The Lincoln County Republican Party is collecting signatures for a petition that calls for Lincoln County to go from three county commissioners to five. If enough signatures are collected, a two-part ballot initiative would be included in this November’s General Election. Part one in regards to increasing the number of commissioners, and part two to determine if districts should be created or if the seats should remain at-large.
“The number of signatures required is not less than 10% of the total number of votes cast at the last general election, making the number needed 1,094,” explained Lincoln County Clerk April Brunski. “If the proposition to go from 3 to 5 is approved and districting is also approved, the commissioners devise a districting plan dividing the county into districts as nearly equal in population as practicable considering the geographic, economic and social characteristics of the county. Otherwise, if the voters approve to go from three to five, it would be on an at-large basis as it is now.”
According to Clerk Brunski, if the question to move from three to five makes it to the General ballot this year and passes, the new seats will be filled at the 2028 General Election. In order for a signature to qualify, it must come from a registered Lincoln County voter.
“Occasionally you end up with all three commissioners from Star Valley, and the rest of the county feels like their underrepresented,” explained Lance Oviatt, Chairman of the Lincoln County Republican Party, during a live interview on SVI Radio. “By going to five commissioners and having it districted…it would allow better representation throughout the entire county.”
According to Oviatt, the current statute only allows commissions to be districted if you have at least five seats, and is not an option with three. If the petition garners enough signatures to place the initiative on the ballot, the voters could approve the five commissioners but not the districts, keeping all five seats at-large. Or voters could approve five commissioners in districts or deny the measure all-together.
Kent Connelly, Chairman of the Lincoln County Commission, expressed his concern over creating districts. “You would…only be voting for a commissioner in one area, you wouldn’t be voting for the whole county,” he said on SVI Radio. “For example, if you had it in place right now and I was the commissioner from (southern Lincoln County), I would only have to worry about getting the votes from down here in my district. As voters, my advice to you is very simple. Sit down in your own community and say “do I only wanna be able to vote for one commissioner.”
RELATED: RADIO INTERVIEW WITH KENT CONNELLY –
Oviat and Connelly also disagreed on whether going to five commissioners would save the county money, assuming that the Chief of Staff position would be eliminated.
“The commissioners hired a Chief of Staff and his salary’s $120,659,” Oviat said. “If they went to five, they would be able to save money by eliminating that position and let the commissioners do their job instead of having this person that isn’t accountable to the voters between the commissioners and their constituents.”
“You can not add people and save money,” claimed Connelly. “Even if you lost the (Chief of Staff) position and added two, you’re adding one person. And when you add a commissioner you add the mileage, you add the health insurance, you add the entire package.”
The current salary for the commission seats held by Commissioners Connelly and Bowers comes with a salary of $39,812/year while Commissioner Shumway’s is $50,000. Shumway’s seat was voted to increase in salary in May of 2024, before he took office, as his seat was the only one up for election in that year. The salaries for the other two seats will be considered no later than June 1st of this year, according to Clerk Brunski. “In 2028, the Commission in place will have to adopt a resolution setting the salaries for the Commission seats elected in 2028 , which would include the seat Mel currently holds and the two new seats if it passes. Statute requires one of the new seats to initially be for a 2-year term, then 4-years thereafter.”
Anyone who would like to sign the petition can contact the Lincoln County GOP at lcwygop.com. The petition will also be available at different places in the community, including the Lincoln County Fair in August.
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