Brett Glass- City Council
Q: Where does UW fall in terms of your priorities?
A: It’s the job of a member of City Council to support the interests of all residents of Laramie, regardless of whether they are involved with a particular institution, organization or business. City Council should work to improve conditions for all members of the Laramie community, including UW staff, students, and faculty. Sometimes, this means wholeheartedly supporting the ambitions of the UW Trustees and administration; sometimes it means working to temper them so that unchecked institutional greed does not do harm to the community. When dealing with issues involving UW, members of City Council must be fair and unbiased, keep everyone’s interests in mind, and be unburdened by conflicts of interest. If UW employees do serve on Council, they must recuse from any vote which could affect their current employment or future career prospects.
Q: What can be done to make Laramie more inclusive and accessible?
A: Laramie is already far and away the most inclusive city in Wyoming, with a very strong anti-discrimination ordinance. It has also made efforts to improve accessibility to those with mobility issues; it recently spent a substantial sum to grind down irregularities and reduce trip hazards on city sidewalks. However, we do need to do more to make Laramie more accessible in a different sense. Did you know that there is no longer a single public bulletin board on the UW campus – not even in the Wyoming Union – where off-campus organizations or businesses can post notices of events, products, services, or job openings? The City should gently prod UW to prevent the campus from becoming completely insular and walled off from the rest of the community.
Q: What is your stance on open and concealed carry on campus?
A: I first learned to handle firearms at a firing range operated by the Boy Scouts located in the basement of an elementary school – something that would be unheard-of today. And when I was an undergraduate at Case Tech, a Midwest engineering school, I chose marksmanship as my PE elective. I did not just carry firearms on campus; I shot them on the school’s own firing range! I understand the damage that guns can do, especially if deployed in anger, and respect the Supreme Court’s dictum that government can control – at least to some extent – the “time, place, and manner” of the exercise of Constitutional rights. Right now, US states are divided into three roughly equal groups: about 1/3 allow campus carry; 1/3 prohibit it; 1/3 leave it up to the school. The ultimate decision as to what happens at UW will be made not by City Council but by the people’s representatives in Cheyenne. Hopefully, our state will listen to the people and honor their will with regard to possession of firearms both on the UW campus and in the Capitol, where the same controversy is now playing out.
Q: Many students enjoy the local shops, restaurants, and cafes in Laramie. How would you support small businesses and ensure that they continue to thrive?
A: Again, better communication between students on campus and off-campus businesses and organizations is needed. As on other campuses throughout the country, the University should allow these community businesses and organizations to post notices on designated kiosks or bulletin boards in the Classroom Building, the Wyoming Union and the Buchanan Center and in the dormitories as well as on kiosks in Prexy’s Pasture. Students should be encouraged to use UW shuttle buses to obtain safe rides to and from downtown.
Gary Crum- (R) Senate District 10
Q:What is your stance on rank choice voting?
A: I do not support rank order voting.
Q:How will you work to attract more stem jobs and businesses?
A: We need to support education that relates to STEM employment opportunities. It is imperative we utilize and champion our local and complementary industries that use STEM in their day-to-day processes. Examples include mining, agriculture, oil and gas exploration, utilities and refining along with many others. I’m also focused on fostering business growth, creating job opportunities, and attracting investments to bolster the local economy. Once elected, I will continue my work in supporting small businesses, entrepreneurship, and innovation for a thriving business environment.
Q:What are your stances on nuclear energy coming to Wyoming and our reliance on petroleum as an industry?
A: I believe nuclear energy is one of the long-term solutions to address energy issues in the United States and the world. I also believe in an “all of the above” approach to energy that encourages the use of both Wyoming legacy resources and renewables. These resources are critical to producing the energy our state needs to support job growth and economic development.
Q:What is your stance on the minimum wage and gender wage gap in Wyoming?
A: Equal pay for equal work and experience is very important and I fully support this. I also believe in, and will promote, “Fair Pay” for Wyoming educators.
Q:How will you support fire departments and preventative measures against forest fires?
A: It is important for Wyoming to focus on investing in rural emergency management services, vegetation and forest management as well as critical fire, medical and security resources.
Q:What are your plans regarding the safety of highway 287 and other transportation infrastructure?
A: One of my highest priorities is completing the US 287 four-lane divided highway project in Wyoming. Once completed, we should anticipate a reduction in the loss of life and serious injury.
Q:How will you improve mental health resources in Wyoming?
