Councilman Valdez Passes Away

Long-time Cheyenne City Councilman Jimmy Valdez passed away Wednesday night.

Valdez, who was first elected to represent Ward I in 1998, was currently serving his fifth term on the Cheyenne City Council.  He was instrumental in many projects including the naming of Romero Park, reconstruction of the Norris viaduct and renovations at Lincoln Park.

"It was an honor to serve with Jimmy," said Councilman Dicky Shanor. "He is someone who has dedicated his life to the service of Cheyenne and truly is that public servant that we can all look up to and really thank for all that he's done for our community."

Mayor Rick Kaysen has ordered all City of Cheyenne flags to be flown at half-staff through September 16 in memory of Valdez.

"Jimmy was a heck of a guy," said Kaysen.  "The City of Cheyenne has lost a friend, a gentleman and a man who cared deeply about Cheyenne and those he served."

Valdez was most recently re-elected in 2012 to a four year term that expires January 3, 2017.

Kaysen says it will likely be next month before the governing body selects a candidate to fill Valdez's position.

In addition to serving on the City Council, Valdez also brought his "All American Spanish Show" and "Hot Latino Nights" to KYOY listeners every Wednesday night.

"Jimmy was our colleague, our friend and a valued member of our radio family," said KYOY General Manager Larry Proietti.  "His loyalty and dedication to the stations and the staff make losing him harder to bear."

Valdez is survived by his wife Amelia, five children and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was 72 years old.