Ten Questions with Wendall Gaston Mayor of Sidney / Safeway Pharmacist

Wendall Gaston has served the people of Sidney for decades--not only as a pharmacist at Safeway, but also in city government.

The current mayor of Sidney took the Safeway pharmacy position in 1999. Before that, he owned a place downtown, which he opened just after graduating from the University of Wyoming's pharmacy school in 1976. He also served on the city council for close to 13 years.

During this time, Gaston also earned an MBA from the University of Nebraska and a doctorate from Kansas.

He is clearly a busy man.

1. Do you ever have any free time?

Yeah--I enjoy the heck out of my grandkids. It's the best fun you can have. And I like to read and garden. My kids complain because I don't take my cell phone with me. But the phone rings here constantly. Sometimes you have to get away from it.

2. Why take up two busy jobs?

My father was mayor in Potter. My brother was mayor in Potter. We were brought up to give back to the community. If you love your community, you do it.

3. But mayor?

It has not been as bad a job as I expected. People know I'm here, so they come and see me. I don't have a lot of calls at home.

4. While waiting for their prescription do they give you suggestions about the city?

I do get that. I get a lot of suggestions.

5. Good ones?

I think we--the city council--discuss all of them. We take any idea. But I have had some interesting ones, though. One guy took his digital camera and took pictures of all the potholes and brought them to me. We got them fixed.

6. Why go into pharmacy?

In high school I was good in math and science. I was interested in medicine--being a doctor and a pharmacist both interested me. But in school I was better in chemistry, so that led me into pharmacy. I've enjoyed it.

7. You're kind of the first line of defense, right?

A lot of people come to a pharmacist because they trust your judgement. They don't want to make an unnecessary trip to the doctor. If you tell them to see a doctor, they do.

8. Pharmacists can do a lot these days, like shaping medicine into lollipops.

I'm certified in compounding. Downtown we did a lot of it. The most interesting medicine I've done was an ointment for a skin infection on a snake for a zoo. It worked well.

9. Did you bring the snake in for consultation?

No, I never saw the snake. That was a wise choice on the part of the owner.

10. What is something outsiders don't know about Sidney?

Once people come here, they're surprised at the attitude of helping each other. That's what has led to this explosion of economic development. That group effort is something many communities lack. But here I know all my neighbors.