Three incumbents, one new face, win seats on Worland school board

WORLAND — All three incumbents running for re-election for the Washakie County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees won their races on Tuesday along with a newcomer who won her first term on the board.

That’s according to unofficial election results.

Worland-area Washakie County voters granted Don Bryant (1,641 votes), Sarah Lungren (1,182 votes) and Terri Logan (874 votes) additional terms on the school board.

Kathy Mercado won her first term with 1,426 votes.

“I’m really looking forward to collaborating with everyone on the board as we focus on kids and their educators,” Mercado said. “I want to move forward and prioritize our educators (and) our school staff and provide them with all the tools they need to help our children succeed.

“I’ll do my best to be a positive voice for them all.”

Bryant, who has served on the board since 1992, said he is looking forward to working with Mercado.

“She is passionate about kids and she’s passionate about being on the board,” Bryant said. “She really pushed a good campaign to let people know she wanted to (be on the board).”

Logan, a 16-year school board veteran, said she is looking forward to continuing to work with the school district.

“We’re doing everything we can to keep a good school district,” Logan said. I would like to thank everyone for their support and thank my family.”

Lungren, the most junior of the incumbents, won her second term on Tuesday.

“I’m excited to serve again and it looks like we will continue to have a great board, so that’s exciting,” Lungren said. “Hopefully we can just continue to work on what’s best for the kids and make our school district better.”

CROWDED FIELD

Thirteen candidates ran for positions on the school board this year.

Logan said in her 16 years on the board, she’s never seen so many candidates seek school board positions.

“It definitely made it interesting,” she said.

Bryant credited that to a community who is passionate about educating its children.

“I honestly believe they all ran for a purpose of trying to make our school district better,” Bryant said. “I didn’t feel like anybody had an agenda. I know they tried to push that nationwide to make it an agenda, but I really believe from being at all the forums, all the candidates here in Worland were looking for what was best for kids.”

The race featured two candidate forums, one of which was open only to registered Republican candidates. Issues discussed at the forums included mental health, allowing teachers to carry firearms with training and what books should — or should not be — on school library shelves.

Candidates who unsuccessfully sought seats on the board included Ray Black (295 votes), John Burns (466 votes), Kelly Erickson (498 votes), Angela Leone (272 votes), Rance Neighbors (737 votes), Casey Rice (541 votes), Shane Seghetti (339 votes), Grady Trombley (479 votes) and Mandy Weaver (458 votes).

The 14th candidate, Lareina Stewart (69 votes), dropped out after ballots were already printed.

School board members serve four-year terms and will take office next month.

TEN SLEEP SCHOOL BOARD

In Washakie County School District No. 2, Marc Dykstra and Bill Murphy ran unopposed for the two available spots, receiving 272 and 293 votes, respectively. Both were appointed to seats on the school board.

Shana Harstad, who was also recently appointed, will serve two more years after receiving 310 votes. Harstad ran unopposed and will be eligible to run for a four-year term in 2024.

Washakie County School district No. 2 serves the Ten Sleep area.

SPECIAL DISTRICTS

Lance Berryman and Ray Witt ran unopposed for two available seats on Worland Fire Protection District No. 1, receiving 2,049 and 1,862 votes, respectively.

Jaclyne Harkink received 2,490 for the Washakie Conservation District Urban seat. Harkink ran unopposed.

For the two-year term on the rural conservation district, unopposed candidate Daniel Greet received 2,603 votes.

In the conservation district’s four-year term, Charley Orchard (1,966 votes) and Keith Bower (1,529 votes) won the two available seats. Shreve Stockton was unsuccessful in his bid, receiving 976 votes.

Jack Haggerty (294 votes), Robert Compton (229 votes) and Frederick A. Drake (255 votes), ran unopposed for three spots on the Ten Sleep Cemetery District.