Hollingshead announces bid for Laramie County commission seat

Jan. 9—CHEYENNE — Don Hollingshead worked for the Laramie County Sheriff's Office for 27 years, working his way up to the rank of captain. He recently announced his candidacy for a seat on the Laramie County Board of County Commissioners.

"As a lifelong resident of Laramie County, I have deep ties to the community and a deep love for it," Hollingshead said. "And I have a lot to offer, with all my background, to the citizens of Laramie County."

Supporting economic growth, entrepreneurship and small businesses are some of his main goals. On the 2024 ballot, two of the five commissioner seats will be up for election, as the four-year terms for Commissioners Brian Lovett and Buck Holmes will come to an end. Neither has announced whether they intend to seek re-election.

A third-generation Laramie County resident, Hollingshead said he would use his connections with the community to further develop communication between citizens and the Board of County Commissioners.

A 2017 graduate of the FBI National Academy, Hollingshead said he took several courses in media relations and wants to use that experience, paired with his existing network, to connect with the public.

"Communication with the public is key," he said. "Prior to making any major critical decision, I would, to the best of my ability, and as long as time allowed, make those inroads with the stakeholders and use that information to be able to come up with the best possible solutions that will benefit the broadest range of Laramie County residents."

Hollingshead said he doesn't want any decisions made in a silo. He described the decision-making process as an intricate web, where one decision may impact a wide variety of stakeholders.

"So, before important decisions are made, such as zoning, economic development issues or anything that could affect part of that web, I would do my research fully on the issue. Then, that would determine what areas of the county government, local businesses or the community would be affected, and then get in touch with those community stakeholders and see what their thoughts are on these issues."

Last week, several local business owners and vendors spoke out against the county commission after a decision to reschedule the Cowboy Christmas Market for 2024. Members of the public said they felt they had been out of the loop on discussions and decisions that impacted them. Hollingshead said he doesn't believe the county is doing a bad job of communication at the moment, but that he would be able to enhance that dialogue with the public.

"If elected as the next Laramie County Commissioner, Don is poised to leverage his decades of knowledge and experience to proactively address the diverse needs of all Laramie County residents, ensuring comprehensive and effective representation," a press release announcing his candidacy said.

Hollingshead has spent his entire life in the county and has seen it change over time. He said he is pleased with how he has seen it grow economically, with an increasingly diverse set of local businesses. He's also seen an increase in crime.

"It's specifically the drug issues and mental health issues that are impacting crime," he said, recalling his experience with the Cheyenne Police Department. To Hollingshead, the increase in crime comes naturally with the increased population from other areas of the country — particularly with an influx of people who suffer from mental illnesses or substance abuse.

Hollingshead is an elder in his church, has been an active member of the Kiwanis Club for seven years; worked with Safe Harbor Children's Advocacy Center for nine years, including serving as the board chair; and has volunteered with the Special Olympics of Wyoming for more than 25 years.

"I have no personal agendas, and I believe deeply in the servant leadership philosophy," he said. "If elected to the Laramie County Board of County Commissioners, I'll dedicate myself to being a servant of the public and do my very best to represent and improve the lives of all Laramie County residents."

During his campaign, Hollingshead said he plans to go door-knocking and listen to what is important to the county residents.

"I'm going to see if I can knock on every door in Laramie County and meet the people," he said. "This is who I am."

The candidate filing period is open May 16-31 to anyone who wishes to run for office, with the exception of school, college and special district positions. These positions have a later filing date that begins Aug. 7.

Noah Zahn is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's local government/business reporter. He can be reached at 307-633-3128 or nzahn@wyomingnews.com. Follow him on X @NoahZahnn.