February 15, 2024 |
Photo – Medicine Bow Town Council – Bigfoot99 file photo
The last elected Medicine Bow town council member has resigned. The sitting council is asking for letters of interest to fill the now-vacant seat.
At Monday’s Medicine Bow town council meeting, Councilwoman Sharon Kahl, citing health reasons, resigned her position on the governing body.
The Medicine Bow town council has had a chaotic year. During the November 2022 elections, William Bailey beat out incumbent Sharon Biamon to become mayor of the small town. However, a background check rendered Bailey unable to hold the mayor’s seat.
Councilwoman Lucinda Schofield was chosen to be mayor pro-tem until the first meeting in January of 2023, where she was officially sworn in as the town’s newest mayor. At the time, the Medicine Bow town council consisted of Cindy Chase, Sharon Kahl, and Casey Federer.
A week later, on January 16th, a special meeting was held to appoint Bradley Buum to the town council.
The Medicine Bow town council remained the same for the next five months. During the June 12th meeting Councilwoman Federer resigned her seat.
At the following meeting, on July 10th, Mayor Schofield abruptly resigned. Councilman Buum, serving as mayor pro-tem, asked the remaining two council members, Kahl and Chase, to vote him into the mayor’s seat. Immediately after the successful vote, then Town Attorney Roger Piper said the council, which now only consisted of two members and the mayor, no longer constituted a quorum and was unable to continue the meeting. Attorney Piper said the Carbon County District Court would need to intervene and fill the open council seats.
Instead, a special meeting was held four days later, on July 14th, where Attorney Piper informed the town that two council members and a mayor are considered a quorum under Wyoming state law. Buum was officially sworn in as the mayor of Medicine Bow.
Justin George took one of the three vacant council seats in August with Trevor Strauch following the next month. Councilwoman Cindy Chase resigned in September, leaving one empty seat.
During the November 13th Medicine Bow town council meeting, Kristi Wickizer was selected to take Chase’s place on the town council. Wickizer’s appointment brought the town council back up to a full five members.
Mayor Buum resigned before the December 11th council meeting. Councilman George was chosen to be the next mayor, leaving another empty council seat.
Last month, Crystal Mayfield was chosen to fill Mayor George’s now-vacant seat on the town council, filling the roster once again.
Medicine Bow did not have a full town council for long. During the February 12th meeting, Councilwoman Sharon Kahl tendered her letter of resignation. Kahl was the last remaining elected member of the town council. All other members have been appointed by sitting council members.
After reading Councilwoman Kahl’s resignation letter, Mayor George called for a vote to accept her resignation and announce a vacancy on the Medicine Bow town council.
Earlier in Monday’s meeting, Councilwoman Kahl resigned her spot on the town’s planning and zoning commission. In her letter, read by Mayor George, Kahl once again cited health concerns as her reason for leaving the board.
The town council declared a vacancy on the planning and zoning commission and asked for letters of interest to fill the two remaining board positions.
Letters of interest are also being accepted for the open town council seat. All applicants must submit their letters to the Medicine Bow town hall by 5:00 pm on March 8th.
