CHEYENNE, Wyo. — In this edition of “Meet the Candidates,” Tom Segrave shares with Cap City News how he envisions governing Cheyenne if elected as a city councilmember. Segrave was one of seven people running in Ward II in the August primary. He and three others will appear on November’s ballot. Two seats are open for this ward.
The following are responses that Segrave shared with Cap City News. To view Q&As of other candidates in the general election, click here.
What are the top three issues you believe the City Council needs to address immediately, and how do you plan to tackle them?
Many people reading this question may think that potholes, crime or traffic would make the list, but not so. The city does a good job filling potholes, we just need more folks reporting the location. This administration has added crews for this purpose. Our crime statistics are low compared to other cities, and this elected body has added 14 police officers. Traffic is always a problem depending on the individual’s experience. For example, when I come home from Denver, I think our traffic is decent.
The three issues I believe are most pressing include water, power and housing; let me explain.
Today we have storage for approximately 22,000 acre feet of water, and we typically use about 14,000 acre feet. When one reads these numbers, you might think were in good shape. The issue comes from far away on the Colorado river. Nearly 100 years ago the western states agreed to the amount and users of the Colorado river water. Over time, many more people and industries have become reliant on that system. Why would that affect us? Because about 70% of our water is from the upper Colorado river basin. The city owns the water rights to the Hog Park reservoir on the western side of the continental divide. We trade that water for Douglas creek water on the eastern side of the divide. If ever the federal government makes a “call” for the upper basin states to provide more water to the lower basin states, not only will Hog Park be affected, but all rivers on the western side of Wyoming will lose water. With the stroke of a pen, we could lose 70% of our water. The mayor and governing body are working to find additional resources from the eastern side of the divide.
The second issue is power. We are blessed to have a strong economy and great partners such as LEADS and the Chamber to recruit additional businesses to Cheyenne. We have approximately 10 new data centers in our community paying taxes for all the comforts we have. We have many more interested in locating here, but we need power for the centers and businesses. We recently were told we need to quadruple our power supply by 2030, and this is just for known businesses. These new businesses bring higher paying jobs to Cheyenne which helps with the third issue, housing.
Housing of all types is needed in our community. I will discuss “affordable” housing in question three. There are so many issues affecting housing it can be hard to isolate those over which the governing body has impact. It is good to point out we have been successful in recruiting several new apartment complexes such as those in Saddle Ridge, and off Converse near Dell Range. It is also good to point out large new subdivisions such as Sweet Grass near the college, and Whitney Ranch near Dell Range and Whitney Road. This governing body has been busy bringing these additions on board. Many existing rules and process have been changed to accommodate housing, please see additional examples in question three.
How do you propose to manage the city’s budget effectively while ensuring essential services are maintained and improved?
Managing the City budget is an art that every Council and Mayor must address annually. Typically, the governing body looks at the number of operating days in the reserve account for a gauge. For example, when I became a Councilman four years ago the number of reserve days was 67. Should everything go to pieces, we could still run the city for 67 days. Despite Covid we have been able to replace most staff that were reduced while increasing the number of reserve days to 247. We have added needed staff to many departments including Fire, Police, Engineering, Planning, Accounting, Parks, Street and Alley, etc. These departments all took reductions during Covid amid the unknown financial fallout. Recruiting new businesses, especially those that do not need extensive city services grows the revenues through sales tax and property tax. This allows the city to provide essential services.
What are your plans for promoting affordable housing and addressing homelessness in Cheyenne?
Affordable housing and homelessness are two different but related issues. First, affordable housing. This is not only a Cheyenne issue but a national issue. Rapid inflation, supply chain issues, natural disasters, mortgage rates and more all affect the ability to purchase a home. This governing body has made many changes to do what we can to help. For example, we changed the requirement for new lot sizes to reduce the dirt cost of a new home. We have made changes to the development code to allow different, more affordable façade materials. We have added employees in the Planning, Building, and Compliance departments to reduce the amount of time to process and inspect developments. We are adding new computer systems for off-site building permits and to request inspections remotely. What we cannot control are the cost of concrete, lumber, roofing materials and mortgage rates. We closely monitor other communities to seek out additional actions that can help reduce costs.
Homelessness is a national tragedy fueled by mental illness, drugs, environmental and employment issues, amongst others. One answer will not solve the problem. I don’t know that the city can solve the homeless issue, but we can manage it. For example, our Comea Shelter accepts homeless individuals and families, but not those using drugs or alcohol. The city and county partnered with Comea to purchase an old hotel on West Lincolnway which they are remodeling and using for those with drug issues, separating them from the non-drug clients. Comea had a grant for remodel, but not the funds to purchase the hotel. The city and county provided funds so that now 26 individuals have an opportunity to heal. We have committed to assisting homeless folks found in city facilities, primarily downtown, to find the appropriate service for their issues. The city has also removed encampments along Crow Creek that promoted homeless gatherings disturbing neighbors. While these are not the only answers, they are actions this mayor and council have been working on. As we find additional opportunities, I am committed to implement those in our community.
How will you ensure that the voices of all community members, including underrepresented groups, are heard and considered in City Council decisions?
The city uses many different avenues to seek input from community members. Community members can include different interests from business, religious, political, minorities, and so on. There are so many issues dealt with for which the city seeks input. For example, downtown redevelopment is currently holding public meetings about its master plan. Parks Department and Belvoir Ranch recently held public meetings about their new master plans. New road improvements such as highway 30 and Dell Range held meetings before construction started. The mayor seeks individuals to serve on various boards that supply information for decisions. All Resolutions considered by the governing body have three public meetings, and all Ordinances have four public meetings. Committees meet to hear public input. The city posts these meeting on its website, through social media, newspaper and the mayor does a morning radio show before every council meeting to discuss the agenda.
What initiatives would you support to enhance environmental sustainability and green spaces within the city?
Environmental initiatives are much more common today at the city than 25 years ago when I first served on Council. For example, earlier I discussed the need for additional power, but what I did not discuss was the need for clean power. Many businesses are requiring carbon-free power which is why we see windmills and solar farms in the area. The city recently submitted a grant for solar power on our closed landfill, turning brownfields into greenfields. The same grant seeks funds to turn our methane currently flared off at the wastewater treatment plant into captured gas used for green power. Our recycling program seeks to capture waste for recycling, extending the life and environment of our landfill. Filters have been installed in downtown street drains to capture waste before entering Crow Creek. Our 45 miles of greenways not only provide leisure activity, but also provide safe environmental ways to work and school. The use of roundabouts not only speed up traffic, but they allow cars to move rather than sit and idle at stop signs. The city has installed LED lights at city buildings and in streetlights so that we use less energy. The city has added Kiwanis Park in east Cheyenne and Rotary Park near Powderhouse Road to create more open greenspace. We are building bike trails at the Belvoir Ranch and looking for ways to connect to the Colorado trail system. New parks are planned for the Sweet Grass community as it is developed. The city is always looking for opportunities to work smarter, with less energy and to create added green space. Your ideas are welcomed.
Is there anything else you’d like voters to know about you?
I want to thank the community and specifically Ward II for your support over the years. I have been blessed to serve on the City Council from 2000–2004, 2005–2008, and from 2020 to today. I am seeking reelection to help finish many of the projects discussed here. Cheyenne has a very bright future, many opportunities lie ahead for economic development, better paying jobs, and smart development. Thank you for your vote and support.
This article has been updated with revised answers from Segrave ahead of the November election.
