|
With the loss of Park County Commissioner Doc McKay last week, the difficult job of appointing a temporary replacement falls to his friends and associates in the Park County Republican Party. The party's Vacancy Committee has the task of considering possible fill-ins and selecting the person who can step into the position and best serve the citizens of District 3 for the remainder of the year. A separate election process later this year will determine who will fill the office and serve out the remaining two years of McKay's term.
Under the bylaws of the Park County Republican Party, according to board members, the Central Committee's elected Executive Board serves as the Vacancy Committee to appoint a county commissioner in the event of the death or resignation of a sitting Republican commissioner. This is the only active county position that this Vacancy Committee fills. The sitting county commissioners fill all other vacancies among elected officials, department heads, or other staff in the county, but are not allowed to replace a fellow elected commissioner. If the deceased or resigning commissioner is a Republican, then a Republican Vacancy Committee appoints the replacement. If it is a Democrat, then the same type of committee from that party appoints someone to serve out the term. Each party would generally be expected to replace the commissioner with a person in the same political party as the commissioner who was elected to the position. Under state law, the committee has only ten days to appoint a replacement or the power falls to the Governor to make the appointment.
In this case, the Park County Republican Chairman, Susan Pullman, notified the central committee members of the procedure for replacing a commissioner. The Chair was notified of McKay's passing late Thursday night, May 8. Note that the selection will not be announced until Friday, May 16, 2008 and all information regarding the names or interviews of interested parties is to remain confidential until then. The 10-day schedule is as follows, according to the PCRCC Chair:
Within 12 hours of notification of vacancy, the Chair must notify the members of the PCRCC (The Chair was notified at 11 p.m. on 05/08/2008). Anyone interested in being considered for the appointment of the vacant seat must initially send an email or fax to the Chairman within 4 days, which is Monday, May 12. Deadline is 5:00 p.m. This Memorandum of Interest (MOI) shall be followed up with a SIGNED letter within the next 48 hours to be considered for the appointment, which is Wednesday, May 14. Deadline is 5:00 p.m. If no letter with signature is received by the Chairman within the prescribed timeframe, that person will NOT be considered for appointment. Again, Deadline is 5:00 p.m. on May 14. It is the sole responsibility of the person wishing to be considered to ensure that the signed letter is received within the designated timeframe. All interviews will be conducted on Thursday, May 15, no exceptions. The Chairman will notify the appointee on Friday, May 16, prior to 12:00 Noon. The County Clerk will need to swear in the appointee and then notify the Governor that the appointment has been made.
|
"This is a difficult process and not one we ever want to do," said Pullman. "We're hoping it will go as smoothly as possible under the circumstances. It's a serious responsibility for us to make sure that the citizens of Park County's District 3 have the best and most effective leadership possible to represent them until a new commissioner is elected."
|
