General Elections - Town of Byron

Shae Abraham 

Byron Town Council

Bio: 

Growing up in Byron I have always appreciated my community. We moved away for nine years to Las Vegas, but our family vacations always brought us back. Thankfully, we moved back home, where my wife Amber and I are raising our three children in Byron. I own and operate First Light Solar LLC, a local solar and electrical business. Giving back to the community is important to me. I currently serve on the Byron Town Council, I serve as the 2^nd Councilor in my church and as vice president of our local wrestling club. 

I believe in hard work, practical problem-solving and being a good steward of the resources the people of Byron entrust to us. Serving on the council has given me the chance to work on updating town codes, improving nuisance and abandoned vehicle standards, supporting zoning updates and completing projects like the new Main Street lights.

Wyoming has always been my home. I understand the values of our small communities and the real challenges we face. I am seeking re-election because I care about this town and want to continue working for steady, common-sense progress. My commitment is to listen to residents, work hard, spend tax dollars carefully and represent Byron with honesty and respect.

What do you believe are the top issues facing your town?

One of the most important issues is keeping our town looking cared for and functional. Updating and fairly enforcing reasonable codes — especially around nuisances and abandoned vehicles — helps protect property values and the overall appearance of Byron.

We also need to stay focused on our basic infrastructure. Maintaining streets, water systems and other essential services has to remain a priority. Looking ahead, I support fixing many of our old clay sewer lines that are plaguing our residents. 

Working together as a community matters. When residents, the council and town staff treat each other with respect and focus on solutions, Byron is stronger.

With the changes in property taxes, the monies coming into the towns is making for tighter budgets. What would be your priorities with a potentially limited budget?

With tighter budgets, every dollar has to count. My priority is to protect essential services and critical infrastructure first.

We need to stay disciplined, avoid unnecessary spending and make sure we are getting the best value for the money we do spend. New projects should only move forward when they are clearly needed and when the funding is solid. By being careful stewards of taxpayer money, we can keep Byron on solid financial footing while still taking care of the things that matter most to residents. Careful inquiries into the town budget is a must. During my tenure we prioritized this and found a lot of money that could be used for some of these projects. 

What is your stance on government transparency including public notices, open meetings, public records and communication with the press? How do you hope to keep the public in the loop?

I believe the public has a right to know what their local government is doing. Transparency builds trust, and we should always be open and honest with residents.

Town meetings are open to everyone, and public records such as meeting minutes and financial reports are available through the town office. We keep people informed through notices posted at town hall and the post office, the monthly newsletter, the Town of Byron website and the local newspaper. I am committed to communicating clearly, answering questions honestly and making sure residents have the information they need to stay informed and involved.

Allan Clark

 Mayor of Byron

Bio:

I was born and raised in Lovell, where I grew up on a dairy farm and learned the values of hard work, integrity and service. After graduating from Lovell High School, I attended Yellowstone Automotive in Billings before serving a two-year mission. I returned home, married my wife, and together we raised our family in Byron. I spent most of my career with BPM Halliburton, where I worked until retiring a few years ago.

Wyoming has always been my home. I understand our communities, our values and the challenges and opportunities we face because I’ve lived them. I believe in honest leadership and fiscal responsibility. I am seeking the opportunity to serve because I care deeply about the people of this area. My commitment is to listen, work hard and represent our community with integrity, common sense and respect. 

What do you believe are the top issues facing your town?

One of the most important issues facing our town is working together as a community. We all live here, and we all benefit when we treat each other with respect, work together and do our part to make our town a better place to live.

We also need to continue investing in our infrastructure. Parts of the sewer system on the south side of town still use aging clay tile, making replacement an important long-term priority. Maintaining and upgrading these essential services will help protect our community for years to come.

Looking ahead, I would also like to see us work toward burying the open irrigation ditches that run through town where it is practical. Doing so could improve public safety while also helping reduce groundwater infiltration into aging sewer lines. Excess water entering the sewer system places unnecessary strain on the sewer lagoon and can reduce the efficiency of wastewater treatment.

With the changes in property taxes, the monies coming into the towns is making for tighter budgets. What would be your priorities with a potentially limited budget? 

With changes in property tax revenue, our town will need to be even more disciplined with its budget. Every taxpayer dollar should be spent wisely, with careful consideration given to what is truly necessary.

My priority would be to maintain a balanced budget by focusing on essential services and critical infrastructure before taking on new projects. We need to make thoughtful decisions, eliminate unnecessary spending where possible and ensure we are getting the greatest value from every dollar. By being responsible stewards of taxpayer money, we can continue meeting the needs of our community while keeping our town on solid financial footing.

What is your stance on government transparency including public notices, open meetings, public records and communication with the press? How do you hope to keep the public in the loop? 

I believe the public has a right to know what their local government is doing. Transparency builds trust, and I believe we should always be open and honest with our residents.

Our town meetings are open to everyone, and public records such as meeting minutes and financial reports are available through the town office. We also keep residents informed through notices posted at Town Hall and the post office, our monthly newsletter, the Town of Byron website and the local newspaper. I believe in communicating openly, answering questions honestly and making sure residents have access to the information they need to stay informed and involved.

Taliesha Beech 

Byron Town Council

Bio:

My name is Taliesha Beech, and I’m running for Byron Town Council. I’ve called Wyoming home for my whole life, and Byron has been home for about 15 years. Working at Sisters Daycare has allowed me to get to know many local families and see firsthand what makes our community special, along with areas where we can continue to improve.

Working with families has shown me what helps a community thrive -- safe neighborhoods, welcoming public spaces and a town people feel proud to call home. My husband and I are raising our son here, and I want Byron to stay a place where people of all ages feel connected and supported.

I’m not running because I think I have every answer. I’m running because I care deeply about this town and want to be a voice for our community. Good local government starts with listening, working together and making thoughtful decisions. I hope residents always feel comfortable sharing their ideas and concerns with me.

What do you believe are the top issues facing your town?

One of the biggest challenges for Byron is finding ways to grow while keeping the close‑knit feel we all value. Supporting our parks, public spaces and community events is a big part of that. 

I’d like to see continued investment in things that improve everyday life -- maintaining parks, updating playgrounds, creating more recreation options and exploring grants for projects like a splash pad. These kinds of improvements help make Byron a place where families want to put down roots and where new residents and businesses feel welcome.

Most importantly, I believe a council member’s job starts with listening. I’m committed to learning from residents and making decisions that reflect what matters most to our community.

With the changes in property taxes, the monies coming into the towns is making for tighter budgets. What would be your priorities with a potentially limited budget?

When budgets are tight, every dollar counts. My first priority would be maintaining essential services: streets, water and sewer, and public safety, while making sure taxpayer money is used responsibly. 

I’d also look for grants and outside funding so we can keep improving without putting extra strain on residents. We may not be able to do everything at once, but careful planning and clear priorities can help Byron keep moving forward. I believe being fiscally responsible means taking care of what we have now while planning wisely for the future.

What is your stance on government transparency, including public notices, open meetings, public records and communication with the press? How do you hope to keep the public in the loop?

Transparency is essential for good local government. Residents deserve to know what’s happening in town and why decisions are being made.

I support open meetings, timely public notices and making information easy to find. Communication shouldn’t stop when a meeting ends. Updates through the town website, social media, the newspaper and other tools can help keep everyone informed.

Most of all, I want residents to feel comfortable reaching out anytime. Whether it’s a conversation around town, a phone call, an email or attending a meeting, I want people to know their voice matters and they will always have someone willing to listen.