Casper Council names Pacheco new mayor, welcomes new councilmembers

CASPER, Wyo. — On Tuesday, the Casper City Council elected Councilor Ray Pacheco to be the next mayor, with Michael McIntosh being chosen to serve as vice-mayor. It also welcomed McIntosh, Pat Sweeney and Matt Larson to the council as incoming councilors.

Pacheco represents Ward 3 in Casper, and he was first elected to be a part of the Casper City Council in 2014. Since then, he’s been reelected twice. He has served as the mayor of Casper three different times.

McIntosh also represents Ward 3. He previously served on the council for a handful of months after he was selected by the council to replace former Councilor Steve Freel and finish out his term in 2022. He was elected on Nov. 5, 2024, to serve on the Casper City Council for the next four years.

“As a council, our strength lies in collaboration,” Pacheco said. “While we may not always agree, we must prioritize open communication, mutual respect and a shared focus on what’s best for the city of Casper.”

Pacheco said top priorities for the coming year include advocating for Casper at a statewide level, addressing aging infrastructure, using a priority-based budgeting process and more.

“Our commitment as a council is to serve our community with humility, empathy and a dedicated focus on every member of our community,” Pacheco added.

The vote was unanimous, with Pacheco and McIntosh abstaining from the votes on their respective nominations.

The trio of newcomers replace outgoing mayor Steve Cathey and councilmembers Jai-Ayla Sutherland and Lisa Engebretsen.

“The city has great people to work with who work for this city,” Cathey said. “The leadership [and] the department heads couldn’t be better people. … I want to thank every city employee, down to the lowest person on the totem pole. I appreciate everything you’ve done in the years that I’ve been on council.”