Thoughts on Community

I currently am employed by Converse County, Wyoming as a GIS Specialist. As a smaller county department, our project back-log is rather epic. The side benefit to this is that we are able to apply our skills to a wide variety of GIS (we primarily use ARC and by primarily I mean only) applications. The local communities of Douglas and Glenrock are experiencing a tremendous amount of energy industry related growth, which has me bending my mind around city growth planning and management (http://www.cctntplan.com/). So while this is occupying my time and thoughts professionally, it has also captured me on a more personal level.

I spent an evening in Casper at the Nicolaysen Art Museum. The "Nic" organized and hosted a series of outdoor concerts during the summer months. I attended the FireAnts, a eclectic band from Sheridan. With approximately 300 people in attendance the venue and vibe made the event seem almost cozy. Neighbors greeting neighbors, friends meeting for the evening, single gals and guys eye-balling each other across the expanse of the lawn, all played a part in the sense of community that I find lacking in Douglas. It is my hope that as the city and surrounding area grow that the planning committee focus on building a better community through efficient use of green space and walking paths, urban management, and commercial planning.