The Wyoming Business Council is again making its case for survival as it prepares to meet Thursday with the Wyoming Joint Appropriations Committee in Rawlins.
The meeting will focus on evaluating the council’s grant and loan programs, along with how well the state’s primary economic development agency aligns with local and regional partners.
It comes after months of scrutiny from lawmakers who have increasingly questioned the council’s effectiveness — and whether it should continue to exist at all.
WBC CEO Josh Dorrell said the agency is making measurable progress and welcomes the opportunity to present its case.
He said Wednesday on the “Cowboy State Daily Show” with Jake Nichols that the upheaval over the agency and efforts to eliminate it have been eye-opening and is forcing the Business Council to scrutinize itself.
“We've got to look at the whole structure, and we've got to look at bigger than just the Business Council,” he said. "To make some of these changes, we're looking at how are decisions actually made within the council.
"How is the board structure? Is it effective? Could it be better and and then, how do we really set goals for the team and for me to really make a difference in the economy?"
But state Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette, who co-chairs the Appropriatons Committee, remains skeptical.
For Starters
Bear said Thursday’s meeting will center on fact-finding, with lawmakers taking a hard look at the council’s strengths and weaknesses.
“We’ll work on formulating some reform ideas,” he said.
The discussion comes on the heels of a meeting earlier this week of the Wyoming Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee in Casper, where the future of the WBC was also on the agenda.
During the most recent legislative budget session, the Appropriations Committee went so far as to propose eliminating the council entirely and removing it from state statute.
That proposal ultimately failed, but not without consequences.
Gov. Mark Gordon recommended cutting the agency’s requested budget for the next two years roughly in half, from $111 million to about $55 million.
Myth-Busting
Facing mounting criticism, the council launched a public “myth-busting” campaign in February. Dorrell has since made appearances at public meetings and in interviews, aiming to clarify the agency’s role and track record.
Since its creation in 1997, the WBC has received approximately $976 million in state funding.
Dorrell said one of the most consistent requests from both lawmakers and the public has been for more detailed, real-world data demonstrating the council’s impact.
“We love that,” he said.
He added that another message has come through just as clearly: Wyoming residents want more opportunities to keep younger generations in the state.
“What we heard loud and clear is we want opportunities for our loved ones to stay here,” Dorrell said.
Moving the Needle
Bear, however, said he has yet to see meaningful results.
“We haven’t moved the needle very far,” he said, noting that the council’s messaging sounds much the same today as it did when it was founded nearly three decades ago.
“We’ll be looking for an explanation as to why we haven’t moved the needle,” he added.
Dorrell acknowledged the challenges but struck a hopeful tone.
“It was a tough row to hoe to get through the legislative session,” he said, “but we couldn’t be more excited.”
Looking Ahead
Despite the tension, both sides say they are approaching Thursday’s meeting with a willingness to engage.
Dorrell pointed to what he described as a growing “spirit of understanding” between the agency and lawmakers.
“The Legislature put a lot of time on the books for this issue,” he said.
He added that the council has already begun reassessing its programs.
“We really had to cull the herd and say some of these programs were intended to solve a problem that no longer exists,” Dorrell said.
Going forward, he said, the WBC is eager to work with lawmakers to eliminate ineffective initiatives and double down on those that deliver results.
Bear, for his part, said he intends to keep an open mind.
“I have ideas, but I’m trying to listen,” he said. “I want to hear from people who support the WBC and see if they can defend the usefulness of this agency.”
Kate Meadows can be reached at kate@cowboystatedaily.com.
