Plains council member ready for mayor role

"No election, new mayor," said Plains Mayor Chris Allen at last week's town council meeting at City Hall. Joel Banham will be the next town mayor as of January 1 and he didn't have to go through the electoral process because he was the only person to file for the position, said Allen, who added that another man had planned to run, but didn't get his proper paperwork to the attorney general's office. With Banham running unopposed, the town had the option of saving a few thousand dollars and not running a ballot, according to Allen.

The 63-year-old Banham is pleased that he will be the town's next mayor, but he was disappointed that the residents didn't have a hand in the choice. The write-in window closed in early September and no one did that either, so Banham was left running unopposed. "A vote is nice. I would have preferred that people could choose between at least two candidates," said Banham.

Allen stepped in as interim mayor when Dan Rowan, then mayor, was elected a Sanders County commissioner. "My desire and intention was never to run for mayor or even to be mayor. I have served my community in city government for 16 years," said Allen, who fully supports Banham as mayor. Allen felt that Banham was right for the job when Rowan first became commissioner, but he wasn't ready at that point, so Allen stepped up for the temporary position. "Now that we are getting Joel prepared for the transition I feel we are in a very good spot going forward," said Allen. Other council members also encouraged Banham to go for the position. With Banham as the only candidate, the town saves some $5,000 for an election. There were also no candidates for the Ward 2 council position.

Although he initially hadn't planned to seek the position, Banham is now looking forward to taking office. "I love this town. It's a way to serve and make a difference," said Banham, who has lived in Plains for nearly 36 years. He's been a councilman for more than seven years, something he has enjoyed doing and he believes that being a councilman will be a positive asset to his new position. "There are so many things that have been necessary to learn about public works, finances and ordinances, etc., that are best learned in process with the council," said Banham.

Banham is semi-retired, but he's an active member of the community. He's been an EMT with the Plains Ambulance Service for over five years and a member of the Plains Paradise Rural Fire District since 2015. He was a member of the Town of Plains Volunteer Fire Department from 2013 to 2015 and he's been a contract wildland firefighter since 2012.

The majority of his experience and background is pastoral and relational, he said. He was pastor of Plains Bible Chapel for 21 years and a chaplain at Clark Fork Valley Hospital for 35 years, except for two years when he served as the prison chaplain at the Wyoming Department of Corrections, where he set up the religious program at the new intake prison Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution in Torrington, Wyoming.

"I'm trusting that this experience will help in being a liaison between people and bringing them together," said Banham. "Morale is powerful stuff. There are a lot of gifted and skilled people in our town. If we can work together and enjoy the work, that synergy will give us new hope and vision for the challenges ahead of our town," he added.

Banham said there are some specific things he'd like to tackle as mayor. "Plains is a great little town. I think we are moving in some good directions with parks and sidewalks and beautification, but also I hope to be an advocate of businesses in the town," he said. "I will also be looking for creative ways to bring new services and stability to the community. I would like to see a restoration of community events that build cohesiveness and foster good relationships among the folks in town."

Allen said they'll talk about the swearing in of Banham at the December council meeting.