Voting day is August 20, 2024
That work starts with unleashing Wyoming energy. This is my plan:
• More Permits and Exploration on Federal Land
• Rebuild Wyoming’s Mining Industry
• Fight Woke Anti-Energy Regulations
The Biden agenda has driven up the price of everything and made America less safe and secure.
Together, we can make America energy independent, lower costs for families, and create good Wyoming jobs.
Let’s put Wyoming First
missioners and Jackson Town Council could influence how services like public transportation, housing, snowplowing and mental health care are funded, for example. Elected officials decide how many mills to levy in property tax, whether to collect additional sales tax and what steps to take to conserve natural and cultural
It’s up to voters to decide which candidates represent their values
As Thomas Jefferson said, “That government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part.”
Also, heading into the primary election, voters should be aware of two new laws passed by the Wyoming Legislature that impact voting.
And don’t forget about the Republican primary races for U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. Incumbents Sen. John Barrasso and Rep. Harriet Hageman are on the ballot again, and some familiar faces from past Wyoming elections are
— Jasmine Hall and Rebecca Huntington
PUBLISHER
Adam Meyer
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Johanna Love
MANAGING EDITOR
Rebecca Huntington
SECTION EDITORS
Jasmine Hall, Rebecca Huntington
Photographers
Bradly J. Boner, Kathryn Ziesig, Erin Buirke
EDITORIAL DESIGN
Andy Edwards
CONTRIBUTORS
Jasmine H all, Sophia Boyd-Fliegel
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Sarah Wilson
ADVERTISING DESIGN ARTISTS
Lydia Redzich, Luis Ortiz, Chelsea Robinson
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING
Karen Brennan
MULTIMEDIA SALES MANAGERS
Tim Walker, Chad Repinski
DIGITAL CAMPAIGN, MULTIMEDIA SALES MANAGER
Tatum Mentzer
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND SALES
Tom Hall
Dale Fjeldsted
Lewis Haddock
Stephen Livingston
Robert Heward, Gunner Heller, Cody Carlisle
CIRCULATION MANAGER: Jayann Carlisle
CIRCULATION
Garcia-Perez,
On the primary and general election days Aug. 20 and Nov. 5, residents can vote in any of the voting centers across Teton County from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early in-person voting at the clerk’s office and absentee ballot voting also began July 23.
Teton County Library
125 Virginian Lane
Jackson
Teton County/Jackson Recreation Center
220 N. King St.
Jackson
Old Wilson Schoolhouse Community Center
5655 Main St.
Wilson
Teton County Weed and Pest Building
7575 S. Highway 89
Jackson
Alta Branch Library
50 Alta School Road
Alta, WY
In addition, Wyomingites who didn’t vote in the last election should check to see if they are registered to vote.
By Jasmine Hall STATE GOVERNMENT REPORTER
The Wyoming Legislature has passed two new laws limiting how voters participate in elections.
The first change now in effect is that registered Wyoming voters are no longer able to change their party declaration after the candidate filing period begins May 15.
House Bill 103 passed on a 51-9-2 vote in the House and a 19-11-1 vote in the Senate during the 2023 legislative session. The new law eliminates the option for currently registered voters to change their party affiliation — Democratic, Republican or Unaffiliated — between May 15 and Election Day. The primary election in Wyoming is Aug. 20, and the general election will be on Nov. 5. Early and absentee voting for the primary opened July 23. Only residents who register for the first time or register after being purged may declare a party after the May 15 deadline. In addition, voters who canceled their registration before May 15 may declare a party when they renew their registration.
Another new law playing a role in both the primary and general election is Senate File 153. Voters will have fewer days to cast their ballots. The law reduced the absentee voting period by 17 days, with exceptions for military members casting ballots from abroad.
The Legislature voted 56-5-1 in the House and 29-2 in the Senate to shorten the absentee voting period to 28 days, down from 45 days.
Likewise, voters will have 17 fewer days in October and November to cast their absentee ballots for the general election.
Absentee voting isn’t just mailing a ballot to the Teton County Clerk’s Office or
using the drop box in the front of the Teton County Administration Building, 200 S. Willow St. Voters can also vote early by showing up at the Clerk’s Office and casting an absentee ballot in person.
Historically, Teton County has had extremely high turnout for early voting. In the 2022 general election, 4,944 people voted on Election Day, 3,734 residents voted early in person at the Clerk’s Office, and 1,678 voters cast absentee ballots via mail or drop box, according to the Clerk’s Office.
While it isn’t a new law, voters should be aware of a decades-old one that requires the state’s county clerks to purge voter rolls every two years. Thousands of voters have been removed in the past few election cycles because they did not vote in the most recent general election.
The most recent data released in May by the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office showed there are about 83,500 fewer registered voters in the state than at the end of 2022. It was nearly a 28% drop.
At the end of 2022, there were 16,349 voters in Teton County. It dipped after the general election purge to 11,650, meaning that nearly 40% of Teton County’s voters were purged since the last general election. That was a much higher rate than the state average.
There’s been a gain of only 547 voters since February 2023, according to the July 1 data from the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office. There were 12,197 total registered voters in Teton County. The office reported 3,581 registered Democrats, 6,775 registered Republicans and 1,783 unaffiliated registered voters. There were also 55 registered Libertarians and three voters under Constitution.
Residents interested in checking their status can visit or email the Teton County Clerk’s Office. Mailed-in registrations must be mailed 14 days before the election, but in-person registration is available up to and including Election Day.
Contact Jasmine Hall at 307-732-7063 or state@jhnewsandguide.com.
All Wyoming counties with drop boxes declined secretary of state’s request not to use them.
By Jasmine Hall STATE GOVERNMENT REPORTER
Teton County voters will still be able to use a drop box for absentee voting, despite calls from Secretary of State Chuck Gray to eliminate the option.
Teton County Clerk Maureen Murphy joined other county clerks from across the state in assuring the public that drop boxes will remain available during the 2024 primary and general elections. Murphy consulted with the county attorney before making her decision.
Teton County is one of seven counties that uses ballot drop boxes out of 23 in Wyoming, and all have committed to using theirs this election cycle.
The metal box, which sits on the front steps of the County Administration Building, is under 24-hour camera surveillance.
Murphy said she had no concerns about the security of drop boxes.
The County Clerks Association of Wyoming took the same position. The clerks said the use of ballot drop boxes as a method of ballot delivery is “safe, secure and statutorily authorized.”
“Although not all county clerks have utilized ballot drop boxes, it is not uncommon for the election code to allow an administrative function and leave the decision of implementation to locally elected officials like the county clerk,” according to the
County Clerks’ Association of Wyoming. “Electronic pollbooks, election equipment, vote centers, precinct boundaries, and absentee ballot processing are a few of the administrative functions left to the discretion of locally elected officials.
“To be clear, we continue to believe that the use of ballot drop boxes are yet another administrative function permitted by statute and the use of that delivery method is left to the discretion of the County Clerk.”
Secretary of State Chuck Gray doesn’t share that view. He asked county clerks to take his “strong disagreement” into account as they prepared for the 2024 election and absentee voting period. No enforcement rules were laid out, though, only a letter.
“Given the differing interpretations of my predecessors’ support for drop boxes, I want to be unequivocally clear: I do not believe drop boxes represent a safe, secure or statutory basis for absentee voting,” he wrote. “For this reason, they should not be used in the 2024 election and beyond.”
He said he is not the only one in the state calling for the change.
“I have received countless phone calls, emails and walk-ins regarding Wyomingites’ concerns with drop boxes,” Gray said in a statement.
In Teton County, Murphy said she has only ever heard positive comments about the availability of the drop box, especially from residents who live in Grand Teton National Park and more rural areas around the county.
Contact Jasmine Hall at 307-732-7063 or state@ jhnewsandguide.com.
Lives in: West Jackson Age: 61
Approach to governance: Representative, common-sense and kind
Years in Teton County: 34
Why are you running?
I am stepping up to use my years of experience to help address the issues that are facing the community. Housing, growth, traffic, the budget, and high property taxes are all big challenges. So is an effort to make regulations less burdensome on people who live here and local small businesses. For 12 years on the Jackson Town Council, I worked on these issues, and I think my background makes me a good candidate.
Lives in: New post office area
Age: Didn’t answer
Approach to governance: Transparent, efficient and inclusive
Years in Teton County: 33
Why are you running?
I’m running because I want to make Jackson a better place to live for everyone. Jackson has changed so much over the last few years, and I believe most of us who work for a living and raise our families here are invisible to the influence of big money. I believe I can make a difference.
What is or was your occupation, and how has it prepared you to be a councilor?
Teacher/musician
How else are you involved in the community?
I served on the Equity Task Force for the last two years.
What is or was your occupation, and how has it prepared you to be a councilor?
I am a broadcaster, which has taught me a lot about communication. I also previously served three terms on the Town Council.
How else are you involved in the community?
I am and have been involved in numerous boards such as the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, the Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust, Lower Valley Energy and the Historical Society.
