A Bit More Local Politics

Hello, and happy almost-Halloween!

In my most recent newsletter, I asked the ten candidates for Jackson Hole’s three major local political offices – county commission, Jackson mayor, and Jackson town council – why voters should choose them instead of their opponent(s).

The newsletter was my most-read ever: a 58% open rate producing over 2,300 unique opens.

Equally gratifying, since publication I’ve received a fair amount of feedback. To summarize my take-aways, readers basically have their minds made up about the county commission and mayoral races, but still have lots of questions about the town council race.

Hence today’s newsletter. It features responses by each of the four town council candidates to three additional questions. Two were unique to each candidate, based on the questions/concerns I heard most frequently about their respective candidacies. The third – “Can we grow our way out of our housing problems? If not, how should we approach our housing and other growth-related challenges?” – is one I think will shape much of Jackson Hole’s policy-making environment over the next four years.

Below you’ll find each candidate’s answers – I’m so grateful to each for responding. Before getting into that, though, I offer a shout-out to three local icons: Old Bill’s Fun Run, the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, and the late Grizzly 399.

I hope you find the candidates’ views to be of interest, if not downright useful.

• Wow!
• Cover Letter to the Candidates
• Scott Anderson
• Kevin Regan
• Perri Stern
• Devon Viehman

As always, thank you for your interest and support.

Jonathan Schechter
Executive Director

Wow!

Last week, the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole awarded its annual Old Bill’s Fun Run grants. Donors to local non-profits contributed a staggering $23.4 million this year, allowing every participating non-profit to receive a 65% match on the first $30,000 it raised.

Perhaps even more jaw-dropping is the fact that, in its 28 years, Old Bill’s has raised $280 million for Jackson Hole’s non-profits. Do a bit of math, and fully one-twelfth of all the money Old Bill’s has ever raised was raised in 2024 alone.

Wow.

As one of the organizations helped by Old Bill’s, I offer my deepest thanks to everyone who donated this year – not just those who helped my Charture Institute, but each of the 4,009 donors who are helping my community pursue its needs and dreams.

I also cannot find the words to adequately thank Mr. and Mrs. Old Bill for their vision and generosity, and the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole for 28 years of exemplary organizational prowess in making Old Bill’s not just work, but hum.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the pitch-perfect opening of the awards event: a children’s choir dedicating a song to Grizzly 399. As did many others, I wept at that. Wept at the death of a symbol of our community and region; wept for the loss of an animal who inspired so many, perhaps foremost among them my good friend Tom Mangelsen, who has chronicled her life with such love and brilliance.

Both 399 and Mr. and Mrs. Old Bill have catalyzed Jackson Hole towards its aspirational best. When we hit that mark, we elevate not just ourselves but the natural world around us. In other words, we co-thrive. How lucky we are to have that potential; how privileged we are when we can embrace it, if only for a fleeting moment.

Cover Letter to the Candidates

Dear candidates

Thank you so much for answering my “What differentiates you from your opponent(s)?” question.

The newsletter featuring your responses had my greatest readership ever: over 2,300 unique opens (58% of my subscribers).

Since publication, I’ve received a number of comments and questions, almost all about the town council race. In response, I’d like to offer you a chance to address the most prominent and/or frequently-asked questions I’ve heard about each of you.

This exercise varies from the previous one in three ways:

1. I’m asking three questions
2. Two of the three questions are personalized for each individual candidate; and
3. The third question is one I think will frame a lot of council discussions over the next four years.

To craft the two candidate-specific questions, I’ve drawn from a variety of sources, including your responses to my question, newspaper articles, and your websites. You may feel these questions are more pointed than my earlier exercise. I ask them not to be confrontational, though, but because they capture the most prominent/frequently-asked questions I’m hearing about each of you. Assuming you’re hearing similar questions too, here’s your chance to share your responses with a wider audience.

I’ve included all four groups of questions so each of you knows the primary concerns I’m hearing about each candidate.

As before, please answer each question in no more than 300 words. Please respond by 12 noon this Saturday, October 25; ideally sooner. I’ll publish the newsletter with your responses no later than Monday morning, October 27; again, ideally sooner.

Please reach out if you have any questions, comments, or the like.

Thank you for considering this request, and thank you in advance for responding.

