Candidates introduce themselves, answer questions at forum

At the end of September, the Chamber of Commerce and Hot Springs County Farm Bureau Federation hosted a meet the candidates forum. All candidates running for all offices were invited to attend.

The following is a compilation, broke down by office and candidate, at what was said by each candidate during the forum.

Mayor of Thermopolis

Mike Chimenti

First off, I’d like to thank everybody for being here. Thank you Farm Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring this. I’d like to tell you a little bit about myself first. There are some folks here that don’t know me. I am a Wyoming native. I was born in Fremont County and raised in Dubois. After graduating from high school, I worked for a while in timber before moving to Thermopolis. 

Then I married my wife and raised both of our children here. On June 15, 1974, I started working for the Thermopolis police department until I accepted a position with the Hot Springs County Sheriff’s Office. I worked there until 1979. I was employed for 11 months with the sheriff’s office.

I then returned to the Thermopolis police department where I was employed until retirement in 2016. I have no other obligations. I have no hidden agendas, and I had the time to serve. What do I have to offer to the community? Integrity, honesty, commitment, cooperation, leadership, and experience. Quality, open government. 40 years plus of law enforcement experience in Thermopolis and Hot Springs County.

Two terms as chief of police. 30 plus years as a mid-level manager, trained and experienced in budget and budget preparation and implementation. In the last four years as mayor of this community, I’m familiar with the town budget and how it works. I’m a member of the Canyon Village and Hot Springs Senior Housing.

I’m a member of the Senior Citizen Golden Age Board. I’m a strong advocate and a supporter of Wyoming Pioneer Home. I’m a past member of the Hot Springs County Counseling Center Board. Thermopolis and Hot Springs County have given to me. It’s my turn to start giving back. I would appreciate your vote on November 14th so I can do that for four more years. Thank you.

Adam Ryan Estenson

All right. Thank you to the bureau and to the chamber for hosting this event. I think it’s really a way for people to get to know everybody here. So I’m the guy with the green signs everywhere in town. That’s me. And before we go any further, I need to clear one important thing up. Ryan is my actual middle name. So I think what this race comes down to, I’m not running against Mike.

I’m just also running for mayor. And so I’m going to spell out a few of my qualifications and some of my thoughts. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin system with a degree in land use planning and formal training, focused and emphasized on small communities. And the sustainability of those communities. For the last 20 years have held many leadership roles in different organizations, local government, and businesses.

I’m currently the chairman of the Hot Springs County Land Use Planning Commission. I’m a certified director of Safety and currently earn my living as a safety director at Ryan Brothers Trucking. My grandfather, Tom Ryan, was one of the founders of Ryan Brothers in 1958, and he and my grandmother, Viola, they raised their family here and grew their business here.

My wife and I are truly honored and it is a privilege to join in that story and the story of Thermopolis. I want to collaborate consistently and persistently with other government entities. I seek to engage the community and I’ve already been doing that through engaging the community, not just where they are. I’m just waiting for them to walk in the door or going out and actively talking to them.

I want to be a force that draws people together for a robust discussion so that we have well-informed decision-making. So I offer myself to this community with my qualifications, my ability to listen and to collaborate, and with a fresh perspective. I’m on Facebook. I have more information in the back and I’m always available. And I appreciate your consideration in November. Thank you.

Question 1: What is the best plan for the future water supply for Thermopolis and the surrounding area?

Chimenti: First, let me explain to everybody that we do not have a water crisis in Thermopolis. Our water plant is up and running. We’ve just done a lot of upgrades and the town has a fund to take care of that and our water plant is paid for it. And it’s not costing you as citizens anything other than what you get billed once a month. Our water plant is paid for. We have water rights on the river and our water comes out of Boysen Dam. We buy storage at Boysen Dam for our water and we do not have a water crisis in Thermopolis.

Our water may taste bad, part of that is because of our infrastructure and we’re working on that now. We just had a project down here on Richards Street where we did the street and we took out the street and we replaced all the infrastructure underneath the water lines and sewer lines. Our water lines are old. And as we work on the streets, we will replace those.

But there is nothing wrong with our water plant. Our water plant will continue to run as long as Thermopolis is here. Thank you.

Estenson: Thank you. I think we don’t have the ability to really answer that tonight. I agree with the mayor. We don’t have a water crisis today. But water is the most important resource and service that a town provides to its citizenry. And I think any time that there is an opportunity to look at what might be a better option, we have to take it.

We’re duty-bound to look at that and to look at it in an apples-to-apples comparison. I’m talking about collaboration. There are other entities out there that are looking at water. Our community and our engineers know about our water. We need to get them at the table together to look at all of our options. You can have an event in the canyon.

And also we can’t have contaminated water here, in our community. Right? That’s one concern. And so I think it’s just really important that we continually look at that. We also need to look at cost. It has to make sense financially for the longevity and the future of our community. And I’m concerned about replacing a water treatment plant down the road.

We don’t know what the EPA is going to require communities like ours and whether or not we’re going to be allowed to do that. So I think there’s really not a good answer for this question today, but it is definitely something we need to continually and always look at. Thank you.

Question 2: What can be done to fix deteriorated city streets?

Estenson: We face one problem with our community. The project that the mayor referenced on Richard Street brought some light to that and that was when they were built did not have a lot of roadbase down. So it creates a problem in replacing the roads. As far as doing this, the standard mill and an overlay project, which is where you grind up the road, you come in and you just put one coat of asphalt over it.

So that creates some problems. But I think with the new infrastructure bills that have been put out there, there are funds available. I think, again, we need to look at them. When we look at those, we need to be very careful what strings are attached to them. Right. We don’t want to get ourselves into something that we don’t want to be part of.

And we also can’t get ourselves into something that we can’t afford. And we’re not going to replace roads overnight. There’s no way that’s going to happen. So we need to take a real good look at that and how the roads are used. I live on 14th Street and it’s a good example. The city made some strides in some ordinance changes to reduce traffic on that road, but that doesn’t go far to fix that road. So we need to look at what options are available to us. Thank you very much.

Chimenti: As Adam said, our streets are old. When these streets were put down, they just grated a flat spot on the ground and poured asphalt on it. There’s no base under those streets. And if you watched the project down here on Richard Street that was dug up and there was gravel brought in and then there was roadbase brought on on top of that. It was all compacted so that street will  stand up to the pressure of the traffic.

