Worland Mayoral Candidate: Jim Gill

1. How long have you lived in Worland?

2. Why are you running for Worland mayor?

3. Do you feel you have the time it takes to serve as mayor?

I am Jim Gill the current mayor of Worland. I'm a "Spirited Senior Citizen" who has lived with my wife Connie in our community for most of our adult life. Unlike my competitor who recently moved into our area. I have helped spiffy up a lot our highways coming into Worland by picking up trash over the years with 4-H club members and leaders, the Lions Club and the Worland Rotary Club as well.

I served a term on the Worland Chamber Board of Directors, and proudly served on the "Fifth Penny One Percent Tax Committee" which was the first to get the amendment approved by the voters. I helped organize the Big Horn Basin Ag Ambassadors who put on some mighty fine educational symposiums for farmers and ranchers here in our community.

I recently helped to organize a "Grass Roots Effort" to put on a Mental Health and Wellness Symposium. It was successfully held in March at the Worland Community Center.

What is the role of the mayor – regarding employees, citizens and in relation to the council?

I wish to be re-elected as Mayor of Worland, because I love our city, the people who live here, and especially the fine folks who make up our workforce. One needs skills in human relations, financial management, researching articles, conducting meetings and so much more. The mayor is responsible for producing an agenda for council meetings that address the needs expressed by its citizens, the council members, department heads and others who help move the city forward into the future. Many other aspects of conducting business can occur on any given day. We have been challenged with river flooding due to ice jams, major water breaks, the COVID-19 Pandemic, revenue concerns, employee matters, ordinance updates and so much more.

I threw my hat into the ring to be considered for an appointment to the city council to fill an open position, the council selected me and I served five years as a city councilman for Ward 1 before deciding to run for mayor in 2016. My council experience was a definite plus after becoming your mayor. I can tell you that I feel proud of my civic contributions made with others hand in hand to better our community. One of the proudest moments I have had serving as your mayor was back in my first year when we had that major February flooding event from ice jams on the Big Horn River near the river bridge. The parking lot out at the Washakie County Fairgrounds was jam packed with volunteers filling sand bags for hours at a time. It was a Worland proud moment even though it brought heart ache to those affected by the flooding at the time. The return of 1st Lt. Alvin Ray Krogman Remains to be interned with his parents at the Worland Municipal Cemetery was another epic event as well!

With rising costs how do you plan to continue to keep a balanced budget that serves the needs of the Worland residents?

I along with the Council have continued to effectively manage our finances successfully through my past eight years as mayor. Again, my experience and knowledge of the city's operational needs with the various departments has been effective in the past. We have dealt with many unanticipated events like the river ice jams, serious water breaks of our main line from the wells, COVID and much more!

Do you feel city mayor and council should focus on social issues, recreational issues, basic services or a combination of those?

The most important part of what we do as a city is serving you, the citizens of Worland. Our public council meetings are held twice each month to give the citizens an avenue to express what is on their minds. A few examples of what the city is doing for you: we keep the artesian water flowing, the sewer system working, maintaining parks for the kids to play in, the garbage collected, pot holes repaired, making it possible for players to make a hole in one at the golf course, internments at our cemetery, airplanes landing and taking off safely at our municipal airport, helping make parades possible, making sure construction is safe and sound, keeping your streets snow plowed and sanded, and much more. Please keep in mind that we are doing it without putting the city in debt under my strong leadership.

What role should the city play in helping fill empty downtown storefronts? What type of incentives might be included in recruiting businesses?

Like so many other municipalities, private developers have always made the city or towns what they are today. The city has the responsibility to make sure that the development is safe and sound. It is also responsible to provide utility services to the developer after the city planning commission and council have approved it. The city has no revenue sources to rejuvenate a given property.

I think the most important issue facing Worland is showing growth and vibrancy. Growth as a city is important both physically and intellectually. If a city is not growing, it will not remain relevant to those who can help it succeed into the future. At least, this is the most important issue in my estimation. Worland or the County for that matter has never had a plan for growth.

I think the Washakie Development Association can and has done as much as any given group to move this issue forward. WDA and the City worked together diligently to attract and work with Bomgaars and Precision Instruments to solidify their decision to invest their business here.