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Dear Gillette,
Following Dr. Joe Lawrence’s resignation from the Campbell County School District Board, the current School Board members will select a candidate to replace him. I wish Dr. Lawrence the best.
I am writing here to express my concerns regarding the process I anticipate the School Board members will use to select Dr. Lawrence’s replacement. My presumption is they will use the same process used in 2022 following Ken Clouston’s resignation allowing him to begin serving in the Wyoming Legislature.
In 2022, the top three candidates were seated. Several of the remaining candidates submitted their applications to be considered for the replacement. One of those applicants was Jerry Means, the fourth-place candidate. Although the board members state they are responsive to the public, they chose to appoint the candidate who came in ninth in vote counts.
In both 2022 and 2024, the replacement nomination immediately follows the general election. Both elections had a long list of candidates, and vote totals give a clear picture of who the people desire to represent them on the Board. Most of the people who were members of the board at the time are still on the board today, and I fear they will again fail to honor the will of the people. This year, if they make the right vote according to the will of the people, the School Board members will select Ruth Cloud, the school board candidate who received the next-highest number of votes.
I serve on a county board and understand the need to maintain transparency and remain responsive to the people, the taxpaying voters. From my perspective, if the School Board members choose not to pick Mrs. Cloud for the board, they will be showing blatant disrespect for the will of the people.
Mark Junek
Gillette
