Commissioners fail to appoint clerk

The Weston County commissioners did not appoint an interim county clerk Tuesday after a split vote and procedural uncertainty left the board without a majority choice, potentially pushing the decision to a judge.

Driving the decision, according to several commissioners, is the fact that the Republican Party did not forward interim County Clerk Amber Green’s name to the board.

The board interviewed three candidates forwarded by the county Republican Party — Michael Tooman, Patricia Baumann and Stanley Jazinski — but none secured enough support for an appointment. 

After more than two hours of interviews and discussion, commissioners attempted to make a selection through motions and seconds, but none succeeded.

A motion to appoint Jazinski died for lack of a second. A subsequent motion to appoint Baumann received a second but failed on a 1-4 vote. A later motion to appoint Tooman also failed to receive a second.

With no candidate receiving majority support, commissioners were left without a clear path forward under state statute.

“I’m a bit torn on how to approach the choice of selection,” Chairman Nathan Todd said. 

County Attorney Michael Stulken’s guidance during the meeting suggested that the board is expected to select from the three names provided, but commissioners also discussed recent cases in other Wyoming counties where failure to act resulted in a judge making the appointment.

Following the lack of action, Stulken said he would look into case law and Commissioner Ed Wagoner suggested he look at a recent situation in Sheridan County. 

Commissioners acknowledged the legal ambiguity and indicated they would seek additional guidance.

The lack of action drew concern from both commissioners and members of the public, who warned that the board may have created additional uncertainty at a critical time.

Commissioner Vera Huber told the other commissioners that she was disappointed with what happened. 

“Now we’ve just traded one problem for another,” Huber said, noting that the county still needs leadership in the clerk’s office ahead of the Aug. 18 primary election.

Commissioner Garrett Borton on the other hand said he was offended as a resident of Weston County that Green was not on the list provided by the Republican Party. 

He said the board’s inability to choose reflected the difficulty of the decision but emphasized the importance of getting it right.

“These are difficult decisions, but the correct choices — even when pressured — need to be made,” Borton said.

Public comment echoed concerns about stability, with one speaker noting the county is facing tight timelines to prepare for the 2026 elections.

“The important thing is, you still have to run an election,” former commissioner Don Taylor said.

All three candidates emphasized reliance on the current clerk’s office staff and the need to ensure a smooth election process, though commissioners expressed concern about the learning curve and the county’s current challenges.

“I didn’t really hear a lot of qualifications regarding the duties that are going to take place during the several troubling months,” Todd said.

While the vacancy remains unfilled, the commissioners indicated the next step will likely involve further legal review or potential court involvement if the board cannot reach a decision.

The Nov. 3 General Election  this year will ultimately allow voters to choose a clerk to serve a full term.