There are grants available and we use grants. That’s how we did this project down here. That’s how we did the projects that are going on right now. Like on Fremont Street. There are grants. But what we want to be careful of is that we don’t get into something that’s going to cost you as a taxpayer a lot of money.

And we look at that before we ever make the decision to buy into one of those grants. What does the town have to pay back and how are we going to pay it back? Are we going to have to raise your taxes and your funds in town to pay for that if we don’t get a grant? That’s something that has to be looked at and considered and I think we need to realize that there’s not one person on that council that makes those decisions.

It’s every person on that council that makes that decision. So I think what we need to do is. We’re looking at it now. We’re still looking at it. And every year we try to do another project to do that, to replace our streets. But when we do, we have to look at what’s under the street, the infrastructure, water lines, sewer lines. Thank you.

Thermopolis

Town Council

Letter from Tony Larson

Hello. I’m sorry I cannot be here at the forum tonight, but I have work commitments and will be out of town. I am running for towncouncilman. I have fulfilled many terms on the council and have been a part of many projects and changes over the years.

It has been an honor to serve the people of our great town, and I feel my biggest strength is my ability to listen. I am also super approachable as over the years many people have contacted me with concerns. I do my best to get an answer back to them and if we need to change our policies or procedures, I try to help with that.

Sometimes it is something that just will not be feasible and I will let you know why. But if it’s in the best interest of the town, I will move ahead with it. I am running for the position with not a single personal agenda or ax to grind. I ask only for your support for the Town Council in the upcoming election.

If you need to contact me with any questions, please feel free do so. I appreciate your past support and ask for your future support. Thank you, sincerely. Tony Lawson.

Rachel Hughes

Hi, I’m Rachel Hughes and I’m running for one of the two available seats on the Thermopolis Town Council. I was born and raised in Thermopolis, attended college in Nebraska, majoring in accounting, and later studying math and physics. I have a background in finance and math. My husband, Brad, and I are new business owners and have two children, Reagan and Carter.

I currently work for the Postal Service as a mail carrier, a job that takes me into the community daily where people feel comfortable airing their concerns about many things, including town issues. From the taste of our water to not enough attention being paid to roads. While we’ve seen these items addressed at different times over the years. We don’t seem to be reaching solutions.

I’m not claiming to have all the answers, but I have an open mind, new ideas, and a fresh approach to solutions. And I want to see Thermopolis progress. I would appreciate having a seat at that table where these decisions are made. I’d like to see the town, county and state have an open dialog with projects that are that concern all of us.

Transparency needs to come to the forefront of our goals. With all the advancements in technology and communications, our council meetings should be available digitally to give the community better access to current topics being discussed. I simply want to be able to take your concerns to the Council. I’d like to see more solutions and more follow-through. Most of all, I promise to work for you. Fight for the things you want, and make your voice be heard. After all, it is our town and our council. Thank you.

Question 1: Can the cost of water for the town be lowered?

Hughes: Probably not. I’ve also not been to the meetings. I’m just kind of getting into town government and am interested in town government. I know the discussion needs to be open to all of us. The county needs to be part of that. The state needs to be part of it and the town. We all have to work together to decide how we’re going to move forward. We know their aging infrastructure, but we have to all come together in some form to see how we can move forward.

Question 2: Do you have any ideas as to alternatives to maintaining the central waste dump?

Hughes: I personally do not like the idea of a transfer station. I would like to see an additional dump. I know that that also needs to include all of our partners in this, the state and the county. I just worry about how we’re not even worried about recycling right now, and that hasn’t even been a topic. I think that needs to come up no matter what we choose. But a transfer station is not something that I would look to implement.

House of Representative District #28

John R. Winter

Good evening folks. I appreciate the Farm Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce for setting this thing up. It’s a good bunch of folks here. I appreciate you coming. Most of you know who I am and I’ve been doing this for a while. I believe that this 2022 and 2024 elections are two of the most important elections of our lifetime. As we all know, the Biden agenda is destroying this country, and it is up to us, the citizens of this country and this state, to bring it back to reality.

I am pro-Trump and his America First, which is God, country, and family. I’m pro Wyoming Republican platform, which includes God, liberty and freedom, and American exceptionalism. I’m pro-life. And I’m pro-Second Amendment, private property rights, religious freedom. I consider myself a commonsense constitutional conservative. I’m against victimizing our citizens and making us wards to the state.

I’m against Medicaid expansion and any kind of socialized medicine. I’m against gender identity and CRT in our schools. I’m against government overreach, especially in the taking of our lands as planned for the 30x30 land grab. I would appreciate your vote on Nov. 8. Thank you.

Kimberly M. Bartlett

Good evening. First, I would like to thank the Farm Bureau, Thermopolis Chamber of Commerce, and the FFA for hosting this event. I want to thank all of you for coming and spending your evening here tonight. And I want to thank all of the candidates who are running for every office. This is not an easy thing to do, and I am grateful for each and every candidate. I’ve just talked about my platform the last time I was here, and I have fliers if anyone is still interested in that. But I’m going to talk tonight about who I am. I’m an American first. I love my country. I have traveled to other countries, and lived in other countries. And I’ve always believed that America is the best place to come home to. I believe in the American experiment. I believe in democratic self-governance and in the rule of law based on ideas from across the globe religious, philosophical, and other governance ideologies as well. We need to be united and not fall for propaganda on social media from those who would divide us, including unfriendly foreign governments.

But I’m not running for Congress or national office. I’m running for the Wyoming House of Representatives. I am a Wyoming Democrat. What is that? Wyoming Democrats come in all stripes, just like Wyoming Republicans do. I’m not a national or coastal Democrat.

I’ve only ever lived in red states, rural states, flyover country. And I know about conservative values that a fifth-generation Wyomingite decided to marry me. I consider myself an old-school conservative Democrat. What is a conservative Democrat?

We believe in hard work, paying for our own way, supporting this country, and we have a duty to serve our nation and our neighbors. I believe in the country first. I want fairness and equal treatment under the law. I want to help our neighbors to strengthen the overall economy. I want healthy, educated citizens to lead and develop Wyoming.

