Pinedale Mayor Matt Murdock Receives August Benjamin Franklin Award for Open Government

PINEDALE — Few public officials demonstrate their commitment to transparency more clearly than those who view a strong local newspaper as an essential partner in serving their community. That philosophy has earned Pinedale Mayor Matt Murdock recognition as the August recipient of the Benjamin Franklin Award for Open Government, a monthly honor presented by the Wyoming Press Association to recognize individuals and local governments that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to transparency, accountability and public access to information.

Murdock was nominated by Pinedale Roundup Managing Editor Cali O'Hare, who said his support for open government extends far beyond complying with Wyoming's public records and open meetings laws. She described a public servant who understands that an informed community is a stronger community, and who has made communicating with citizens one of his highest priorities.

“When the Roundup shut down last August, Mayor Murdock was one of the first people to come into my newsroom to check in on me and see what he could do to help,” O'Hare wrote in her nomination. “When we reopened in early September, he was back again to offer his full support. We're very fortunate in Pinedale to have a mayor who understands the role of the newspaper in disseminating information to the public. I have worked in other Wyoming communities where the mayors actively attempted to hide information from the public. Mayor Murdock is the opposite. He goes out of his way to make sure folks understand how the council is conducting the people's business.”

O'Hare said Murdock's commitment to keeping residents informed led to a unique partnership between the mayor's office and the newspaper.

“Hoping to increase transparency and bring more awareness to the town's business and happenings, Mayor Murdock and I worked together to develop a weekly Mayor's Minute in our Community Voices section,” O'Hare said. “He always ends this column by inviting folks to share their thoughts and ideas at the next council meeting.”

The column has become more than a communication tool. According to O'Hare, it has become an example for other local governments, recently inspiring the mayor of Marbleton to begin contributing a similar column to keep residents informed.

“The transparency, integrity and honesty that Mayor Murdock conveys through his weekly column is a reflection of him as a person — someone who cares deeply about informing the community he serves,” O'Hare said. “He is so deserving of this award.”

Wyoming Press Association Executive Director Steve Kiggins said Murdock exemplifies the kind of partnership newspapers hope to build with every local government in Wyoming.

“Local newspapers and local governments ultimately serve the same people,” Kiggins said. “While we don't always agree on every issue, we share a responsibility to help citizens understand what's happening in their communities. We are grateful when public officials like Mayor Murdock recognize that an informed public benefits everyone and work with their local newspaper to ensure citizens have timely, accurate and meaningful information.”

Bob Bonnar, publisher of the News Letter Journal and director of the Benjamin Franklin Award for Open Government, said Murdock — who has also served as president of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities — has earned respect across Wyoming for his willingness to advocate for local communities while never losing sight of the public's right to know.

“Mayor Murdock has built a reputation as someone who fights passionately for his community and for local governments throughout Wyoming,” Bonnar said. “I've found myself on the opposite side of him in debates before the legislature, but my respect for him has only grown because I've learned he's always willing to engage honestly, listen carefully, and defend what he believes is best for the people he serves. That same integrity is evident in his commitment to transparency. Even when we disagree, there's never any doubt that he believes citizens deserve to understand how their government works and why decisions are being made.”

Bonnar said Murdock's example demonstrates that transparency is not about avoiding disagreement but about ensuring those disagreements happen in full view of the public.

“The strongest communities aren't the ones where everyone agrees,” Bonnar said. “They're the ones where citizens have enough information to participate thoughtfully, ask good questions and hold their leaders accountable. Mayor Murdock has embraced that philosophy throughout his public service, and Wyoming is better for it.”

The Benjamin Franklin Award for Open Government was created by the Wyoming Press Association to recognize officials and entities that go beyond the minimum requirements of Wyoming law and actively embrace transparency. One award is presented each month as part of a statewide initiative celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence while reaffirming Benjamin Franklin's enduring challenge to Americans to preserve “a republic, if you can keep it.”

The Wyoming Press Association continues to encourage newspapers, local governments and statewide associations representing public officials to nominate individuals whose commitment to openness strengthens their communities. By recognizing leaders like Mayor Murdock, the association hopes to inspire a culture in which transparency is viewed not simply as a legal obligation, but as one of the highest forms of public service.

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