Starting anew for 2025
The arrival of the new year brings much anticipation and promise to the community, and some trepidation from the uncertainty of what’s ahead. Starting anew offers a chance to put needs and priorities ahead of fears, as we look forward and resolve to do better in many respects in 2025.
In government, a new Board of County Commissioners and Jackson Town Council have been seated and begun work. We laud their service on behalf of the residents and visitors of this place. Both boards have the opportunity to put some dysfunction behind them. In particular, given fiscal and other challenges, it’s imperative that the Town Council quickly moves on from the petty bickering and performance politics of recent years and focuses squarely on practical action.
Like the Karns Meadow park design adopted at the end of last year, improving the health of Flat Creek also was identified as a top council priority — in 2018. It’s time to finalize and pass a stormwater master plan six years in the making, as well as begin consideration of creekside zoning that would provide a greater buffer while allowing property owners to redevelop. Meanwhile, formalizing post-moratorium land development regulations that meet community expectations and needs is a top priority for the future of town.
We applaud benevolent commercial and residential landlords and hope for more to realize that building community is more important than profit.
Transportation planning should assume higher priority, especially considering the inherent lack of redundancy in our road infrastructure. Without expansion, our community can’t handle current demand, especially during emergencies.
Parking management has stumbled along for close to a decade. The town and county planning to build mobility hubs is encouraging and a key component of long-term solutions.
As the Legislature assembles in the coming weeks, Wyoming needs leaders who govern from a perspective of practicality, not ideology. The needs of this great state transcend talking points, templates and partisan politics.
While problems of the world and country can seep into paralyzation, our community has the power to solve many of its own issues through collaboration on good policy, sound financial decisions and future-focused solutions.