A: We need to support more mental health resources in Wyoming which includes an increased number of mental health professionals, easy access to care, enhancing in-patient facilities and sustained funding for crisis hotlines. The most important thing we can do is support healthy families and provide resources for those in need. I believe in ensuring access to affordable and comprehensive healthcare for all, especially in rural areas. I’m dedicated to supporting local healthcare facilities and expanding healthcare services in underserved communities as well as ensuring quality rural health care services and reliable emergency and ambulance services.
Q:What is your stance on the environment and potential Wyoming climate initiatives?
A: We have a responsibility to leave the earth better than we found it. As a longtime supporter of the Boy Scouts of America/Scouting America, I practice, and believe, in the campground saying, “Leave your campsite better than you found it.”
Q:Where does UW fall in terms of your priorities?
A: The University of Wyoming is a high priority for me. As a UW graduate, donor, volunteer and parent, I’m committed to a strong and growing University of Wyoming. I’m also committed to improving education by advocating for increased funding, teacher support, and modernized curriculums to ensure that every student has access to a high-quality education.
Q:How will you motivate more students to stay in Wyoming after graduating?
A: I’m committed to attracting more primary industries and jobs that will leverage students with skills and experience they received at the University of Wyoming. I will also encourage the University to focus and prioritize degrees that support Wyoming’s economy.
Q:What can be done to make Laramie more inclusive and accessible?
A: In my opinion, Laramie is inclusive and accessible. While we can always improve inclusivity and accessibility, the community works hard to make all feel welcome.
Jim Fried- City Council
Q: Where does UW fall in terms of your priorities?
A: I graduated from college and worked for many years at the University of Wyoming. There’s no secret that UW is a big player in our city. There is an interesting relationship between the two; we must first understand how UW impacts Laramie and vice versa and what control each entity has over the other. The unique tax structure of the University, it is a relevant topic in terms of housing and development decisions.
Q: What can be done to make Laramie more inclusive and accessible?
A: About a decade ago, we became the only city in Wyoming that has protections against discrimination “based upon an actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing, and public accommodations.” The efforts don’t stop there, our community itself has created spaces that are inclusive and accessible. Other things, like requiring three readings of an ordinance and allowing public comment have helped with inclusivity of public opinion in city council meetings.
Q: What is your stance on open and concealed carry on campus?
A: As a gun owner, I support the Second Amendment in the protection of our guns. However, I believe there are inappropriate places, like schools, hospitals, and universities, that should remain gun-free. The City Council does not have any bearing on that decision.
Q: What plans do you have to address the high cost of rent in Laramie, especially for students and recent graduates?
A: A large factor behind the high cost of rent is housing supply in general for Laramie. As a councilor, I would explore creative public-private partnerships to attract more developers to Laramie and address our housing supply challenges.
Q: How would you make changes to support and improve tenant rights?
A: I’ve been a renter in this city for over a decade (in Centennial for one!). And, recently became a first-time homeowner here. I know, firsthand, how hard finding a safe, affordable place to live in Laramie is. That’s why I’m passionate about ensuring our rental code effectively keeps renters’ safe, while remaining low-burden on contractors.
Q: Many students rely on local roads and infrastructure for their daily commutes. How do you plan to address road maintenance issues that impact the entire community?
A: City department managers have inspected our infrastructure for decades; the Traffic Safety Commission has also been working on this issue. I know that updating roads become a multi-layered issue when you bring in water and sewer lines, pricing, and more. Figuring out how to do this sustainably, while advocating for bike lanes and public transit would be one of my goals.
Q: What would you do to attract businesses that could provide part-time jobs or internships for college students?
A: I would want to connect with the Business Council and small business owners to understand the needs and onerous ordinances that are currently in place. I think this question also touches on development and how Laramie can grow. It’s all part of the large, complex question of “what’s next for Laramie”?
Sylvia-Grace Fonfara – School Board
I oppose book banning. My mother and godmother were librarians, so I grew up running around well-supplied libraries reading everything I could. This showed me the importance of freely available, easily accessible information, including for children. Banning books on “controversial” subjects hinders students’ ability to develop critical thinking skills, which are essential in an era where disinformation is rampant. Putting every child at such a disadvantage, especially when the majority of people oppose such policies, does society a great disservice.
Public money belongs in public schools. Public school systems are already severely underfunded, and diverting the limited money districts do have towards private schools that have other sources of funding generally not available to public schools makes a bad situation worse. A majority of children do not attend private schools, and the schools they do attend need to be the top priority for government funding.
