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Brown: race not ‘referendum'on events center

By Richard Reeder


This document was published online on Thursday, August 21, 2008

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The losing mayoral candidate in Tuesday's primary election wants the November race to be a referendum on a proposed events center in Cody, while the winner says the issues in their race are much broader than that.

The fall contest for Cody mayor is shaping up to be close. Meanwhile, an incumbent has ground to make up in his bid to retain his city council seat.

In Tuesday's primary election Nancy Tia Brown received 1,325 votes (55 percent) to easily out distance Paul Rankin's 1,008 (42 percent) in their bid to replace outgoing Mayor Roger Sedam. Both advance to the November general election.

In the Ward 1 council race newcomer Charles Cloud received 354 votes in the east Cody district. Incumbent Cliff Main received 232 votes and Herk Albrecht was third with 157. Main and Cloud advance to the general election.

Rankin, a stay-at-home dad and council member whose term expires in December, knows he has ground to make up.

“I have to get out now and beat the bushes,” he said. “I know there's been some statements out there that hurt me and I need to overcome them.

“It's a close race and comes down to if people want an events center or not,” he added.

Rankin and Brown have been on opposite sides of building a new events center in Cody.

“If you want an events center, you'll vote for Nancy,” Rankin said. “If you don't, then you'll vote for me.

“Nancy has been on the task force to develop the center and has been straddling the fence lately along with the rest of the council,” he added. “But I'm the only one on record as being against it. We don't need to pay for any more white elephants than we already do.”

But Brown, a longtime downtown art gallery owner, former school board member and city council member with two more years on her term, insists the events center proposal should not be the deciding factor in the race.

“The mayoral election is about the overall leadership of Cody for the next four years,” she said. “That is a much larger issue than the single issue of the events center.”

Brown said any decision about an events center is still years away.

“It's way too soon for anyone to take a side,” she said. “The task force is still gathering information about the site and possible funding options.

“And should public funding be proposed as part of the building of an events center, the voters of Park County will decide if they want it or not,” she added. “No single person, not me or Paul, or entity will decide that for the public.”

Brown added that “it's responsible leadership to investigate any economic development opportunity that's good for Cody.”

Cloud was excited about his big margin of victory.

“I'm pleased and really happy with how things worked out,” he said.

Cloud said walking door to door in neighborhoods had an impact on the outcome.

“I got out and learned what the people are concerned about,” he said. “I want to stay in touch with them, and continue to visit neighborhoods should they decide in November to send me to the council.

“That's the best part of this - I got to learn about my neighbors,” he added. “That will serve me well in November.”

Main said he needs to make his message more clear to the voters.

“I need to let people know that my experience counts for something,” Main said. “I do many things at the state level to help Cody that people may not know about.

“They may not realize how much time it takes to travel the state and lobby for Cody,” he added. “I'm retired and I have the time to be able to do those things - time someone who's still working may not be able to spend on the road.”

Albrecht said he's glad the primary campaign has ended.

“I'm really relieved this race is over,” he said. “And myself and the people who supported me will now throw their support behind Charles.

“We've had many conversations and I believe he shares many of the concerns I have about issues,” he added.
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Reader Comments

Not Bob wrote on Aug 23, 2008 2:45 AM:

" Bring in multiple and expensive public relations teams,hired with our taxes, to tell us what we need, and many $$$$ studies and bed taxes later, oh, that's ok, it's somebody else's money not from around here,like the sales tax story, like that's American.

Then,ignore local marketing expertise and advice who are actually in touch and talk to visitors directly, on a daily basis,not just at events. I'm tired of taxes, especially in a conservative county. What happened?

One of the biggest private exhibitors for the last 20 years left, under bad feelings, and nobody, of all these tax fed private enterprise "bodies", nobody doesn't know nothing 'bout it. I'll bet he wolt(my Irish word) have much good to say good about us in the biggest market in the West Denver, except we don't know nothing about it.

Then fund the PCTC, as a ineffectual organization, with lifetime tax supported entitlements for the employees. Good Plan.
Not alot to show for it, except a one dimensional economy, tourism only. Any core industies attracted? No. Solution? Get some more tax money for Forward Cody, to create some actual living wage jobs, which apparently wasn't the PCTC job. "

CG wrote on Aug 21, 2008 10:02 AM:

" If you think being a stay at home parent is not working then you have never taken care of children or have any of your own. I think stay at home moms or dads have one of the hardest jobs there is. I think it is cool what he does. Better than a daycare raising his kids. "

old grouch wrote on Aug 21, 2008 8:51 AM:

" Brown is planning to shove the new events center down our throats just like the library, pools, etc. I suppose I don't have a problem with these kind of projects, just that they want you and I to pay for them. It should be that whoever votes in favor of these things should be the one to pay for them. That way everyone is happy, both those for and against. "

GT wrote on Aug 21, 2008 2:28 AM:

" Rankin will say whatever will get him elected. How come the stay at home Dad can't find a job? Is this the kind of guy we want in office? Unemployed? "

CG wrote on Aug 20, 2008 10:08 PM:

" “And should public funding be proposed as part of the building of an events center, the voters of Park County will decide if they want it or not,” she added. “No single person, not me or Paul, or entity will decide that for the public.”

Thats what was said about the Rec Center on the hill. The voters voted it down and it was built anyway. Then it was said that the city would take over operation of it and that it wouldn't cost the taxpayers any money. But it runs in the red every year and the city (the tax payers) picks up the tab. We've all heard this before Nancy. "

Dewey wrote on Aug 20, 2008 10:06 PM:

" Statistics, more statistics, and dang flies. As far as Cody's race for its next Mayor is going, at halftime neither of the candidates has recieved the vote of more than one quarter of the City electorate . Not with a paltry 48 percent turnout and some yet-to-be-determined number of folks , like me, who chose not to vote for either of these flyweight amateur politically naive candidates. And I'll say publically what I've long been saying privately , Nancy : as a matter of act it IS a referendum on the taxpayer funded events center. You can run for Mayor , or you can support the tax-and-spend deficit driven Events Center, but you can't do both. Paul Rankin brings nothing new to the table; just old bones. Just at the critical time in Cody's development when we need strong leadership with vision and a real willingness to change Cody in the face of economic adversity, we field two novice candidates that offer little hope. Can we not do better ? Then again , with only a touch of cynicism I say " perhaps Cody gets just what it deserves" "

Matt wrote on Aug 20, 2008 6:32 PM:

" Brown straddling the fence on something, there's a shocker. "

 

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