The town approved an emergency 120-day moratorium on commercial buildings larger than 35,000 square feet to revisit rules allowing megaprojects that could take a toll on town character, traffic, infrastructure and the environment. What’s your position on the moratorium?
I think it is fine if the Town Council acts quickly to correct the problems the moratorium is trying to address, such as the 2-for-1 bonus and maximum commercial building size.
In 2023 the town and county purchased The Virginian RV Park for $28 million to build housing there. What will you add to the discussion about this community housing project?
I would hope to encourage the inclusion of more units for the lowest-income classes.
The town and county have been negotiating how they fund joint departments, which include START, Jackson Hole Fire/ EMS, Parks and Rec and the Housing Department. What would be your approach to those negotiations, and what’s your philosophy on funding public services?
What are the top three issues facing the town of Jackson? Housing. Transportation. Growth.
What are the top three issues facing the town?
Housing, land development regulations and wintertime parking, a general lack of infrastructure to handle our level of tourism we currently have, pri vate equity firms buying up single-family homes and apartment buildings, which is driving rent prices.
The town approved an emergency 120day moratorium on commercial buildings larger than 35,000 square feet to revisit rules allowing mega projects that could take a toll on town character, traffic, infrastructure and the environment. What’s your position on the moratorium?
How should the Town of Jackson address funding challenges?
The town needs to address spending before seeking to raise taxes.
bers. They come in to build large projects that are not for you or me, and then that money leaves our community. Private equity firms buy up all of the larger apartment buildings and then price gouge with rents above what people can afford in order to appease investors, all in the name of greed. Other communities are starting to make laws/ordinances to lessen the impacts caused by this greed.
How should the Town of Jackson address funding challenges?
The relationship between the town and county seems challenging, but they must work together to address the challenges they face.
housing project?
We need projects like this and others. But I’m concerned that this project is not serving the people of greatest need for housing. We need more studio and one-bedroom places to help the people who are in the most need for housing. We need to stop using workforce housing as a tool. Workforce housing is misleading and does not help the people who need it the most. We also have a problem in town with large employers (St. John’s Health, Town of Jackson, Teton County, Teton County School District and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort to name a few) with paying a livable wage and staying on top of it. Where is the responsibility of these large employers?
This is the right move. Jackson is on the radar of private equity groups, and we have to decide whether this and other projects are a good fit for our town, our people and our values. Private equity firms are using our town to make money for their investors, without being responsible community mem-
Ask voters to approve more specific purpose excise tax projects for capital construction, and to approve more general sales tax to help fund salaries and maintenance projects. Find other revenue sources through the tax base by supporting small businesses.
In 2023 the town and county purchased The Virginian RV Park for $28 million to build housing there. What will you add to the discussion about this community
The town and county have been negotiating how they fund joint departments, which include START, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, Parks and Rec and the Housing Department. What would be your approach to those negotiations and what’s your philosophy on funding public services?
The county has the money but not the will. The town has the greatest need and we need a partner that will be an active participant in solving our communities issues.
Lives in: Powderhorn Lane
Age: 47
Approach to governance: Responsible, communicative and intelligent
Years in Teton County: 25-ish in Wyoming, past 3 in Jackson
Why are you running?
I felt the slate of candidates, while all good people, were very much focused on specific issues, with relatively little experience solving complex organizational, regulatory and financial structure problems that the Town Council regularly faces. With the departure of Mayor Hailey Morton Levinson and Councilor Jim Rooks, we are losing two intelligent and levelheaded voices on the council, and I felt that the town needed someone to help fill those shoes.
What is or was your occupation, and how has it prepared you to be a councilor?
I am a business consultant currently with a major enterprise resource planning software company, where I help major manufacturing companies run complex businesses in highly regulated markets (defense, medical devices, pharmaceutical and industrial products). In the past I have also supported federal, state and local government agencies, including a project for the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, which brought me to Wyoming in the 1990s.
How else are you involved in the community?
I am currently serving on the board of the Flat Creek Watershed Improvement District and volunteer with the Chamber of Commerce.
What are the top three issues facing the
town of Jackson?
Housing costs, supporting our commuting workforce and balancing our tourism growth with the needs of the people who make that growth possible.
The town approved an emergency 120day moratorium on commercial buildings larger than 35,000 square feet to revisit rules allowing mega projects that could take a toll on town character, traffic, infrastructure and the environment. What’s your position on the moratorium?
It was a necessary decision. I want to start by suggesting that focusing on the project’s square footage misses the heart of the issue. Ten smaller projects in the same space would have been equally problematic.
many more years beyond.
How should the Town of Jackson address funding challenges?
For any project, we need more clarity on a number of issues:
– The design of the structure needs to support the unique needs of Jackson Hole, with concerns for massing, setbacks, green space, parking, walkability and an appreciation of our downtown Jackson aesthetic.
– The staffing requirements and associated housing and commute impacts that need to be mitigated.
– How the site impacts groundwater pumping, water contamination and testing, site access, traffic movement, parking, construction traffic and related issues.
A single project at least gives the town the opportunity to address these issues in a comprehensive manner, and having me on the council would also provide the opportunity to ensure that all future Jackson development will be well planned and provide for the Jackson we all want to call home in 10, 20 and
In general, I am a “No new taxes” proponent, but when necessary, a specific purpose excise tax is a reasonable tool. Giving the voters a chance to contribute to specific projects is a fair and reasonable system. For two examples, I was in favor of the SPET for the Rec Center. It was a major expansion of uses for the community and funded by choice of the community. On the flip side (although a county issue, not a town issue), I am generally not supportive of the county’s expected SPET for the county courthouse. While it is acceptable for the county to ask, as a citizen I’m not generally inclined to support funding the county to build a large building on a small in-town lot with a high potential for other uses. In my opinion, spending for core infrastructure should have been managed with proactive reserve funding, bonds, finding a lower-cost site and design, and looking at state and federal funds. Not more taxes on locals.
In 2023 the town and county purchased The Virginian RV Park for $28 million to build housing there. What will you add to the discussion about this community housing project?
There are two issues that jump to the top of my list. The first is a question of how much the town should be paying to add additional deedrestricted housing stock to the market. This is a valid conversation and one that should be entered into objectively. Is the value to the community proportional to the tax revenue spent on
the endeavor? We should decide on a specific cost model for what adding a deed-restricted housing unit to the town inventory is worth to the taxpayers. The Virginian project makes sense only if that value is well over $250,000 per unit to the taxpayers at large. I expect many voters, such as myself, would rather spend less taxpayer cash and instead focus on regulations and incentives for builders to build the mix of deed-restricted units we need. Having a council with a range of views, along with clear and proactive communication with our constituents, will lead to better solutions. I look forward to being a fiscally pragmatic voice on the council, and I will encourage the analysis needed to reach a consensus that really is the best decision for Jackson and the best use of our funds. The second question is: Do we want, as a community, a “mega” project that is almost entirely deed restricted? I would encourage voters to visit a similar development elsewhere in the country to see if it fits the Jackson character. I feel a mix of market-rate and deed-restricted properties produces a better funding model for development and maintenance. Market-rate units subsidize the costs of maintenance, ensuring the homes stay viable long term. Most importantly, it builds a better long-term community that fits into the town of Jackson.
The town and county have been negotiating how they fund joint departments, which include START, Jackson Hole Fire/ EMS, Parks and Rec and the Housing Department. What would be your approach to those negotiations and what’s your philosophy on funding public services? I am not the only one on the council with this idea, but this should be a negotiation done after looking at audited financial funding calculations and then insisting on a fair split based on the financial facts, not a guess and definitely not a negotiation of wills. These are two public bodies, and the process must be as open and fair as possible.
Lives in: North Jackson (Hidden Hollow)
Age: 46
Approach to governance: Committed, reasoned and empathetic
Years in Teton County: Fi rst lived here in 2000. Returned full time in 2023.
Why are you running?
I can bring a new voice to the Jackson Town Council. I first lived in Jackson in 2000 selling T-shirts in what is now the Harley-Davidson building. Now I am an attorney with a broad range of legal and government experience who is already working with town and county policy issues daily. After 20 years of advising decision-makers, I am ready to make good decisions for our town and ensure that others’ voices are heard.
My daily experience is familiar to many people who are trying to make it in Jackson. I’m a renter. My rent was already sky high, and it went up 10% this year. I use public transportation and still get stuck in traffic jams. I’m concerned about whether our elected leaders are balancing protecting the environment with housing and transportation needs. Growing up on a dirt road in a rural area, I watched as bad growth decisions degraded the environment and community character. The sense of loss I felt motivated me to pursue a career in environmental and land use law.
Most recently, I have been working with local policy issues daily with Protect Our Water Jackson Hole as its law and policy advisor. (I am currently on an unpaid leave of absence.) I have good working relationships with town and county electeds and staff. I serve on the START board, and I am the board member who uses public transportation most regularly. Local politics is a passion of mine, and I regularly attend public meetings, including Town Council, Town Planning Commission, County Commission and County Planning Commission. My professional experience, temperament and ability to build connections will help me make a difference.
