County Attorney resigns

by Jonathan Van Dyke

Sublette County Attorney Ralph Boynton tendered his resignation to the Sublette County Commission last Thursday.

An agreement between Boynton and the commission stated that “for personal and professional reasons, it is in the county attorney’s best interests to resign from his position” and “it is in the best interests of Sublette County for the Sublette County Commissioners to effectuate the resignation, now, therefore.”

The agreement pays Boynton $35,600.06, a combination of remaining salary for the year and retirement contributions. “The agreement speaks for itself and since this is a personnel matter I cannot and will not say anything else,” Commission Chairman William Cramer said.

Boynton could not be reached for comment.

Meredith Peterson has been appointed as Interim Head of the County Attorney’s Office.

The Sublette County Republican Party is now in charge of submitting three nominations for the vacancy. The party will hold a meeting at 5:30 p.m., on July 14 in order to make those nominations.

“I’ll ask each of those candidates [at the meeting] if they want to come up for a three minute address on why they would be best for this job,” said Cat Urbigkit, chairwoman of the Sublette County Republican Party.

The elected precinct members — 22 people from precincts spread across the county — will then vote on a nominee.

Those interested in the position can email a letter of intent to Urbigkit at catu2@mac.com or receive more information by calling 276-5393.

The commission is then tentatively scheduled to meet on the matter July 17, when it will vote to install one of the three nominees.

The position will run through the end of Boynton’s term until the general election of 2010, at a yearly salary of $85,000. The only qualification is that the applicant be a member of the Wyoming Bar Association.