Chamber Of Commerce Luncheon Highlights Successes And Concerns in Natrona County

The Natrona County State of the Community Luncheon was held today at the Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center to shine a light on the area's recent successes and upcoming initiatives as well as concerns.

The luncheon, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, provided an opportunity to celebrate achievements and hear how community partners can work together to make Natrona County a better place.

First to speak was City of Casper Manager Carter Napier who said he is "bullish" about the community. He praised the developments happening in Casper and on the horizon, including the Downtown and Old Yellowstone District as well as dramatic improvements in infrastructure.

Still, Napier says revenue streams aren't keeping up with the City's infrastructure needs and called attention to a ballot item voters will see come Election Day. This will be for a sixth-cent tax levy that would stay in effect until $35 million is raised or two years passed. This money would go towards projects for voters  to decide on if the tax is passed.

Some of these potential projects include a bigger animal shelter for the community, a second sheet of ice next to the Casper Ice Arena, and replacing outdated equipment for the 911 Dispatch Center.

In conclusion, Napier brought up the mental health crisis first responders see firsthand every day. "It is hard for me to talk about the state of the community and not talk about something like that" he said.

Napier's final notes moved the Town of Mills' Mayor Leah Juarez to tears. She emphasized his comments, saying "Everything Carter said is right." Juarez went on to talk about how the town has worked to cut back on expenses. One such action involved collecting on ambulance bills.

Juarez is pleased to have moved a request for Mills to obtain its own zip code forward, but warns there are still hurdles to come in Congress. They have joined a coalition of 33 cities across the nation who experience similiar struggles with mail delivery as a result.

On a high note, she said Wyoming Classical Academy is expected to be ready for students in the 2025-26 school year.

Natrona County Commissioner Peter Nicolaysen took to the podium to discuss some of the challenges the community faces. He says it has been hard for the county to attract and recruit new, qualified people to fill positions that have been open "longer than I'd like to admit," but they are filling the gaps as best they can.

Nicolaysen is excited about the Casper Natrona County Health Department Building on the corner of 12th and Conwell streets. He also mentioned the Trails Center Lodge: "I think we're well on our way to finding a solution for the parking lot wet spot," he added, talking about a recent setback that could cost the county more than previously anticipated when they signed off on the construction project.

Chief of Police for the City of Evansville Mike Thompson pointed out the success of the Lathrop walking path's Phase One completion. Evansville also created a dog park and started a community garden that residents are currently using. These are some of the building blocks Thompson hopes will help recruit younger generations and families to the area. Another block includes Reshaw Park, an adventure playground designed like an Old Western Fort as a nod to the area's historical significance. The park will be ADA accessible. The goal is to create a safe place for kids to grow up and make memories, which in turn builds a strong community.

SEE: Evansville Seeks Volunteers for a Playground Project

Casper College President Brandon Kosine brought up the stable enrollment the college has seen over the past ten years. Although, enrollment has declined slightly every year since 2011. Kosine counts the limited drop during the COVID years as a positive, though, in comparison to the drop other schools saw.

The college's Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) program has gone up and seen a 37% increase in credits offered in the last five years. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) now has almost 700 members and classes have skyrocketed in the last few years; they offer everything from stained glass to trips abroad. Further, the college continues to expand its community education efforts and workforce development with offerings like the Castellow Adult Learning Center.

The college is currently working on studies to put together a plan for a possible new Health and Science Building and an Industry Technology Building. That does not, however, mean those things will manifest anytime soon, but a first step in introducing the idea to legislators down the road.

Natrona County School District spokesperson Tanya Sutherland spoke about the importance of student and staff safety in schools, behavioral and emotional health, and suicide prevention and awareness. The district has begun the first year of a five year plan to guarantee curriculum with high expectations and meet or exceed state standards by 2029.