Last week the candidates running for positions on the Green River City Council and the position of mayor gathered and discussed issues important to Green River during a political forum hosted by the Green River Chamber of Commerce.
Michael Shutran is running for Green River City Council Ward II and is unopposed, so he opened the forum with comments reiterating his commitment to serving Green River and discussing the importance of voters educating themselves and being a part of elections and local government.
“City council elections are much more important than you might think,” Shutran said. “The local level is where all citizens can create the most impact on the day-to-day lives of not only ourselves but those around us.”
During the second portion of the forum, candidates running for City Coucil Wards I and III gave statements and answered questions. John Fernandez and Ronald Williams are running for Ward I, while Gary Killpack and Robert Ross are running for Ward III.
In their opening and closing statements, all the candidates explained they are long-time or life-long Green River residents who have been involved in the community, have varying types of experience, and want to make Green River even better.
The main issue discussed by the city council candidates was the problem of streets in need of repair. Fernandez, Williams, and Ross all brought up the streets as one of the biggest issues facing Green River. Williams said the city needs to get back to budgeting and saving and “not just rely 100% on the 1% optional.”
Killpack, who is currently a city council member, stressed the difficulty of fixing the streets, pointing out sales tax revenue is down. Sales tax revenue was $748,346 a month in 2021, but so far this year it averages $489,129 a month, according to Killpack.
“I hope somebody can tell me how to fix roads on that type of budget,” Killpack said.
When asked about the sixth penny specific purpose tax, candidates had mixed reactions.
Williams said the projects don’t focus enough on infrastructure. He believes the tax is a good thing but bad timing, and he would like to wait two more years, let things settle down, and then reintroduce the tax in a way that is smaller and more manageable.
Fernandez expressed support for the tax while acknowledging the timing is hard because of inflation. Ross said he is “torn,” realizing it could help the roads get fixed but feeling like the tax is similar to an employee overspending their budget and then asking their employer for more money.
Killpack pointed out he was on the committee that helped organize things related to the specific purpose tax, and said their position was to allow the voters to decide.
All the candidates agreed increased tourism benefits Green River by bringing in more tax revenue.
The candidates also shared their goals and priorities for Green River. Ross’s three goals are improving infrastructure and fixing the roads, attracting more local businesses, and introducing a municipal deer maintenance plan. Fernandez would like more support for youth, seniors, and veterans in the community, and would also like Green River to get another grocery store, specifically mentioning Whole Foods. Williams’s number one goal is infrastructure, and number two is improving city employee morale. Killpack said he doesn’t have a specific list of priorities, but wants to continue working with staff at the city to see what is needed.
In the last portion of the forum, mayoral candidates Pete Rust and Mark Peterson answered questions about their campaigns and their plans for the city.
When asked why he decided to run for mayor, Rust said he enjoys working with people and the excellent city staff, and he believes he has a lot to offer and has experience from the last eight years as mayor.
“I’m just wondering how the city of Green River got into this mess in the last ten years,” Peterson said when asked why he chose to run.
Both Rust and Peterson agreed on the importance of tourism in the community, and when asked about the specific purpose tax both candidates said it’s important for the voters to make the choice. Rust also pointed out the problem isn’t necessarily infrastructure itself, but the city not having the resources it needs, pointing out Green River is operating on “2002 levels of revenues” because of cutbacks in industries like oil and coal.
“It’s not any lack of planning over the years on the part of the city,” Rust said.
The candidates were asked about Green River receiving less funding from the state due to having a smaller population, possibly due to a housing shortage and lack of developable land, and asked if they would sell one of the parks or municipal land in the city to allow for development and housing.
“No, we’re not going to mess around with the city’s property right now,” Peterson said.
“Absolutely not,” Rust answered. “We have a great park system and we need to keep it, and it’s not the only place that we can develop land and have residential units.”
Peterson said his goal would be to work with the owners of Husky Hill and to develop that land by terracing the hill and adding 400 homes and an eight to ten-story retirement community.
Rust said three subdivisions have been approved in the past few weeks, and there is land available for development outside the city. Rust also pointed out his optimism about new businesses and economic development coming to the area, such as carbon capture projects and expansions in the trona industry, which will bring in new people and new housing, which could hopefully also attract new businesses.
One point Rust and Peterson agreed on was the belief the state is “hoarding money” and the desire to get more state funding for Green River. Rust believes one effective method would be getting the mayors and councils in the Wyoming Association of Municipalities together and regionally approaching legislators. Peterson said he became friends with former governor Matt Mead who showed him how to get money from the state. Peterson said this process has three main elements which “I’m not going to disclose them until I become Mayor,” but the process is effective.
Other issues Peterson said he would like to address are people who don’t take care of their yards and developing the Lincoln Highway between Rock Springs and Green River.
Rust said there are “a lot of good things happening” in the city that he hopes to continue.
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