2022 Laramie City Council Candidate Questionnaire – Albany County Clean Water Advocates

Candidate responses are listed alphabetical, by ward.
WARD ONE: Allison Cunningham | Micah Richardson
WARD TWO: Brett Glass | Brandon Newman
WARD THREE: Bern Haggerty | Erin O’Doherty | Joe Shumway

WARD ONE (one seat up for election)

Allison Cunningham

Did not respond to questionnaire.

Micah Richardson

The city is implementing a number of strategies to encourage growth outside of the Aquifer Protection Overlay Zone (APOZ) including seeking input from community members to update its Laramie Area Growth Plan. The growth plan is focusing on areas outside of the APOZ and the maps shared with the public highlight the importance of the aquifer. In developing the plan, the city should continue to identify the infrastructure needed to enable new growth outside of the APOZ. The new water storage tank on the north end of town is a good example. The tank will provide reliable access to water for developers, which makes things not only easier, but more affordable.

Additionally, the city owns land outside of the APOZ which should support new growth. North 4^th Street, where city buildings now sit empty, could support housing and/or shops and act as a high-quality example of building outside of the APOZ.

Regardless of the location of new builds, it’s important that the city continues to utilize the Casper Aquifer Protection Plan (CAPP) as a guide for future growth. The updated CAPP will provide more data than was previously collected regarding boundaries and it’s critical we continue to require site specific investigations (SSI) when we are considering growth in vulnerable areas.

2. The current city street plan shows a future street across the APOZ near City Springs (connecting 45^th Street and Boulder Drive). Would you support construction of this street? Please explain.

While I would rely heavily on the updated CAPP and the Site-Specific Investigation to determine whether construction of this road is appropriate, I do have big concerns and would ask/address the following:

Why was construction of the street first deemed necessary?
What is the distance of the wells to the construction area? Is the distance adequate as prescribed in the CAPP?
Will construction of the connector street lead people to park in unwanted areas as they access the Pilot Hill Recreation Area, rather than accessing the newly approved lot at the end of Willett Drive?
Will construction of the connector street split the recreation areas that people have come to rely on?
Is there a viable alternative?
If the street were approved, I would want verification that city engineers were overly considerate of the springs and the drainage needed to keep the wells safe. I’d also like the city to consider regulations on the types of vehicles that are allowed on the road to ensure that dangerous materials are not transported in the area.

I’m very pleased with the aligned efforts the current city council and county commissioners have taken to ensure the aquifer is being safeguarded. Both entities are relying on science to help guide the process, recognizing that water doesn’t stop at the city limits or the county line. I understand that working together will require patience and additional time, but the extra efforts are well worth the positive outcomes. I would continue to advocate for joint engagement in the efforts.

4. What do you see as the major issues affecting the city’s water supply, and how would you address them?

Rising temperatures and increasing drought impact both the aquifer and the river. We need to think about how to address the issue now, before it’s too late.

I’d like to see the city complete a water use audit (perhaps informally) to learn of potential areas where the city could reduce its water usage. Do parks need to be watered as much as they are, for example? Could xeriscaping be incorporated in more city areas? Could there be a city/university effort to address the issue in some way?

Lastly, I think that providing more education to the public regarding Laramie’s water sources would be beneficial. It was only when the Pilot Hill Project gained traction that I learned Laramie has an aquifer, not to mention how valuable it is to our community. There’s still a lot of work to be done to educate our friends and neighbors.

WARD TWO (one seat up for election)

Brett Glass

1. There are a number of businesses in the Aquifer Protection Overlay Zone (APOZ – East Grand area) that would not be permitted under the current regulations, but that existed prior to the enactment of the APOZ. What will you do to encourage location of commercial, industrial and residential development in areas less vulnerable to degradation of our water supply?

Normal zoning and development restrictions, properly applied, would be sufficient to accomplish this. However, to avoid harming landowners by destroying the value of their properties, and/or provoking many decades of “takings” lawsuits, we must be prepared to engage in land swaps and seek subsidies for enhanced waste treatment systems and their maintenance and consumables. Advance purchase of land to swap would be a wise precaution.

