CHRONICLE
4 I The Lovell Chronicle I September 24, 2015
It's interesting that on the very day that Christy Fleming of the
National Park Service announced an idea to revive the walking
path project for the town of Lovell on Monday, an article in the Bill-
ings Gazette, reprinted from the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, said Wy-
oming legislators are looking at ways to expand Wyoming's bicycle
pathways and trails system.
Obviously, there is plenty of interest in walking and bicycle
paths in the state of Wyoming,
The Lovell Town Council and some local volunteers worked
hard a few years ago on a proposed project to build a walking path
in town and take the path west to the Foster Gulch Golf Course.
There seemed to be strong interest, and one local company even
volunteered for some maintenance on the path.
But like many projects of this type, the idea faded away, a vic-
tim of questions about responsibilities, project costs and mainte-
nance.
Now Fleming is reviving the project, at least to see if there is
still community interest, since the Park Service is working with
the Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center on a project to link the
two facilities with a walking path and add more pathways to the
grounds of the Park Service visitor center.
Fleming's idea is to tie the Park Service pathways into the
sidewalk the Town of Lovell extended east a few years ago on the
north side of Main Street, then develop a walking path system
through town and maybe even west to Foster Gulch as was origi-
nally envisioned.
But she can't do it single-handedly. Fleming can't be the only
one banging the drum for a pathways system. Interest and sup-
port will have to be shown from the community. As she told us this
week, "This has to be a community partnership. It can't be Christy
saying we need this trail and me pushing it. I can't do it alone."
Fleming believes federal funding can be secured for the project
via various National Park Service programs, with support from the
Roads, Trails and Conservational Association, but it will take plan-
ning, leadership and collaboration to make the project happen.
Who knows, the walking path project could be expanded into
a bicycle path project, but that would be up to the community. We
certainly know of many folks who regularly ride bikes in town and
beyond, and former Lovell Area Chamber of Commerce office
manager Jackie Heinert spearheaded a project to install bike racks
throughout town.
Walking paths and bike paths can work together.
The legislature is looking into creating a task force to study the
benefits of making Wyoming a more bicycle friendly state, examin-
ing safety laws, locations and funding.
As many people look to walking and bicycling for health and
well-being, creating a pathways system for Lovell and the area
seems like a good idea. It's certainly worth revisiting.
If you'd like to learn more about the proposed project or if you
have ideas about how to make it work, we urge you to attend a
community open house scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m.
at the Bighorn Canyon Cal S. Taggart Visitor Center. Call Fleming
with ideas at 548-5406.
We appreciate those like Christy Fleming with the drive to make
our community better. It would be great to see a walking/bike path
project take center stage again.
- David Peck
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REC
Letter to the Editor
N:-r'o N
BY GLEN HOPKINSON
Dear Editor, sions. They do not abide by state Other accounts don't overspend
In response to "Byron mayorstatutes, nor do they follow Rob- way beyond their budget, so the
unveils new Rec slate": ert's Rules of Order. Their only question I keep asking (and yet
I have attended many council purpose is to bleed monies from have no answer to) is how did the
meetings that have been hostile other accounts so they can pour Rec overspend way beyond their
to the new mayor Heidi Brightly. more money into the so-calledinflated budget? And they keep
It is evident to me and others that Rec, who inflates their numbers asking for more and more.
the council has pre-planned what to make it sound like they are do- For the past six years I have
they would say, and how quickly ing great things with many peo- managed the museum, staying
they could make a motion, second ple in this small town. We town well within our budget. I always
it and pass it without proper ex- folks know what is happening,presented original receipts for re-
planation or clarification of what and want the hostility to stop. imbursement or to make purchas-
was being voted on. One person Nobody in Byron wants the es. We have never overspent our
always adds many things to the Rec thrown away, however it has account.
