RHCD race shifts early

Last Friday was the filing deadline for all county and state elections. What was thought to be a complete list of candidates for these races started to change almost immediately in Sublette County.

The changes revolved around one of the more controversial boards in town, the Sublette County Rural Health Care District (RHCD) Board.

After five community members who, based on Wyoming case law, would not be able to serve on the board without a change in employment within their household, filed for candidacy, the board decided to consider a conflict of interest policy.

In a special meeting Tuesday night, the board met in the Pinedale Ambulance Barn to adopt the policy.

According to the RHCD attorney, Wyoming case law has established, by precedence, what the board officially incorporated into its rule book: “board members may not hold incompatible positions, such that neither board members nor their spouses, nor relatives residing in the same household shall be employed by the district … or be a competitor.”

By Thursday afternoon, Wil Gay, Director of Emergency Medical Services for the district, David Burnett, a physician at the Big Piney/Marbleton Clinic, Luke Roberts a locum EMT married to an EMT and Bob Bracket had withdrawn their names from the race.

The deadline to have one’s name removed from the ballot was Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Dr. James Quirk also withdrew; however, he did not do so due to the policy change.

Candidates expressed support for the decision, coupled with disappointment that it had transpired prior to the filing deadline. In fact, Dr. Quirk, Gay and Dr. David Burnett said they had wondered about a conflict of interest policy prior to filing.

Now, RHCD Board candidates are current Chair David Racich, Jason Zakotnik, Laura Clark, Kurt Cordingly, Michael Gatzke, Amy Cahill, Debbie Thompson, Shannon Cave, Scott Scherbel and Jacob Porter. Amy Graham is still considering withdrawing.

For the complete article see the 06-04-2010 issue.

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