Every child is different – they learn in their own unique way, and my plan for ensuring all of Albany County’s students receive the comprehensive education they need centers on meeting them where they are and accommodating their individual needs as best as possible. Laramie’s school system does not have the best track record in this department, and correcting this problem is a main priority for the district going forward. I am on the autism spectrum and attended Laramie’s public schools for my entire K-12 education. I will use this insight to inform the other trustees on some of the challenges this historically underserved population faces and how they can support students through them.
Curriculums should be designed to include the content on these tests, and teachers must be allowed the flexibility and freedom to adapt their lessons to the needs of their students. Test scores will rise as a natural outcome of children being taught in the ways they learn best and understanding the material presented to them better as a result. The biggest part of my plan to make this happen is keeping listening to students, parents, and teachers a top priority and working the insight they provide into all policies the board creates. Nobody understands our students better than them, so they are a vital part of the process.
Public schools serve the public, and our communities are a diverse blend of cultures and religions. Pushing one government-sanctioned religion over all others infringes on the first amendment rights of families to practice their faith with their children as they see fit, in addition to crossing the line of indoctrinating students. Parents who want a religious education for their children have the right to enroll them in a faith-based private school to meet that need, and the rights of parents who do not want to send their kids to a religious school must be protected as well.
The Lab School’s closure is not guaranteed. The community has been passionately advocating for keeping a laboratory school on the UW campus, and their voices are being heard. Regardless of the outcome, ACSD1 has committed to meeting the needs of Lab School students and bringing the most beloved parts of this historic institution to all schools in the district. I attended the Lab School from kindergarten through ninth grade, and my first-hand experience of the school’s methods is a valuable asset. I have already shared a boatload of this information with the district, and elected or not I will continue to do so.
William Bowling- City Council
Q: Where does UW fall in terms of your priorities?
A: The issues facing UW and Laramie are inextricably linked. The University is part of the cultural and economic fabric of our community.
Q: What can be done to make Laramie more inclusive and accessible?
A: Laramie already has the most inclusive city government in Wyoming. For example, we’ve passed a non-discrimination ordinance, and the council is vocal and present in its support of its LGBTQ+ citizen. I think those values of respect and inclusivity are inherent in our community. But accessibility is also defined in the means by which we take care of our community – how we house folks, what kind of social services we offer.
Q: What is your stance on open and concealed carry on campus?
A: I have been vocal about this both as a UW Faculty member and a private citizen. I am a hunter, and I own multiple firearms. I am also an educator. Firearms do not belong in education settings, no matter what.
Q: What plans do you have to address the high cost of rent in Laramie, especially for students and recent graduates?
A: Rents are set by markets, not by city governments. A better way to answer this question is to talk about our lack of housing and our increasing needs. We need to build denser, apartment style housing or we will not meet our demands by 2030. How? Lots of options on the table, including infilling existing lots, using principles of soft overlay to honor the spirit of neighborhoods, etc. But having ENOUGH housing will be directly correlated to rental rates.
Q: Many students rely on local roads and infrastructure for their daily commutes. How do you plan to address road maintenance issues that impact the entire community?
A: Laramie has an aging water infrastructure that needs to be prioritized before road repair, otherwise we’re putting the cart before the horse. This work is already being done, and water main breaks are down from something like over 140 to 40 a year. Work on water, then repair the roads.
Melanie Vigil – City Council
Q: Where does UW fall in terms of your priorities?
A: As the Assistant Dean of Students at UW, my connection to the university is deep. I attended UW as a student for both my BA and MPA programs and have worked in a professional staff role since 2019. UW is at the heart of Laramie, and its success directly impacts our community. I’m committed to ensuring that students feel supported and want to stay in Laramie after graduation. I will lend my connection with UW to the City Council to foster more collaboration between the city and the University.
Q: What can be done to make Laramie more inclusive and accessible?
A: Inclusivity means ensuring everyone has access to the resources they need. This means that students feel connected and valued, and affords the opportunity to truly thrive as their whole selves. As a West Laramie resident, I’m passionate about improving public transportation, especially for residents who may not have reliable access to essentials. I also want to continue advocating for affordable housing and making sure that Laramie is welcoming to all, whether you’re a student, a longtime resident, or someone just moving here.
Q: What is your stance on open and concealed carry on campus?