What is or was your occupation, and how has it prepared you to be a councilor?
I have 20 years of legal practice experience as an attorney in the government, private and nonprofit sectors. My experience and temperament will allow me to help the Town Council make reasoned, balanced and fair decisions.
In law school I received an additional certification in environmental and land use. I later worked as an attorney for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with public works projects involving federal and local cooperation. I was a trial attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., in the Environment and Natural Resources Division. I also was an attorney at Earthjustice, which is the largest nonprofit environmental law firm in the country. This experience working with complex regulations and issues will enable me to help address the town’s challenges and opportunities.
One of the privileges of my legal career was clerking for a federal trial judge, which means I drafted opinions for the judge. I was able to learn to not just listen to both sides of an issue but also really understand where each side was coming from and apply the rules fairly to call balls and strikes. My ability to carefully weigh decisions will help me make better decisions for the town. I also have experience as a business owner. I co-founded an intellectual-property law firm, Bamert Regan. I am sensitive to the needs of businesses, having represented businesses of all sizes. Effective attorneys excel at problem solving, listening and empathizing with other perspectives to facilitate good decisions. I would bring these skills to the Town Council.
How else are you involved in the community?
As law and policy advisor for Protect Our Water Jackson Hole, I regularly provided comments to the County Commission. I was heavily involved in the Water Quality Management Plan process, where I worked closely with partners including the county, town and Teton Conservation District. The town has important opportunities to harmonize its programs with the Water Quality Management Plan. I have attended numerous public meetings on my own time unrelated to my work with POWJH, including the Town Council, Town Planning Commission, County Commission and County Planning Commission. I have also met with town and county electeds and staff, including the town manager, town attorney, housing director, and regional transportation planning administrator to discuss the town’s challenges and opportunities.
The town approved an emergency 120day moratorium on commercial buildings larger than 35,000 square feet to revisit rules allowing mega projects that could take a toll on town character, traffic, infrastructure and the environment. What’s your position on the moratorium?
I serve on the START board. I am the board member who most regularly uses public transportation. I am empathetic to the needs of those who use START and START On Demand, as well as those who drive, bike, and the business owners who need parking. Every car that we can get off the road and every parking spot we can free up for a customer is beneficial for our economy. I have been involved in Jackson Hole politics and policy extensively in the past four years. It’s a passion of mine. I volunteered with a County Commission campaign in 2020 and 2022. In 2020, I made over 1,000 phone calls to voters in Teton County. I knocked on hundreds of doors in both the 2020 and 2022 election cycles. These experiences taught me a lot about the players and issues. I also have had a lot of opportunities to listen to the perspectives and ideas of Jackson residents. I am an Elks Club member.
What are the top three issues facing the town?
(1) Defining our community vision. There is growing concern about the direction development is taking in Jackson. We need to have a community conversation to define our collective vision. What does Jackson in the future look like? Who lives here? What services are available for residents and visitors? How does Jackson interact with other communities? The process of revising the Comprehensive Plan and implementing zoning and land development regulation amendments will help us clarify where we are at and where we want to go. If we don’t define our destination we will get lost along the way. The three common values in the 2020 Comprehensive Plan (Ecosystem Stewardship, Growth Management and Quality of Life) can help serve as our compass. (2) Improving ecosystem stewardship Jackson’s location in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is the heart of our identity and our economy. Protecting water quality and wildlife is critical. The county-approved Water Quality Management Plan presents an exciting opportunity to explore long-term sewer capacity solutions. The concept of “Town as Heart” strives to concentrate density in town and away from sensitive areas, but there is potential for fine-tuning. (3) Confronting traffic and housing challenges The problems with traffic and housing are pressing and interrelated. We all need somewhere to live and to be able to get around. Whether you use public transportation, bike or drive, we have all encountered traffic issues. Further, whether you rent or own a home, living in Jackson is very expensive. The Comprehensive Plan set the goal of 65% of the workforce living locally, which contributes to economic security but is not easy to achieve. We need to continue to create new transportation and housing options, such as the development of the 90 Virginian Lane property and revising the START route plan.
A moratorium is strong medicine that should be used sparingly. The current moratorium exemplifies the Town Council successfully responding to the public when the council members are all rowing in the same direction. There was overwhelming public outcry to address building size after the recent Mogul Capital proposal to build a 360,000-squarefoot hotel. Comments at recent town meetings suggest the council will likely only be able to address maximum building size and the 2-for-1 density bonus (i.e., allows the developer to expand the size of its development as a bonus when it provides workforce housing).
The moratorium presents an important opportunity to refine land development regulations (the rules of the road for land development and use) and design criteria governing building size. In terms of building size, a limit is appropriate, but the council discussion at the moratorium suggests we need to analyze the pros and cons of different maximum building size between a 35,000-square-foot maximum and 70,000-square-foot maximum. In terms of the density bonus, it appears the bonus has benefits, but there are questions about what ratio is most appropriate (i.e., how much of a bonus the developer gets). We need a community conversation to decide these issues.
A revision of the Comprehensive Plan, as well as zoning and rules to implement it, will allow us to define a vision and chart a course. We can:
• Refine the “Town as Heart” concept, which encourages density in town rather than in wildlife sensitive areas.
• Harmonize with affordable and workforce housing needs.
• Integrate initiatives from the Teton County-approved Water Quality Management Plan.
• Define the economic role of hotels in the community and balance beneficial contributions to the economy with workforce impacts.
How should the Town of Jackson address funding challenges?
The town has had to tap into reserves in the last two budget cycles. We need to figure out how to increase revenue and reduce expenditures. It is going to take a combination of both to right the ship.
Important questions about how to pay for Teton County’s new courthouse affect the town’s financial position. There is no question that we need a new courthouse. The current courthouse is potentially unsafe in an earthquake and has potential security issues. It is a building that our citizens are required to enter. The building is going to be expensive, and the county taking on expensive debt to pay for it will clip the financial wings of this community. We need to be able to address new challenges and improve the community, not spend public money on finance costs that go to banks in other parts of the country.
As a town we need to work with the county to advance a specific purpose excise tax for the courthouse. However, we need the county to work with us when it comes to the funding split between town and county. The current split is 54/46 (county/town), and there is discussion about whether a more appropriate split is 60/40 or 65/35. There is great potential for fruitful negotiations that can relieve budget pressures for both town and county. No one likes paying more in taxes, but we need gas in the tank to maintain services that define life in
town and also address housing and transportation challenges. An advantage of lodging tax or sales tax is that visitors help carry the water. Jackson charges only half a mill of property tax, unlike most municipalities, and homeowners are already suffering.
In 2023 the town and county purchased The Virginian RV Park for $28 million to build housing there. What will you add to the discussion about this community housing project?
Jackson Hole’s housing crisis is a result of a perfect storm involving (1) limited availability of private land and (2) high demand to live here. The Comprehensive Plan sets the goal of 65% of the workforce living locally. The recent issues with the Teton Pass closure demonstrate that a local workforce contributes to economic security. The Virginian Lane development is an opportunity to provide affordable and workforce housing at a range of price points. This project is consistent with the “Town as Heart of Region” concept; it encourages density in an area where the zoning already supports density and where key infrastructure already exists.
The county and town’s recent selection of Pennrose as a partner holds great promise because the current proposal provides a good mix of affordable housing, including a new “Affordable 120%-160% MFI” (median family income). It is important to have a range of affordable housing brackets to support different professions in our workforce, and because the 120%-160% bracket helps subsidize housing brackets.
Key issues coming down the pike for the town are negotiating a development agreement and ground lease. It is critical to optimize the mix of units. My demonstrated reasoned and collaborative approach to working with partners will help me advocate for the town’s interests in these negotiations. Considering the intersection of housing and transportation issues is vital. The START board and staff have an important upcoming opportunity to revise the route plan. It is important to make sure that this route plan works in harmony with new housing coming online. We need to examine parking options for Virginian Lane. We need to make sure that underground garages don’t interfere with shallow groundwater. Further, considering parking quantity and arrangement can improve options for green space and enhance community.
The town and county have been negotiating how they fund joint departments, which include START, Jackson Hole Fire/ EMS, Parks and Rec and the Housing Department. What would be your approach to those negotiations and what’s your philosophy on funding public services?
The relationship between town and county is unusual in that Teton County has only one incorporated municipality and that the town and county jointly fund departments (as opposed to a more typical arrangement where a municipality contracts for services from a county). My philosophy is that there is a symbiotic relationship between town and county, but that relationship has been strained by financial pressures on both town and county. There are important opportunities to mend fences by resolving budget issues. One example is funding the courthouse. The town’s financial pressures could be addressed by revisiting the funding split between town and county.
