Letter to the Editor: Group seeking insights into what’s working and what isn’t

Dear editor:

Last September, several of us embarked on a 12-week journey with the Wyoming Business Council Assessment to Action (A2A) process. We are a diverse group of professionals from the local area with a focus on how we can see our citizens thriving, our communities successful, and support a sustainable way of living for all demographics and businesses that call Greybull home. 

Over the past four months, neighbors across Greybull and south Big Horn County have been talking with us by one-on-one interviews and using the A2A Fishbone root-cause analysis about what’s working—and what isn’t—in our communities. We made sure to interview all demographics to get an unbiased and inclusive viewpoint. 

We had originally gone into the process with an idea that we would be focusing on an entirely different problem and through this training we ended up gaining insights that allowed us to pivot our thought processes and gain a new perspective at a greater root cause issue that needed to be addressed first: housing. Housing won’t fix everything—but it unlocks almost everything else: workforce, business vitality, youth retention and community pride.

We also heard hope — and a desire to work together. People want visible wins that rebuild pride, attract investment, and show our kids that good things can and do happen here in Greybull and south Big Horn County. If we start with a few bright blocks and keep at it together, we’ll change the story of what’s possible in Greybull and south Big Horn County.

Going through this training with Wyoming Business Council and the A2A process has been life changing for each of us. It’s an exceptional program that helps communities get to the core of issues, to create positive outcomes and long-term solutions, rather than repeated band-aids that just fall off over time. We are excited to move forward with our findings, continuing our one-on-one conversations, and beginning our solutions-based initiatives to begin to create some relief for our citizens, room to breathe again, and shift into even more success and a thriving community. Together we have the ability to make positive outcomes for all of us, not just a select few. A community is as strong and healthy as its citizens as a collective; we all have the ability to thrive and feel good about the lives we are living. 

Together we can make that possible. We look forward to working together with the community members and businesses of Greybull.

Sincerely,

Bill Hayes, Gerald Crist, Serena Lipp, Danae Bales, Paul Thur and Dawn Norton

Greybull A2A Team Members