Natrona County GOP Interviews 12 Candidates For Vacant Commission Seat

Leaders of the Natrona County Republican Party on Wednesday will interview 12 people -- and select three -- who applied for the recently vacated seat on the Natrona County Commission, party chairman Dr. Joe McGinley said Tuesday.

"I'm really pleased to see the number of candidates and quality of candidates we have received," McGinley said.

"It really shows the community in Natrona County stepped up and saw this position as something of significance," he said.

Thirteen people applied, but one withdrew his name after realizing he had time conflicts:

• Michelle Sabrosky.
• Morgan DeWitt.
• Trace Swisher.
• Paul Bertoglio.
• Dave North.
• Brandi Good.
• Charles Moore -- name withdrawn.
• Paul Paad.
• David Florence.
• Kris Gaddis.
• Jim Milne.
• Greg Flesvig.
• Ed Opella.

The position opened on the five-member commission when Republican Commissioner Steve Schlager resigned effective immediately on May 5.

That began the process to fill the vacancy on the five-member commission. All commissioners -- Chairman John Lawson, Rob Hendry, Matt Keating and Forrest Chadwick -- are Republicans.

The party began accepting applications for the position, and the deadline was 5 p.m. Monday. That was the same deadline for people to apply for the vacant position on the Casper City Council. Unlike the nonpartisan council, commissioners are partisan.

The Natrona County Republican Party's central committee will meet at the Ramkota Hotel, 800 N. Poplar St., at 6 p.m. Wednesday to outline the rules for the interviews. Registration for the event starts at 5 p.m.

The candidates will be sequestered. Each candidate will be called before the central committee and a moderator will ask each one three identical questions, McGinley said. He declined to identify what those questions are.

The candidates will make a one-minute opening statement. They will have one minute to answer each question, and then they will have one minute to make closing remarks.

After the interviews, the central committee will meet to select three finalists.

The party then will submit those three names to the Natrona County Commission, which will make its decision within five days.