It will be an honor to serve this community in the state legislature. It is an extraordinary time. We have a lot of federal funding that we have to figure out how we’re going to distribute. I appreciate your vote on Nov. 8.

Question 1: The Thermopolis community has the oldest in-situ population in the state. Would you encourage additional efforts to help fund services to the senior citizens of this area?

Winter: Thank you. We do have a lot of old folks around here. I’m one of them. But, I cannot support programs that lead to socialism. And I think there are enough programs out there right now if people are having problems, they can get help. And I don’t want to promote that anyway, but I certainly am willing to visit with people and try to get help for them.

Bartlett: Thank you. I appreciate that question. And I appreciate our senior community. Our seniors are the backbone of our community. They are the legacy of our community. They have built this community into what it is today, and we should honor and respect them all. I do want to see if there is a way that we can freeze property taxes for senior citizens under a certain asset level. I can’t think of anything more tragic than seniors who are struggling with housing issues. I know that we have a veteran here in our own community who is currently living in a school bus.

I don’t find that to be acceptable. I don’t want to raise taxes, but I do want to find a way that we can be better users of those taxes and tax dollars and at least try to alleviate the burden on those with a fixed income. Thank you.

Question 2: What is the fairest way to rate ag land compared to rural residential for tax purposes?

Bartlett: I’m very happy with the way that we treat ag land currently. I know that the legislature is currently looking at expanding some of those definitions for ag land, including other producers, and not just grazers and hay producers. I am encouraged by that. I think that that would be a good thing to increase those parkland exemptions for people who are trying to promote local food and contribute to our community. It’s a difficult issue. It relates to property taxes. Again, I know the legislature is taking up this issue. So hopefully we can find a solution that benefits everyone, benefits us fairly, and also encourages our community to continue development. 

Winter: Well, thank you for that question. This has been in the legislature lately, and my understanding is, we need a definition of ag land. I think we all think we know what it is. But when it comes down to taxing ag land, there are a lot of variations and we all know that ag land is so important to wildlife to every other thing that comes down the pike.

But it’s important that we make the right decision and get the right definition for it because right now they’re trying to say the way we need to, I think, overtax ag production land and grazing land. And some of these areas that are along the river. They may be small areas but they are ag land. They don’t get a lot of recognition in that direction, but they are things we have to study and make a decision on in order to make the right tax direction. I’ll be working on that in this coming session and continuing to work with our county assessor’s office as well.

Hot Springs County

Commissioners

Paul Galovich 

Hi, I’m Paul Galovich, I’m running for Hot Springs County Commissioner. I first like to thank all of you who supported me in the primary. I appreciate your support. I appreciate your vote. And I look forward to the election in November.

But I guess, I wanted to let you know a little bit about who I am. I’m a conservative by nature. I always have been. I’ll tell you a little bit about my family history.  I’m five generations of Hot Springs County. My grandfather immigrated to Thermopolis from Yugoslavia in the early 1900s. He worked in the coal mines out on Gebo.

I remember a quick story. My grandfather, my aunts told me the story, we used to live on the east side of the tracks before our family home on the seventh hundred of Fremont Street, which we still own. And when we lived on the east side of the tracks, the trains would go by, this was prior to the welfare system in America. And my grandfather was very kind and courteous to those that used to travel the rail system.

And that was a lot of the ways and means that a lot of the people that were out of work and less fortunate traveled. And he had a sign outside on his fence that indicated that he welcomed those who were less fortunate. My aunts told me that there were very few evenings that they did not have a stranger that sat at their dinner table.

And those folks who came are always very gracious. They always extended a helping hand towards gardening or towards some of the animals that my grandfather had. They never abused their privileges. They only stayed usually for a meal or two. I share this story with you because the culture of the past is a culture that we need to seriously look about to embrace our future.

Self-Reliance is going to be the key, I believe, in the future, not dependence on government programs and welfare programs and things of that nature. We become a society where we think more in my hand for free please is the answer. It really isn’t the answer. Self-Reliance is the answer. That starts only in our community as Hot Springs County. As commissioners, we can have an influence in those areas. I believe that some of the most serious decisions of the future can be made locally and should be made locally within the government of our county. Thank you very much. I appreciate your support.

Tom Ryan

I’m Tom Ryan. And I’m running for my third term as county commissioner. I’m currently the chairman of the current commission. I’ve been in Thermopolis most all of my life, president of Ryan Brothers Trucking. And I just think it’s important to serve. I’d like to thank everybody for supporting me in the primary. I’d like to thank Farm Bureau and the Chamber for putting the event or the questions on.

And I just think it’s important to serve. I served 14 years on the school board and I served eight years on the commission. I have a degree in finance from the University of Wyoming. So I have an understanding of how a public entity works. And I just appreciate your support in November. Thank you.

Hot Springs County School

District #1 Trustee

Jennifer Axtell 

Good evening, everybody. I’d like to start by introducing myself. I’m Jennifer Axtell. I graduated from Hot Springs County High School. I have a bachelor’s in elementary education from the University of Wyoming. My husband Chip and I run a cattle ranch. We have four children. Two in college, one in high school, and one in middle school.

I have been on the school board for eight years. Two of those years as the chairman and two years as vice chair. I served on the Rec Board, the Curriculum Coordinating Council, and the Early Childhood BOCES. 

Eight years ago, when I first ran for the board, it was to know what was going on in our school district. I have four kids in the district and I wanted to be part of their education. What I discovered after eight years of service is we have a fabulous district. We have great staff who love and care for our students every day. We have great administrators who work hard to keep the wheels running.

And our school board is a great team of volunteers who are parents who devote their time and efforts to making the best decisions for the children in our community. If re-elected, I would continue my service and I would be proud to. Thank you.

Cynthia Garbin

First of all, I’d like to thank the Farm Bureau and the chamber for allowing us this opportunity to as candidates to meet and greet you. And more than that, I want to thank all of you.

For being here and showing your interest in such an important part of our rights as American citizens. I am Cynthia Garbin. I am proud to be a member of the community. My husband and I moved here 17 years ago. So many of my dear friends have been here for four generations.

I really would like to serve as a member of one of the appointed positions for the school board. And one would ask, what are my qualifications? What are my interests? What are the topics that are of most concern to me? And believe me when I say there are all of the issues that are important to all of us as parents and as citizens of this great community.

