The Voice of the Community Since 1909, Serving Moorcroft and Pine Haven, Wyoming
The Voice of the Community Since 1909, Serving Moorcroft and Pine Haven, Wyoming
Mayoral candidates Karla Brandeburg and Fred Nelson wait for audience members to find their seats.
Fred Nelson and Karla Brandenburg answer questions from the community as they introduce themselves and their understanding of the job of mayor for Pine Haven.
A full house attended a forum to better inform municipal residents of the qualifications of incumbent Karla Brandenburg and candidate Fred Nelson for the office of Mayor of Pine Haven Saturday night in Pine Haven, hosted by the Over the Hill Gang at the community center.
The candidates answered the 12 previously prepared questions within the first hour before members of the audience were given the opportunity to write their own queries on index cards, seven of which were presented by the program moderator. There were a couple unsubstantiated accusations of misconduct brought to the fore in the questions, exposing a dividing within the community.
A significant issue of discord, right now, is the advent of the C Bar Subdivision and subsequent residential expansion. In her closing statements, Brandenburg addressed this part of the problem directly, saying, "I know some of you would like to close doors to the new residents... but we can't stop future growth, [but] we can manage it in a responsible way with strong leadership."
Nelson, too, addressed this concern in his opening statements, though not by name, saying "I believe in the growth of the town, here, [but] I think we need to take a slow growth at it and look at what we're doing and add a couple more committees to run the city and do the city right."
With the seven audience queries for the candidates separated, a number of others were, instead, intended for the current council and were reserved for their response at a later date.
At the end of the evening, both candidates expressed their appreciation for the meeting of the community and the open and civil conversation.
The event was live streamed and is available on FaceBook through Pine Haven Bulletin Board and Classifieds for anyone who wishes to avail themselves of this information, allowing for an informed decision in November. Pine Haven citizens are encouraged to watch at their leisure.
