Powell City Clerk Tiffany Brando Receives February Benjamin Franklin Award for Open Government

POWELL — City of Powell Clerk Tiffany Brando has been selected as the February recipient of the Benjamin Franklin Award for Open Government, a monthly recognition presented by the Wyoming Press Association to honor individuals and local governments that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to transparency, accountability, and public access to information.

Brando was nominated by Toby Bonner, general manager of the Powell Tribune, who cited her leadership, accessibility, and willingness to work collaboratively with the press to ensure citizens are informed about the decisions and operations of local government.

“As the president of the Wyoming Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers, City of Powell Clerk Tiffany Brando understands transparency,” Bonner wrote in his nomination. “We value the relationship we have with Tiffany and other public officials who help us keep our citizens informed and aware of the issues facing our cities and county.”

Bonner also highlighted Brando’s commitment to improving transparency statewide, not just within her own community. According to the nomination, Brando has pledged to engage with the Wyoming Press Association to help members of her organization better understand the public records request process and identify ways local governments can improve how they respond to citizens seeking information.

“She’s vowed to work directly with the Wyoming Press Association to help all City/Town clerks better understand the process of public records requests and find out what they can do better as an organization to be more transparent for all citizens of Wyoming,” Bonner wrote.

Wyoming Press Association President Joshua Wood said Brando exemplifies the kind of public official the Benjamin Franklin Award was created to recognize.

“Transparency works best when public officials see it as a responsibility, not a burden,” Wood said. “Tiffany Brando understands that open records and open communication build trust between citizens and their government, and she has shown a willingness to lead by example — both in Powell and across Wyoming.”

Wood said the award aligns with the Wyoming Press Association’s broader efforts to promote open government and accountability statewide, including its support for Senate File 49, which is currently moving through the Wyoming Legislature.

“The Wyoming Press Association is actively supporting Senate File 49 because it strengthens Wyoming’s public records laws in practical, meaningful ways,” Wood said. “The bill would shorten response deadlines, establish consistency in fees, empower the Public Records Ombudsman to enforce the law, and increase penalties for officials who violate it. Those reforms are about ensuring citizens can actually exercise their right to know.”

The Benjamin Franklin Award for Open Government was created by the Wyoming Press Association to recognize local officials and entities that go beyond minimum legal requirements and actively embrace transparency. One award is presented each month as part of a statewide effort that will continue through 2026, coinciding with the nation’s observance of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

By highlighting positive examples such as Brando’s leadership and collaboration with the press, the association hopes to encourage best practices, strengthen public trust, and reinforce the role of transparency in a functioning democracy.