I believe that the cost of housing and housing availability affect our communities greatly. People keep expressing that they want to keep our youth here. I believe that they are here. However, there is little opportunity to become self sufficient enough to take the next step, because they are unable to leave their parents home and afford housing, groceries and utilities on their own. When housing becomes unaffordable, it affects workers, businesses, and communities. I also believe that creating and maintaining beautiful spaces, supporting public safety measures, and ensuring access to recreational spaces will help keep and attract young families. This helps to facilitate and ensure a thriving community and a higher quality of life for everyone.
If elected I would, in a bipartisan way, make it a priority to reduce unnecessary barriers that drive up construction costs. I would support first time homebuyers and work toward affordable housing options where they are needed the most. I would prioritize expanding responsible development, supporting infrastructure, and ensuring safe neighborhoods for families. I would lend my support to essential community services like law enforcement, EMS, fire departments, and medical and mental health professionals. I would also support beautifying the city, as well as maintaining cultural development by supporting the arts. All of these priorities are connected. Safe neighborhoods, stable housing and cultural development supports local economies, economic growth, and ensures opportunities for future generations.
I have spent most of my life working in, and around, medical, mental health, and law enforcement employees. I have a deep understanding of the necessity for well maintained emergency and medical services. Safe places equate to places that people want to be. I am also a member of the community of Casper Wyoming. I work and live and play here. As an artist, I understand the correlation between a thriving community and culturally friendly environment. I firmly believe that, by creating beautiful spaces and supporting public art, the community will grow, flourish, and come together. I am also a parent, and a grandparent. I understand the need for adequate jobs, reasonable housing, and clean- safe parks for all generations. Supporting businesses, infrastructure, job development, access to public lands for hunting, fishing and recreation, and creating affordable housing will help to preserve the Wyoming that we all know and love.
Ward 1 constituents span a broad socioeconomic range, but affordability, housing, and economic opportunity are central challenges for everyone. City Council decisions must be fiscally disciplined to minimize the financial impact on residents, especially those on fixed incomes, while helping young families see a realistic path to home ownership.
Affordability is also tied to the need to further diversify Casper’s economy and create employment opportunities that keep young adults here. This was an issue when I was in high school, and 45 years later it is still being discussed. It is time to move from discussion to results by supporting business expansion, strengthening partnerships with economic development organizations, and welcoming industries to Casper that can create stable, good-paying jobs. Casper’s median age is around 37, and the largest age group is between 30 and 34. This large constituency deserves a strong advocate for housing, jobs, and long-term opportunity. I will be that advocate.
Council decisions will require thoughtful prioritization among many worthy needs as our aging infrastructure of critical services requires repair and replacement. I will look for every available funding option to minimize the costs to residents.
I will address these challenges by listening to constituents, working collaboratively with fellow council members and City staff, and building stronger partnerships with agencies and organizations that can help Casper achieve measurable results. My focus will be on practical outcomes: improving housing affordability, supporting responsible growth, protecting taxpayers through disciplined budgeting, and expanding economic opportunity. Professionally, I have led teams by drawing on the expertise around me, asking the right questions, and bringing people with different skill sets together to reach the best possible decisions.
As a retired architect and planner, I would bring 35 years of professional expertise to Council discussions regarding growth, land use, ordinances, development, infrastructure projects, and difficult budget and priority decisions. My background working with contractors would also help to evaluate project scope, costs, schedules, and impacts on residents and businesses. For example, the two-year closure of Poplar raises important questions about whether the project could have been phased to maintain traffic flow during construction. As a Councilor, I would ask tough, informed questions about coordination with WYDOT and City departments to ensure project planning best serves Casper commuters and area businesses.
I understand Casper. I grew up here, my entire family lives here, and some are small business owners. I chose to retire back in my hometown because I love it here and wish to be a part of Casper’s positive momentum. I am involved in the community as a member of the Downtown Casper Business Association, the Casper Historic Preservation Commission, The Lyric building committee, and I am proud to be a board member with ART321.
Leading a large K-12 education sector for an international architecture firm taught me how to build teams, work collaboratively, maintain a client’s trust, and act with the utmost integrity to best serve our clients and the broader community. I would bring that same commitment to the citizens of Casper.