Best
Jonathan

PS – As before, and as a reference point, this note is exactly 300 words long.

Scott Anderson

1) You cite your experience on the town council, but talk little about issues. What are your views on the three issues you identified in the News&Guide as “the top three issues facing the town of Jackson”: Housing, transportation, and growth.

My views on housing, transportation, and growth have been shaped by my 12-years serving on the Jackson Town Council and nearly 35 years living here.

Housing is a topic that has overtaken the conversation in Jackson, and it is intertwined with so many other issues. While it seems daunting, I think the Town has responded with some successful solutions and I’m optimistic that we can do more. We must be cognizant of impacts on existing neighborhoods, infrastructure, and the mix of ‘Affordable’ vs ‘Workforce’ units. Also, we should be open minded about developing housing in our bedroom communities.

On transportation, I would like START Bus to expand commuter service to help reduce cars on the road. This has the added benefit of reducing emissions. A strong commuter system paired with a close relationship with the business community could also yield creative solutions with shift scheduling to help alleviate ‘rush hour traffic or increased work hours on less days per week. I also would like to work closely with WYDOT on HOV lanes, road maintenance and construction.

When it comes to growth in Jackson, I think many of us have been disappointed with many of the new developments and redevelopments, and the loss of some existing buildings and the seeming abandonment of the value of Western Character.

The proposal to construct the massive hotel on North Cache seemed to surprise the Town and revealed that residents are not satisfied with our planning and building rules. A reexamination of the Land Development Regulations and Design Standards must be done to make sure we are addressing the bulk and scale, character, and the density of development in the way the community expects.

Of course, amongst all these issues, we can’t forget our primary goal of protecting the natural resources of our valley.

2) In your response to the News&Guide’s question “How should the Town of Jackson address funding challenges?” you responded: “The town needs to address spending before seeking to raise taxes.” What does that mean? What services would you be willing to cut? What services are sacrosanct?

The Town’s budget is unsustainable and needs to be brought back into balance. When I said we must address spending before seeking to raise taxes, I meant that the Town spends four million dollars more than it brings in and before we go to the community to ask for more sales taxes, they need to be convinced that we are managing their money frugally. I don’t support using property tax to fund the deficit.

I support building a budget from the ground up – the Zero-Based Budget concept. The core services need to be funded first. Police, Fire, Streets, Health and Human Services are ‘sacrosanct’, I would say. I don’t propose to cut any specific service outright but would be open-minded about it and would rely on the Town Manager and Finance Officer to present a balanced budget. I support reviewing all proposed capital projects and Town-generated projects.

We cannot continue to spend down our reserve and operate in a budget deficit. We are also operating at a deficit of employees, with the Town having difficulty hiring key workforce for important functions like snowplowing and bus drivers.

The town’s budget has almost tripled over the last ten years while population and visitors have remained relatively steady. While that increase in costs includes the high price of wages to retain employees, it is a trajectory that we can’t support for long.

While using the budget reserve is a good tool from time to time, it is not recurring revenue, and we need to protect the reserve for future emergencies that may arise.

We need an improved relationship with The Teton County Commission so we can successfully manage the Joint Department budgets effectively. I would each joint agreement in the spirit of working together.

3) Can we grow our way out of our housing problems? If not, how should we approach our housing and other growth-related challenges?

No, I don’t think we can grow our way out of the housing problem. The Teton County Commissioners have been working on rezoning Northern South Park, which could presumably allow for housing, and in the Town, we should address each housing proposal individually, big or small.

The Town of Jackson also owns a fair amount of residential property that could be developed for housing of its essential workers as well. The Town LDR’s should be updated to allow Accessory Dwelling Units in appropriate places with the intention of supplying rental stock in the community. The rules need to be simplified to make it easier for small homes to be built or preserved.

Another idea that could be explored is the purchasing of single-family houses as they come on the market to be deed restricted, given an ADU, and then put back on the market. This would allow historic density and neighborhood character to be preserved. What I am getting at is that there may be a lot of smaller opportunities that could add up. We should also allow employers to explore housing opportunities in our neighboring communities provided we have a robust commuter transit program.

Kevin Regan

1) You emphasize you are “a balanced voice for Jackson.” What does that mean? What are you trying to balance?

