October Newsletter

Photo by Rose Vowles

TO PONDER

POINTS

From the Executive Director

It’s

well known that many businesses, government agencies, and local organizations in Lander face great difficulty recruiting and retaining workforce due to a lack of housing supply, both to rent and to own. In 2020, guided by the City’s Master Plan, the Lander City Council attempted to adopt changes to Lander’s zoning code to address this shortage, but this attempt failed due to significant opposition from residents.

Lander Code Audit Project

In August of 2019, using the 2012 Lander Master Plan as a guide, a code study was launched by members of the Lander community, the Wyoming Business Council’s Housing Network, and Community Builders, an organization that assists municipalities design strong communities with healthy neighborhoods that offer diverse housing choices.

Currently, 67% of Lander residents live in single family homes, 13% live in mobile homes, and 16% live in what is known as “missing middle” housing. This kind of housing includes cottages, bungalows, and small single family homes; accessory dwelling units; townhouses and condominiums; duplexes, triplexes, and quads; and small and large apartment buildings. Given the lack of availability of single family homes in Lander, many hoping to accept jobs here, including those who are highly skilled and highly paid, simply cannot do so. Others who prefer or need smaller and more affordable “missing middle” housing cannot find it due to Lander’s very low supply or complete lack of it. Thus, the audit recommended:

• allowing accessory dwelling units in all zones

• allowing homes on smaller lots in some zones

• allowing cottage cluster housing in some zones

• providing opportunities for a wider range of housing types in some zones

• applying building form standards to ensure new housing is compatible with existing housing

• providing flexibility for accommodating parking with new housing

Reopening the Conversation

The failure to adopt these recommendations leaves Lander in its housing pickle and our local employers with job openings unfilled. Can we afford to let expected and desired services go unmet, especially in the health care field, if we fail to address the housing shortage in Lander? I welcome your comments.

Owen Sweeney Executive Director

Lander Chamber of Commerce

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Eric Andrews

President

Summit West CPA Group

Ann Espinosa

Vice President

Home Source Realty, Inter Mountain Builders

Chris VonHoltum Treasurer

Central Bank & Trust

Jon Tonkowich, Past President Wyoming Catholic College

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dave Fehringer

Fremont Engineering

James Whiting Whiting Law

Alyssa Lozier Edward Jones

Tom Davis

Fremont Therapy Group

Jennifer Hamilton

SageWest Healthcare

PROFESSIONAL STAFF

Owen Sweeney Executive Director

Carol King Associate Director

Dayna LaTorre Event Coordinator

Business

NEW MEMBERS

Acupuncture

The Soldiers House of Fremont County

The Soldier’s House organization was created by Char lie and Jennifer Wilson to supply free mental healthcare to veterans and their families. As the years have gone by they have done much more than supply free mental health care. Bottom line, their goal at The Soldier’s House of Fremont County, is to seek to support for all Fremont County veterans in many aspects of their lives.

Services offered include:

Counseling & Walk In Thursdays

Free, confidential counseling for post 9/11 veterans and/ or their loved ones. This counseling lasts for as long as the therapist and client feel it is beneficial. No limits on number of visits and regardless of discharge status.

On Thursday afternoons from 2-6 pm walk-ins are wel come for counseling or to meet the therapist. No appointment necessary.

Free acupuncture for veterans on the FIRST Monday of every month from 10 am to noon. Two licensed acupuncturists employ VA approved protocol for PTSD and other health concerns. Walk ins only - NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED

CranioSacral Therapy & Healing Touch

CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on approach that releases tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction and improve whole-body health and performance.

Healing Touch is an energy therapy in which practitioners consciously use their hands in a heart-centered and intentional way to support and facilitate physical, emo tional, mental and spiritual health. This is only offered via appointment.

For more information, visit our website: https://www.soldiershousefc.org/ or call (307) 856-1244.

Charlie Wilson

EVERY TUESDAY

Carnegie Book Nook at the Lander Library 1-5 pm

EVERY WEDNESDAY

--Rotary Club noon, Oxbow Restaurant

--Sip ‘n Shop 10-5, Red White Buffalo

EVERY THURSDAY

--Parkinson’s Support Group, Lander Senior Center 2-3 pm

--Kiwanis Club, noon, Mamaw’s Kitchen @ Inn at Lander (formerly Summit)

EVERY FRIDAY

--Carnegie Book Nook at the Lander Library noon-4 pm

EVERY SATURDAY

--Improv Acoustic Music Jams Lander Art Center 10 am-noon

1 Chuck Yeager 75th anniversary of Breaking the Sound Barrier National Museum of Military Vehicles, 1 pm

1-2 Fremont Toyota Soccer Shootout 2022 4th annual Lander Strikers shootout, various times and locations