The recent Joint Funding Task Force was unable reach consensus, but that effort was not in vain. I’d like to pick up where the Joint Funding Task Force left off. Voters can help by electing town and county leaders who are reasoned and collaborative. We need to strike a deal that is fair and workable for both town and county. I think that my track record of reasonable policy strategies and resolving disputes, as well as my current working relationship with town and county electeds and town and county staff, will allow me to help get the boulder rolling toward consensus.
Perri Stern
Lives in: Neighborhood north of the rodeo grounds
Age: 64
Approach to governance:
Collaborative, focused, approachable
Years in Teton County: 7 1/2
Why are you running?
I believe the Town of Jackson is moving down the wrong path, specifically regarding overdevelopment. Infrastructure, wildlife habitat , water quality, climate, health and huma n services, our historic homes, buildings and places, and overall community character are all being rapidly eroded by unchecked growth and a proliferation of hotels and luxury condominiums. Our town needs to grow, but despite all the “planning” we do I believe we are now seeing the result s of a lack of vision of what we want our town to look like over the next 30 years. We need a serious reset and course correction.
What is or was your occupation, and how has it prepared you to be a councilor?
Initially my caree r was in practicing and teaching occupational therapy. I helped people learn or relearn essential skills for their daily lives. Later, I worked in market research and helped clients understand consumer preferences in products and services. In Jackson, I directed home care services for the Senior Center of Jackson Hole. During COVID-19, I was the weekend team leader and a case investigator for the Teton County Health Department. I helped Teton County residents and visitors manage during their ill -
ness. Overall and consistently, my career has focused on meeting people where they are at, listening, problem solving, advocating and leading.
How else are you involved in the community?
I am a self-starter and have applied that entrepreneurial spirit to helping Jackson Hole become the community we all know it can be. During my time in the valley I have gone from being a newcomer actively listening and learning about this wonderful place to a community organizer who has successfully mobilized residents around important neighborhood, town, county and regional issues. I regularly provide public comment at Town Council and county commissioner meetings, submit letters to the editor and write G uest Shots on important community issues.
fear to say “no” to developers; lack of vision and realistic planning for how much growth Jackson can really manage.
The town approved an emergency 120day moratorium on commercial buildings larger than 35,000 square feet to revisit rules allowing mega projects that could take a toll on town character, traffic, infrastructure and the environment. What’s your position on the moratorium?
What are the top three issues facing the town?
(1) Unchecked growth, evidenced by a seemingly endless proliferation of hotels and luxury condominiums. This has only exacerbated our affordable housing problem. Of particular concern is how it is making it increasingly difficult for working families to live in Jackson Hole. (2) Funding our town’s essential services. We need a better way to ensure we are able to continue funding both the quality and quantity of services our community needs and expects. (3) Reluctance or
The moratorium is a step in the right direction and long overdue. It gives us an opportunity to pump the brakes and recognize we are not achieving the goals we’ve set for our community. Thank you to community members who stood up, spoke out and insisted that the council take action! What are the goals of the moratorium? What will we know or do differently after 120 days? We deserve and must have a thoughtful and comprehensive review of the land development regulations, lodging overlay and high-density zoning changes that have resulted in significant problems for our neighborhoods and town.
How should the Town of Jackson address funding challenges?
Sales tax is the biggest source of general fund revenue (80%) for town. This worked pretty well for Jackson in the mid-20th century but no longer works. Present day, taxable sales make up only 15% of local economic activity, which means the town has no real source of revenue. So the way we fund essential ser-
vices is significantly out of date. We need a new way to fund essential services, one that reflects our modern economy.
In 2023 the town and county purchased The Virginian RV Park for $28 million to build housing there. What will you add to the discussion about this community housing project?
The Virginian presents a once-in-alifetime opportunity for our town. There is no room for error in this project. Pennrose’s proposal is a start, but at 226 units it has several flaws. Pennrose should: Improve site plan and increase neighborhood compatibility by reducing overall density to 100–150 homes. Change the unit mix from 61% one-bedroom to more two- and threebedroom homes for families. Save the spruce trees to add to the project’s climate sustainability. Preserve neighborhood character. Improve open space design. Enhance the infrastructure on Snow King Avenue, Karns Meadow Drive and Virginian Lane. There are other improvements that should be made. These are a start.
The town and county have been negotiating how they fund joint departments, which include START, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, Parks and Rec and the Housing Department. What would be your approach to those negotiations and what’s your philosophy on funding public services?
We must maintain a very high level of public services. It is disappointing to see the divisive rhetoric and grandstanding that has hallmarked these negotiations. Town and county need to work together to provide exemplary public services. I will work hard to make sure we not just continue to fund the full range of core services but continue to provide them at a very high level.
The following precincts 01-12, 04-01, 04-03 have the same races appear as the sample below, however names will not be in the same order as they are rotated by precinct on the official ballots.
The following precincts 01-05-01, 01-06, 01-11 have the same races appear as the sample below, however names will not be in the same order as they are rotated by precinct on the official ballots.
The following precincts 01-07, 01-10, 02-01, 03-01, 04-02, 04-04, 05-01 have the same races appear as the sample below, however names will not be in the same order as they are rotated by precinct on the official ballots.
The following precincts 01-05-02, have the same races appear as the sample below, however names will not be in the same order as they are rotated by precinct on the official ballots.
01-04
Lives in: East Jackson Age: 42
Approach to governance: Decisive, pragmatic, dynamic
Years in Teton County: 32
Why are you running?
Our current zoning and land development regulations have unintentionally worsened affordability, driving up housing costs and, in turn, increasing the cost of services. This vicious cycle contributes to the overall lack of affordability in Jackson, and these policies need to change. Having a vote on the council is the best way that I can work toward this change our community has been asking for.
We owe it to our community and future generations to create inclusive policies that support everyone, including seniors, working families and individuals of all ages. This requires electing leaders who won’t procrastinate but will take decisive action now.
As a former Teton County planning commissioner I understand the importance of preserving our precious natural resources. I am committed to solutions that prioritize water quality and wildlife protection. While housing affordability is my primary reason for running, my deep appreciation for our valley will guide all my decisions as a councilwoman.
What is or was your occupation, and how has it prepared you to be a councilor?
In 2022, I served as the chairwoman for the Land Use, Property Rights, and Environment Committee of the National Association of Realtors. This role allowed me to craft climate change policy related to real estate and address housing supply and affordability issues nationwide.
For three years I was a Teton County planning commissioner, where I gained invaluable experience in planning and zoning issues. I am adept at navigating the political landscapes in Cheyenne and Washington, D.C., that impact us locally. Having attended state legislative ses -
sions for over a decade, I am comfortable articulating our challenges to legislators. It is cruc ial for our community to elect individuals who are respected in Cheyenne.
As a full-time Realtor in the valley for 19 years, I have witnessed many positive and negative changes in our community. People often say to me, “You must love what has happened with real estate prices in our valley.” My response is always “No.” The path we are on is not sustainable for main taining a healthy, vibrant community where people can work and live. We have already reached a breaking point, and the recent Teton Pass failure has highlighted these issues starkly.
There will be no learning curve if you elect me as a town councilwoman. I have been actively engaged, I’ve paid attention and I’ve learned what is necessary.
What are the top three issues facing the town?
(1) Housing affordability. (2) Supporting working families, seniors and single folks of all ages. (3) Supporting small business.
The town approved an emergency 120-day moratorium on commercial buildings larger than 35,000 square feet to revisit rules allowing mega projects that could take a toll on town character, traffic, infrastructure and the environment. What’s your position on the moratorium?
How else are you involved in the community?
In 2022, I established the Community Housing Fund with the Teton Board of Realtors. This initiative encourages Realtors and their clients to contribute meaningfully to affordable and workforce housing at every closing. To date, the fund has ne arly reached $1 million. Other communities are now following this lead and creating similar programs for Realtors. This is a prime example of my belief in less talk and more action. When I ran for Town Council two years ago, this idea emerged from conversations during my campaign. I listened and took action. You can expect the same proactive approach when you elect me.
Raised in East Jackson, I have a deep love for our community. I support it in many ways and enjoy volunteering, much like many of us do. Serving as a 4-H leader has been particularly rewarding. You’ll often find me directing traffic for Old Bill’s Fun Run, buying raffle tickets from kids, picking up trash or participating in other community events.
I fully support the moratorium and am disappointed that the town didn’t implement these much-needed changes earlier. The work ahead will likely take more than 120 days, so we need leaders who can continue this effort without delay — leaders like me. There are immediate actions we can take, such as eliminating the workforce housing bonus. This bonus, for example, allowed the Mogul project o n North Cache to add an extra 130,000 square feet.
Developers are only building what we permit them to. It isn’t right to keep changing the ru les on them, and they deserve to start planning a project knowing the rug won’t get pulled out from under them. We need to get it right this time so we stop sending mixed messages to developers. We must provide clear, consistent guidelines to ensure fair and sustainable development.
How should the Town of Jackson address funding challenges?