2. The current city street plan shows a future street across the APOZ near City Springs (connecting 45^th Street and Boulder Drive). Would you support construction of this street? Please explain.

A 45th Street extension will likely be necessary to provide safe, rapid access for emergency vehicles as development proceeds in the Indian Hills area. However, construction should be contingent upon implementation of the same precautions, design standards, and runoff mitigation measures that were required for construction of The Verge (the large student apartment complex at the edge of the zone) and its extensive parking lot.

3. Most of the Aquifer Protection Overlay Zone (APOZ) lies outside the Laramie city limits in the county, and includes private domestic wells east of town, but most of the water drinkers live within the city limits (Laramie municipal system and South of Laramie Water & Sewer District). What do you see as the ideal working relationship between the Laramie City Council and the Albany County Commission on aquifer protection issues, and what actions would you take to further such a relationship?

A Joint Powers Water Board should be formed to manage aquifer protection. This board should be modeled after those created in other areas throughout the United States and supervised jointly by the County Commission and City Council. It should hold noticed, public meetings with minutes, meeting materials, and video available online.

4. What do you see as the major issues affecting the city’s water supply, and how would you address them?

The city should work to claim, expand, and purchase water rights from other sources, including the Laramie River, so as not to be overly dependent upon the limited resource of the Casper Aquifer.

Brandon Newman

This is a tricky question, as it would have to be done with City Council, City Staff, and County Commissioners. This goes along with my answer to question 3, its all about the boards and relationships we build. I believe we all can sit down, talk about our water and protect it the best we can. As far as an Industrial district I wouldn’t mind looking into that as well.

2. The current city street plan shows a future street across the APOZ near City Springs (connecting 45^th Street and Boulder Drive). Would you support construction of this street? Please explain.

This depends on some items, why the street needs to be, or they want it there, what are we doing to protect the water. I would have to read more about the plan and talk with planning and zoning and city staff to see what can be done.

I have spoke on this for other issues and my statement will still apply. Why have other commissions and boards if city council doesn’t work well with them? If you read my blogs on my website, you will see I push for relationships. Its part of the reason I decided to run, while reaching out to current city council members, most of the time, they responded, but there are a select few who never returned an email or call. The relationship I would want is a working one. Where both sides have an opinion and we work out the best outcome for our citizens.

4. What do you see as the major issues affecting the city’s water supply, and how would you address them?

The biggest issue I currently see with our water supply is that Cheyenne is getting bigger and bigger. While growth is great for tax revenue, jobs, and housing, they pull great amounts of water from the Casper Aquafer. Sooner rather than later Laramie could be prevented from pulling our water from it. While the city is making improvements on where we can get water rights, with the ranches purchased outside of town, we need to continue looking at other revenues on water. I believe there is a way we can achieve not being dependent just on the Casper Aquafer and have our own water. It will take a plan and more than just me to achieve that on City Council.

WARD THREE (two seats up for election)

Bern Haggerty

Our aquifer is threatened by sprawl—the same thing that threatens the livability of the rest of our community. The City and County need proactive, anti-sprawl regulations and planning. We cannot let our community grow mindlessly while planting underground septic and gasoline tanks, and paving road networks, on top of our drinking water supply.

2. The current city street plan shows a future street across the APOZ near City Springs (connecting 45th Street and Boulder Drive). Would you support construction of this street? Please explain.

No. I would support the completion of an integrated, city-wide bicycle and pedestrian transportation network, including the segment planned along Spring Creek and under Grand Avenue. If housing or businesses are built in the area of 45th Street and Spring Creek, they should be integrated into a planned, low-traffic neighborhood with bicycle, pedestrian, and transit bus access only. Every neighborhood in Laramie should have easy access by foot and bicycle to downtown, without crossing a four-lane highway at grade, and we need to plan now for our future regional transit network. 

