting the people around you, communicating clearly, and giving others the opportunity to contribute.
Chancey Wilczewski, Ward 2 City Council
1. What do you feel is the most important issue the town of Riverton currently faces? What steps will you take or what plan do you have in place to address this issue?
Riverton feels like it stands on the edge of an opportunity to embrace new and more robust businesses and to diversify beyond the traditional petroleum and energy sectors. As a member of the City Council I plan to help ensure Riverton is a community attractive to businesses starting, relocating to, and growing here. This means maintaining dependable infrastructure, addressing any barriers to development, and communicating with local businesses to understand what they need to succeed. Economic development isn’t just about bringing businesses to town; it’s about creating the jobs, opportunities, and quality of life that allow a person to build a life here.
2. Where do you stand on the proposed three-quarter percent sales tax? Please explain why either way. Is there anything about the proposed tax as written that you think voters/residents might have confusion about, or may be lacking clarity on?
While I support the existence of the individual services that the tax is intended to fund, I don’t support the proposed tax as it is currently written. I believe a community like ours needs ground ambulance, public ground transportation, and commercial air service, but I strongly disagree that combining these separate needs into a single sales tax initiative is the best solution.
I don’t believe individual citizens should be burdened with subsidizing a commercial air service through a general sales tax. Additionally, every constituent who has approached me about the ¾% tax has expressed a willingness to support ground ambulance service, but only if it is provided through an entity based in Wyoming and considered separately from commercial air service.
My greatest concern with the proposal is the lack of choice created by bundling these services and asking a voter to choose yes or no on all of it together. These issues are significant enough, and different enough, that I believe the voters deserve the opportunity to consider them on their own merits.
3. What town issues in Riverton do you feel do not get as much attention, but deserve to be addressed?
On a more personal level, I feel that Riverton has always struggled with establishing and supporting a successful system of “third places,” a term popularized in the 80’s meaning places outside of home and work where people can gather, socialize, and participate in their community. I strongly believe that Riverton needs and deserves a community of businesses, organizations, events, and public spaces that encourage people to get out of the house, meet their neighbors, and spend time together.
While I don’t believe it’s the City’s job to create these places, I do believe we should look for opportunities to support the people and businesses willing to create them. A stronger sense of community makes Riverton a better place to live, and ultimately a more attractive place to stay, work, and raise a family.
4. Homelessness and public intoxication continue to be primary concerns in the Riverton community. What role does a Mayor/council member have in terms of addressing these concerns, and what ideas would you bring to the table?
I believe the Mayor and City Council must simultaneously consider what obligation the city has to both an unhoused individual, and to a homeowner nearby. What can the city do to help make the situation better tomorrow than it was yesterday? My approach to improving the situation is in line with other priorities I have spoken about here and elsewhere, make Riverton a stable hub of economic success. Create a local economy that can empower an unhoused person to seize opportunities and improve their life, encourage residents to come together with their neighbors and create an environment where all of Riverton’s citizens and visitors can thrive and live happy, healthy, fulfilling lives. In addition to building the sense of community I have spoken about, the city must ensure that laws and ordinances are in place, and enforced fairly, to protect the health, safety, and livelihood of its citizens.
5. What specific strength would you bring to the role of Council member/Mayor? What is an area of weakness, or a subject matter that you would have to work on if elected? Can you think of a time when you failed at something, but overcame the failure or hurdle to work toward a solution that would apply to the role of City Council Member/Mayor? Please elaborate.
I thrive in data-rich environments, and excel in processing, breaking down, and visualizing large issues and goals. I pride myself in being able to take a daunting idea, identify and collect relevant information, and lay out an approachable and understandable pathway to success. I hope to use this approach to expand my understanding of the availability of municipal grants and their application processes, to make our City budget reach farther without increasing the strain on the citizens of Riverton. Like anyone else, I have failed at many things in life. Most recently, I confidently laid out and put into motion a 12-week action plan at my place of work, only to realize at the end of the first week that I had severely underestimated the timeline. I had to spend a good chunk of my next week planning, scheduling and apologizing for promoting misleading due dates, before being able to get back on track with the goal itself. I can’t be expected to never make a mistake as a Council Member, but I do expect myself to identify those mistakes and work diligently to come back to the next meeting ready to apologize and show that I am better for the experience.
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