CHEYENNE, Wyo. — In this edition of “Meet the Candidates,” Jess Ketcham shares with Cap City News how he envisions governing Laramie County if elected as a county commissioner. Ketcham is one of seven people running for commissioner.
The following are responses that Ketcham shared with Cap City News. To view the Q&As of other candidates who have also submitted answers to us, click here.
What are your strategies for promoting economic development and job creation in Laramie County?
First, there needs to be a plan in place on what the needs of Laramie County are. I would work with the other commissioners to develop a Mission Statement for the county, such as: “Preserving our western heritage by promoting quality growth, providing excellent services to Laramie County residents and being good stewards of taxpayer funds.” The next step I suggest we take would be to collaborate with the other elected County Officials to develop a specific County Strategic Plan and Master Use Plan for the county. Without a thorough plan or quality initiative, it is difficult to engage these entities with anything of value to implement an economic agenda.
Once a plan is developed, we can collaborate with community partners, and all of the entities involved to set an economic agenda for the county. It is my belief that bringing all of the specific stakeholders to the table to make a decision is imperative to achieving a common goal. As an LCCC Trustee I’m engaged with these entities already which would make it an easier transition if elected to the County Commission.
How do you plan to improve and maintain essential county services and infrastructure, including roads, healthcare, and public safety?
Roads, roads and more roads are probably the main infrastructure needs in Laramie County followed closely behind by water issues and the continued development of the Archer Complex.
Determining the use and nature of each county road is a never-ending saga that will need to be reviewed in a timely fashion. The growth in all directions of the county makes this a pressing issue that needs to be critically looked at. Being attentive to what the utilization is for each county road and deciding how to proceed in maintaining and improve access for Laramie County residents will be an important issue that needs to be addressed.
Continued development of the Archer Complex is another major infrastructure need and we need to come up with an updated Master Use Plan. Working with the community partners and primary stakeholders to establish an advisory committee is key and would be the first step to determine what operations will work at the Archer Complex and to develop a plan for the future.
To fund these projects after it has been determined what is needed can be done in a couple of different ways. First, some projects may be able to be placed into the sixth-penny sales tax ballot and voted for by the Laramie County residents. Another option would be to apply for funding from the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The state has between $2.8 billion to $3.0 billion available for the counties to apply from.
What is your approach to managing the county’s budget and ensuring fiscal responsibility while meeting the needs of the community?
The county receives 15 mills of which 2 mills go to the county library. By establishing a Mission Statement and Strategic Plan, we will then be able to determine where these funds are best needed. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) also provides $2.8 billion to $3.0 billion to Wyoming counties and if leveraged will help alleviate some funds from the operating budget of Laramie County. I have voted to approve budgets of $100 million + for Laramie County Community College (LCCC) and as Chairman of the Board we had to make hard decisions during the COVID crisis when budget reductions were required to keep the operations of the college running. As a Budget Administrator for the State of Wyoming I have a deep understanding of budget processes as well as the Legislative processes.
How will you address land use planning and environmental sustainability to balance growth with conservation in Laramie County?
In order to address land use planning, I would work together with County Public Works, County Planning and Development, as well as the County Building Manager to develop a needs-based formula to determine how to determine projects in order of importance to the citizens of Laramie County. Developing a long-range, comprehensive land use plan should be a fundamental duty of the Laramie County Commission.
Water is very important for the future development of Laramie County and ensuring the stability of existing infrastructure. I believe a way to determine this would be to have a discussion with the individuals at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). If we could utilize these super computers to ascertain what the water levels are in our aquifers year over year to discover the impact that is being done to our water tables by the development in Laramie County, we will be able to plan for the future in a responsible manner. I believe in “Quality Growth,” and not “Growth at any Cost.”
How do you intend to engage with the community and ensure transparency in the decision-making process of the County Commission?
As a member of the Laramie County Community College Board of Trustees finishing my second term, I have been transparent with my constituents and all stakeholders and would use these same principles going forward as a County Commissioner. I have been involved in the community in many ways including advocating for the Bachelor of applied Science degree at the college which was passed by the Legislature in a short period of time when I was Chairman of the Board. Working with the current County Commissioners to get the Advance Manufacturing and Materials Center (AMMC) on the sixth-penny sales tax ballot to name a few. I would also like to see a publication done each year that illustrates a report card of the county to show what has been expended, what the county does and how to get involved with the county.
Is there anything else you’d like voters to know about you?
My name is Jess E. Ketcham and I am running for Laramie County Commissioner. I am married to my wife Kelly, we just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. We have two teenage boys who are 6th generation Laramie County residents.
I grew up in Cheyenne and after graduating from East High School I attended Laramie County Community College. After 2 years at LCCC I transferred to the University of Wyoming. I graduated from UW with a degree in Agriculture Business. My Great-Great Grandfather, Benjamin Franklin Ketcham, was a trailblazer which led him to pioneer in the great territory of Wyoming. In 1867, The Ketcham family had the honor of having the 1st deeded homestead in Laramie County with the ranch still being held within our family. My Wyoming roots run deep, on my Mother’s side of the family my Great-Grandfather, Jess Boner (whom I am named after), pioneered in Converse County (currently Niobrara County) in 1903. I am currently employed by the State of Wyoming as the State Budget Administrator for the State Budget Department. I am also finishing my second term as a Laramie County Community College Trustee where I served as Chairman of the Board in 2019–2021. I also have been a Cheyenne Frontier Days volunteer for the Parades Committee for 24 years and have been a Lead Assistant Chairman for the last 10 years.
During the COVID crisis I was Chairman of the LCCC Board of Trustees and had to make hard decisions about how to move LCCC forward. Through that process LCCC is in a better position to be successful, now and in the future. Something that sets me apart is that I was a part of building the 2030 LCCC Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan is the guide that will direct LCCC to achieve the goals we deemed most important for the vitality of the college. I believe that Laramie County needs a Strategic Plan. I believe that we need a clear plan when it comes for the future of our county. This is one of many areas that has given me the ability to implement and develop a mission statement for the county to facilitate planning for the future of Laramie County — capital projects, budgeting and established infrastructure. My experience with budgets, the legislative process, along with my true Wyoming values, afford me the knowledge to help keep Laramie County moving forward.
