UPTON — A long-standing commitment to transparency, public service, and partnership with local media has earned Upton Town Clerk/Treasurer Kelley Millar recognition as the July recipient of the Benjamin Franklin Award for Open Government, a monthly honor presented by the Wyoming Press Association to recognize individuals and local governments that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to accountability, openness, and public access to information.

Millar was nominated by Weston County Gazette Publisher Lisa LeVasseur, who described her as one of Wyoming's strongest advocates for transparent local government and public access to information.

“Upton Town Clerk/Treasurer Kelley Millar is a state powerhouse and a source of infinite wisdom in state government,” LeVasseur wrote in her nomination. “She's invaluable to me as a resource, and in all the time she's been clerk/treasurer I've never had issue with a single document she has been required to publish. She is an advocate for publishing legals in newspapers, as transparency is of the utmost importance to her.”

LeVasseur noted that Millar consistently works to ensure citizens have access to information about their government and has developed a reputation for professionalism, responsiveness, and openness with both the media and the public.

Since becoming Upton's clerk/treasurer in 2015, Millar has built a reputation that extends well beyond Weston County. She serves on numerous local and statewide boards and committees focused on municipal government, risk management, finance, economic development, and community leadership. She is one of Wyoming's few Master Municipal Clerks and is widely recognized throughout the state as a trusted source of information and guidance for local governments.

“Strong communities are built when local governments and local newspapers work together to keep citizens informed,” Wyoming Press Association President Joshua Wood said. “Kelley Millar exemplifies that approach. She understands that public information belongs to the public, and she has made transparency a cornerstone of her service to the people of Upton and Wyoming.”

Millar's dedication to transparency and public service has earned recognition before. The Weston County Gazette named Millar its Citizen of the Year, citing her leadership, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to the people of Upton.

“Kelley's wisdom has elevated and informed city staff, council members and mayors,” the Gazette wrote at the time. “She is regarded throughout the state as a source of information and guidance, an advocate not only for our community but for small communities throughout Wyoming.”

Bob Bonnar, publisher of the News Letter Journal and director of the Benjamin Franklin Award for Open Government, said Millar's reputation for transparency transcends local rivalries.

“As competing newspapers, the News Letter Journal and Weston County Gazette often disagree about local government and some of our public officials, but there is no disagreement about Kelley Millar and the remarkable job she does for the people of Upton and Weston County,” Bonnar said. “She is always forthcoming and helpful when our newspaper is trying to cover something we think is important in her community, and she is a great example of how public servants are supposed to work with local media for the benefit of their citizens.”

The Benjamin Franklin Award for Open Government was created by the Wyoming Press Association to recognize officials and entities that go beyond minimum legal requirements and actively embrace transparency. One award is presented each month as part of a statewide effort that will continue through 2026, coinciding with the nation's observance of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The Wyoming Press Association continues to encourage local governments, municipal associations, county organizations, and other public entities to nominate officials who demonstrate a commitment to open government and public accountability. By recognizing positive examples, the association hopes to encourage transparency as a best practice throughout Wyoming and strengthen the partnership between citizens, the press, and the governments that serve them.