I think about the topics that are most important to all of us. And I do think about CRT. I do think about budget. I do think about curriculum. And I know. I agree. I’ve been sitting in and trying to do my homework so that I know the best things that I can do to be a school board candidate.

I will make the right choices. I will make the hard choices. I will ask the difficult questions. I ask that you, I would be honored if you would vote for me on November 8th. And thank you very much. 

Andrea Miller

Hi, I’m Andrea Miller. I moved here in 2018 to teach at RWE. Since then I met my husband  Nate who is sitting next to me up here. I  finished my master’s in Special Education and I have fallen in love with this beautiful hole in the world that we call Thermopolis. I stand before you tonight as a candidate for the school board because I have seen firsthand the effects of subpar leadership. And I know every Bobcat deserves better. After realizing that the students in this district deserved a change, I had two options. Stand by and hope that somebody else will stand or stand myself.

I believe it is my civic duty to stand in the gap and be the strength for those who cannot. The policies the board creates can have significant impacts on our children. I will stand firm because our Bobcats deserve the best in academia, athletics, and every other facet of public education.

As an educator and a parent, I have and will always advocate for my kids, whether they’re my own personal children or one of the many I have been blessed to teach.

If elected to serve on the school board, I pledge to speak for our children always. I also will ensure that the voices of the constituents, those of you sitting in this room are heard. School board meetings should be open, easily accessible, and welcoming to any member of the public and our community. I also hope to bring transparency and accountability to our district by holding all members of the district to the highest of standards from administration down from academics to athletics.

Without accountability and transparency, there is no integrity. And without integrity, our students will suffer. Finally, I hope to bring forth positive changes to create a true culture of community, respect, and collaboration that will leverage our district for treatment and in fact, high-quality educators, coaches, administrators to better serve everyone. Thank you for your time and know that voting for myself and my husband is voting for students first. Always.

Nate Miller

I’m Nate Miller. I lived here my whole life except for when I went to college.

My platform for running would be communication and accountability to the board. I’ve spoken at school board meetings and attempted to where we were told maybe we would not get on the agenda. It’s very uncomfortable for me to stand up here and talk. I’m not a public speaker, but at the school board meetings, it’s the circle of the school board and administration.

And you’re expected to go in the middle of them and say something coherent, which may be a lot of you can. I cannot. I think all staff, students, and parents or taxpayers should feel welcome to bring concerns to the board at appropriate times. I think, you know, if you’re funding the school, you probably should have a voice in what’s going on.

The amount of teacher turnover should be very concerning to anyone involved, as consistency is important in educating your own kids or somebody else’s, and not just the turnover of teachers, but it seems like some grade levels never move and other ones are shifting positions yearly. I believe your tax dollars should be used first and foremost to benefit the students.

That’s what the school is all about, not the personal wishes of any level of the staff. It should always be students first. And I guess the biggest reason I’m running is I felt as a parent taxpayer when I went to the school board meetings, my concerns were not heard and I really didn’t even get an audience. So this is I feel that this is my duty and attempt to have my voice heard and to do my best to make sure that the constituents of the students have a chance to have their voices heard. Thank you.

Melissa Mohr

First off, let me introduce myself as I’m fairly new to town. I am running for the school board. My husband and I for 15 years have been visiting family in Thermopolis for many years now. And we recently made this community our home, after an opportunity presented itself for my husband to join his family and business and return to school for higher education.

I come from a long line of civil servants. From my seventh great-grandfather, who was the very first governor of the state of Tennessee, to my parents who remained active in the town I grew up in Kennesaw, Georgia. Upon settling in Thermopolis, I began considering how I could best use my talents to contribute to our great community. After much thought and consideration, I can think of no better cause than the stewarding of the education of our future, our children. My own public education was fraught with difficulties I would wish on no student, but that’s a story for a different time. I have a successful career in the plumbing trade and have been with one of the most reputable family businesses in the metro area for over 13 years. My career thus far, I have managed large teams to reach common goals, managed multi-million dollar budgets, negotiated six-figure contracts, and networked with congressmen, senators, governors, and state representatives to foster change in trades, education, and the industry at large.

If elected, I would like to continue focusing on encouraging continued parental involvement in education, safeguarding our children against critical race theory, to ensure our children are taught critical thinking skills instead of what to think, to discourage partisan politics, political agendas, and axes to grind as they have no place in education, to ensure we develop well-rounded students, prepared for college and the trades, but most importantly, to be productive adults as well as teacher burnout.

My name is Melissa and I am running and I would love to speak to anyone who has questions.

Sherman Skelton

Good evening. My name is Sherman Skelton. And I am running for school board and I currently serve as board chairman. I was born and raised in Thermopolis and graduated from Hot Springs County High School in 1993. I am asking for your vote because I want every child in our schools to receive the best education possible. I have two kids in the district and while I want the best for them, I also want the best for your kids.

I firmly believe that a strong education gives a child the greatest opportunity for future success and whatever career path we choose. A solid education gives our students more choices when choosing what that path looks like. And trying to make sure that we or I can serve our students to the best of our abilities.

I have committed myself to be a good student myself. I attend conferences and workshops on boardsmanship, attend educational conferences to grow as a board member, and have spoken before legislative committees regarding issues currently facing education. Our goal as a district is to be the top-performing district in the state. But learning is our fundamental purpose. Keeping that purpose in mind is how to stay focused on what our responsibility is to our kids.

If you don’t believe we are doing a good job of that, just take a look above your heads. Those banners represent the high level of learning that your kids, your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and so forth are going to get in our district. Recently, our students’ ACT composite score was ranked second in the state. We are one of only a few districts in the state that has all buildings either meeting or exceed expectations as determined by the Wyoming Department of Education.

Our middle school is one of three out of 53 in the state exceeding in expectations. And our high school is one of seven out of 70 that is exceeding. I want to thank our students and staff for achieving those tremendous results. I also want to thank my wife Hallie and my kids for supporting me and making sacrifices so that I can continue to do and pursue something that I am passionate about. I also will be available afterward and have some fliers as well. Thank you.

Bethany Rose Webber

My name is Bethany Rose Webber. And yes, Rose is my middle name. I have lived in Thermopolis for 15 years recently since I’ve been an adult. I attended Ralph Witters Elementary as a child.

