My wife and I moved here 5 years ago after visiting and falling in love with Sidney and Cheyenne County. My work allowed me to have great latitude in where we lived, and we chose Cheyenne County because of its middle-America heartland greatness. I grew up in a rural town, and the small community of Cheyenne County is what we connect with and know.
     One thing I think we all agree on is that spending and property taxes are running out of control. For my part, I requested copies of the county budget and identified opportunities to reduce spending and remove pressure off families and businesses because of high taxes. We, as a community, need to roll back spending and adjust priorities to meet the needs of all of the community, while protecting services. We’ve seen first hand these “tax and spend” policies damage our community and cause businesses to leave. It all starts with the runaway spending. 
     I want to create an environment that invites all of the community to put forth their ideas, solutions, and issues. I support the continued expansion of technology solutions to stream and disseminate county business out to The People effectively and with transparency. We need to follow the intent and spirit of the Open Meetings Act. So many times there appears to be a lack of transparency with county business, and this perception needs to change by fostering openness. Holding a meeting at 8 am on a Monday when the overwhelming majority of the community cannot attend is an example. 
     Many people feel the public is not informed in advance on major spending decisions. A suggestion is to not discuss AND vote for resolutions in the same meeting. Introduce the proposal and information; discuss alternatives and give the community time to provide their input. After sufficient due diligence, then bring the proposal to vote within the next couple of meetings. Too many times it appears there was a hurried decision. The public must have the opportunity to be informed and involved.
     As many of you have expressed repeatedly, Cheyenne County is ready for change and a new direction. The way to achieve that is to open the lines of communication so that all community members have an avenue to be heard and acknowledged. I will be walking and talking to the community throughout the next few months and am looking forward to discussing and hearing your ideas and issues.