Balance is woven into the vision statement of the community’s Comprehensive Plan: “Preserve and protect the area’s ecosystem in order to ensure a healthy environment, community and economy for current and future generations.” Balancing these three pillars–not to mention balancing immediate needs with long-term vision–is no small task.

While these priorities are sometimes pitted against each other (see, for example, the perceived tension between: (1) Providing affordable housing that supports a thriving economy and (2) Protecting our environment and community character), the reality is that we need to search for “win-win” solutions that move us forward on all these goals simultaneously. I’m not saying that this is easy to accomplish, but this delicate balance is what we need to strive for if we are to live up to the community’s vision for the future.

For me personally, being a balanced voice for Jackson means that I will consider multiple perspectives and carefully weigh available information to make well-reasoned decisions, always with the vision and goals of the community in mind.

My experience in the government, nonprofit, and private sectors has equipped me to make balanced decisions. One of the privileges of my legal career was serving as a law clerk for a federal trial judge, where it was my responsibility to draft legal opinions for the judge. In doing so, I learned to carefully evaluate the perspectives of different parties and to apply the law to reach a fair decision, without favoring any one interest group or short-term outcome.

As a balanced voice on the Town Council, I will listen to all voices and consider what is best for the residents of Jackson as a whole. We must work together and be bold to achieve balance for our environment, community, and economy.

2) In response to a News&Guide question about how long you’ve lived in Jackson, you said: “First lived here in 2000. Returned full time in 2023.” How do you address concerns that, because you have not lived here very long, you have no real knowledge of the community?

I first moved to Jackson in 2000, selling t-shirts out of what is now the Harley-Davidson building to save up to go to law school. Like so many others, living in Jackson sparked a lifelong love for this valley and community. After earning my J.D., I dedicated the past two decades of my career to protecting communities and the environment from forces that threaten to throw them out of balance.

I returned to Jackson whenever possible, maintaining old friendships and meaningful relationships. I also volunteered here in local elections with a dear friend in 2020 and 2022. When I had the opportunity to move to Jackson full time to work with Protect Our Water Jackson Hole, it was the fulfillment of a twenty-year-long dream.

As I have been throughout my career, I am devoted to service for the betterment of the community. Service begins with listening, humility, and understanding, ultimately leading to effective action. This year alone, I have knocked on thousands of doors around town and attended countless public events and meetings. In my work with Protect Our Water, I have stood up for you at public meetings to defend our water from E. coli, pollution, and irresponsible development. I serve on the volunteer START Board as a regular public transportation user. I’ve seen firsthand your concerns about how we need housing and land-use decisions that work for the community, not more condos or big buildings.

I’m running for Town Council because I believe I have meaningful knowledge of the community, plus the experience and character to make a positive difference. I believe this not because I think I have all the answers, but because I show up, listen, and have proven time and time again that I am committed to this community and to you.

3) Can we grow our way out of our housing problems? If not, how should we approach our housing and other growth-related challenges?

There is palpable fear and frustration about growth and change in Jackson Hole. For many, walking by the crater that was once the Ranch Inn or the prospect of losing Pearl Street Bagels reflects threats to the landmarks and community gathering places that make life in Jackson special. For others, the loss of the Wort home or the possibility of increased traffic on Snow King Avenue reflects threats to their neighborhoods and the homes they hold dear. The tragedy of Grizzly 399 and the fact that Fish Creek is impaired for E. coli and nutrient pollution are stark reminders of human impacts on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. It is going to take hard work and careful balancing of competing priorities to chart a sustainable path forward.

For many in our workforce, housing insecurity is the biggest obstacle to a future in the valley. Some critics would say “not everyone can live in Jackson.” However, the Comprehensive Plan sets a goal of having 65% of our workforce live locally. Most reports estimate that we are currently only around 60%, maybe less. The 90 Virginian Lane project is an important next step toward those goals, and I support that project. A local workforce contributes to community character and provides economic security (as illustrated by the Pass closure).

If we are going to evolve as a community, that can happen in ways that help alleviate our housing (and other) problems, or in ways that aggravate them. We need to revisit the Comprehensive Plan to have an open and direct conversation about what type(s) of growth are most aligned with community vision, how much growth to allow, and where to place it. We can amend LDRs and zoning maps to encourage evolution toward a Jackson that welcomes visitors and locals alike.

