August 2025 Minutes

HOT SPRINGS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY MEETING MINUTES

August 6, 2025

Called to order at 6:06 – 20 Members/visitors Present
Pledge of Allegiance
Welcome & Introductions
Visitors: Josh Conrad with his commissioner vote petition, Brian McCarty, Run for House District 27
Silence Phones Please

Welcome
August Birthdays: Marilyn Braaten (8/1), Jami Anderson (8/18), Michael Herzing (8/20), Dale Horkey (8/27)

Approval of July 2025 Meeting Minutes – Unanimous  
Pass the Hat

Business:
Secretary’s Correspondence Report 
Newspaper Ad this month?  Need filled this month. ($45)  Due to the paper 8/26.  Please contact IR. 
The next two months’ meetings will be held on September 9/3/25 
and October 1st.  Yom Kippur 10/01/25

Treasurer’s Report – Started 1835.73, Donations ActBlue, 2143.01.  In kind 101.05 Ice Cream Social, Outgoing bills 137.50.  Discovery Days Donation 50, 1955.51.  Treasurers report accepted.

Permission for Online Banking.  Kim moves that Georgeanne be allowed for any and all online and phone banking, Jane seconds.  Pinnacle Bank requires approval; motion carried unanimously.  If there is a second signature required, Georgeanne will speak with Dale

Old Business Line Items
Discussion and reports from committees

  1. 4th of July Ice Cream Social, Georgeanne will give an update.  In-kind donation receipts, please bring them.

    1. Went well, 200 people, raised $175 in donations and raffle.  Many visitors from all over.  The mission is to raise funds and goodwill.  2-4.

  2. National Dem Report (Kim Bartlett). September Meeting-please give discussion topics to cover in September.

    1. A lot is happening.  New committeeman, Ben Rowland of Cheyenne.  New Labor Caucus.  Hiring a new exec director.  22 appl from everywhere. Working to revive committees that have fallen by the wayside.  Planned all state meetings for the next year.  10-24-27 in Douglas.  Feb 6-8, 2026 meeting in Cheyenne, June 5-7, 2026 Location TBD, Sept 11-13, location TBD.
    2. At the DNC level.  Ken Martin new DNC chair.  Investing in red states, 22.5/month starting next month.  Investing in races, $1m in VA.  Kim participated in SWOT. Dems are demoralized as a whole, Wyo Dems are optimistic and looking to help.  Ken is democratizing the DNC.  Many meetings Aug 24-28 Mini, Western Caucus 24-25 in Denver.  Local Govt 101 is spreading to Natrona and Park.  Kim to panel in Lander Sept 25 with Dave Fredenthal and Rod Miller.  Mountain movement strategies working to get rid of the Freedom Caucus; they work with AFL-CIO to run pro-labor candidates to unseat 6 Freedom Caucus members.  Rep. John Winter is “not running again”.  
    3. Can Ken send fewer fundraising emails?  Getting $400 from CER

  3. In August, we spoke with Washakie and Big Horn counties to have a joint event in Worland with Rep Mike Yin and Karley Pravenze to discuss local issues we want the legislature to bring up.  Date TBD.

    1. Joint Events announced in Cheyenne and other Counties.  We are asking to have one in October; the date is still being disputed. We are asked to bring refreshments and a sound system to Worland “somewhere”.

  4. Painting T-Hill Committee. (John Anderson, John Fenton).  Homecoming as a goal.

    1. Waiting for cooler weather.  5 gallons of paint left.  Need to fix the rock structure for accessibility. Don’t need everyone, but 5-7 people.  (Less is more) A couple of hours of work.  Rope would take too long.  People who can’t climb can work on the ground.  Tabled until next month.  This is the October event for CER.  Homecoming week 6-10.  Paper ad possible for “spirit week”.

New Business Line Items

  1. Wants to bring Josh Conrad to the meeting for a petition to increase the county commissioners from 3 to 5.

    1. Petition to get a vote on the ballot next fall.  Went 5-3 for budget reasons.  Divide the salary agreement into 3 to 5. Over $300K spent in legal funds to date that would have saved county jobs.  Use as a membership opportunity to doorknock.  Timing is not an issue at the moment.  Need 250 signatures to get it on the ballot.  Have petitions available at every event.  Signatures due by the end of May. Josh will keep us updated with progress. John A moves that we provide petitions at all events, and Kim seconds. (Josh: Make sure there is a specific person to certify the sheet, Kim volunteers.) Motion carries. 
    2. Kim moves to do this through membership door-to-door organizing in August and September.  John F seconds.  Add to the September agenda to begin organizing.  Passes unanimously.

  2. Harriet’s Town Hall (Georgeanne will postpone discussion talk until next month to save time.)
  3. Change web provider to GoDaddy.  Approximate costs ($50 3-year domain name, $110)

    1. Find more web providers that support video other than Vimeo.  Larry will get pricing structures for next month.

  4. Mission and Values Statement, Strategic Planning Report.  (Jami referred to the whiteboard).
  5. Upcoming Events: Christmas Party, October Combined Counties Town Hall Meeting with Mike Yin, Letter to the RINOs (Ask Kim to help build the mailing list). Possibility of Highway cleanup sponsorship (2026). The Highway has to be staffed.  The state will provide all needed supplies.  Need a volunteer to contact the state.

    1. Letter to former Dems/moderates.  Need more Dems to increase state funding.  Volunteer needed to write the letter.  Item tabled to next month.

  6. Sam will be travelling and has asked for someone else to gather the key to the Annex and return it the next morning.  Francine Hauser has volunteered to be the key organizer.
  7. Kim has stickers, and Tom Butler has sent some pins.  Juntos cards for immigration deportations.  ICE in Worland Tues and Thurs.

Motion to adjourn, unanimous.

Next Meeting – Wed., 9/3, 6 pm, County Annex