GILLETTE, Wyo. — The 2024 election season is well underway, and County 17 has sent a list of questions to each candidate who has filed to run for a municipal office.
These questions are designed to give readers a better understanding of the people behind the names on the ballot. Except for minor grammar editing and clarifications, all candidate responses submitted to County 17 are republished as they are received.
Below, get to know Jason Lembke, who is running for a seat on the Wright Town Council:
Who are you?
Hello I am Jason. I have lived in Wright going on nine years with my three wonderful children. I grew up in a small town in western South Dakota. I attended Custer High School and then went on and graduated from Chadron State College. I worked for Campbell County Parks and Recreation for a total of 13 years with my last nine years at the Wright Recreation Center. This will be my third year on the coaching staff for the boys basketball team at the Wright Junior Senior High School.
Why have you chosen to run for office and what do you hope to accomplish should you be elected?
I have learned a lot since I was appointed to finish out the term for Mr. Morgan. Wright is an excellent community to raise a family and know that your neighbor is watching out for you. There is a community field to Wright and I would like to continue to be part of the improvements of our town and take care of who and what we have to make Wright a place for people want to live and grow.
How do you plan on accomplishing your goals?
There are many different avenues to search for funding to find projects that are affordable. Also, we need to seek out opportunities for this great community to grow and sustain the things we currently enjoy. Wright needs to be a standard for what a small town in Wyoming should be.
What about you, or your experiences, would make you a good steward of taxpayer dollars and a good representative of your community?
Spending taxpayers’ money on services for the benefit of our citizens is a big responsibility. It is our duty to be fiscally responsible and stretch every dollar to maximum for the betterment of our community. The council needs to be open and searching for all reasonable avenues for growth and our job market in the area as energy is in the decline and our population is changing. With my experience, being able to maintain a balanced budget and provide services with that framework is key to success and to provide many opportunities and benefits for our citizens.
What major issues do you feel are prevalent in your community and how do you plan to address them?
I think are changing demographics is an issue that can’t be overlooked. The job opportunities are changing, the population of Wright. And this is changing demands of the Town Of Wright. There is a lack of housing that is affordable is also an issue. We need to be ready to put in the framework for the opportunities that may be presented to further the community. Whether that is in the energy field or something else that will continue to benefit the Town Of Wright.