Perri Stern

1) On your website, you state: “We need a serious re-set and course correction.” What does this mean? Are you anti-growth?

No. I am not “anti-growth”.

However, our current status of unchecked growth, evidenced by an endless proliferation of hotels and luxury condominiums, and large, (often speculative) single family homes that overwhelm neighborhood context and sit vacant for most of the year has put an untenable strain on our community.

I advocate for Responsible Development:

• Anticipating and mitigating the broad impacts of development before they happen. Assessing and determining our town’s real capacity and limits.
• Safeguarding our environment and ensuring that wildlife habitat and water quality are protected for future generations.
• Anticipating and mitigating traffic impacts of any new development and ensuring that we have the essential infrastructure to support any new projects.
• Prioritizing our community’s history, historic structures, places and spaces. Preserving historic homes, cabins and iconic businesses. Respecting this place.

At its October 21 meeting (where I gave comment on this topic), Town Council directed staff to develop a “Scoping Document” to outline next steps that I and others have been advocating for throughout the time-limited moratorium process, including:

• Full update of 2:1 Workforce Bonus
• Full update of Design Guidelines
• Full Comprehensive Plan update
• Address full secondary impacts of big buildings (traffic, jobs, environmental, etc.), including the consideration of impact fees for new development
• Address unintended consequences of LDRs on our community goals
• Add sustainability standards to LDRs
• Reconsider some of our form-based standards
• Engage extensive public process to conduct comprehensive urban design study reflecting current zoning outcomes and possible strategies to improve outcomes.

This is to be added to an agenda within 60 days.

This is an encouraging step in the right direction. It indicates Council’s recognizing that we need a re-set and course correction. I look forward to assisting in any way I can.

2) You have no experience in local government. Why did you not first seek other roles?

Running for Town Council was not part of my plan. I was asked to run for Town Council by several highly engaged, politically active community members who expressed confidence in my years-long involvement in civic initiatives. It wasn’t a quick or cavalier decision. Ultimately, I decided to run for Town Council because I want to have the opportunity to serve our community in a bigger way.

I have a depth and breadth of experience in our local government:

• For the past 6 years, I have regularly attended Town Council Meetings and Workshops, Town and County Joint Information Meetings, and County Commissioner meetings.
• I regularly attend a variety of Advisory Board meetings.
• I regularly give Public Comment at Council meetings, JIM Meetings and County Commissioner Meetings.
• I have had 9 letters to the editor/guest shots published in the JH News & Guide. I have contributed to several others. All are focused on enhancing our community.
• I have worked tirelessly to increase civic engagement in our community by encouraging others to participate in local issues.
• I have met with nearly every Town Department Head/Senior Staff member to learn more about how their department interfaces with Council.
• One council person, using a reference to basketball, has referred to me as the “6th man”, the first substitute that the coach would turn to.

I am a regular fixture and presence in our community, a citizen who has broad and substantive knowledge about how our town works, the key issues we are facing. The response to my straightforward, common-sense approach has been gratifying. I am eager to hit the ground running and serve as your Town Councilperson!

3) Can we grow our way out of our housing problems? If not, how should we approach our housing and other growth-related challenges?

No. We cannot grow our way out of our housing problems.

Housing plays a vital role in our community. For years, I have supported increasing the inventory of truly affordable homes in ways that make sense for our entire community. Where? On both ends of my street, in my side yard and in other parts of town.

We need real homes where families of all types and sizes can live, grow and prosper. We are losing too much valuable talent, experience and expertise; we are losing community. But if we focus exclusively on housing, we stand at great risk. Housing is one piece of a big community jigsaw puzzle where everything needs to fit.

Controlling overdevelopment will help ease our housing shortage and I am the only candidate who consistently states: Quality is just as important as Quantity.

There are many important issues:

• The highly problematic “workforce” designation, which is conflated with “affordable”.
• We must prioritize the restoration, preservation, repurposing of existing structures.
• We must help people who are “stuck” in the middle – earning too much to qualify for an affordable home, but not enough to purchase a market rate home.
• The 2 for 1 “workforce” bonus, which only incentivizes overdevelopment needs to be changed to affordable.
• We need to figure out how to “move people through the system” as their family situation changes – from smaller 1- bedroom apartments, to 2 or 3-bedroom apartments, to a market rate home.
• We need dedicated homes for seniors and people with disabilities in every housing project.
• We need to continue to refine our housing rules and regulations.

