GILLETTE, Wyo. — The Campbell County Republican Party will convene next week to choose three candidates from which one will be selected to fill a vacant county commission seat.
As of Jan. 19, seven residents have submitted their names for consideration to fill a commission seat left vacant by Colleen Faber’s resignation earlier this year: Traci Barkey, Bruce Brown, Wendy Fisketjon, Bob Jordan, Jerry Means, John D. Robertson and Paul Unti, according to the Campbell County Elections Office.
The Campbell County Republican Party plans to meet in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 201 E. 5th St., on Jan. 22 starting at 5:30 p.m. The Campbell County Commissioners have also called for a special meeting so they may attend the candidate selection, per a special meeting notice.
Barkey — former owner and operator of City Brew Coffee — is a second-term political precinct person with experience serving on the City of Gillette Planning Commission, the previous president of Campbell County Economic Development and a founding board member of Advocacy of Visual Arts.
“I believe our civic system only works when people are engaged and involved,” Barkey wrote in her application, adding that she has spent the last few decades creating successful businesses that have helped people feed their families and believes she is a leader with the ability to listen and gather information to make informed decisions.
Brown — a former member of the Gillette City Council — is a certified public accountant who would draw on experience as a city leader and treasurer for multiple agencies to lead the county into the future by making fiscally sound decisions, budgets, and expenditures.
“I am not afraid to make a decision no matter how unpopular it may be,” Brown wrote in his application. “I will listen more than I talk so I can get a good understanding of the issue being acted on. It is extremely important to me that I listen to my constituents to get a better understanding of the issues facing Campbell County.”
Fisketjon — owner of Dougherty/Fisketjon Safety Consulting — submitted an application showing no community service or past political experience, stating she and her family live on a ranch north of Gillette and grew up in Campbell County.
“Campbell County is a great community and we have so much potential to bring in new businesses,” Fisketjon wrote in her application. “We can’t keep up the high budgets with the coal downturn and the unknown for the oil and gas industry with the current administration. I would like to be a set of fresh eyes and new ideas.”
Jordan is a retiree with vast work experience with Black Hills Energy and construction, bringing experience from service to several boards, including the Campbell County Conservation District and the Planning Board. He also worked to build a not-for-profit consulting company and a marketing company.
“I wish to serve my county [and] be part of the solution rather than part of the problem,” Jordan wrote in his application. “Campbell County has provided tremendous opportunities — personally as well as professionally — throughout my life, for myself and as well as my family. I wish to give back, and contribute to [the future] of our county.”
Means — former co-owner and operator of KG Construction and a new Campbell County Land Board member — brings community service experience from coaching, being the association president of Babe Ruth Baseball, and his involvement in community rodeo.
“[Faber] will be difficult to replace with her knowledge and experience, but she was part of a great team,” Means wrote. “I have closely observed the commission work over the past four to five years, and I don’t believe the goals have changed — maintain and budget for the changing and growing needs of our community.”
While he believes each commissioner has their own opinion and plans to voice his, he also believes listening to other commissioners and hearing their thoughts as well as the community’s views are essential to serving the county.
“This community has been very blessed in the past by the abundant funds provided by the energy industries,” Means wrote. “Although the future is always a bit uncertain, this community stands on the shoulders of those who have worked hard to make Campbell County what it is today.”
Robertson is an alternative precinct person who says he is filing to serve on the commission as his way of giving back to a community he feels has been good to him. He believes the county’s top issues are revenue, severance tax, property tax, spending and allocation of funds, new construction and bringing new industries to the area.
“I know most of [the] Campbell County state legislators and I know all of the Campbell County commissioners [and] have the ability to be a team player,” he wrote in his application.
A veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, Unti brings volunteer experience to the commission table, though his application doesn’t state what organizations he volunteered for and offers no past political experience.
Unti says he wishes to serve on the commission because he cares about where the county is today and the future development of the community and state.
“I believe with my background, I can help with county policy-making to ensure every resident is represented properly,” he wrote in his application, adding that he believes in responsible budgeting and giving a voice to those who are not heard.
