As we approach the Christmas holiday, I would like to wish all of our county residents a happy and peaceful season. I hope you have been able to take advantage of many of the good things that go on in all of our communities.

I would offer a big thank-you to folks who have been behind the scenes working to make sure that all of the wonderful activities we offer in our county are available. 

This is just a sample of some of the many activities: Santa’s Workshop, Bridger Valley Christmas Festival and Craft Fair, tree lightings in Mountain View and Evanston, light parades and Downtown Open Houses, Whoville and other special activities at our local libraries, Festival for Families, Angels Among Us and Angel Trees, Sub for Santa, Shop with a Cop and also our sheriffs, Victorian Christmas at the fort, Festival of Trees, Christmas concerts, etc.

These activities wouldn’t happen without the planners and workers, but they also wouldn’t be successful without the generous public and their contributions.  Thank you to all that donate your time and money and show up! It does matter, and that’s why Uinta County is the greatest place to grow up and live in.

I also want to commend those who have been showing up at our public meetings and being engaged in the process of letting your voices be heard. It matters! You may have read that our Public Service Commission has reined in the outrageous rate increases that Rocky Mountain Power had asked for because they heard our voices.

We hope the BLM will also rewrite their disastrous RMP because they are hearing the voices and seeing the frustrations of our constituents at public meetings.

I was in Cheyenne recently at a task force meeting and heard that a number of local folks showed up to get engaged in trying to save the historic State Hospital.  Again, local folks and elected officials have been engaged off and on since the state opened up public meetings for input some years ago while they were making plans for the new building.

I appreciate the Evanston Historic Preservation Commission and Jim Davis for trying to continue to build on the work done by previous legislators and myself, as well as the City of Evanston, the Wyoming Business Council, Uinta County, Main Street Wyoming, and others for their efforts. I fear it may be too little, too late, unfortunately, for the new folks jumping on the bandwagon at the 11th hour, but anything is possible. 

Please visit with me if you would like to know more about the back issues and roadblocks that have been put up in the last six or seven months that have contributed to the demise of this project but, nonetheless, I encourage public engagement at all levels of our society whether it be local government, schools or state government.

We are all in this together. Henry Ford mentions that “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself. As we move forward into 2024, I encourage the public to stay engaged in the most positive way you can. We can agree to disagree on many points but not be disagreeable while we make our views known. 

During the holidays, let’s consider trying to prop each other up.  There are many who have little, and this is the perfect time and opportunity to look for ways to make life just a little bit better for our families, neighbors and friends.

I will be wishing you and yours lots of love, light and blessings in the days and weeks ahead.