We need to hire a financial expert to navigate all this and then determine if we can adjust the budget prior to any new taxes.
In 2023 the town and county purchased The Virginian RV Park for $28 million to build housing there. What will you add to the discussion about this community housing project?
This answer requires more than the allotted space, and I look forward to visiting with you in person about it. However, I can say briefly that we need to build housing that the community is asking for and keeps people in our community. It seems that the focus has been on “more beds” instead of creating housing that makes people want to stay here — not just a stop for a few years along the way. I hope the decisions made about the Virginian will reflect creating housing that people want to stay in or can use as a stepping stone to another home. I am concerned about the high density in an already congested area of town and also the type of units that are being built. Let’s get out of the weeds and the tit for tat I have been seeing lately. The fact is that there are 1,343 households in our community that need affordable housing, compared with 200 households in need of workforce housing (per the Teton County Housing Department). Currently, the Virginian has 166 workforce units slated to be constructed. Only 60 affordable units when there are 1,343 households that need it? Something seems off here. We need to be asking these questions and demanding transparency with the answers. Additionally, a significant number of these units are one-bedroom. Is this really the type of housing that our community is asking for?
The town and county have been negotiating how they fund joint departments, which include START, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, Parks and Rec and the Housing Department. What would be your approach to those negotiations and what’s your philosophy on funding public services?
These joint departments should be funded in a way that is more equitable. Right now the split is 54/46, but a more appropriate and accurate split would be 68/32. I have been listening to the Town Council talk about this for years and years, yet we still aren’t standing up for town residents and saying to the county that it needs to fund its fair share. Is it a lack of will or courage? We don’t need more taxes in town; we need the county to pay its part based on population.
Mayoral candidates, 2 commission contenders will advance.
By Jasmine Hall STATE GOVERNMENT REPORTER
Primary elections are all about deciding which of the candidates in Republican, Democratic and nonpartisan races will get to move forward to the Nov. 5 general election.
For elected offices such as U.S. Congress or the Wyoming Legislature, there can be only one candidate from each party in the general election. Local races like County Commission or Town Council are different because often there are more seats available.
There are two open seats on the Teton County Board of County Commissioners. So each party can select two candidates for those seats. That means voters will winnow the field from three candidates running as Democrats down to two during the Aug. 20 primary. Since only one Republican is running, that candidate will advance automatically to the general election.
The Jackson Town Council also has two open seats. But since it’s a nonpartisan race, party is not an issue. Voters simply narrow the field from six candidates down to four when they vote Aug. 20. Those four candidates then will compete for two open seats during the general election.
Likewise, Jackson Mayor Hailey Morton Levinson is not seeking reelection. Sitting Councilors Arne Jorgensen and Jessica Sell Chambers are competing for the mayor’s seat. Since it’s a nonpartisan race, both automatically advance to the general election, when voters ultimately will decide who is the town’s next mayor.
For this primary special section, the Jackson Hole News&Guide focused on getting to know the candidates in contested races. Due to limited space in print, the candidate questionnaires for uncontested races are not featured within these pages. Reporters still asked uncontested candidates to respond to a questionnaire and lay out their vision for the community.
You can get to know those candidates and read their full slate of answers at JHNewsAndGuide.com. You’ll find questionnaires online for mayoral candidates Sell Chambers and Jorgensen as well as commission candidates Melchor Dylan Moore, a Republican, and Vicky O’Donoghue, an Independent.
To give you a taste of who they are, here is an excerpt from each one.
Sell Chambers’ said her approach to governance is human, responsive and transparent.
“Many readers have met me face-
to-face at their doors,” she said about why she’s running. “When my family and I are about town, I remember the living rooms I’ve sat in, the conversations we had and the issues you shared with me. I not only welcome community input everywhere, I seek it out because that’s the bare minimum for the job. Literally, I go the extra miles to stay in touch with the community. Purposefully, I step out of the inner circles of power to be a representative of the people.”
Jorgensen said his approach is: committed, effective and thoughtful.
“It’s crucial that we maintain and strengthen our sense of community, especially as we face large challenges of housing instability, protecting our natura l resources and ensuring that we have a great quality of life,” he said about why he’s running. “As mayor, I aim to bring everyone’s voice to the table and use my knowledge and understanding of our diverse perspectives to foster inclusive dialogue. I am excited to work toward a future that achieves our vision of our community and our surrounding public lands.”
While Sell Chambers and Jorgensen are both incumbents currently serving on the Town Council, County Commission candidates Moore and O’Donoghue are new to county government.
Moore said his approach to governance is: American, free market and limited government.
“Being from here, the 85% of the population that works and lives here — be that own or rent — is my main concern,” he said in his reason for running. “Like the rest of us, I enjoy the benefits the monied globalists bring to the county, but we have to make sure that we are not overspending on analytics to provide services for senior citizens, disabled (cognitive and physical) residents and working people with need for child care.”
O’Donoghue considers herself a people person and a “servant leader.”
“The members of the Jackson Hole community, both city and county, are what initially inspired me to run for the office of Teton County commissioner,” she said about her reason for running. “I have lived in this area for over 27 years and proudly raised my son in this community. I now have the time and means to give back to this precious community that I value so much. In my many years of living here I have gotten to know so many fellow Jacksonians on a first-name basis. The people of Jackson know me and have asked me many times over the years to consider running for an office. People are tired and want fresh ideas and faces.”
Learn more about the candidates at JHNewsAndGuide.com.
Contact Jasmine Hall at 307-7327063 or state@jhnewsandguide.com.
Early Voting July 23 –August 19
Lives in : Wilson Age: 62
Approach to government: Grounde d, courteous and decisive.
Years in Teton County: 41
Why are you running?
To “preserve and protect the area’s ecosystem in order to ensure a healthy environment, community and economy for current and future generations.”
That is exactly the right vision. It is also a tall order. Making it happen requires leaders with long and deep local and Wyoming experience in conservation and community wellbeing. With 41 years of community service in Teton County and a lifetime of advocacy for the conservation of our environment, I can help. County government oversees a wide range of services. The list includes, and goes beyond: planning and zoning, housing and use of SPET monies, roads and pathways, parks and recreation, weed and pest, water and sewer, libraries and fire protection, mental health and indigent care, fairgrounds and fairs, GIS and mapping, building inspection and code enforcement.
My 28-year career as a Wyoming lawyer, all of it spent in Teton County, gives me a valuable toolkit for understanding and guiding local government. It would be easy for a county commissioner to get too caught up in the administration of services and pay too little attention to advocacy for Jackson Hole. We need commissioners who are, as I am, skilled at working with our partners at the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, State of Wyoming and others. I’ll keep advocacy for Teton County high on my list of things to do. I will make sure county government rises to the challenge of stewarding our best interests in the complicated and sometimes challenging larger social, economic, legal and political environment. I’ll aim for a balance of actions and policies grounded in what makes Jackson Hole worth fighting for.
What is or was your occupation, and how has it prepared you to be a commissioner?
Twenty-eight years and counting as a Wyoming lawyer, all of it spent in practice in Teton County, has given me insights into the lives of local businesses and needs of our people. I’ve helped people who were at the very lowest moments of their lives, and I’ve helped hundreds of others who were excited to launch new businesses and buy their first homes. As a lawyer and volunteer I’ve pushed for adoption of land development regulations that help us live compatibly with wildlife. I’ve also been a dinner waiter at Dornan’s (1979-80), a river shuttle driver and Snake River Canyon whitewater guide (1981-86), part-time wood boat scenic guide (2018-23). Before I was a lawyer, for nine years I was a nonprofit staffer and executive director, and even a balloon delivery person in a gorilla suit. My best job has been being a dad to Madeline and Reed. It adds up to a well-rounded grounding in the life of our community.
How else are you involved in the community?
I’m a 22-plus-year member of the Rotary Club of Jackson Hole, including past president, Rotarian of the Month and Rotarian of the Year. I’m one of six volunteer board members who led the charge to save Hungry Jack’s General Store and keep it alive as a thriving community-owned business. I’m on the statewide board of the Wyoming Community Foundation, helping people in all corners of our state build a better Wyoming. I was the chairman of the board of the Old Wilson Schoolhouse Commu-
nity Center, and we saved it from the wrecking ball and restored it to the vibrant place it is today. I served two years on the Teton County Natural Resources Stake holders Group devising LDRs intended to put muscle behind our vision for protecting our environment.
I’m a founding member of Friends of the Bridger-Teton. In 2008, I received a service award from the Wyoming State Bar, largely for my dedication to representing indigent people who were in the midst of severe mental health crises. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department gave me a service award for my first-in-Wyoming legal work to protect wintering wildlife and local people from the harm of ill-advised private feeding menageries. I’m a past president, vice president and treasurer of the Teton County Bar Association. I served four years on the board of Jackson Hole’s first nonprofit day care center, the Community Children’s Project. I’m on the advisory board of Friends of Pathways and served many years on the advisory board of the Teton Raptor Center. I was on the leadership board for the successful Snake River Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. My wife, Anne Ladd, and I raised two fine children in Jackson Hole. Madeline is now 27; Reed is 23. I see our community through their eyes too.
