Economic board gains 3 members

The Sweetwater County Commissioners have selected three residents to serve on the Sweetwater Economic Development Coalition.

Those three are newly-appointed Commissioner Lauren Schoenfeld, Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport Director Devon Brubaker and Sweetwater County Land Use Director Eric Bingham. The alternate will be Marty Carollo of All West Communications.

They will join two board members from Rock Springs and two from Green River. This board will oversee the operations of the SEDC.

Commissioner Randy Wendling, who is the liaison, said since this is the beginning of the board he wanted to make sure there is a county commissioner on the board itself and not as a liaison. He felt with Schoenfeld’s economic development background she would be a good fit on the board. He also suggested Bingham saying he has experience in the Middle Baxter Road industrial project, which is an area where economic development could happen.

As for other names, Wendling suggested Carollo or John Hay. Schoenfeld said she also had a few names, Brubaker, Jenessa Meredith and Todd Redman.

Commission chairman Wally Johnson said he wants county representatives on the board who are going to make sure SEDC doesn’t start going down the path the former Sweetwater Economic Development Association went down.

“That committee has got to prove themselves,” he said.

Johnson wants it made clear the current commission supports Economically Needed Diversity Options for Wyoming and SEDC should be pursuing projects that work with the ENDOW initiative.

Wendling said he believes the commission and both cities should receive monthly reports from the board so all parties are aware of what the board is doing. Wendling said he is impressed with what Brubaker has been doing with the airport and wants to make sure this appointment will not interfere with his airport duties.

Brubaker, who was in the audience, said economic development is important to the airport’s vision and vice versa. He has already been volunteering for the past three years with SEDC and knows what the work will entail.

“It will not interfere with the airport,” Brubaker said.