Worland Mayoral Candidate: Rebecca George

How long have you lived in Worland?

Family heritage is very important. Our family is a first-generation resident of Worland. Our children are a fourth generation to the Big Horn Basin, but our family has been in Wyoming since before statehood. 

Why are you running for Worland mayor?

Worland is a place full of family heritage and community engagement. The agriculture, the small-town industry and the safe environment should prevail. I want Worland to be a place for our youth to grow and enjoy freedoms and the peace we enjoyed as youth in Wyoming. I am hopeful that my posterity will be able to grow up in a good community and it is my duty to help preserve one for them. The time to serve is now and not when I retire. We need leaders of all ages and stages of life to help our community flourish.  

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

Yes, I do. I am committed to the evening meetings as a city council member. In addition to the regular meetings, I have served on two different committees. The Airport committee and the most recent Budget committee for the '24-'25 fiscal year. Over this last term on city council, my commitment to the city has been a rewarding experience because I honored that commitment. My active performance in the past is an accurate representation of my commitment moving forward.

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

The mayor is the liaison between employees, citizens and council. Liaison defined in the dictionary "is a person who establishes and maintains communication for mutual understanding and cooperation." The mayor needs to be knowledgeable about policy, people and the dealings of the city. He or she needs to be friendly, calm and approachable. Being patient is a plus as well. I want to help the communication among our community. With our weak mayor-strong council system in Worland, it is crucial to work together for the common good. 

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

This task is crucial, if not the most important for the role of mayor. When the city council makes a proposed budget they underestimate revenue and overestimate expenses. This has caused the council to pass deficient budgets for many years. I would like to note that the actual budget at the end of each fiscal year was in surplus, five out of the last six. We need to focus on passing a balanced budget. Our focus needs to be on maintaining our services and infrastructure. If inflation continues to increase we will need to be aware that the costs for the city will also increase. The 1% sales tax has been a great asset for our streets in Worland. People need the opportunity to see that their elected officials are going to great effort to stretch the resources as far as they will go. As mayor I would like to find additional funding through grants for special projects and infrastructure, thus easing the needs of our general fund.   

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

The main purpose of city government is to manage basic services. We need to improve and maintain what we have. Focus on roads and bridges, water, sewer and sanitation, parks and work facilities. We should trim the fat instead of placing a financial burden on our community.

My main focus as mayor is not to govern people and their social activities, in fact, it is quite the opposite. The state of Wyoming has a legislative body that creates laws that are reflective of the needs, protections and rights of all individuals. I believe that the government should help preserve our rights endowed upon us by our Creator.  

As for recreational issues the city funding manages the parks through our general fund. No other funding source is allotted. If the people would like to see recreational areas and services, the private sector should spearhead those projects. The people should be engaged in their own pursuits of recreation. 

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

The city should play a role by making sure we have the best infrastructure in place for business. We also need to have business friendly ordinances and regulations. Since the State Legislature and Governor of Wyoming have chosen to fund the Wyoming Business Council, we are networked into that organization through the Washakie Development Association (WDA), our local economic development group. We need to have a better relationship with the WDA, together we can help the Worland community. The city government of Worland needs to remember that the proper role of government is not to create enterprise but to create an appealing environment where private enterprise can flourish. As mayor I would encourage our community to support our existing and future businesses. We cannot expect them to succeed if we do not utilize what they provide.