Lesli Spencer

Councilwoman Lesli Spencer believes the City of Powell always has room to improve, but as she’s met officials from other Wyoming communities over the years, she’s gained a new appreciation for Powell.

“I always come back [from meetings] extremely humbled in that we are very blessed with the utilities that we have — we have our own power, we have our own fiber,” she said. “Our city runs very well [compared] to other cities and municipalities throughout the state.”

Spencer has served on the council since 2015 and as she seeks a third full term representing Ward 3, she believes the city is headed in the right direction.

“We have a lot of things in the works to potentially better Powell,” Spencer said, and she’s hoping to help bring those efforts to fruition.

For example, she’s pleased to see the city moving forward with an upgrade of the stormwater system near Northwest College and the upcoming addition of a splash pad to Homesteader Park to replace the former frog pond. She also wants to see the city improve Fair Street’s intersection with Coulter Avenue/U.S. Highway 14A.

“It’s such a mess right there,” Spencer said, with the road so narrow and the grade so steep that the city must partially close the route in icy conditions.

Part of the challenge, she said, is that entities ranging from the irrigation district to the Wyoming Department of Transportation all have a role, but she feels progress is being made.

The rising cost of housing is top of mind for the 50-year-old business manager — though she notes that finding ways to make housing more affordable is complicated and not necessarily something the city can directly address.

“The city is not in the business to build houses; that falls on contractors,” Spencer said.

However, she wonders if the city can be prepared for growth, help bring the right people to the table or make connections with other communities that have experienced success with housing. 

Spencer said she believes the city tries to facilitate development as much as it can while also trying to follow residents’ wishes.

When it comes to issues like zoning, “you have to vote according to what your constituents want, in my opinion, to make sure that you’re taking care of their wants and needs, and not just what you individually think,” she said.

Spencer added that she believes the council and staff work to stay as involved as possible.

“I think just being open and available to sit at the table with anybody and everybody that has ideas is beneficial,” she said.

Spencer’s election opponent, Troy Bray, believes the city should do away with its city administrator. Spencer, however, says the current system is effective and does not support a switch to a mayor-run form of government.

“I feel that if you have a strong mayor situation, every four years you’re up to … a change in the dynamic of the city,” she said. “And I don’t think that's good for the long term of any municipality.”

Spencer grew up in Powell and attended Northwest College before obtaining a degree in business administration at Montana State University. She then returned to Powell, where she currently works as the business manager for Keele Sanitation.

In the primary election, she bested Bray by a margin of 173 votes (53.2%) to 149 (45.9%), but only the results of the Nov. 5 election will matter. 

Her campaign finance report shows she has not spent any money on her reelection bid; Spencer said her approach to each of her elections has been, “if it’s meant to be, it’ll be.”

“I’m not a huge campaign person, I don’t have a platform, I’m not in it for myself, I don’t have a sticking point,” she said. “I just want to represent my constituents the best that I can.”