2024 WCCA Winter Meeting Minutes

2024 WCCA Winter Meeting

December 12-13, 2024 Bomber Mountain Civic Center

Buffalo, WY

Thursday, December 12

I. Welcome and Introductions

President Bill Novotny (Johnson County) welcomed attendees to the Wyoming County

Commissioners Association (WCCA) Winter Meeting and introduced staff and the WCCA

Executive Committee. Other attendees (commissioners, business partners, etc.)

individually introduced themselves. President Novotny thanked everyone for attending

the Welcome Reception and specifically recognized Wyoming Machinery for sponsoring

the event. He also expressed gratitude to WCCA’s business sponsor for their support in

facilitating the event, including GoWEST, Wyoming Government Investment Fund,

Cowboy Skills, and Wyoming CLASS.

II. Wyoming Legislative Leadership Remarks

Representative Chip Neiman, Wyoming House of Representatives Speaker-elect

addressed the membership, outlining his priorities for the 68th Wyoming Legislature.

Key topics included fiscal responsibility, state-county collaboration on property tax

reform and other initiatives and preserving local governance ensuring counties shape

policies affecting their communities directly. Commissioners engaged in discussion,

expressing the importance of local revenue sources and shared opportunities for

collaboration on issues. Senator Bo Biteman, Wyoming Senate President-elect had a

work emergency and was unable to attend.

III. Interim Legislative Committee Update and Discussion

Jerimiah Rieman, WCCA Executive Director provided an interim recap including

legislative committee priorities and the status and key components of draft legislation.

He also provided a 2025 legislative session preview, identifying House, Senate and

committee leadership, key session schedule dates, and highlighting portions of Governor

Gordon’s supplemental budget request.

IV. Optimizing EMS – Local Needs Assessment and Centralized Billing

Coordination

Panelists, including Representative Barry Crago, House District 40; Jen Davis, Senior

Policy Advisor in the Governor’s Office; Tom Lacock, Associate State Director for

Communications and State Advocacy, AARP Wyoming; and Byron Mathews, Wyoming

State Fire Marshal, explored strategies for improving emergency medical services

coordination. Key discussion points were the importance of identifying service gaps,

potential benefits of centralized billing, and other opportunities for legislative and

administrative coordination.

V. Industrial Siting In-the-Trenches – Best Practices and Lessons Learned

Commissioners Jim Willox (Converse) and Sue Jone (Carbon) along with Jenny Staben,

Administrator of the Department of Environmental Quality Industrial Siting Division,

and Cindy DeLancey, Government Affairs Director at Holland and Hart discussed

navigating industrial permitting and stakeholder engagement, balancing local impacts

and economic opportunities, and leveraging impact assistance to support county

infrastructure.

VI. Post-commissioner Life

Former county commissioners Joel Bousman (Sublette), Rusty Bell (Campbell), and

Tony Lehner (Converse) shared insights on life after public service. Their personal

stories highlighted post-service transitioning, mentorship opportunities, and the

importance of long-term relationships.

VII. WCCA Business Meeting and Election of Officers

President Novotny facilitated the election of officers for the coming year. The following

officers were elected:

President – Natalia D. Macker (Teton)

Vice President – Robert Short (Converse)

Treasurer – Gunnar Malm (Laramie)

President Macker thanked commissioners for the opportunity to lead the WCCA and

expressed appreciation for Past-President Novotny’s service.

VIII. WCCA Social Hour and Banquet

Members thanked these outgoing commissioners for their service: Tom Ringley

(Sheridan), Mike Colling (Converse), Lee Livingston (Park), Jerry Hansen (Lincoln),

Aaron Anderson (Washakie), Phillip Scheel (Hot Springs), Bob Perry (Johnson), Del

Shelstad (Campbell), Butch Knutson (Campbell), Garrett Irene (Carbon), Sue Ibarra

(Albany), Kelly Dennis (Crook), Buck Holmes (Laramie), Brian Lovett (Laramie), Steven

Freel (Natrona), John Midkiff (Niobrara), Kayla Mantle (Platte), Tom Noble (Sublette),

Greg Epstein (Teton), Don Taylor (Weston), Colleen Faber (Campbell), Allen Thompson

(Sheridan), and Lauren Schoenfeld (Sweetwater).

Friday, December 12

I. Central Wyoming Congressional Tour Coordination Meeting

Members of the Central Wyoming Congressional Tour coordinating team met to discuss

logistics for the 2025 tour, including themes, site visits, speakers, and sponsors.

II. WCCA Bill Review Committee

Members of the WCCA Bill Review Committee convened to examine prefiled bills

relevant to county operations.

III. Adjournment

With no further business, President Novotny adjourned the meeting.