One incumbent and one new council member

PINEDALE – The Town of Pinedale held its regular municipal elections on Tuesday and finalized the results on Wednesday morning. With two open seats, an incumbent and a new member were elected to the Pinedale Town Council.

Challenger Tim Lingle and incumbent Nylla Kunard were the leading vote-getters, with 182 and 135, respectively.

Gary Heuck received 128 votes, and incumbent Michael Kudar got 84.

A new town council member will be assigned to any posts where Kudar served as the town’s representative, like the Sublette Economic Resource Council board.

The election’s total turnout was 285, compared to 363 in the 2010 election, down by 21.5 percent.

The elected officials will begin their new terms on June 1.

Kunard has served on the town council for 10 years and has lived in Pinedale for 53 years. A self-titled “conservative,” Kunard told the Roundup she thinks water rates will need to be raised, more recreation fields are necessary and the council may need to cut some spending due to lower natural gas prices.

Lingle advocates controlled spending, a reduced engineering department leading to fewer water and sewer rate hikes and would like to see a “voluntary” water and sewer board to oversee infrastructure projects and water rates, according to an interview with the Roundup.

For the complete article see the 05-11-2012 issue.

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