How Will Cheyenne Fill The Ward I Council Vacancy?

The Cheyenne City Council on Monday night started the legal process of filling the open Ward I council seat.

The vacancy was created when long-time council member Scott Roybal died unexpectedly last month. Roybal was one of the longest tenured Council members in the history of the city.

He was first elected in 1996, serving out his term through 2000. He was again elected to the council in 2015, and was reelected to consecutive terms.

Roybal had served as City Council President in 2022 and more recently as the Council representative and chairman of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) board. Additionally, he most recently served on the Finance Committee, Fire & Police Civil Service Commission, Human Services Advisory Commission, and the City’s Personnel Commission. Roybal was a leading advocate for recreational access to the Belvoir Ranch and served as council champion for that prioritized goal

At last night's council meeting, the council signed off on a resolution officially declaring the seat vacant.

You can see the entire council meeting in the video attached to the article.

Qualifications For Candidates

According to a city news release

Interested residents in Ward 1 should submit a resume and cover letter outlining their interest in the position by Monday, Oct. 20, at 5 p.m. To be considered for the seat, Ward 1 residents must be:

18 or older,
A registered voter in Laramie County, and
A resident of Ward 1 for at least 12 months prior to the date of appointment by City Council.

The release also explains how to apply:

Cover letters and resumes can be submitted in three ways:

E-mail to Jennifer McClelland, jmcclelland@cheyennecity.org,
In-person to the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens, 710 S. Lions Park Drive, or
By mail to 2101 O’Neil Ave., ATTN: City Council Application; Cheyenne, WY 82001

The candidates will be interviewed by Ward 1 council members Pete Laybourn and Jeff White, who will nominate a candidate. If White and Laybourn can't agree, each can nominate their favorite.

The full council will then vote on the candidate or candidates and make a final selection. The vacancy is expected to be filled at the November 10th council meeting.