agenda at the last minute just to been mismanaged for far too longWhy does the town continue to
confuse everybody and (he thinks) for personal reasons and it needs pay "utilities" for the Rec without
make himself look smart. It does to be put back together properly seeing a bill from any utility com-
not work. Folks in the audience so it will work smoothly with the panies? In the future, with a new
are not that stupid, school system. Mayor Brightlystaff of people, I feel things will be
Much to my chagrin these has made excellent choices choos- handled in a much more efficient
councilmen keep getting by with ing the new team with bookkeep- manner, just as all other accounts
that behavior using hateful re- ing experience, are managed. I believe the Rec,
marks and bullying tactics to have The Rec Department's ac- under new management, will run
their own way. They do not care count needs to be as well man- more efficiently, costing the town
what the town population thinks aged as all other town accounts of Byron a lot less money.
and have said so on many occa- with proper checks and balances. Harriet Jackson
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor, what other accounting errors seven years ago? What jobs have
Over the last seven years, have taken place with the mort- been created for your children to
many parts of our community ey that was given to this organi- keep them here?
have been concerned with what zation? This money was given in With that being said, I hope
was happening with or the direc- good faith in hopes that it would that a full audit will be done on
tion that Lovell Inc. was going, be handled properly and used for the organization and insure that
Under the CEO, Sue Taylor, di- the sole purpose of economic de- the proper individuals legally
rected by a board, the citizens of velopment for us. How much ofand morally be held responsible
this area have seen little or no the community's money has been and accountable if found mishan-
impact for the amount of money mishandled? dling of our funds. The commu-
that was given to this organiza- Yes, it is our community'snity's trust and faith put into
tion. Main Street remains with- money, whether coming from our the organization that promised
out many viable retail stores and tax dollars, grants or private do- growth and economic develop-
many window fronts are still nations. From city, state or fed- ment has been violated.
empty or being used for other en- eral, these funds were given to This need be a lesson learned
tities other than retail, which is or acquired for our communityso that the next organization in-
what creates a "Main Street." to better Big Horn County. What stituted acts and performs cred-
Now, the community is hear-do we have to show for our dol- itably. Yes, we do need econom-
ing about possible tax issues lars? How much has your proper- ic growth for the future of our
that were not handled by this ty increased in value? What can children.
organization. If this is the case, you buy locally that you could not Stephen Fowler
Guest Column
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Twenty years ago I landed a job that business casual is in. I will spend a cou-
I thought would last a couple of years, ple days in Shanghai and two days in
and then I could move on, and move up. Hong Kong. I've got my passport and
Well, that was 20 years ago. visa, so I'm ready to go.
In the course of two decades, I have Just barely seven years old at the
been fortunate to travel to Asia a few time, I remember nothing about the Cu-
times, Europe several times and Mexi- ban Missile Crisis. I've read a lot about
co and Central America once in a while, it, but that just wasn't something that
Traveling is a great experience, and caught my attention. Yet, before the end
it provides the opportunity to see new ............. of this year, I will be traveling to Cuba,
things. But, nothing I have done before Ralph C. Jenserlfor work. The truth is, I have been look-
now has prepared me for a couple of ing forward to this trip my entire life-
trips I'll be making later this year.Guest column time. I'm not sure why, but suffice it to
In a month, I will be flying to Chi- say, there is some fascination with going
na. Now, as a kid growing up in Byron, to Cuba.
the idea of going to China was nonexistent. I feel Later this year, it is off to Havana. I can't get
bad that I've never learned Mandarin, so I'm look- there directly, so I'll be flying to Mexico City, then
ing for a smartphone app that will translate for on to our island neighbor. I am going for the same
me. More importantly, I'm anxious to see if Chi- reason: to look at security solutions in a communist
nese food in Beijing is as good as it is in the Unit- nation. I'm told there isn't much crime in Cuba,
ed States. and, of course, there isn't. You do what you're told,
I will be participating in technology manufac- or else. There is, however, a necessity for video
turing principles surrounding commercial and in- surveillance, and I'm anxious to see how their gov-
dustrial security. A lot of cameras are manufac- ernment uses this solution to benefit its citizens.
tured in China, most of them getting to the United Forty-five years ago I was just a wide-eyed kid
States under another name. It is not the only place in Byron. So far, life has been an amazing run with
in the world where cameras are built, but most visits nearly every place on the globe. Back then, a
come from China. trip to Billings was an event.
I'm not sure how to pack luggage for this trip, Ralph C. Jensen is the editor-in-chiefofSecuri-
or what I should be taking, but it's a safe bet that ty Products magazine.