My husband and I both met in elementary school here in Hot Springs County. And since then we have been married and live here in Hot Springs County and raised our two children. My son Ellis is a freshman in high school and my son Soren is in middle school. So that is where my heart is for, my children.

I want to be on the school board so I can speak for them as well as speak for our community. As a school board member it will be my job to voice your concerns. I want to support our teachers. I want to support all of our staff members. Our bus drivers, our crossing guards. But mainly I want to be the voice for our community.

Whether you have a child in the school or you just are a part of this community, the school is important to you as well as is to me. I want to be there for our children. I have an education background. I attended the University of Wyoming for art education. I received my degree in early childhood. When I moved back to Thermopolis prior to marrying my husband I worked at a preschool here and fell in love with early childhood education. I then purchased a preschool and ran it very successfully for seven years. I have taught kindergarten. I taught third grade. I have been blessed to be a substitute teacher in two other districts, teaching everything from pre-K all the way up to high school weightlifting. I love education.

I have a very loud voice. I am easily approachable and I will speak for everyone in this community if you elect me to the school board.

Mandy Wilson

First, I’d like to thank the Hot Springs Farm Bureau and the Chamber for having this event this evening. My name is Mandy Wilson, and I was raised in Hot Springs County. Many longtime residents will remember me or know me better by my maiden name, which is Mandy McDonald. I attended and graduated from this school system in 1995. I then graduated from UW with a bachelor’s degree.

My background includes law enforcement, EMT, construction, accounting, and business. I have been active with the rec district and helping coach or better yet, not being able to say no to youth sports. That will include football, basketball, soccer and wrestling. I am married to my husband Shane Wilson, and I do have a third grader this year who just turned nine, Sawyer.

As a community member, what I want in a school board member is someone that is dedicated, reliable, has common sense, is a forward thinker or proactive, has problem-solving skills, and is willing to listen to the community, the school staff, and the parents and the kids. Puts the students first. Gives transparency, reflects the community’s vision and values. Has accountability. Is prepared for the meetings. I believe I possess these traits that I have listed to you, and I am willing to give 110% if elected. Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself.

Question 1: Are you for or against term limits?

Axtell: For a school board member? No. Mostly because it takes a lot of time and energy to learn your position as a school board member. And like you said, I served for eight years. I feel like I got a firm grip on it now. And I have kids in the school district. So as long as they’re there. I feel like I should be able to give back and be a part of the district. And it’s a great way for me to give back.

Garbin: Thank you for the question. When I think about term limits, I’m thinking more in terms of a state or national position, and I would say that I do believe in term limits. And the rationale for that is that what we need is statesmen and non-politicians on the school board. And I tend to agree with Jennifer in that you need some time to understand the lay of the land. For someone as myself that would be new to this position, I think that four years probably wouldn’t be enough time. Eight years. I would hope that by that point that I would understand what it was that I should be doing. And again, I would rely on the community to come to me to share their opinions. And I will, as I said in my introduction, ask the hard questions and make the hard choices.

A. Miller: As far as term limits. I am going to be different in the room and that’s fine because I often am.But I agree with term limits. As a young person, I believe that change comes when you allow others to come and politicians can creep into the school board. And I believe that term limits keep everybody on their toes. I believe that term limits give an opportunity to young people like myself, young parents, to get involved. And although, yes, you can become an expert at being on the school board, there’s nothing to say that others can’t and that we don’t ever give them a chance then we won’t know. So I think the term limits, would be beneficial to the school board to ensure that the best candidates are there and to ensure that change can come when changes need to come.

N. Miller: I guess I’m not really going to have an answer for that one. That’s the beauty of this election cycle is you guys decide if there are term limits. We finally have enough school board candidates that we’re not voting for three of three or four of four. You know, it falls on the constituency. There’s no reason for term limits if people are involved. You know, you have the right to say if you want somebody to serve five terms if there’s other alternatives, you decide. You want to change, the changes is there. And hopefully this continues into the future that there’s enough candidates then the term limits are really irrelevant and an irrelevant question.

Wilson: I guess I’m not really for term limits. If you are being effective as a school board member then the voters will reelect you. If you’re not being effective as a school board member and there are, for the first time in I don’t know how many years, eight candidates, then there is a choice to the community to elect for this position.

Webber: I am a terrible fence rider. But I will start out by saying, I think there is a purpose for term limits. That is why it’s there. We need to have new perspectives. We need to have new ideas. And if we continue to have the same people voted in those same people listen to the same people and speak the same words over and over. I’m not saying corrupt, but if we don’t get new bodies in and new ideas in, then we won’t seek change and we won’t get change for our children, and there is value in youth on our school board, then there’s value in those who do have experience. But I think term limits do hold some honesty and some new ideas. So I am for term limits.

Skelton: I guess on term limits I don’t have a strong opinion really either way. I will agree that there is a high-level of the learning curve in getting on the board. I feel one of our biggest jobs is to listen, to learn. And like I said before, we have to be good students ourselves. I will say that it takes a high level of engagement. If you’re going to serve on the school board, you have to be incredibly engaged. You have to go to meetings, you have to attend conferences. And you have to get into the classroom and see what’s going on. I think it’s great to see a lot of candidates. It shows some community engagement. One of my biggest frustrations has been that we don’t get a lot of engagement oftentimes. So I do think that having the voices, other voices is great and that’s what makes us a strong board. And we have seven individuals, you know, have our own thoughts and opinions, and then collectively we work together to make the best decision possible. Thank you.

Mohr: I think as a volunteer position that term limits are not as applicable because I do agree that if you still have children in the school system or in my case nieces and nephews, you’re still relevant to the system itself because you’re still actively involved. And even if you don’t have a direct link to the system, you can still be actively involved and relevant. I think that term limits definitely have their place in partisan politics, but I think as a volunteer position, especially a non-paid position, I think the term limits are less relevant.

Question 2: What was the hot-button issue that made you decide to run for the school board?

Mohr: That’s a tricky question. I would say the one thing that matters the most to me is my family. It is very important to have a lot of people who are part of the school system. And unfortunately, my husband and I have not been blessed with our own children. So we see each of them as our own. And it felt like a way that I can use my talents for their benefit, their friends’ benefit, as well as the town at large. And so that was something that was really important to me.

