Jim Core

In his decades as a social studies teacher, Jim Core stressed the importance of community service. So when Core learned there was an open seat on the Powell City Council — and after some friends encouraged him to run — the Ward 1 resident decided to throw his hat in the ring.

While there are some things Core would like to see in Powell — such as adding a recreation center for the area’s youth — he says the city is “a great place” with solid infrastructure.

“I don’t think there needs to be a lot of things to do,” he said, “other than manage the growth.”

Background

Core grew up in Greybull and obtained his teaching degree at Montana State University-Billings. He then moved to Casa Grande, Arizona, which he said was one of the few places hiring teachers in the mid-1980s.

After 11 years down south, he relocated to Boise, Idaho, where he spent 26 years as a middle school teacher, baseball coach and athletic director. However, when the 65-year-old and his wife hit retirement, they knew they wanted to get away from the rapidly growing Boise area and come back to Wyoming.

“The Big Horn Basin’s home,” Core said, “and, you know, [I’ve] always loved Powell.”

Though Core has only lived in Powell for the past two years, his wife lived in the city in the 1960s and ‘70s — and he spent many of his Thanksgivings and summer vacations visiting his in-laws here.

“I really love the community, love the slow, easy pace,” he said.

Managing growth

From watching communities in Arizona and Idaho experience growth, Core said he’s learned that “if it’s coming, it’s coming, and you can either fight it or you can make it work for you.”

He said that’s why planning and zoning is important, including decisions on annexations and where to install roads and sewer and water infrastructure. Core also firmly believes developers should bear the costs of what they’re developing, including roads.

“If they’re coming and they’re going to spend the money, then … it shouldn’t be spread out around the taxpayers,” he said. “If it bumps up the price of somebody’s brand new home in a subdivision, then that’s the price for living in this great community.”

Senior and rec centers

Core described himself as a “big supporter” of a proposal to use an additional 1% sales tax to build a new Powell Senior Center, 

“With a town this big, it’s a necessity,” he said.

Park County residents will vote on the proposed $19.3 million tax this fall, which would fund the Powell center, upgrades to the Cody Auditorium and several projects in Meeteetse.

Down the road, Core would also like to see Powell add a community rec center.

“The athletic director part of me knows that kids who have something, some place to go, something to do, tend to get in a lot less trouble and do a lot less, I hate to use the word ‘stupid’ things, but unwise decisions that youth make,” he said.

Core said a rec center can also boost adult sports like basketball and volleyball and generally increase the pride that a Wyoming community has for its town and youth.

However, he also said a “want” like a rec center must be put on the back burner if the city can’t afford essential services.

A ‘pragmatic Republican’

Core said his understanding is that property tax reductions have created problems at the local level.

“It’s easy to run for state office and say, ‘I want to cut taxes,’” he said. “Well, yeah, everybody does, but we got to pay for the things we got to have.”

The self-described “pragmatic Republican” said the aim is to “somehow get it all to work for the betterment of the local people.”

Core is one of five candidates running for the nonpartisan Ward 1 seat held by departing Councilman Steve Lensegrav. The others are David Bryan, Crystal Reese, Holly Cole and Steve Nickles.

The top two vote-getters in the Aug. 18 primary will advance to and face off in the Nov. 3 general election.

Ward 1 is made up of the northeastern part of the city, generally including everything east of Division Street and north of Third Street.