What are the top three issues facing the county?
Conservation issues are always vital In Jackson Hole. Our community’s vision statement gets it right: “Preserve and protect the area’s ecosystem in order to ensure a healthy environment, community and economy for current and future generations.” We need to fix the drinking water disaster at Hoback Junction. The eutrophication of Fish Creek in Wilson and the persistence of failed septic systems in our high groundwater setting need correction. Completion of conservation actions at the Kelly and Munger Mountain State Land parcels is essential. The magic of Jackson Hole and vitality of our economy depend on protecting the extraordinary gifts of Mother Nature.
Affordable housing is a serious challenge. Our community has embraced the challenge through deed-restricted, income-qualified housing. We need to do more. Keeping at least 65% of the local workforce housed locally is essential to public safety, economic prosperity and community integrity. I’m proud of voters’ choices in 2022 to direct $80 million in SPET funding to all five housing initiatives on that ballot. I’ll work with housing nonprofits and the Jackson/Teton County Housing Department to put that money to good use. I’ll look for additional policies to slow demand for housing. Despite decades of warnings, we’ve done a lousy job of planning for our transportation needs in Jackson Hole. I live in Wilson. As every commuter from Idaho knows, and every local who uses Highway 22 also experiences, life at “Service Level F” is a stop-and-go drag. Fixes: HOV lane on Highway 22; transit center at Stilson; fare-free riding on key routes at high-demand times.
Asking voters to approve a specific purpose excise tax, SPET, to pay for building a new courthouse.
for a long time, big mountains have big earthquakes, and the Tetons are very big mountains. It is not acceptable to have our sheriff’s department and our dispatchers crushed under three stories of earthquake rubble, but that’s what we’re risking every day with the current courthouse. We require jurors, judges, lawyers, litigants, clerks and law enforcement to occupy an unsafe and dysfunctional building. The 1968 Teton County Courthouse needs to be knocked down. A new one must be built. SPET funding lets visitors pay 60% of the cost; visitors benefit from our systems of justice just like locals do. SPET funding will save us scores of millions of dollars in avoided financing costs. It’s the smart way to fund a project of this scale.
What questions still need to be answered on the development of up to 1,437 homes in northern South Park?
The key zoning decisions have been made, but there’s no master plan. On this development of historic proportions, representing around 14% growth in town housing in one big package, getting the master plan right counts. Here are key as-yet unanswered questions: sanitation and sewer, interior streets, parks and pathways, location and timing of affordable housing development, absorption and distribution of entirely foreseeable new volumes of traffic, including on a new east-west connector road. Northern South Park is the right place for additional density. How the developers and our community deliver on that matters. I’ll stand up for the public’s interest in affordable housing and complete neighborhoods in the master plan.
Is Teton County headed in the “right direction” on housing? Why or why not?
We are headed in the right direction because we have elevated affordable housing to a huge priority and, since 2001, we have committed more than $102.7 million in public funding toward it. We have legal mechanisms in place to protect the public’s investment in affordable housing in perpetuity, and we have a joint town and county housing department and volunteer board that we can be proud of. We have strong nonprofit partners and a local hospital and school district that are literally digging in to provide housing for essential workers. We can do more with policies that prefer affordable housing over workforce housing and that prefer both of those to open-market housing. We need to look at the demand side of the equation as well. For example, big new hotels generate demand for lots of low-wage workers who are not going to be able to live here, so we need to tighten our land use planning controls over new hotel and other commercial development.
The town and county have been negotiating how they fund joint departments, which include START, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, Parks and Rec and the Housing Department? What would be your approach to those negotiations and what’s your philosophy on funding public services?
Joint departments often make sense because they avoid the duplication of services. My approach to the funding of joint departments would be to start with a bias in favor of cooperation, get appropriate expert advice about available cost savings for new joint operations, make that advice public, test it in the court of public opinion through the usual meeting and hearing processes and see where those experiences lead us. Whether it’s more or less true, I’ve heard and read enough, for long enough, about unhealthy antagonism between town and county governments to make ending the antagonism a priority. I can help with that by elevating civil-
ity in everything our local governments do in their conduct of the public’s business. I hope to save philosophy for questions that are different from funding public services, but I do have some beliefs. The first one comes from my parents, including my Hinsdale, Illinois, village manager father, who so appreciated the spirit President Kennedy voiced when he said, “Let the public service be a proud and lively career. And let every man and woman who works in any area of our national government ... at any level, be able to say with pride and with honor in future years: ‘I served the United States government in that hour of our nation’s need.’” Teton County invests most of its annual budget in people; we’ll all be better off if we expect, honor and respect good work from public employees. The second one comes from my college education, where I learned about and came to embrace the idea of a social contract that says we are all in this together. The third belief comes from my father-in-law, an economist, who taught me to take the long view about just about everything.
What should change about Teton County’s approach to managing water quality?
The Teton County Water Quality Management Plan has been approved; now it needs to be engaged. The $200 septic system pumping rebate from Protect Our Water Jackson Hole is a great pilot project; it will help us learn if it’s the price of septic system maintenance that’s contributing to the persistence of failing systems or if it’s something else. Increased awareness of the Teton County Health Department’s drinking water quality testing program will generate additional testing and better attention to at-risk water sources. Teton County’s Small Wastewater Facility regulations are a good start, but they apply only to new septic systems. Too many old ones are still doing a bad job of treating black water. They are putting our Snake River Sole Source Aquifer at unacceptable risk. Teton County must continue to be a champion of securing clean water sources and dirty water management systems at Hoback Junction. Having some Hoback residents depending on trucked-in drinking water is not OK.
What should the Board of County Commissioners do to improve transportation?
About 35 years ago I was in a transportation planning meeting in Jackson where a wise old-timer, a descendant of Uncle Nick Wilson, said, “Well, if we don’t want new roads, we’re going to turn our existing roads into big ones.” And here we are. Four lanes on South Highway 89. Major expansion of Highway 22. A sophisticated traffic demand management program between Stilson and Teton Village. It’s an odd notion for a wild country haven like Jackson Hole to employ basically urban transportation planning methods, but, given the simplicity of our arterial road system and the increasing demands our ever-growing local and visiting population put on it, we need to adopt urban transportation solutions. The key near-term pieces are investments in HOV lanes on Highway 22, a Stilson transit center that’s built for the future, START Bus fare and route choices that make moving around on START faster and better than putting another single-occupancy car on the road, and a new east-west connector road to absorb some of the additional traffic that will originate in the northern South Park development. The commissioners also have to avoid losses; the pathway between the Snake River bridge and Skyline Ranch may not fit inside an expanded roadway, so working out a smart new easement on adjacent ranch property is going to be important. That pathway is already carrying significant e-bike commuter traffic. It’s going to get more use in the future. Ongoing investments in safe bicycle and pedestrian movement will lower the demands on our roads and improve local health and happiness.
Lives in: Rafter J
Age: 40
Approach to government: Pragmatic, inclusive, responsive.
Years in Teton County: 13
Why are you running?
I love local government because we work side by side with the community to solve problems. The Equality State has a long way to go regarding equality. We must work and commit ourselves to embrace the strength of our diversity and address economic factors, especially those affecting women. As I raise my children and imagine their futures, I am devastated by the decline in human connection and loss of connection to our natural world. Our working families are stressed and often faced with impossible choices. Our small businesses are fighting for a foothold. The stark reality of our changing climate can leave us lost. We know our community is resilient, but we, along with our ecosystem, are fragile. The juxtaposition of our resilience and fragility is urgently motivating. This moment requires actionoriented leaders who seek progress over perfection. As a pragmatic problem solver, I know how to bring people together and get things done.
I began my career in public service as part of the Parks and Rec Advisory Board in 2013 and have had the honor over my growing years of service to witness tremendous acts of courage throughout our community as we respond to whatever comes our way. The same thing that was true when I began remains: I want to work with passionate people who care about what they are doing. I have seen us do seemingly impossible things because of our deep care for this place and each other. I share that care for our community and am here to fight for a healthy, thriving county. With continued service on our County Commission, I will keep showing up around our state, sharing Teton County values with others, as we work together to move our community and state forward.
What is or was your occupation, and how has it prepared you to be a councilor?
I have been a performing artist and storyteller my entire life. Producing and performing for the stage and screen have honed my skills in collaborative problem solving, bringing people together toward a common goal and listening. I have been part of the Off Square Theatre Company team — first working in education programs and now as the organization’s leader — since I moved to Jackson. At Off Square, I have the privilege of steering the beloved annual youth musical, conceiving, executing and growing the free Thin Air Shakespeare program and using professional theater to catalyze challenging but necessary conversations about our contemporary world. Understanding diverse perspectives and thinking on your feet are the dayto-day activities of an artist and theatremaker. Through storytelling we engage in healthy conflict that examines society, history and humanity. We educate ourselves and our audiences by activating our imagination and cultivating curiosity. Making theater is about creating connections and building community. In my ten-
ure as a county commissioner, all of my experiences from the theater have provided context and key skills. I have been pleasantly surprised with how often I have been able to deploy these traits in navigating the dynamics of people. Theater and politics are not that far apart!