Skelton: I would say there was not a singular hot-button issue that made me want to serve on the school board. But there was an event. In about 2002, I lived in Powell and there was a family that moved there from Thermopolis. And I’ve seen them down in the therapy clinic I worked in. I asked them how they enjoyed Powell and their response was they loved Powell. They found their kids moving into the public school system that the Powell School was a month ahead of where their students were in Thermopolis. That was not great to hear. I was always very proud of being from Thermopolis. And I felt that maybe at that time my education was maybe not as great as it could have been.

And hearing me speak tonight maybe that showed. But in that moment, I made a commitment that if I ever had an opportunity to serve my community, that I felt it served me so well as a child, that I would take that opportunity. The day I received the call to see if I would be interested in putting in my name to serve my dad and I were building fence. I took the call and was on the phone for a while and came back.

My dad said, ‘Who was that?” I told him. They want to know if I would put my name in to fill the position. And he said that would be the dumbest decision in your life. And I really didn’t know what he meant at the time. There were times now that I look back and knew what he meant. But I feel like it was a way, It’s a community service opportunity and I feel like this is the best place to meet our kids as best we can get back to a community that I love.

Webber: I can honestly say I didn’t have a singular moment. I feel that as a parent and an education background person, there are lots of opportunities to say, Hey, I have a voice that needs to be heard on this topic or this issue. I feel like I can better that or I have a better solution or an idea. Being in other districts, there are things that you can steal from them and take their ideas. So that was my thing as a parent and as an educator. I wanted to be on the school board so that I can, you know, benefit everyone with ideas. I didn’t have one moment. There are plenty of moments that my children have had in this district that made me proud, I wanted to be on the school board. So I can say, yeah, I was part of that.

And there are also moments that did say, wow, that needs to be changed. There’s many moments where I said my voice should have been heard because that shouldn’t happen. But there wasn’t one hot little thing that made me want to join the school board. I want to be on this school board to benefit all of our children, including my own.

Wilson: I don’t think I have a singular hot-button issue. I think I have quite a varied background. I have a kid in the district and a lot of friends that teach in the district or staff for the school. And apparently, I don’t know how to say no to the Rec District because anytime they need a coach, I’m the first one to say yes, I think. So, I’m always putting the students first and making sure there is a coach there so that that support can go on for that season. So I’m here to just be a voice for the community and the staff and the parents and students and give 110% while I’m in the position. Thank you.

N. Miller: I guess the hot-button issue for me would be just to make sure that everybody is clear that you, as taxpayers and constituents are the board’s bosses, and everybody employed at the school answers to the board, and the board answers to the community. And I don’t think, in non-compensatory boards, it always is that way.

I think there’s some people who run stuff and some people who don’t, but it’s the taxpayers the board should answer to. Anybody at the school as an employee that when concerns are brought up, the board should do the will of the taxpayers and the constituency. And so that’s why I’m running.

A. Miller: I’m going to side with my husband on that. I think It’s very important that no matter who you are in the community, that your voice is heard and that you essentially as taxpayers, you are funding the school. It should be your voice that is heard and not ignored and not rushed off to the side. There shouldn’t be retaliation if you step forward to the board. I believe that it is our job, whether you are elected to the board to bring everything we can to the board to serve. In my introduction, I said that I noticed that the students in this district deserved a change and I could stand and help somebody else with that change. Or I can try to be that change, and I hope to be that change. I hope to be able to stand up for all of the students. That’s really always been my bottom line. Anybody who has known me or talked with me or let me take their kids from them, they tell you that I love kids. I will do what is best for your kids, bottom line. And as parents in this community and grandparents, you know what is best for your kids. And so it will be my duty to listen to you and make sure that we are doing what you believe is best for kids.

Garbin: Without a doubt, that’s probably one of the more complex questions that we’ll be asked. I’ve put a lot of thought into why I wanted to do this, and I’ve spoken to individuals in the community. They’ve shared their concerns and some of their issues. And I’ve made it my stance that if I hear the problem, I’m not going to complain. I’m going to be a part of the solution. I’ve stepped up and I have joined and been a part of the Zoom meetings for the school board as well as attended meetings. I’m proud to be a part of this community, but I know that there are areas that we need to work on. I agree with so many of the good candidates that are here. I’m humbled to be a part of this. But again, it’s up to the parents and the community to step up and share what they believe that we need. And it’s up to us as trustees. I take that term very seriously. You’re trusting your children, your tax money, your community to us. And I take that seriously and I will stand up and I will try to do the best that I can to make a difference.

Axtell: Eight years ago, I ran because I was getting a lot of information that was conflicting. Some people said this was going on in the district and some people said this was going on. And I ran because I wanted to know what was really going on. And I stayed because I’ve enjoyed serving. It’s a great position. To serve and give back to the community. It’s a hard question to answer because there are a lot of hot topics throughout the years, but nothing that sticks in my mind that says that’s why I’m on the board. Mostly I’m on the board for the students, for parents’ rights, to hear the voices of our constituents. And if anyone wants to call and talk to me, I am open and available all the time. I’ve always taken calls from people who call me. If you have any questions after this forum, please feel free to contact me.

Hot Springs County

Hospital District Director

Melissa McCumber Johnson

I’m Melissa Johnson and I was born and raised in Thermopolis and have the blessing of moving back to join a family business McCumber Well Service in early 2007. But the reason why I ran for the hospital board was because of my passion for health care, starting at a young age with my grandfather and great grandma Bee. I spent many more hours with my grandpa because we had a hospital here. Before, after practice, on the weekends, I was able to go see him in his final years in the hospital. With my great grandma Bee, I was able to learn about the diversity of health care where we had home health coming into her home before she had to move on to a skilled nursing facility. I just learned that in our community we are blessed with a variety of healthcare options. I continued with my grandmother’s and it’s now continued in my immediate family where my late husband received his chemotherapy infusions here as well as supportive therapies. Our amazing doctors found and pinpointed problems before the specialists did out-of-town. My children were able to spend more hours with my husband here instead of having to video conference with us when we were in Denver or in Lander. And for me, as a mid-40-year-old, I am now having my preventative screenings right here at our local facility. I don’t have to travel out of town for most of those things, which is awesome. So the quality of health care and options is one of the reasons why I continue to run. I’m running for my second term, but also as an economic development piece, the hospital is one of our largest employers in the community providing sustainable wage jobs. I was able to return to our community and, raise my family here. Clearly a very supportive community. And I want my children to have that same choice. And those economic engines like the school district and the hospital are very important for that viability.