We need to be smart, strategic, fiscally responsible and realistic in how we address our housing shortage. It is a complex, forever problem.

Website: perriforcouncil.com
Instagram:@perri_for_council
Email: perriforcouncil@gmail.com

Devon Viehman

1) You cite your experience on the county planning commission, yet when you applied for re-appointment to that board, the county commission did not re-appoint you. What should voters make of this?

I was told that the reason for my non-reappointment to the Planning Commission was due to “poor attendance,” yet this was not communicated to me until after the decision had been made. I was never given the opportunity to verify my attendance or present the accurate numbers. In reality, I missed only 10 meetings during my three-year term and participated in 68 votes. These claims about my attendance are not only misleading but outright false.

All my absences were due to surgery, COVID, or travel delays—never a reflection of my dedication to the position or the community. I was led to believe that my reappointment interview was a formality, but I was replaced when only three commissioners were present to make the decision.

My commitment to independent, thoughtful decision-making never wavered, and I always prioritized the community’s needs. I am particularly proud of my role in passing the most comprehensive wildlife protection regulations in Jackson Hole’s history, safeguarding this critical part of our valley for future generations.

My experience on the Planning Commission has uniquely prepared me for the Town Council. I’ve navigated complex local issues, from wildlife conservation to responsible development, and understand the intricacies of the decision-making process. This experience positions me to serve Jackson with dedication and integrity.

2) Because of your friendship with Jessica Chambers, there are suggestions that, if elected, you would be Ms. Chambers’s proxy. What should voters make of such suggestions?

I want to be clear: I will never be anyone’s proxy. The suggestion that I could be someone’s puppet is not only insulting but disregards my qualifications, independence, and lifelong commitment to Jackson. It also undermines my experience—working with our state legislature, implementing national climate policy, lobbying in DC, and managing a budget four times larger than the town’s.

Two weeks ago, Leslie Petersen wrote a letter stating I’d be controlled by Councilwoman Sell Chambers. I’ve admired Leslie as an advocate for women in leadership, so her letter was disappointing and hurtful. I reached out to her directly via email, hoping for a conversation, but she never responded—proving she wasn’t interested in dialogue, only in spreading unfounded accusations. I told her, “As women, we should support each other, not tear each other down with baseless claims. The idea that I’m acting as a proxy, without even speaking to me first, is harmful—not just to me, but to all women striving to be seen as independent, capable leaders.”

Yes, Jessica Sell Chambers and I are friends, but not because of politics. We bonded over personal tragedy—both of our mothers died in horrific accidents in front of our families. To use our friendship as political fodder is disrespectful and demeaning. Leslie’s baseless attacks should make you angry. This behavior tears at the fabric of our community and is not the leadership Jackson needs.

I’m running to serve Jackson with integrity—not as anyone’s puppet, but as a strong, capable leader who knows exactly where I stand.

3) Can we grow our way out of our housing problems? If not, how should we approach our housing and other growth-related challenges?

We cannot simply build our way out of this crisis, but thoughtful, workforce-oriented building is part of the solution. Our policies should focus on housing that serves locals, helping them stay in the community and making better use of the housing we already have, rather than driving property values higher.

Our community is angry, and for good reason. We’re not seeing the type of development we want. Many of our well-intended zoning regulations have driven up property values in parts of town, making it even harder for locals to find affordable housing. Instead of addressing the housing crisis, some of these policies have unintentionally fueled rising prices, pushing homes further out of reach for the people who live and work here.

One major issue is that we’re incentivizing the tearing down of older homes, when we should be preserving them as part of our existing affordable housing stock. These homes could serve locals, but instead, they’re being replaced by new developments that don’t address the real needs of our workforce. We need to rethink these incentives and focus on preserving the housing we already have, while ensuring new development meets the needs of our community.

I’m committed to solutions that work for Jackson. My vision for housing is not just about growth, but about ensuring that locals can continue to live here and thrive. We need to address the housing crisis by reworking the policies that have led us to this point, prioritizing sustainable solutions that keep Jackson’s character intact and serve the real needs of our community.