A: Campus safety is a priority. While I advocate for the rights of gun owners, decisions about open and concealed carry on campus need to prioritize the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and faculty. Creating a safe environment for everyone should be our main focus while taking into careful consideration the broader consequences of any decisions made on University accreditation and the broader Laramie community.
Q: What plans do you have to address the high cost of rent in Laramie, especially for students and recent graduates?
A: The cost of rent is a big issue, especially for students, young professionals, and our elders. I believe we need to get creative—encouraging mixed-use developments and partnerships between private developers and nonprofits to increase affordable housing options. There are also vacant lots in Laramie that could be developed into affordable housing with the right approach.
Q: How would you make changes to support and improve tenant rights?
A: Renters need protections, especially in a city with so many students. I support Laramie’s rental ordinance and want to ensure there is clear communication between landlords and tenants. We need to continue advocating for strong renter protections, so everyone feels secure in their homes.
Q: Many students rely on local roads and infrastructure for their daily commutes. How do you plan to address road maintenance issues that impact the entire community?
A: Maintaining our roads is vital for everyone, from students to families. I’m committed to investing in road maintenance, improving public transit options, and ensuring that Laramie’s infrastructure supports our growth. It’s also important to focus on water management and other essential infrastructure upgrades.
Q: How would you work to improve access to mental health and crisis intervention services for students in Laramie?
A: Mental health services are crucial, especially for students. I support expanding partnerships between the city and UW to improve access to mental health care, and would work to build bridges between the two to ensure needs can be met.
Joe Giustozzi – (R) Wyoming House District 14
Q: What is your stance on rank choice voting?
A: Rank choice voting is a complex and confusing system that is prone to errors and fraud. It also decreases voter turnout by making voting more complex. With rank choice voting, your ballot can be thrown out and your vote not counted at all.
Q: How will you work to attract more stem jobs and businesses?
A: Helping to build a strong Wyoming economy by enacting legislation at the state level to reduce the onerous regulations (both Federal and state) that discourage private investment in our state is the best way to attract more stem jobs and businesses to Wyoming. We must create a welcoming environment for businesses and industries (both home-grown as well as those from other states) to develop and thrive in Wyoming. We must also provide a similar environment for developers and home construction businesses to build homes for our present population and new workers coming here from other parts of the country.
Q: What are your stances on nuclear energy coming to Wyoming and our reliance on petroleum as an industry?
A: Nuclear power is a clean and reliable source of energy that generates nearly half of the nation’s emissions-free electricity. The nuclear industry supports nearly half a million jobs in the United States and contributes billions of dollars annually to local economies. It can do the same for Wyoming if properly managed by the private sector.
I am here to listen and learn about the problems Laramie Valley residents face. If I find that the majority of people in House District 14 are opposed to nuclear energy, I will oppose it.
Q: What is your stance on the minimum wage and gender wage gap in Wyoming?
A: The minimum wage not only discriminates against low-skilled workers and women but also is one of the most effective tools of racially prejudiced people everywhere. Our nation’s first minimum wage came in the form of the Davis-Bacon Act of 1931. During the legislative debate over the Davis-Bacon Act, which sets minimum wages on federally financed or assisted construction projects, discriminatory intentions were obvious. Rep. John Cochran, D-Mo., supported the bill, saying he had “received numerous complaints in recent months about Southern contractors employing low-paid black mechanics getting work and bringing the employees from the South.” Rep. Miles Allgood, D-Ala., complained: “That contractor has cheap black labor that he transports, and he puts them in cabins, and it is labor of that sort that is in competition with white labor throughout the country.” The Davis-Bacon Act, still on the books today, virtually eliminated African Americans from federally financed construction projects when it was passed.
Whether support for minimum wages is motivated by good or by evil, its effect is to cut off the bottom rungs of the economic ladder for the most disadvantaged workers.
In conclusion, I believe that state laws should be carefully reviewed and revised where necessary to ensure equal pay for equal work, and equal treatment of men and women with regard to ownership and control of property, credit, and other economic activities. Additionally, I support the current Wyoming laws that provide special protection for women in the labor force.
Ken Chestek – House of Representatives
Q: What is your stance on rank choice voting?
A: Yes, big supporter. It solves the problem of voting for the “lesser of two evils” when there are more than two candidates on the ballot, and opens up possibilities for minor party candidates.
Q: How will you work to attract more stem jobs and businesses?
A: Support the University of Wyoming and its STEM initiatives. With a well-trained STEM workforce in Laramie, hopefully the businesses will follow.