How else are you involved in the community?
For 13 years I have co-chaired the entertainment committee for Old Bill’s Fun Run.
I am an active Rotary Club of Jackson Hole and St. John’s Episcopal Church member. It has consistently been important to me to engage outside of Teton County to be part of challenging assumptions about our community and participating in vital discussions at the state level. I serve as chair of the Wyoming Council for Women (under the Department of Workforce Services), vice chair of the Land Quality Advisory Board (Department of Environmental Quality) and a member of the Wyoming Community College Commission.
values; balancing our housing needs with overall community growth; balancing a long-term vision for a sustainable economy with the urgent needs of our working families; and so many more. Committing to finding balance can also be an antidote to the polarizing ideology we easily slip into. To find balance we need to understand the experiences of people who are different from us, and we have to be willing to make mistakes as we try new things.
Asking voters to approve a specific purpose excise tax, SPET, to pay for building a new courthouse.
As an advocate for improving the health and economic well-being of women, as well as women’s representation in government and leadership, I helped launch and run the Cowgirl Run Fund, coled the Wyoming chapter of Courage to Run, and am a founding director of the Wyoming Women’s Action Network.
Finally, with an eye toward the next generation, I often engage in opportunities to visit our schools and work with organizations (like 4-H and Girls Actively Participating) to educate students on government and public service careers. My children also keep me busy with involvement in their activities and interests.
What are the top three issues facing our community?
(1) Supporting our people: As the inequities in our community grow, how we support the most vulnerable among us is a paramount issue. This is expressed in various venues, including improving the affordability and accessibility of child care, the economic viability of small businesses, and, unsurprisingly, our housing and transportation needs. It also means continuing to strengthen our human and social service sector and supporting small businesses to improve the overall interconnectedness of our community. (2) Avoiding paralysis: As we face increasingly complex challenges, especially in terms of land use, we will all need to juggle with the issue of paralysis. How do we keep working and adapting rather than succumbing to a quest for perfection? Our elected officials must grapple with this as we make decisions, and it is also a place where individual community members can impact how they engage in the community and our shared vision for the future. I’m so proud of our work on water quality over the past few years and how we moved this from a grassroots conversation to a functional plan. This is an example for the future as we address other challenges with practical action. (3) Finding balance: There will always be trade-offs among our priorities. Balancing what we want with what we can afford; balancing our wildlife, recreation, agriculture and open space
have failed.
The town and county have been negotiating how they fund joint departments, which include START, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, Parks and Rec and the Housing Department? What would be your approach to those negotiations and what’s your philosophy on funding public services?
Collaboration between the town and county will continue to be the most efficient way to provide public services and address community needs. As a necessity, the relationship between the two organizations will evolve over time as the community’s needs and desires also evolve. Alternative models based on the distinct services of the joint departments are appropriate, and different funding models utilizing sales and property taxes may necessitate changes to the governance structure. There is not a blanket approach that will address the complexities.
What should change about Teton County’s approach to managing water quality?
I wholeheartedly agree with Clerk of District Court Anne Sutton’s recent comments to the Board of County Commissioners that we need a safe, secure, accessible and efficient facility and that due process, the right to be heard and the rule of law are as important to our county as any of our other community values. A diverse array of services necessary for our community’s safety and democracy are housed in the current courthouse, and related structures will be included in the new Justice Center. Funding through the specific purpose excise tax is the least expensive way for the taxpayer to finance a project of this size, and it is also exactly what SPET is intended to be used for.
What questions still need to be answered on the development of up to 1,437 homes in northern South Park?
The master site plan will help us understand how the affordable homes will be integrated throughout the neighborhood and how basic infrastructure will function. Upcoming steps, as defined through land development regulations and associated elements, will also help answer questions about transportation connectivity. The most fundamental question is whether the landowners will opt into the new incentive overlay and, if so, in what time frame will the build-out occur.
Is Teton County headed in the “right direction” on housing? Why or why not?
Broadly, yes. The gains we have made in affordable housing as we have implemented the housing action plan should be celebrated. We have more work to do in the area of preservation. I remain committed to including housing for seniors and folks with disabilities in the portfolio. I’m also interested in continuing to try to generate movement within the housing market overall so that individuals and families can imagine a long-term future and we can remain a multigenerational community. I also see opportunities to focus on the needs of (and impacts on) our small businesses. We should aim for collaboration and innovation with local business owners and see these small businesses as our partners. Overall, if we stop trying new things, then we will
I am eager to undertake the actions as identified in the water quality management plan and the increasingly active role the county will play in implementation and monitoring. In particular, I support the county taking an active role in streamlining and incentivizing sewer connections as well as more active review of existing septic systems, mainly through updates to the land development regulations. All of this plus the efforts outlined in the plan require continued investments in staffing and infrastructure, and we’ll need to work together with key partners and the community to keep growing support for prioritizing this work.
What should the Board of County Commissioners do to improve transportation?
My primary focus for transportation is safety; this includes redundancy, wildlife crossings and improvements for multimodal users. Central to this is strengthening our relationship and influence with the Wyoming Department of Transportation. The state is a necessary transportation partner, and we need the best possible communication and coordination to avoid missing opportunities to minimize impacts or maximize creative design solutions. We also must collaborate on solutions, whether responding to issues like the landslide or charting the course for future wildlife crossings. We have successes to build on, like our collaboration with WYDOT and the community to execute on the Wilsonto-Stilson pathway and Wilson School pathway underpass. We also have missed opportunities. We must continue to build on these successes and learn from missed opportunities.
Second, recognizing this is a longterm endeavor, I fully support continued efforts to work regionally on transportation, including through continued exploration of a new governance structure. Lastly, I want us to be prepared to innovate. With rapidly changing technology heavily influencing the future of transportation, we should stay engaged in experimenting with how new technologies can help us meet our goals in transportation and otherwise. Partnering with the private sector is likely a major key in creatively thinking about promoting behavior changes that advance our transportation goals to reduce singleoccupancy vehicles and improve our land use to support more affordable housing.
Lives in: Town of Jackson Age: 53
Approach to government: Hardworking, collaborative and responsive.
Years in Teton County: 40
Why are you running?
I am running for county commissioner because I truly love Teton County. I am proud and lucky to have 118 years of local family history, and my ancestors taught me to give back to our extraordinary community whenever possible. Suffice it to say that I feel a soul-level commitment to protecting our natural environment and vibrant community.
I also feel uniquely qualified and highly motivated to serve on the Board of County Commissioners. We are facing a seemingly infinite number of challenges and problems and must therefore act quickly and effectively to conserve our land, water and wildlife, build significant affordable community housing and maintain and enhance our transportation infrastructure. I am a balanced, well-informed and common-sense voice in local poli tics, working hard to forge agreements about concrete actionable solutions.
I also have extensive relationships across the state of Wyoming and years of experience advocating for our community in Cheyenne. In short, I am running because I care deeply about the future of Teton County and believe I have a unique knowledge and skill set required to make a real-world positive impact.
What is or was your occupation, and how has it prepared you to be a councilor?
I was a passionate public school teacher, principal and athletic coach for 25 years, including 18 years in our local schools. I am honored to have won several professional awards over the years, including Citizen of the Month, Everyday Hero and Teacher of the Year. Two and half decades in public education was the perfect “boot camp” to become an effective elected official, especially because I taught high school social studies with an emphasis on government and economics.
For the past four years I have been a member of the Jackson Town Council, which I would assert is the ideal occupational preparation for a person seeking to become a Teton County commissioner. Like most hardworking folks in the Tetons, I have also had a few side hustles, including guiding fly-fishing, working for educational nonprofits and working in property management.
How else are you involved in the community?
As mentioned, I was brought up with the firm expectation that each of us as individuals can either be a “taker” or a “giver.” My parents, grandparents and great-grandparents modeled and reinforced daily that we were givers. I have volunteered on numerous boards over the years, my favorite being the Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum. Today, I am honored to serve on three nonprofit boards, in -
cluding the Wonder Institute, Wyoming Stargazing and Trout Unlimited. I continue to volunteer in sixth-12th grade classrooms at both public and private schools, typically guest teaching about civics education and financial literacy topics. I have been the volunteer statewide coordinator for the Wyoming Stock Market Game since 2014.
I also pride myself on “showing up” for a wide variety of community events, including everything from Veterans Day and Martin Luther King Day ceremonies to the People’s Market and local youth sporting events. I am fantastically lucky to have grown up in Jackson Hole and feel an outright obligation to give back.
What are the top three issues facing the town of Jackson?
(1) Protection of land, water and wildlife.
