By Carol Harper
One of the biggest reasons I came back to my hometown of Riverton was because I just couldn't afford to live in California anymore. After 35 years, the cost of living and salary/wages of my occupation(s) were just not sustainable. I even had to experience the stress of homelessness, and as I was praying through tears, trying to figure out what I was going to do...God put me on the path that led me home. And if it weren't for family and the friends who helped me, my discouragement levels might have escalated to a point of utter despair. Trials and challenges will always exist, but when faith is strong, love and hope endures.
As I've 'assessed the scene' of our local economies and approach Tuesday's primary elections, I admit that I've starteded to get that feeling as I did back when I lived California. We're at a turning point...several, in fact...where the choices we make will determine the outcomes for a sustainable future. It can be difficult to choose the right people who will do the right things for the right reasons, when we feel the effects of the wrong people doing the wrong things for the wrong reasons...or haven't effectively done the jobs they were elected to do.
It's easy to watch a "Candy-Date" forum...where candidates might throw out candy to the public like kids at a parade. But in truth, those aren't the people I want answering my questions. I would rather ask employees. I would rather ask the bookkeeper, the accountant, the office clerk. I would rather ask the administrative assistant, the cop, firefighter, EMT, the nurse, the mechanic, the driver, the roughneck, the teacher, the student, the librarian, the waiter/waitress, the food vendor, chef, line cook, housekeeper, landscaper, etc. Those are the people I'm interested in talking with.
Wheels Up: Our Friendly Skies
I don't use the airport. I'm more of a road-tripper...I actually don't mind driving to Casper, Denver or Salt Lake City, plus I have family and friends in those cities who I can make a point to visit while I'm there. I also don't mind picking up my friends and driving through our beautiful state and stopping at places along the way (like Farson for ice cream!) or visiting Main Street downtowns for a quick foodie tour, or to do some shopping. Gotta get that Wyoming bucking horse hoodie! As of late, gas prices have pretty much grounded me from road-tripping, but I do have friends from out-of-state who have expressed interest in visiting Wyoming, and they've asked: "Do you have an airport?" It's nice to be able to reply: "Why, yes we do!"
I recently interviewed our Chamber's Executive Director, Cindy Olsen-Roden, as the business Spotlight for the Downtowner's Newsletter this month, and she said that "tourism is hard" in Riverton. We do have, individuals, businesses and organizations that utilize our airport, and I like to think that we will continue to have "friendly skies" for them. But I'm also thinking about those who support the airport's economic future...consider its development, mindful of the assets Riverton has while building and sustaining our local economy. As Cindy described our city as a "drive-thru", we're quite an important one...a central hub for both business and tourism...not just for ours, but for those who visit, stay, and play in other towns well.
From a disaster viewpoint (as I put on my 'emergency management hat')...having an airport is an advantage above communities who don't. The transport and delivery of emergency supplies, the ability to fly out critical patients, flying in blood supply, flying in doctors and medical professionals to our hospitals. Depending on the level of disaster or crisis, the ability to fly in DHS workers or Red Cross volunteers from across the country to a commercial airport is also an advantage, allowing help to arrive within hours instead of days, sometimes even weeks. I've been through two mock disaster exercises at the Riverton airport, and all our first responding agencies contribute and brief each other on what went well and where we could do better as far as response. It's all connected!
I am also pleased that community events are held that bring the community together, like the upcoming "Wheels At Work" (see poster below) this Saturday. Bringing our families to events like these can inspire our children and youth to be pilots or flight nurses, or take a vocational path such as a flight mechanic, line service technician, air traffic controller, security officer, etc. Providing job opportunities for an asset such as an airport is also an important part of career development and a sustainable future for the employed.
Wheels on the Bus (go round and round)!
The same can be said for our wheels on the ground: Public transportation. Do I use it? Have I used it? No, I hop in my car and drive myself to the station or various meetings and community events. Will I always have a car? I don't know. Will I always be able to drive? I don't know, but I've been legally blind before and been in the seat of Miss Daisy, so I'm familiar with the stress of not knowing.
