Silverado Boys Ranch
Panguitch, UT

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Congressional Staff Visit Silverado

On Monday, June 2, Silverado Boys Ranch hosted a visit and tour for Michael Empey, Southern Utah Field Representative for Congressman Jim Matheson, and Bryan Thiriot, Southern Utah Area Director for Senator Bob Bennett. These two gentlemen spent over two hours at Silverado, spent time with students, toured the facility, and met with Kreg Gillman, Silverado’s Executive Director, to discuss the HR 5976 (the Miller bill) and the potential effects of the bill on Congressman Matheson’s congressional district and on the state of Utah in general.

Surprisingly, although Michael had heard talk of the bill, both men were generally uninformed about this industry and its prominence in the state of Utah. The visitors were not only impressed with what they saw but were surprised by the number of programs (both residential and wilderness) in the southern Utah area. They asked many questions and were educated regarding the potential economic impact on the various counties, both urban and rural, in the southern Utah congressional district.

Mr. Empey followed up with an e-mail indicating he had followed up with Congressman Matheson’s Washington D.C. staff, and was provided with the NATSAP “talking points” document which summarizes the inherent flaws with the proposed legislation.

Silverado is an owner-operated Therapeutic Boarding School for boys ages 13-17, located in southern Utah. Silverado provides stellar academics and a relationship-based therapy model, utilizing experiential therapy in a beautiful location central to five national parks and a plethora of recreational opportunities.