Cheyenne Mayor Rebuts Secretary Gray's Censure Amidst Annexation Challenge Legal Dispute
Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins has responded to a censure from Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray concerning the city's request for judicial clarification on an annexation challenge. The Cheyenne City Council is seeking a declaratory judgment from the Laramie County District Court to determine the correct statutory process for challenging a recent annexation. The city annexed 3,460 acres of land on July 13, which had been sold by companies linked to U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis’s family to Microsoft for a large data center project. Residents opposed to the rapid data center development initiated a referendum process under Wyoming Title 22. Secretary Gray cautioned Mayor Collins against 'undermining a clear statutory process,' asserting that Title 22 is explicit and not preempted by Title 15, which outlines a different appeal process for annexations. Mayor Collins maintains that the city's objective is to gain clarity for future growth and dispute resolution, not to obstruct legal processes. 
