SWEETWATER COUNTY — Longtime Sweetwater County Clerk of District Court Donna Lee Bobak is retiring. Her final day is April 3.

Bobak read a resignation letter to the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners Tuesday morning. 

“I thoroughly enjoyed serving Sweetwater County for almost 40 years between the district and circuit courts,” Boback said. “It’s now time for someone else to lead this office.”

She started working in the judicial system in 1987. Prior to being elected to serve as the Sweetwater County Clerk of District Court, she worked in the Green River Circuit Court before it was moved to the Sweetwater County Justice Center outside of Rock Springs. She worked in the circuit court for 24 years and was first elected as the Sweetwater County Clerk of District Court in 2010.

“These are always bittersweet,” Chairman Keaton West said. 

Robb Slaughter said standing at the podium and announcing retirement is a hard thing to do, citing his own experience when he retired as Sweetwater County Treasurer in 2021. Each commissioner wished Bobak well as she prepares for retirement. 

Bobak said her chief deputy, Randy Bingham, will take over for her after she leaves the office. She said her office has a phenomenal staff that will get through the transition. She hoped to remain in office and help with the transition, but Bobak said state statutes do not allow for that arrangement.  

The process used to fill Bobak’s unexpired term begins when a vacancy is declared and written notification is sent to Sweetwater County GOP Chairman Tony Niemic. The county party’s central committee is then tasked with nominating three people as candidates for the commissioners to select a replacement from. The central committee has a 15-day deadline to host its meeting after receiving the formal notification, with the commissioners having five days after receiving nominees’ names to make their decision. With Bobak’s retirement starting April 3, West said the commissioners will make the vacancy announcement April 7 as they can’t announce the vacancy beforehand. 

“Officially, until it’s vacated, we have no action to take,” West said.

Bobak’s retirement comes at a time when the district court prepares for a new district court judge. District Court Judge Richard Lavery will retire April 18, with Rock Springs Attorney Clark Stith succeeding him.