Fremont County is large, diverse, and filled with opinions, or “talk in the 10.” “Talk in the 10” is an opportunity for you, our readers, to articulate and share your thoughts about what is happening in the community with the community. Letters may have been edited for clarity and length, but generally have been published exactly as received. The views expressed in the following are solely those of the author. Send your letters to our editors by emailing opi[email protected]
Dear Editor,
I support Mayor Gard. I served on council with him as Mayor for a year and during the height of the Covid pandemic. I observed him supporting and encouraging local businesses. I watched and assisted him keep our streets clean and free of weeds and debris. He attended every event I can think of that community members created. He is not running for mayor for personal gain. He truly wants our community to succeed.
When I returned home to Riverton in 2015 and worked on the committee to build the splash pad, I noticed none of the city staff or council members (except Sean Peterson) attended any of the fundraising events despite being personally invited. I spoke to Councilman Peterson about this. To be a good leader you must lead by example, you should be in the thick of it with your community members. Rich Gard leads by example and supports anyone wanting to build Riverton up.
Mayor Gard has always maintained his professionalism to others in the public spotlight. He treats others with courtesy and respect but works aggressively to get the mission accomplished. Him and I have not always agreed on every subject. We don’t associate with all the same crowd. Despite our differences we have always had great conversations and have been able to change each other’s opinion on many a topic by listening and keeping an open mind.
I encourage you to re-elect Mayor Gard on November 8th.
Signed,
Rebecca Schatza
Former Ward 2 Councilwoman