Bob Dylan once famously sang “The Times They Are A Changing,” a sentiment that has rang true for Wellington City the past few months. In what can only be described as a flurry of governmental changes, the city has appointed a new mayor, fire chief and, on Wednesday, Nov. 7, two new city council members to fill the seat left by Jack Clark when he became Mayor and one other vacancy.
The special meeting of the City Council opened with the introduction of the three applicants for the city council position, Cody Austin, Kyle Monson and Bryan Thayn. The candidates were each given 10 minutes to introduce themselves and to speak on why they should be the candidate to fill the vacancy.
Cody Austin: “I’ve always been told if there’s a problem, if you’re not willing to solve it won’t get fixed” opened Austin. He explained his position would have an emphasis on community outreach. As for his five-year plan he wants to make Wellington a place people want to be.
Another question the council asked Austin was how he would react to a 3-2 vote to approve an issue that he was opposed to. “You win some, you lose some,” replied Austin,” Sometimes you’re not going to get your way and that’s life.”
Austin, who is a firefighter in the city, explained that he has helped with Pioneer Days and Water Fight activities. He focuses on community outreach in his free time by trying to offer fire station tours to kids when they stop by.
Another question posed was what he wanted to do as a part of the council. Austin replied first with a sidewalk appeal, citing Helper City and the appeal it has to tourists. As for how he would manage conflict, Austin explained that they were all there to do a job, explaining how it’s important to first step back and calm down and then discuss the issue. “We’re not here to make friends, we’re here to do a job,” spoke Austin.
Austin was also asked by the council whether he thought hard or soft skills were the most important. Austin replied with hard skills, such as budgeting, writing and project management.
Kyle Monson: Monson, who was born and raised in Wellington, spoke on the missed opportunity in the city in his opening, explaining that he wanted to help address this and help the community change for the better as a part of the council. He described himself as a “self-starter” and a “jack of all trades” who likes to be learning all the time.
He explained he didn’t view this job as something to help himself or friends, but to work to better the community as a whole. He also talked about his time as a PR Rep for the oil fields in Altamont, saying this job had him out and in the community to help educate the citizens as to what was happening at the fields.
Monson also explained his philosophy of protecting workers despite loss to profits, stating,” You can replace dollars, you can’t replace a life.” To emphasize this point he described a time when he refused to shut down a gas line despite his boss screaming in his face because it was a danger to a welder on the other end.
Answering the same question as Austin regarding losing a vote on an issue he was passionate about, Monson explained that if it passed then there must be something good about it. He added that he would work diligently to aid the winning side of the issue and implement the policy as best as possible.
Monson was also asked about how to best get involved with the community and get their input, even if the community wasn’t showing up to city council meetings. He explained that currently, he saw some of the issues being caused in the city were outreach issues. Explaining that he thinks that by reaching out to news organizations like radio stations or by putting up more signage and getting out and involved with the community.
Closing out the interview, he was asked about whether soft skills or hard skills were most important. He explained soft skills would benefit him most as he would be able to work with a variety of personalities and help people understand his point of view on issues. He added that it was a balance between both as there wasn’t a one-size-fits-all all skill that could be applied to every situation.
Bryan Thayn: Thayn opened by explaining his experience that would prepare him for a position on the city council. Serving as an executive board member at his children’s school and serving as an Assistant Dean at a college he said gave him the hard and soft skills needed to hold the position.
His vision for the city was to incorporate both the aging population and young population into activity planning and as the city continues to grow, adjusting this plan based on the current demographics of the city. He explained how he would bridge the gap between those demographics, stating that both demographics have an equal right to express their opinions on where they think the city should go, but that ultimately it was the job of the council to find the middle ground to lead the city.
Thayn continued by saying that this task would start by first identifying the issues in the city, creating an action plan, and simplifying it before enacting it. He acknowledged that there will be a tug-of-war between the demographics, but said that there is an “appetite for change,” which could be seen in the recent election. And that the council when making decisions needs to keep the future vision in mind, and be intentional about these decisions. “Trust but verify,” he said regarding city projects, trust that the projects are getting accomplished but you need to verify they are being followed through on.
After hearing from the applicants, the council briefly adjourned to mull over the decision individually.
Upon returning, in a twist of fate, councilman Larry McKinnon shared that due to a new job offer, he would not be able to fulfill his abilities as a council member, saying the city should hire all three. Unfortunately, the information was relayed that they couldn’t do that immediately, but would have to advertise the open seat. McKinnon stated he would continue working with the city until his new responsibilities became too much.
Following a brief discussion, the council announced their decision as Kyle Monson in the four-year position and Bryan Thayn in the two-year position. The council encouraged Austin to reapply for the newly vacant seat.