Clearmont Coffee with the Chamber

On Tuesday, September 17, Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce held their Coffee with the Chamber program in Clearmont at town hall. Bobbi Mitzel, Member Relations Director; Teresa Detimore Program Development Director and Jodi Hartley Marketing and Communications Director, along with Gail Symons and Jack Wood, chamber ambassadors, attended the event. Clearmont Town Council members and representatives from the schools also attended.

Mayor Schock gave the chamber an update on what is happening in the town of Clearmont. He talked about the waterline project, which is nearing completion, Water Well #3, and the improvements being done on the town hall, including new windows.

He also talked about the way the town receives its funding, the primary elections and how the upcoming legislators’ ideas might affect the smaller towns in Wyoming.

Jack Wood asked Schock to explain how Clearmont used the Cap Tax monies.

Wood also said that Sheridan County didn’t need to increase the sales tax but they shouldn’t cut it either.

Kirstie Auzqui, Clearmont Town Clerk, said many people don’t understand how roads, bridges, towns and schools are funded. She also talked about how much Clearmont had changed since she grew up there, as there are less businesses and less population, and how there are less students in the schools. She added that SCSD#3 had to close the Arvada School for lack of students.

Dr. Walt Tribley, President of Sheridan College, attended the meeting and talked about some ideas that the legislature has for property tax reform for Wyoming. He added that the college depends a great deal on property taxes.

Tribley also talked about education, and the fact that Clearmont students can take college courses while in high school. He talked about some other courses the college offers, such as software development. He added that software development is a profession in which developers can earn up to $85,000 a year, with the option to work remotely. “And it’s a skill that is not going away,” he said.

He mentioned another course that is being offered which might be of interest to rural landowners.

Discussed was the fact that retirees are moving into Wyoming, while many young people are moving to other states. In an effort to bring more young people to the state, Tribley added,

Chase Christensen superintendent of SCSD#3, attended the meeting and talked about how the school year was starting out. “We’re having a great start to the year. It’s been the best start of a school year in my career. We’ve got an education going.”

Affordable and available housing was another topic of discussion, and also discussed was how difficult it was to find people to run for the school board or the town council anymore. Gail Symons noted that it wasn’t just in Clearmont. She talked about how few people file to run for office on the general ballot, so there is lack of competitiveness.

Afterward, Schock commented on the Chamber Coffee,

Jodi Hartley said that they try to have the coffees at different small towns in Sheridan County to hear their updates and concerns. The coffees are open to everyone who is interested in their communities.