SWEETWATER COUNTY — The Sweetwater County Commission declared a vacancy in the board after Lauren Schoenfeld sent in her letter of resignation as she has taken a position in Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon’s Office.

Schoenfeld said she accepted the position of Senior Policy Advisor for economic development, broadband, the Wyoming Business Council and the Executive Director of the Wyoming Innovation Partnership.

“I expect with this new role that I will be visiting Sweetwater County a lot over the next few years and continuing to offer support in many areas,” Schoenfeld told SweetwaterNOW.

Chairman Keaton West said that each of the commissioners received a letter of resignation from Commissioner Schoenfeld that outlined her reasonings for resigning and expressed her gratitude for her four years on the board.

“We all received a letter of resignation from Commissioner Schoenfeld. She has accepted a position in the Governor’s Office, which is forcing her to move to the eastern side of the state,” Chairman Keaton West said. “We’d like to show our appreciation to Commissioner Schoenfeld for her four years of service to Sweetwater County. It’s a difficult job… it can be a lot to balance, especially with your job outside of here and a young family.”

The Commission wished her well in her future endeavors, and Chairman West said the new commissioner will have “big shoes to fill”.

Schoenfeld first took office in June 2019 when she filled a vacancy left by the death of Don Van Matre. She was then elected in 2020 for a four-year term.

“After four years of having the honor to serve Sweetwater County as a County Commissioner I am tendering my resignation, effective July 19, 2023. I have been given a life-changing career opportunity that will relocate me and my family to Cheyenne. I know; however, I am leaving the County in good hands to my fellow commissioners and I look forward to working with each of you in my new capacity,” Schoenfeld wrote in her letter.

She went on to say, “I would like to sincerely thank my constituents and fellow elected officials for the input, debate and support as we worked through many major issues. The last four years has presented a global pandemic followed by recession, a major change in national politics and subsequent policies, millions of dollars in federal stimulus funding, and many other interesting situations. I will forever be grateful for having the opportunity to represent you and work with you through each of these unprecedented issues.”

“Lastly, it has been a pleasure to work with the Sweetwater County employees and County Component Unit directors. I am so grateful for the dedication, integrity and compassion that shines through the work that you all do every day. The County is where it is today because of you all,” Schoenfeld wrote.

West said he, as well as Schoenfeld, has been in contact with Sweetwater County Republican Party Central Committee Chairwoman Elizabeth Bingham in regards to the process, and to ensure they are moving through it effectively and correctly. As Schoenfeld is a Republican, another Republican must fill position.

The Commission voted 4-0 to accept the letter of resignation, effective July 19, 2023, and declared a vacancy exists on the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners.

Now that the vacancy is declared, the committee will have 20 days to select three candidates, which they will forward onto the board. The sitting commissioners will then make the decision.

The central committee will begin accepting applications and will then have the meeting on July 22, in which case they will forward the names of the candidates so they can be advertised for the County Commission’s August 1 meeting.

“The public needs to know this is very important for our precinct committeemen or women, they are the ones who will elect the three people. So if you are a county Republican committeeman or woman and you wondered what you’re supposed to be doing, this is your most important job,” Commissioner Mary Thoman said.