Jessica Benefiel

Hi. My name is Jessica Benefiel. I was appointed to the hospital board. There was an alternate position in January. So I’ve been serving since then and it has been a wonderful experience. I was involved with the hospital committee and I just feel like having health care in this community of the utmost quality standards is vital. I feel like it draws in new people. It keeps the people here that we have. It helps take care of our aging population and as was mentioned, is a huge economic factor as far as one of the largest employers in the county. I think it’s vital to any small town to be able to sustain itself. We have to have healthcare. I was able to have all three of my baby girls here in Thermopolis. My father also received the best care at the end of his life last year in our facilities. We were able to experience some other ones in much larger areas and this was where the care was the best. Our nurses were the best. Our housekeepers were the best. And I just want to be part of that organization. I want to give back to this community. And thank you to everybody here that is running for anything because it’s kind of nerve-racking. And you can hear my shaky voice up here, but it’s very, very necessary. So I’m just happy to be able to serve in this capacity. And hopefully, I can keep doing it for quite a while because I have a lot of stuff to learn. So I appreciate very much your support. And thank you for being here, guys.

Aimee Kay

Hello. My name’s Aimee Kay. For those of you who don’t know me my husband and I have been educators in our school district for the last 31 years. I’ve been a coach and I’ve also been an EMT in our community for the last 20 years. So I’ve been asked a couple of times to consider running for the board. And in those situations, my schedule didn’t allow me to do the job that I think needs to be done. I’m not going to take on something that I can’t give 100% to. And this past year, my schedule changing a little bit. I’ll be able to attend some of those meetings during my lunch hour that I would not normally been able to. So with some encouragement, have decided to put my name in the bucket and run for the part. I feel that with my experience as an EMT, I’m hoping that I can bring a perspective that will be helpful and useful to the board. I know that I have a lot to learn. I’ve been on boards in town before, both on my church and on part of the Rec District Board. I know there’s a lot to learn. I know that it’ll be different than all the other boards I’ve worked on previously, but I look forward to the opportunity and I hope that you vote for me and thank you also for the opportunity to speak to you guys.

US Representative 

Republican Harriet Hageman, Democrat Lynnette GreyBull, and Libertarian Richard Brubaker were not present. However, Constitution Party Marissa Joy Selvig was present.

Charles Curley, a representative for Republican Harriet Hageman, read a letter to the attendees: 

I am sorry that I will not be able to join you in Thermopolis this evening. I have enjoyed the several events that I have attended in Hot Springs County over the last 15 months and look forward to returning soon…Having an opportunity to travel in the state, or in our meeting to talk to my fellow citizens as being the opportunity of a lifetime.

I have learned so much about the issues that are important to all of you. And would be honored to represent you and your interests in Congress if I were fortunate enough to earn your vote. We have traveled almost 44,000 miles in the last 15 months and have visited every county in the state at least three times with some many more times than that.

I have held over 200 public events. And as I told you, the only way I can represent you is to meet with you to discuss the issues. I understand the unique challenges we’ve raised in Wyoming and dedicated to protecting our families, small businesses, ranchers, farmers, energy producers, workforce, and public employees from the bad policies coming out of Washington, D.C. From federal overreach and from the heavy hand of federal regulation. It is imperative that we elect representatives who understand our issues and who understand that they work for us.

We must elect representatives who are accountable and who recognize that our government is one of, by, and for the people. 

Marissa Joy Selvig

My name is Marissa Joy Selvig. I am your constitutional alternative to Harriet Hageman. I am in the Constitution Party and I am very glad to be so. Thomas Paine in 1795 said, ‘He that made his own liberty secure, must guard and even his enemy from oppression, for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.’ And you know what I have seen going on in the Republic between the Republicans and Democrats is a lot of fighting, and they are working towards our destruction in America by cooperating with globalists. And I don’t agree with that. I think it is time for us to look beyond Republicans and Democrats and vote for people who are just like you. And that would be me. I’m a wife of 16 years. I have four wonderful children. I am self-employed. I volunteer at my church. I run the Free Food Pantry, a foundation for Nation’s Ministries in Riverton, and the chair of the Edge Committee also for the city of Riverton. 

Why am I running?  Well, I am running because I want a more free America for my children and your children and our grandchildren. Because I don’t want them to live in a country where they are economic slaves to that government and to globalists. And it is time to stand up for them. Somebody has to stand up for the children, so why not a Mom from Riverton? My great work once I get to Washington are really economic ones in regards to fiscal responsibility, balancing the budget, ending the Federal Reserve. Ending all of the unconstitutional bureaucratic agencies. I believe in the Three R’s for America, which are restoration, revival, and revelation. And again, my name is Marissa Selvig and my web website is https://www.selvigforcongress.com/. I’m hopeful for America. And I hope that you do, too. I appreciate your vote in November. Thank you. 

How will you work for ensuring that all Wyoming residents receive equal and affordable medical care? Well, that’s a good question. And what I would say to that, as a constitutionalist, it is not the federal government’s responsibility to be taking care of your health care. That’s your responsibility. So I don’t really have an answer to that because I believe that we ought to honestly get rid of insurance. And my husband and I personally don’t have insurance to lead by example to show people that you can still get health care without having insurance.

There are many other opportunities to make sure that you have coverage, whether that means saving and paying in cash, which is what we do, or joining a Medishare kind of groups like Christian Health Care Ministries or Medishare. There are plenty of organizations that will do that. So as someone who is a Constitutionalist, I believe that is our own responsibility to take care of our own healthcare. Thank you. 

When you go to Congress, what will you do to prevent Wyoming’s water from federalization? Environmental issues are not the federal government’s responsibility. They shouldn’t be meddling in our environment. They also shouldn’t be meddling in our energy industry. So I actually would like to work towards the ending of the Department of Energy and the ending of the EPA, because I think that if the state of Wyoming wants to protect its own environment and protect its water, then that is the state of Wyoming’s responsibility. And it’s their 10th Amendment right to do so. 

Governor 

Incumbent Republic Mark Gordon and Libertarian Jared J. Baldes were not present. However, Democrat Theresa Livingston spoke.