I've taken public transportation in the cities I've lived in...BART in San Jose/San Francisco, WeGo Public Transit in Nashville, SacRT in Sacramento, AmadorTransit in Amador County (CA). Sometimes they had routes and schedules available to get me where I needed to go, sometimes not. I used Lyft and Uber when I was visiting Washington D.C., but they also had public transportation alternatives in my itinerary (including to and from the airport). Just knowing I could use public transportation as a 'plan B or C' backup plan gave me peace of mind.
Transportation is a huge part of economic infrastructure, and WRTA does an excellent job. Just SafeRides alone contributes greatly to community safety in ways we might not know of or see on any given weekend.
Wheels on the Ambulance: Care on the Ground
For the past 10 years, EMS operations in Fremont County and the WRIR have been under contract with several different corporate entities: Guardian Flight, Guardian, AMR, GMR, and now Frontier (Priority). The County has paid a subsidy to keep operations running under these companies. However, what some folks may not know is that the County owns the assets (three stations/a crew house, the ambulances, heart monitors and other equipment), which are severely depreciating and have gone through more than a decade's worth of overhaul and maintenence. Our EMTs are doing the very best they can with what they have. They are the service.
Whose fault is it, that we're in the situation we're in with EMS? Well...who owns the assets? The County. The contract with Priority was supposed to be negotiated and done by June 30. Now, because of a lot of hemming and hawing, the service is running under an extention of that contract which ends on October 1st. The County Commission has had ample time to either put the service out again for RFP, or negotiate/re-negotiate the current contract. With no foresight, and little attention to the rising costs of operations, they chose to kick the can for months and put off the fate of FCEMS until at its most critical juncture.
Fortunately, Fremont County Association of Governments (FCAG) did have the foresight back in August to form the Joint Committee for Funding Key Services, and eventually, the Regional Ambulance Service Evaluation Committee. Since last September, these committees have worked tirelessly in crunching numbers, creating models, planning project phases that have been presented to FCAG, city and town councils, and most recently, the Intertribal Council...all aware of critical deadlines approaching for sustainability and funding options and opportunities to keep these services going. Even executives from Priority sat in on several of the JCFKS and RASEC meeting, so they were well-informed and aware. Where was the County? Good question.
A side note...back before corporate interests took over the service, a 1/2-cent sales tax just for EMS was presented as a potential means for funding operations. The commissioners shot it down. That was over 10 years ago. If that tax...a 1/2-cent...had gone through back then, we would not be in the situation we're in today. A little foresight goes a long way.
Do you see why it is so important to understand and know what and who to vote for? Accountability and sustainability go hand in hand.
We, the People.
Everything takes work to work, and the burden of leadership is a great one to bear. Because, after an election, what is considered, decided, and done (or not done) from the top greatly affects those who are boots-on-the-ground, doing the work that makes all of the wheels turn. We expect our leaders to be held morally, ethically, and fiscally accountable...and if they haven't been, it's quite a mess to have to clean up.
Fiscal accountability. Before that can even happen, the funds actually have to be there. But when past councils, commissions, and administrations haven't been held accountable, funding becomes scarce to nil, budgets become a more of a shell game, and there is a lack of oversight/checks and balances, essential programs and services cut...it is unfortunate to discover that we end up bearing the brunt of failed leadership.
As voters, we too have a responsibility. It might be easy to rally around and vote for our friends, collegues, or political cohorts during an election year...but not really know just how qualified or effective they'll be while in office. Once backs are against the wall, it might be easier to just yell "No more taxes!" and let the cards fall where they may. It might be easier to sit back, point fingers, troll on social media, and play the blame game. But do we really read, or just skim? Where were we during council or commission meetings? Where were we when proposals and resolutions were being reviewed and decisions being made? A lot of us are working, trying to hold the line! It can be difficult when cards go up in the air, fall all over the floor...and then some of us end up having to be the clean-up crew because others didn't do their jobs.
Election years are not popularity contests, or panels with narratives tossed out like candy to the masses, or like texting in your vote for the next 'American Idol', or about choosing who makes the best cheeseburger or Indian taco. It's not a multiple-choice test where you randomly fill in the circles and hope for the best.
The voting booth is a very powerful place and an institution that amplifies the Constitutional (and Tribal!) voice of the People. It is about who we're putting our trust in, and about making carefully informed decisions about where we're placing our "lives, fortunes, and sacred honor" as we approach our various polling places...and having the hope that the leaders who take their seats will listen to and serve their constituents with wisdom, foresight, and integrity.
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