ROCK SPRINGS – For so many years, the Sweetwater County Child Developmental Center bounced from place to place. It was not until the voters of Sweetwater County spoke up and voted to provide sixth-cent money that they gained a permanent home.

Everything came full circle on Monday. The leadership of the CDC was joined by Sweetwater County Commissioners and Governor Matt Mead to open the Rock Springs Center officially. Director Shelly Wall said this was a “celebration” for the efforts of everyone including all the residents who voted for the project.

“We appreciate everybody who supports early childhood education,” Wall said.

CDC Board Chairman Christy Magagna told the crowd it had been a long journey to get here. The journey started on Nov. 1 when the residents voted up the sixth-cent tax.

“We have to thank them,” she said. “It was a very important day for us. It allowed us to have permanent homes.”

Magagna said it seemed like all they did before was pack and move and pack and move. She exclaimed now they were done doing that.

Commission Chairman Wally Johnson spoke for the other four of his commissioners and gave them the credit for seeing this through.

Johnson had kept his personal life relatively private, but spoke about his wife and her travels as an educator her entire life.

“My wife keeps me headed in the right direction,” Johnson said.

During this journey, Johnson said they constantly heard from Cheyenne that communities need to be willing to tax themselves before coming to Cheyenne asking for money. He pointed to the Rock Springs center and the Green River center as proof that Sweetwater County has done that.

“A project that educates children is an easy project to support,” Johnson closed.

With leaders of Sweetwater County School District No. 1 in attendance. Governor Mead said Sweetwater County does a wonderful job educating both the older and younger students.

Meads wife has a program promoting early childhood literacy and Mead said when they spent money on students up front to help them, it saves money later in the students journey. He said not only does it save money, but it improves that student’s quality of life.

“Early education is so key to the individual state and country,” Mead said. “It is really celebrating a better community.”