1-29 Light My Fire - POWR art exhibit Lander Art Center, Tu-Sa

1, 8 Lander Valley Farmers Market Lander City Park, 9-11:30 am, last 2 of season

2 “Grounded” opening reception Pioneer Museum, 4 pm

2-29 “Grounded” art exhibition Pioneer Museum, 9-5

5 Sip ‘n Shop Red White Buffalo, Lander 10am-5pm

7 First Friday Fremont County Museums, 9-5

7 Candidate Forums Lander mayor & city council, 6 pm, LVHS auditorium

8 NOLS presents The Rescue 4-6:45 pm, LVHS auditorium

8 Fremont Haunts by Alma Law Riverton Museum, 6 pm

8 Fremont Therapy Group’s 2nd Annual Glow Run 5K 2002

W Sunset Dr, Riverton, 6:30-9 pm

14-15 Halloween Night at the Museum Pioneer Museum, 6-9 pm each night

October Events CALENDAR

15 Pumpkin Trail Riverton Museum, 5-8 pm

15 Haunted Downtown Walking Trek Riverton Museum, 5:30 pm

28 Lander Kiwanis Club GUNS BOOTS & BRANDS Gala! VIP cocktails 5:3 pm, general admission 6 pm, dinner 6:30, Lander Community Center

29 8th Annual Fall Fun Fest Riverton Museum, 2-4 pm

UPCOMING EVENTS

2022 Candidates and 2023 Issues

The 2022 General Election Season is in full swing, and the Lander Chamber will be hosting two upcoming events to help the community learn about the candidates seeking to represent us in local and state elected office and also the issues expected to be addressed in the upcoming General Session of the Wyoming Legislature.

2022 Meet the Candidates Evening Social

Friday, October 14 - Lander Community & Convention Center Bar, Lobby & Gallery

Not a typical candidate forum, our Meet the Candidates Evening Social is a casual event at which the public can enjoy an evening out while visiting one-one-one with current elected officials and those community members seeking to represent us in local and state office. Enjoy and evening out with drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres while hearing from candidates in the following contested state and local races:

State House District 54: Lloyd Larsen, Jeff Martin

Lander Mayor: Dan Hahn, Monte Richardson

Lander City Council Ward 1: Oakley Corsick-Boycott, Joshua Hahn

Fremont County School District #1 Board of Trustees: Aileen Brew, Jennifer Butler, Maureen Donahue Howell, Tim Green, Karen Harms, Jared Kail, Mike McConnell, Todd Sutton, Sharon Terhune, and Ralph Vinci

Candidates from uncontested races will be attending, too, so come on out to Meet the Candi dates and be an informed voter!

2023 Legislative Session Preview Luncheon

Friday, December 2- Lander Community & Convention Center Hall

In cooperation with the Riverton and Dubois chambers of commerce, we have invited all of Fremont County’s state senators and representatives to inform the community what issues they have been addressing during the interim and which ones they expect to consider in Chey enne when the Wyoming Legislature convenes January 10 for its 2023 General Session. Join us for lunch on December 2 to learn what issues will impact your business.

Highlight Your Business in Front of Hundreds

Sponsorships are available for both of these events. Contact the Chamber at 332-3892 for details.

Thank You, Renewing Members!

All Action Realty Inc.

Vicki Hughes

1000 Main St., Lander

Allen’s Diamond 4 Ranch Inc.

Jessie Allen Gottwald PO Box 243, Lander

Blackwelder, Gary 5th and Garfield, Lander

Edward Jones

Alyssa Lozier 911 Main St., Lander

First Stop Help Center

860 S. 3rd St., Lander

Global Response Systems Corp

Joshua Denhardt 855 Jefferson St., Lander

Holiday Inn Express & Suites

Krista Lobera, manager 1002 11th St., Lander

Hudson’s Funeral Home 680 Mount Hope Drive, Lander

Hyde Out Guest Cabin & Snowbound Studio

Pam Spencer-Hockett 15 N Dexter Ave., Atlantic City

Kellogg, David & Carol PO Box 1027, Lander

Lander Art Center 258 Main St., Lander

Lander Old Timers Rodeo Association PO Box 632, Lander

MAVEN, Outdoor Equipment Co.

160 S. 4th St., Lander

New York Life Insurance Beau Wendling 592 Main St., Suite B, Lander

Pirate Propane Inc. James & Danielle Schafer 608 Main St., Lander

Porter’s Mountain View Supply, Inc. 750 E. Sunset Dr., Riverton

Rock Church, The Jeff Courtier, Pastor 150 Baldwin Creek Road, Lander

Stanley Steemer

Zach Hildner 1060 Black Blvd., Lander

Sweetwater Fishing Expeditions LLC

George Hunker

PO Box 524, Lander

Whitco Blasting Kevin Whitmore PO Box 1207, Lander

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!

Central Wyoming Regional Airport Kyle Butterfield 4700 Airport Rd., Riverton

Wyoming Army National Guard 5410 Bishop Blvd, RRB, Cheyenne

Book Your Next Meeting at the Chamber!

Looking for a brighter, roomier, more profes sional and technologically advanced place to host a meeting? The Chamber’s got you covered!

Full Zoom Room Functionality

Our two DTEN video conferencing boards provide our members with a simplified pro fessional meeting experience. The dual setup provides a multi-touch video display along side a digital whiteboard that allows live onscreen annotation of documents and content sharing.

Contact Us to Reserve Your Meeting Today!

You don’t need a Zoom account to take advantage of this benefit. Chamber members without their own Zoom license can use ours to host meetings with unlimited minutes for up to 100 participants. Member-only rental pricing makes this an affordable benefit for your business, and conference room is included in some memberships. Contact us today to schedule your meeting!

MEMBERS