A reputation for integrity, transparency and dedicated service to her community has earned Afton Town Administrator Violet Sanderson recognition as the September recipient of the Benjamin Franklin Award for Open Government, a monthly honor presented by the Wyoming Press Association to recognize public officials and government entities that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to openness, accountability and the public’s right to know.

Sanderson’s selection drew enthusiastic support from the Wyoming Association of Municipalities, where her work has earned the respect of municipal leaders from across the state.

“Violet Sanderson is quite simply the standard for what public service looks like in Wyoming,” WAM Executive Director Ashley Harpstreith said. “She has earned the deep respect of her community in Afton and of municipal leaders across our state — and that kind of trust is not given, it is built over years of showing up with integrity, transparency, and a genuine commitment to the people she serves. This recognition is richly deserved, and WAM could not be more proud to see Violet honored.”

That statewide respect makes Sanderson a particularly fitting recipient of an award designed not only to recognize open government, but to encourage Wyoming’s public officials to learn from colleagues who have demonstrated that transparency and effective government go hand in hand.

Wyoming Press Association President Joshua Wood said the trust Harpstreith described is one of the most important products of open government.

“Public trust isn’t created by a press release or a promise — it is earned over time by consistently giving citizens the information they need to understand their government and participate in it,” Wood said. “Violet Sanderson has earned that trust in Afton, and the respect she enjoys among municipal leaders across Wyoming tells us that her example reaches well beyond her own community.”

Wood said the Benjamin Franklin Award is intended to elevate those examples at a time when confidence in government institutions increasingly depends upon the willingness of public officials to conduct the people’s business in the open.

“Transparency should never be viewed simply as something government is required to provide,” Wood said. “It is an essential part of good government. Citizens who understand the issues facing their community can provide better input, make more informed decisions at the ballot box and become meaningful partners with their elected officials in determining their community’s future.”

Wyoming Press Association Executive Director Steve Kiggins said local newspapers share that goal and appreciate public officials who recognize the press as a partner in getting important information into the hands of citizens.

“Our newspapers and Wyoming’s towns, cities and counties have something fundamental in common: We all serve the people who live in these communities,” Kiggins said. “Our respective roles are different, and there will certainly be times when we disagree, but we accomplish far more for our communities when public officials and local newspapers maintain professional relationships built on accessibility, candor and mutual respect.”

Kiggins said officials such as Sanderson demonstrate that government transparency and a vigorous local press are complementary rather than competing interests.

“A good local newspaper asks questions because citizens deserve answers, and good public officials understand that those questions are part of the process,” Kiggins said. “We are enormously grateful for public servants who welcome that relationship and understand that helping the press inform the community is ultimately another way of serving their citizens.”

The recognition of Sanderson also represents an important milestone for the Benjamin Franklin Award initiative. Since launching the monthly award, the Wyoming Press Association has encouraged organizations representing municipalities, counties, school boards and other government entities to join Wyoming newspapers in identifying public servants who go beyond minimum legal requirements to promote openness and accountability.

WAM’s enthusiastic support for Sanderson demonstrates the kind of partnership the WPA hopes to build with organizations representing local government throughout Wyoming — recognizing officials who are doing things right while working together to identify ways government transparency can continue to improve.

The Benjamin Franklin Award for Open Government was created by the Wyoming Press Association as part of its “Keeping the Republic” initiative surrounding America’s 250th anniversary. The award takes its inspiration from Benjamin Franklin’s famous description of the government created by the nation’s founders as “a republic, if you can keep it” and the principle that self-government depends upon citizens having the information necessary to understand and participate in the work of their government.

One recipient is recognized each month throughout 2026, with the WPA using those examples to demonstrate that transparency is more than compliance with Wyoming’s public records and open meetings laws. At its best, open government creates informed citizens, meaningful public participation and the trust necessary for communities to confront difficult issues together.