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Residents press council to protect Cutter Racing Museum as Thayne considers Town Hall options
Summary
At a Sept. 1 special meeting, residents and local stakeholders urged the Thayne Town Council not to sell or repurpose the Town Hall and asked the council to preserve and better market the Cutter Racing Museum after the senior center signaled plans to leave the building.
Residents and stakeholders urged the Thayne Town Council on Sept. 1, 2021, to preserve the Cutter Racing Museum and the Town Hall building after the Thayne Senior Center indicated plans to move to a new facility.
Mayor Devin Simpson said the council had been “blindsided” by the senior center’s plan to build its own facility and described the discussion as exploratory. Councilman Rod Heward (first referenced at the meeting) proposed examining options, including relocating the town clerk’s office into the Cutter Racing Museum so the museum could be open during regular office hours. Heward framed the proposal as an early-stage idea for consideration, not as a finalized plan.
Multiple residents and stakeholders testified against selling or altering the museum’s collection. Sharron Woolley told the council she was concerned about confidentiality if the clerk’s office were relocated into the public museum and said she “would hate to lose the Town Hall building that the community has worked hard for.” Susan Hale, who said she was raised in Star Valley, described the museum as part of her family heritage and urged preservation of donated artifacts. Mike Newman asked the council to do more marketing for the museum, and Donny Wheeler, speaking for the World Championship Chariot Racing Association, said he had not previously known the museum existed and described the Cutter racing heritage as important to the town.
Councilman Woolley described substantial volunteer hours invested in the museum and said expansion was desirable; he expressed reservations about selling the Town Hall because taxpayers funded it. The council collected suggestions from the public — including checking out keys through the library and hanging artifacts from the ceiling — and noted practical concerns (liability, ceiling height, artifact conservation) raised by speakers and staff.
Mayor Simpson emphasized the conversation was for information-gathering and that no decisions or votes would be taken at the special meeting. The council invited written input and asked members to send votes by email or text on the informational items presented.