In the ideal intergovernmental relationship, the City of Laramie would annex the watershed that feeds the Casper Aquifer and act alone to prohibit uses incompatible with the preservation of its drinking water source. Because the City cannot annex the entire watershed, I would cultivate long-term liaison relationships with representatives from the City Council and County Commission attending each other’s meetings and work sessions. Eventually, we will be required to create a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to coordinate our transportation planning. We should create an MPO now to help us develop coordinated, anti-sprawl regulations applicable to all zoning, planning, and permitting in and near the City.

4. What do you see as the major issues affecting the city’s water supply, and how would you address them?  

Road building, septic tanks, and underground gasoline tanks on the Casper Aquifer are the primary threats to our water supply, and they are a result of sprawl. The City should adopt aggressive anti-sprawl regulations, and the City should shift roadbuilding resources to complete a City-wide network of bicycle and pedestrian trails. Our city must be planned now for the additional 10,000 residents who will move here over the next thirty years. Laramie should protect its right to use Laramie River water while working with other rights holders to preserve healthy in-stream flows for habitat and recreation. 

Erin O’Doherty

I plan to support the recommendations in the draft Casper Aquifer Protection Plan and consider any recommendations by our three committees that are reviewing the draft. I would be willing to offer incentives, rebates, or land trades to protect the aquifer. I think we could pursue Federal grants to help ensure current septic systems comply with the recommendations in the draft plan.

2. The current city street plan shows a future street across the APOZ near City Springs (connecting 45th Street and Boulder Drive). Would you support construction of this street? Please explain. 

No, that plan was made before my tenure on council and I strongly oppose it. Even just the construction could create channels for pollutants to enter our aquifer at this critical area near the springs. Sometimes we have to be a little inconvenienced for the sake of our health and this is a prime example.

Ideally we take a scientific and collaborative approach as we are currently doing. By hiring an outside consultant who does not have any conflict of interest, I believe we have gotten an unbiased assessment that we can jointly consider for our Casper Aquifer Protection Plan update.  It is critical that the city and county governments stay on the same path, so we need to keep our joint Environmental Advisory Committee in the loop always.

4. What do you see as the major issues affecting the city’s water supply, and how would you address them?

Rapid climate changes are a threat to our water supplies.  The city has purchased the Bath Ranch to increase our allotment from the river, but forest fires in that watershed have made treating that water more challenging after storms.  The Casper Aquifer water has the highest quality, and though the reservoirs are deep, we need our withdrawals to be balanced by input from snow and rain.  It needs to be sustainable and we cannot treat it like it is an infinite supply. I believe the city has taken many steps to reduce our consumption including fixing the supply network to eliminate leaks, constantly assessing water rates and basing fees on consumption, and encouraging xeriscaping. 

Joe Shumway

My voting record on aquifer protection is 100% in favor of guarding our most valuable resource.  Before the new Super Wal-Mart was built I voted with the majority of the city council to refuse to let Wal-Mart include a fuel station.  I have consistently voted to deny new construction over the APOZ.  There are ample safe areas available in Laramie and Albany County where new construction can locate without endangering our aquifer.

I believe it was Paul Samuelson who proposed to construct 45^th Street to Boulder Drive so that he could have ready access to land on some northern ridges just north of Laramie. The proposal was to trade land east of Jacoby Golf Course for the city to construct 45^th.  I didn’t agree with the proposal years ago and I still think this idea invites development on and around the APOZ. I do not support construction of 45^th for anything other than access to recreation.

I considered running for a seat on the Albany County Commission to safeguard the aquifer.  I withdrew when I learned that Sue Ibarra (a strong water advocate) was running.  I decided to wait and run again for the Laramie City Council in order to work with Sue Ibarra and Pete Gosar and hopefully Heber Richardson on several issues that impact Laramie and Albany County.

4. What do you see as the major issues affecting the city’s water supply, and how would you address them?

As stated above, I will vote to protect our water!  I will work with clean water advocates.  I will work with the Albany County Commissioners to adopt sustainable water policies.