A message from county commissioner candidate Len Carlman:

JACKSON, Wyo. — For 41 years, Len Carlman has worked to maintain our community and preserve the nature of Jackson Hole. With your vote, he’ll bring his best efforts to service as a Teton County Commissioner.

The Teton County Commission is a five-person board. Len Carlman will bring the right mix of high level day-to-day board skills, deep dedication to community and long-term advocacy for the power of nature in Jackson Hole. 

Len’s Background:

Since 1983, Len Carlman has worked to maintain our community and preserve the nature of Jackson Hole.

  • Len knows what it means to conserve the land, water and wildlife of our valley. He’s done that through his work with the JH Conservation Alliance, Snake River Fund,  Teton County Natural Resources Stakeholders Group, the Wyoming Public Lands Initiative in Teton County, the Friends of the Bridger-Teton National Forest, the Snake River Headwaters Wild and Scenic Act, and protection of wildlife through amendments to our Comp plan and LDRs.
  • Whether it was saving the old Wilson schoolhouse from the wrecking ball and turning it into a vibrant community center, stepping in to stabilize and support daycare and preschool services at the Community Children’s Project, serving as a pro bono lawyer for the Off Square Theater Company, or being an attorney for scores of people proposed for involuntary commitment to the Wyoming State Hospital, when our community asked Len to help, he said yes.
  • Len has made volunteer service to our community organizations a lifetime priority.

Challenges facing Teton County:

Pressures on our community are affecting our workers, wildlife, water and natural surroundings:

  • Affordable housing remains a top community priority so we can house our first responders, teachers, medical workers and our diverse workforce.
  • For Teton County, and every other Wyoming County, we need to stand up for local control in land use planning. Under pressure from developers, the Wyoming State Legislature continues to threaten local control over land use regulations.
  • Preservation and good management of 1,920 acres of Wyoming State Lands at the Kelly Parcel, Highway 390, and Munger Mountain are possible, but only with steady work on behalf of smart, locally generated, legally responsible long-range initiatives.
  • A transportation system that gets a grade of “F” during morning and evening commuter hours in major locations is not acceptable. We’ve done this to ourselves through poor planning. We must make it better.
  • Public transportation services and pathways networks offer our best chances to make movement within our valley less of a drag.

Len’s Solutions:

Carlman’s legal background provides a valuable perspective and approach that allows him to focus our community’s efforts to protect its people, unique character and resources. 

On Transportation: As a multi-year volunteer member of the Snake River Canyon Highway Citizens Advisory Committee, Carlman helped guide the reconstruction of US Highway 89 through Snake River Canyon to meet transportation and environmental needs. He even received an appreciation award from WYDOT!  Carlman’s working relationships with WYDOT will prove invaluable when addressing the growing pressure on our highway systems and the need to integrate public transit and HOV lanes into the mix.

On Housing:  A diverse, healthy and balanced Teton County requires an aggressive commitment to affordable housing. For 23 years, voters have taxed themselves to support every housing related SPET measure, including new taxes of $80 million in 2022.  As a Teton County Commissioner, Len will convert voters’ self-tax SPET orders to tangible results.  SHELTER JH agrees that Len is the right candidate for Teton County Commissioner.

“Len Carlman would be a new face on the Commission, but he has a well-established reputation for being a community advocate. Len has shown a commitment to supporting ShelterJH’s values, and we are especially encouraged by his work at the state level supporting a real estate transfer tax. We support Len in pursuing new regulations to curb hotel development and enact fundamental rights for tenants.He is a dedicated housing champion”

Through Carlman’s legal practice and volunteer community work, Len has worked to preserve the character of Teton County and aid non-profit organizations that make Jackson Hole so special.

  • Len has provided pro bono legal services to people at risk from severe mental health crises, as well as to many organizations and civic issues. His pro bono legal work helped nonprofits including Teton Raptor Center, Off Square Theater company, Jackson Hole Kayak Club, Friends of Pathways and more.
  • His commitment to community includes 22+ years as a member of the Rotary Club of Jackson Hole, including hosting international exchange students with his family, service as Club President in 2016, and recognition, in 2018, as the Rotarian of the Year.

The challenges facing Teton County are serious and difficult. 

Carlman’s skills as a collaborator and convener, bringing together a wide range of  participants and concerned interests, creates better outcomes and community buy-in through cooperation and shared problem solving.

Carlman will fight for protection of Jackson Hole and its residents through knowledge and experience, passion and engagement, and with an eye for the long-term well-being of the people and environment in one of the greatest places on the planet. 

Please remember to vote for Len Carlman in the primary on August 20th!