Theresa Livingston

I am the Democratic candidate for the governor of Wyoming. I stand for women’s rights. You guys all need to keep your rights no matter what your beliefs are. Those are important. Your medical rights are going to make the doctors crazy if they can’t take care of you because there’s a medical issue that has to do with your reproductive system and they don’t know if they’re going to get in trouble or not.

I also want Medicaid expansion because a healthy Wyoming will be a better Wyoming. We need to get the kids more involved. Actually, they’re really smart. We should listen to them more and get them involved in voting because the younger generation are the ones that don’t get to vote. Everybody here has kids or grandkids or something that is eligible to vote, get them to vote.

I was glad to hear here Thermopolis you do have some vocational programs in your high school. I want to see more of that and have a project-based education. We need to think about recycling. We’ve kinda gotten bad about that here. Water is going to be a huge subject and a lot of the water rights laws from the 1800s will not let you do some of the things that you would love to do.

If you’re running for office. I want to encourage you. And if you don’t get elected this time run again. Because a lot of people run one time and they don’t run again. And that’s how you get better at doing it. More people need to get involved in government. Everybody complains about who their representatives are, but did they run or support their candidates? I have lived in other countries Germany, Spain, Turkey, Taiwan, and I’ve learned a lot from living in those countries about everybody wants the same thing.

They want to be safe. They want to have food. They want their neighbors to take care of them. I was in the Air Force for nine years. I worked at schools for many years, and I also worked for the Bureau of Land Management. So I do have a pretty diverse background. Thank you.

Do you support broadening the scope of the tourism board and funding promotional tours and advertising of the state? Very much so. I happened to be on two different tourism boards. One of them is the Visitors Council for Washakie County. And I’ve been on that for five years and I’m also on the Big Horn Outdoor Recreation Coalition, and we’ve already done a lot of things to help promote tourism. We’re even known in Washington, D.C. And because we’re a group, we also have gotten a lot of extra funding and grants so that we can build your bicycle trails.

And we’re working on some river projects right now. Visiting Wyoming is going to be a big thing. We’ve got lots of land. Opening the ranch by Buffalo helps a lot because it gives more access for hunters and fishermen and those are all good things. So I see tourism going crazy in Wyoming and it will be good for you because those motorist people there came through, at least every one of them at least spent $157 a day when they were coming through here.

What is the fairest way to rate ag land compared to rural, or residential for tax purposes? I’m not sure I know the answer to that question, but I believe there is always a better way to do something. I think we will figure out a better way by having smarter minds. And I will surround myself with the best and the brightest. So I will have people that I can help with those questions and we definitely need to help the ranchers out when they need help and the people and the city need to cut back on their water use so they can have more water that they need for their animals and their crops.

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Republican candidate Megan Degenfelder was not present but Democrat Sergio A. Maldonado Sr was and he spoke.

Sergio A. Maldonado Sr

Well, good evening to each and every one of you. It’s a beautiful rock and roll Thermopolis day I’ll tell you that. I am a candidate for the superintendent of public instruction. I know that I am amply qualified for this position. I have an undergrad from Brigham Young University in Secondary Education, a master’s from Arizona State University in Curriculum Development Supervision, and a dissertation in justice studies law and policy.

I’ve since transferred to the University of Wyoming Curriculum Instruction and rewriting three chapters of my issue dissertation on Northern Arapaho Leadership. I am seeking this position because I know I am qualified. I have years of classroom experience and organizational experience. I was appointed by President Herbert Walker Bush a number of years ago as an advisor to the Native American Council on Indian Education over a three-year term.

I did not live in D.C. but I was there two or three times a year for three years. And what I learned from the Secretary is that education is the foundation for our society. And as I look around, people pose the question, what will I do? Well, first and foremost, our state must have will have real quality experience, educational leadership, which is who I am. I’ve been around a bit. My grandchildren call me the ‘old gangster’ or the other older ones call me the ‘old hippie poppa’. Because, you know, it’s not about names, it’s about people. Because our children are our next generation of voters. Our children, each and every one of us love them dearly. It’s not about which party you belong to. It is about providing a quality education, K-12, university, and community college experience. Thank you very much.

Money spent per student is not the issue in Wyoming in providing an education for our students. What will you do to improve test scores? That’s a serious question. Our average daily membership per student in Wyoming is around $17,000. There’s a lot of variables that are affecting that $17,000. I call it nuisance variables if you are statistically oriented. And then we have the variables, we can accept, reject or modify. When it comes to improving test scores, I will say this, I traveled 6,400 miles, not including tonight across the state, talking with the superintendents, principals, teachers. Every principal has received a letter signed by me, directed to him. Every superintendent has received that. Our State Board of Education has received a letter from me. With respected test scores. Number one, I believe and many teachers have said this to me, ‘You know, Serg. I think we test our students too much.

Well, let’s take a look at this testing…. I believe that we can make our tests still within the parameters of what our students, children must learn. But we don’t have to be spending four weeks teaching them how to take the test. That is a huge concern with instruction delivery.  I’m an instructor. That’s a whole lot of minutes when you get down to teaching a student to take a test, not to mention the anxiety that puts on students along with their parents. Tests sometimes, unfortunately, qualify or quantify what a student is or what a student can be.

Should Wyoming schools have armed teachers and security officers on site? I think I got the toughest questions. Number one, I own handguns. And I have a shooting range right in my backyard. I live in the middle of the Wind River reservation. I practice a whole lot, but those are simply for self-defense. What I do not agree with is providing our schools in light of the tragedy that is happening across America.

We’ve got a boatload of goofballs who are going in and shooting up our students. When I saw that scenario on the news, I wept. I felt for those children and families and grandparents. So the question is, should our SRO officers,... well, they’re police officers are trained. A big difference. Versus having a staff member who may receive a quick eight-hour course in weapons use.

But that does not put them in a scenario where they have what you would call actual experience in warfare, if I may. So that’s something that, yes, I believe in choice given to all the districts, all 48 of them will have to make that kind of choice as to whether they want armed teachers or whoever on our school grounds. But when that day comes, we don’t want that.

We better have somebody who is prepared to answer that gunfire. And that’s how I see it. 

It is unfortunate it is across America. Somehow the world looks at us, Americans can’t even control their own schools, which is a shame.