November 6, 2023 |
Photo – Meeting of Republicans at Elk Mountain Town Hall – by Matt Copeland Bigfoot99
After three and a half hours of questioning and voting, the Carbon County Republican Party chose three commissioner nominees Thursday evening.
Former Carbon County Republican Party Chairman Joey Correnti, Saratoga Rancher Emilee Berger, and Elk Mountain Fire Department Treasurer Garrett Irene received the necessary number of votes to be considered for a county commissioner’s seat during Thursday night’s Carbon County Republican Central Committee meeting. The Board of Carbon County Commissioners will select one of the three nominees to fill the vacant board seat.
Commissioner Byron Barkhurst resigned from the Board of Carbon County Commissioners during the October 17th meeting. The Carbon County Republican Party was given 20 days to solicit nominations for the former commissioner’s seat and select three names to send to the remaining commissioners.
At the meeting Thursday in the Elk Mountain town hall, the eight nominees were asked the same four questions by Republican Party Chairman Paul Metevier. Afterward, the nominees were asked three questions submitted by the voting body. As before, every candidate was asked the same questions. The order of the questioning was determined by drawing names from a hat.
Former Republican Party Chairman Joey Correnti was first to be interviewed. Metevier asked Correnti what his approach to taxes would be and how he would reduce county spending. Correnti said he’ll start by determining if the tax money is being collected and spent wisely.
Former Carbon County Impact Joint Powers Board Chairman Richard Raymer was interviewed next. Along with tax questions, Metevier asked Raymer how he would manage Carbon County’s natural resources to ensure they are protected, but also provide income to the county. Raymer said he would push for more coal and oil extraction and less wind energy.
After Raymer, Memorial Hospital of Carbon County Board of Trustees Secretary Jerry Steele appeared before the committee. Steele received the same questions as Correnti and Raymer. Republican Party Chairman Metevier asked Steele is he believes the county commissioners or boards and commissions should write county policy. Steele said the commissioners should create policy. Steele said as a former Department of Corrections administrator, he has a lot of experience developing procedures.
Saratoga Police Lieutenant John Moore was next. Metevier asked Moore how he would handle the diverse needs of all the residents of Carbon County. Moore said the most important way to ensure the entire county is being represented is to have commissioners from different areas.
The fifth nominee was Elk Mountain Fire Department Treasurer Garrett Irene. Committee Chairman Gary Gilbert referred to the government’s handling of Covid 19, asked Irene is he would remove public officials from office if they supported stripping public rights for any reason. Irene said effective government requires doing what’s right for the people.
The sixth candidate of the evening was Sinclair Refinery Plant Operator James Hinkle. Gilbert asked Hinkle how he’s been active in the Republican Party and what tenants of the party he agrees and disagrees with. Hinkle said he doesn’t have an agenda to push. Hinkle said his contacts across the county make him qualified to fill the vacant commissioner seat.
After Hinkle was Savery Rancher Eamon O’Toole. The third and final question the Teller Committee asked was broken up into three parts. In the first part of the question, Gilbert asked O’Toole what negative impact he thought the Bureau of Land Management’s Resource Management Plan B for Rock Springs would have.
O’Toole said the proposed BLM regulations would make it too expensive for western Wyoming ranchers to operate.
The last candidate was Saratoga Rancher Emilee Berger. Gilbert asked Berger his three-part BLM question. The second part of the question asked what authority Carbon County commissioners had to participate in Sweetwater County’s discussions with BLM. The third and final part of the question asked if Berger would support spending taxpayer money to fight the government’s plan. Berger said she needs to research the BLM’s proposed land management changes more, but said she supports standing up to the federal government.
When all the nominees were finished being questioned, the Republican Party Central Committee voted for their three choices. With 25 voting members present, a majority of 13 votes were needed.
Party Chairman Metevier mistakenly said that 14 votes were required for a majority. Metevier read the results of the first round of voting.
With only one person receiving the necessary number of votes, the committee voted again. Correnti’s name was removed from the ballot.
No one received the required 13 votes during the second round of voting. After voting a third time, Emilee Berger was selected as the second nominee with 16 votes.
Another round of voting was needed to choose a third nominee. When the fourth voting cycle finished, Garrett Irene received 13 votes. Still thinking 14 votes were needed for a majority, Chairman Metevier was preparing to conduct another vote when a member of the committee called for a point of order. Doug Brecheisen pointed out that Irene had received the necessary number of votes to have his name sent to the county commissioners.
None of the candidates received 13 votes in any of the previous voting rounds.
With the voting finished, the Carbon County Republican Central Committee has their three nominees to send to the county commissioners. The Board of Carbon County Commissioners will pick one of the three, Joey Correnti, Emilee Berger, or Garrett Irene to fill Commissioner Barkhurst’s empty seat.
According to an email on Friday from Carbon County Clerk Gwynn Bartlett, the successful nominees will appear before the county commissioners on Tuesday, November 21 at 1:00 p.m. for a vetting process. The clerk said the preliminary plan is for the BOCC to make an appointment after the interviews are completed.
