Council candidates highlight priorities

Candidates running for positions on the Green River City Council recently shared their perspectives at a political forum hosted by the Green River Chamber of Commerce and Wyo4 News, which took place last Thursday.

The candidates in attendance included current council members George Jost and Sherry Bushman and new candidate Jessica Maser.

The candidates were allotted time for an opening and closing statement and answered several questions from moderator Justin Tynsky. Notable statements were made by each candidate highlighting their views and priorities for the position.

George Jost

In his opening statement, Jost reiterated that he has lots of experience with the city administration form of government and that, if elected again, he would like to continue to work with multiple government agencies including at the state level as well as the county, local school districts, and even the governing body in neighboring Rock Springs. He said that the current council has developed great working relationships with the above entities, and he would like to be part of that going forward. He also stated that he'd like to continue working on current projects, some of which he spearheaded.

"I want to stay in and keep things moving," Jost said.

When asked about what his priorities going forward are, Jost said his top priorities include ensuring that Green River stays a livable community with improved schools and well as parks and recreation, and he'd like to continue to find ways for the population to keep growing.

Another topic Jost felt strongly about was local tourism.

"Tourism is important to Green River's economy and I'm always looking for ways to improve it," he said.

Sherry Bushman

In her opening remarks, Bushman said she is "fully invested in connecting resources."

When asked about her decision to run for council again, she responded that she has always had a passion for politics and volunteerism and that her education and work experience, especially as a project manager, has helped her achieve goals within the council.

On the topic of tourism, she stated that she believes it is viable and helps the community. She feels like the work that the council has done with the city to get an Economic Event Planner hired will be vital component to tourism going forward.

Bushman said her top priorities include housing and getting changes in building ordinances so that housing projects can move forward swiftly.

Another of her top priorities is encouraging the citizens to shop locally to bring in more sales taxes. One of her visions to see this happen is to aid local businesses in promoting their goods and services.

Jessica Maser

Maser, who is running for the first time in Ward II, opened with saying how her experience in real estate and being a lifelong Sweetwater County resident will give her a unique perspective as a potential member of the council. Maser also welcomes and encourages conversations with her constituents.

Maser made it clear that her top priorities and concerns include the anticipated influx of people due to the Dry Creek Trona project.

"Housing, infrastructure, including amending policies and procedures so everything will transition smoothly, are critical factors for me," she said.

Another prominent issue for Mrs. Maser is improving the city's existing infrastructure, especially the streets that are in poor condition.

Tourism was a prominent issue for all candidates and Maser was no exception. Maser commented that she would like to help to better promote downtown business.

"I would like to see people visit and stay longer," she said. "Part of that will include making Flaming Gorge Way more attractive to visitors, and furthermore I believe providing help to the existing businesses is important so that they can continue to grow."