Whitlock resigns as Clerk of District Court

WORLAND - With the resignation, effective June 30, of Washakie County Clerk of District Court SuZann Whitlock the Washakie County Republican Central Committee has begun the process to submit names for potential replacements to the county commissioners.

According to state statute, 22-18-111 (ii) "if a vacancy occurs in a county elective office, the board of county commissioners of the county in which the vacancy occurs shall immediately notify in writing the chairman of the county central committee of the political party which the last incumbent represented at the time of his election." Whitlock submitted her letter to the county on June 1 and it was accepted by the commissioners on June 2 at their regular meeting.

The letter states that the resignation will become effective June 30.

Whitlock wrote, "My 26 years as the Clerk of District Court plus the 10 years prior as an employee with the county have been wonderful years and I have enjoyed my job greatly, but I feel it is time for me to move on and enter the next phase of my life.

"There are a lot of new changes coming to our office in the next few months and years and I am ready to hand that over to someone else to deal with. I have already dealt with my share over the years."

To fill the vacancy, the Washakie County commissioners notified the Washakie County Republican Party, since Whitlock is a Republican. The GOP Central Committee is seeking resumes and cover letters from interested Republicans.

Per statute, "The chairman [of the political party] shall call a meeting of the county central committee to be held not later than 15 days after he receives notice of the vacancy. At the meeting the county central committee shall select and transmit to the board of county commissioners the names of three persons qualified to hold the office. Within five days after receiving these three names, the board of county commissioners shall fill the vacancy by appointment of one of the three to hold the office."

Washakie County Republican Chairman Rick Martin said people can submit resumes and cover letters to [email protected] or mail to P. O. Box 633, Worland, WY 82401-0663.

For salary information, he said, interested persons can contact the county clerk's office.

The committee has scheduled a meeting of the candidates for Monday, June 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the Washakie County Fairgrounds in the 4-H "green" building. Martin said every candidate will be allowed to have one person introduce them and speak on their behalf. Each candidate will then be able to speak for three to five minutes.

There will then be time for "reasonable" questions by committee men and women, he said.

They still must abide by the 25 people gathering order for the state, but will have a Google meeting link available for the public to view the meeting online at meet.google.com/rjm-bhxs-fdm.

Upon completion of the questions, voting by the committee will be done by secret ballot.

Prior to the speeches, the committee will appoint two "ballot tellers" to count the ballots. Each candidate will also have one person be able to view the counting to ensure complete transparency, Martin said.

Once counting is complete the top three names will be submitted to the county commissioners.

Martin said his understanding is that the commissioners will then make an appointment at their regular meeting June 16.

Any ties in the counting will be determined by coin toss, Martin said.

In her letter to the commissioners, Whitlock wrote that deputy clerk of court Mirian Hansen, "should be the number one person on [GOP] list they submit to you; I am also recommending that you in turn appoint Mirian Hansen to be the temporary successor."

Whitlock ended her letter by stating, "It has been [an] honor and a pleasure to serve the people of Washakie County. I have enjoyed serving the public. This has been the greatest job ever."