(2) Funding and building truly affordable community housing.
(3) Funding and building transportation, transit and mobility infrastructure.
Asking voters to approve a specific purpose excise tax, SPET, to pay for building a new courthouse.
The need for a new courthouse isn’t news to anyone who has lived in Teton County for any length of time. There are obvious and critical capital construction needs that have been identified but largely ignored for decades. There aren’t many full truths in politics, but the simple fact is that Teton County needs to build a new and improved Justice Center. This Justice Center is not a want, wish or desire but an absolute necessity. I would challenge any naysayer with the stark realities of the current state of the buildings that houses so many of our absolutely core and quintessential public institutions, including the Sheriff’s Department, dispatch, criminal and civil courts, the jail and administrative offices. My personal and professio nal opinion is that we should approve a 1% specific purpose excise tax to fund and build a new Justice Center, as soon as possible. The SPET, over half of which is paid for by visitors, is a specific and exact tax that will be used for one thing, on a onetime basis. It comes down to pay now or pay twice as much later and further risk an unimaginable catastrophe if and/or when the current building fails.
What questions still need to be answered on the development of up to 1,437 homes in northern South Park?
After five years of hard work and intense negotiations, northern South Park was approved by the commissioners, but there are several procedural hurdles yet to be cleared. Our community must navigate both a master and neighborhood planning process, both
of which will prompt hundreds of detailed questions. I have been in strong support of a balanced and reasonable upzone and build-out of a complete neighborhood within NSP from the beginning. That said, I have ongoing questions about how to guarantee that 70% of units are deed restricted and built in a manner that aligns with our community character. I also have questions about how this complete neighborhood will impact the surrounding areas with regards to traffic and mobility infrastructure. Finally, I have questions about how the master and neighborhood plans can be designed to have the least possible impact on wildlife, water quality and open space.
Is Teton County headed in the “right direction” on housing? Why or why not?
Yes, Teton County is headed in the right direction with regard to investing in community housing. That said, we are far from perfect and there will always be work to do regarding affordable community housing.
With an average home sale price of $7.02 million in Teton County in 2023, the old arguments about housing need to shift. The good news is we’ve built 260% more housing over the pa st six years than during the previous 20 years, funded and built almost 1,600 deed-restricted units (affordable and workforce), with several hundred more in the near future pipeline. These numbers do not include over 1,000 possible new homes at 90 Virginian Lane and northern South Park.
The speedy and authentic realization of the “Virg” and NSP neighborhoods should be prioritized and realized. I value quality education, health care, local business es, law enforcement, mental health and human services, Fire/EM S, regional economics, restaurant and hospitality workers, federal and state employees, and my fellow fishing guides and neighbors. Thus, I value community housing.
The town and county have been negotiating how they fund joint departments, which include START, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, Parks and Rec and the Housing Department? What would be your approach to those negotiations and what’s your philosophy on funding public services?
I served as an appointed member of the Teton County/Town of Jackson joint funding taskforce and spent hundreds of hours exploring, discussing and debating how our joint department should be funded. More specifically, what fiscal responsibility do the county and town have toward the “Big 4” — START, Fire-EMS, Parks and Rec, and Housing.
The current split based on population (54-46) is not acceptable, as it pretends that the citiz ens of the Town of Jackson are not also residents of Teton County, which they are. It may sound obvious, but our local governments have never truly accepted the fact that the “Town is in the County.” The current scenario puts the Town of
Jackson in a financially unsustainable situation.
This census-based split is just one of many examples of how the county and town, perhaps unknowingly, are building a greater disconnect between Teton County and Jackson, when in reality we are truly one community. The funding split for these critical joint departments should be based on audited revenues, meaning each entity would fund joint departments based largely on how much taxpayer revenue they receive. This fair and balanced approach would shift the split from 54-46 to 67-33. We are actively negotiating this joint funding split as I write this response, and I hope that by the time it is published Teton County and the Town of Jackson can once and for all agree to a more fair and balanced funding agreement.
What should change about Teton County’s approach to managing water quality?
The recently released Water Quality Master Plan for Teton County details almost 2,000 pages of urgent changes that must be implemented to ensure we are acting as stewards of our water ecosystem. While it is impossible to describe the entirety of such changes, key improvements include reform to how we permit, install and monitor septic systems; collection and treatment of waste and stormwater; and investment in new and existing sewage treatment facilities. As both a town councilor and board member of Trout Unlimited, I have been especially active on water quality. We know and understand what the top threats are to the quality of our water and aquifer and must act in a unified and efficient manner to respond. I believe that we as a countywide community must align our efforts to guarantee that the water flowin g out of our valley is as clean as the water coming into it. It is unacceptable that members of o ur community cannot drink or bathe in their water or kids can’t safely float down Flat Creek. Environmental conservation is my top priority, and water quality is at the top of that list.
What should the Board of County Commissioners do to improve transportation?
As with water quality, we have studied and understand what needs to be done to radically improve our transportation system. The Integrated Transportation Plan is a 52-page document, updated in 20 20, that details action that must be taken.
I share the frustrations of a vast majority of our community members who struggle to understand why we have not been more responsive to transportation needs, when we all directly witness the problems and we have paid for and completed a study on how to fix them. The central topics of the ITP include increased funding for and improvements related to regional transit, active transportation, transportation demand management, major capital projects, and regional transportation planning with our surrounding counties and the State of Idaho.
Perhaps one “silver lining” of the recent landslide and road closure on Teton Pass can be a renewed focus, action and investment toward dozens of serious transportation problems across Teton County and the region.
Republican incumbents square off with candidates who have challenged them before.
By Jasmine Hall STATE GOVERNMENT REPORTER
Teton County voters in the Republican primary will have to choose between their incumbents in U.S. Congress and three challengers.
U.S. Sen. John Barrasso is running against John Holtz and Reid Rasner in the primary, while Rep. Harriet Hageman is set to face off with Steven R. Helling. The Democratic candidates, uncontested in the Aug. 20 primary, are Scott Morrow, who is running for Senate, and Kyle Cameron, who is looking to represent Wyoming in the U.S. House of Representatives. Whoever advances in the primary will face off in the Nov. 5 general election.
Senators serve six-year terms in the upper chamber of Congress, and Wyoming has two in the governing body of 100 politicians. Members of the House serve two years, and Wyoming has only one, based on its small population. There are 435 members of the House.
Barrasso has held his seat as one of two senators representing Wyoming since 2007. In his last election, in 2018, Barrasso won 67% of the vote. Before the orthopedic surgeon was appointed to the U.S. Senate, he served in the Wyoming Senate from 2003 to 2007.
Hageman is a freshman lawmaker in Congress who defeated former Rep. Liz Cheney in the 2022 Republican primary with a landslide 66.3% of the Wyoming vote. She won 68.3% of the
vote in the general election. She’s an environmental lawyer who co-founded the Wyoming Conservation Alliance.
Both are avid supporters of former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president. Barrasso secured Trump’s endorsement in May.
WyoFile.com
State Government Reporter Maggie Mullen interviewed the challengers to the congressional incumbents, some of whom are familiar faces and other political newcomers.
Reid Rasner started campaigning against Barrasso nearly a year in advance of the primary and visited Jackson in December. He is a fourth-generation Wyomingite who was born and raised in Casper, and running with an “unapologetically America first” platform. It focuses on legislating term limits in Congress, completing the construction of the border wall, eliminating excessive federal spending and protecting life at conception.
Holtz first challenged Barrasso in 2018. The retired U.S. Air Force Veteran also served as a judge in Converse County and works in private practice in Laramie now. His top priority is Wyoming’s energy industry.
The Republican primary candidate looking to unseat Hageman is Helling, who WyoFile.com reported previously ran as a Democrat for the House seat in 2022. He was a pro-Trump Democrat. His top concern as a congressman would be nuclear power, and he would support federal-level abortion limitations.
Contact Jasmine Hall at 307-732-7063 or state@jhnewsandguide.com.
by the League of Women Voters of Wyoming, Teton County Library, Jackson Hole News&Guide, KHOL Radio and Buckrail, with funding provided by Teton County Library Foundation & Friends and the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole. More info: Vote411.org • tclib.org/candidates 429853
Affordable Housing:
A diverse, healthy and balanced Teton County requires an aggressive commitment to affordable housing. As a Teton County Commissioner, I’ll steward the $80 million committed through 2022 SPET votes to get tangible housing results.
Conservation:
I will work to protect Teton County from development threats on Wyoming State Lands in Kelly, Munger Mountain and Hwy 390. I will push for clean drinking water for Hoback Junction residents and water free of harmful bacteria in Fish and Flat Creeks.
Transportation: I will work with WYDoT to build HOV lanes and smart traffic signals along HWY 22, improve START service, protect our pathways, and restore transportation sanity.
75% of Wyoming newspaper readers vote in state and national elections AND 86% of Wyoming newspaper readers vote in local, school board and city elections
*2022 Coda Ventures market research Wyoming study.