Q: What are your stances on nuclear energy coming to Wyoming and our reliance on petroleum as an industry?
A: Given the scarcity of water in the West, and in Wyoming in particular, nuclear power that relies on lots of water is not practical here. But other types of nuclear power that don’t need as much water may well be practical. I’m particularly fascinated by the prospect of liquid fluoride thorium reactors, or LFTRs, as well as the new natrium reactor under construction in Kemmerer. Either way, we need to find ways to reduce our reliance on carbon-based, fossil fuel energy.
Q: What is your stance on the minimum wage and gender wage gap in Wyoming?
A: Big supporter of increasing the minimum wage in Wyoming, which is even lower than the federal minimum wage. We should raise our minimum wage higher than the federal minimum wage, which is grossly outdated. Nobody can make a sustainable living at the current minimum wage.
Q: How will you support fire departments and preventative measures against forest fires?
A: I am not a forest scientist so I would defer to the experts in this field. All I know is that fighting fires is treating the symptoms of global warming, not the causes. Ultimately, we need to do everything we can to reduce all human-caused sources of global warming.
Q: What are your plans regarding the safety of highway 287 and other transportation infrastructure?
A: US 287 is a very dangerous road. I would support funding to make it four lanes all the way from the Colorado border to I-80.
Q: How will you improve mental health resources in Wyoming?
A: Like most public services, mental health resources in Wyoming would benefit from greater funding. We need to train more mental health advocates and make it feasible for them to set up practices throughout the state, and that will take money.
Q: What is your stance on the environment and potential Wyoming climate initiatives?
A: As indicated in my previous answers, attempts to reduce all human-caused contributors to global climate change is a huge priority for me. Anything we can do at the state level to support renewable energy and reduce reliance on fossil fuels would be a major priority.
Q: Where does UW fall in terms of your priorities?
A: As a retired UW professor and former Chair of the University Faculty Senate, the University is very important to me. I will do everything I can to protect not only the funding for the university, but its commitment to academic freedom. The legislature has no business trying to control the academic programs or activities of the University.
Mike Selmer- Senate
Q: What is your stance on rank choice voting?
A: Ranked choice allows voters to choose their preferred candidate without feeling they may “waste” their vote on someone unlikely to win I believe it is a minor, but important, step in reducing the hyper partisanship that divides our country.
Q: How will you work to attract more stem jobs and businesses?
A: The people who own STEM businesses and those who work for or wish to become a part of such industries are intelligent and discerning. They accept science and the scientific process. Beyond the obvious necessity of having economic and regulatory policies favorable to STEM businesses, we must create a welcoming environment that recognizes the value of each human being. We need to avoid the type of extremist legislation that has been proposed, and sometime passed, by the legislature that makes Wyoming less inviting to those we wish to attract.
Q: What are your stances on nuclear energy coming to Wyoming and our reliance on petroleum as an industry?
A:While I don’t like the idea of Wyoming being a testing ground for nuclear technologies that are still in development, I think that, with careful oversight and regulation, nuclear energy can be an important part of our state’s response to the world moving away from burning fossil fuels to produce electricity.
Q: What is your stance on the minimum wage and gender wage gap in Wyoming?
A: People who work in service industries should not be treated as a less important part of our economy. They should be able to earn a living wage and have benefits that allow for a reasonable standard of living. Much of the gender wage gap comes from male-dominated professions such as coal miners, electricians or plumbers being paid more than nurses, teachers, or caregivers, where women make up a majority of the workforce. Equal pay for equal work is important, but so is eliminating the discriminatory valuation that operates in our economy.
Q: What are your plans regarding the safety of highway 287 and other transportation infrastructure?
A: Wyoming, Colorado, the US DOT and all agencies involved with our highways need to come to the table immediately and develop a plan for completing a divided highway between Ft. Collins and Laramie. Highway safety in our state is important to all our communities and we need to maintain the funding necessary to make and keep them safe. I’m repeating a line from the previous question… Wyoming has the largest “rainy day” fund in the country, relative to our budget. While maintaining fiscal responsibility is vital, so is the safety of our citizens.
Q: How will you improve mental health resources in Wyoming?
A. By being an ally of those who recognize the improvements needed and working to see that each community has the resources to make those improvements. The cooperation between the Laramie Police Department and the Albany County Sheriff and the trainings that have been instituted related to de-escalation and dealing with incidents related to mental health are an example of the improvements that can be made.
