Skelton commences second year as school board chair

Sherman Skelton entered his second year as chair of the Hot Springs County School District Board of Trustees on Dec. 15, after Joe Martinez nominated Skelton to retain his board chairmanship, which Nichole Weyer seconded, and the rest of the board of trustees voted unanimously to close the floor to any other nominees.

“There was a lot to learn from the first year,” Skelton said. “It’s a growth piece for me, so hold me accountable. I always appreciate feedback, so I look forward to that.”

Weyer, in turn, was nominated as vice-chair by Jennifer Axtell, which Will Farrell seconded, while Clay Van Antwerp nominated Martinez, but Weyer received the required four votes from Skelton, Farrell, Axtell and herself, versus the three votes Martinez received from Van Antwerp, Bethany Webber and himself.

Weyer then nominated Farrell to serve as board clerk, after which Martinez moved to cease nominations, which Axtell seconded and the board carried unanimously.

When the call went out for nominations for board treasurer, Weyer and Axtell briefly laughed after Weyer said, “I don’t think anybody wanted it,” but Van Antwerp nominated Martinez to serve as treasurer, and without any other nominees, Martinez resumed his former role as treasurer, which he’d held prior to serving the past year as board clerk.

When it came time to declare potential conflicts of interest, Superintendent Dustin Hunt joined Martinez in reiterating that both of their spouses work within the school district, while Weyer and Skelton again acknowledged that their own respective spouses have worked with the hospital.

Van Antwerp, Webber, Farrell and Axtell all reported no known conflicts of interest, before the board again approved purchasing a bond in the amount of $50,000 for the board treasurer.

Van Antwerp had already served on the McCurdy scholarship committee over the course of the past year, so he ceded his seat, but Skelton noted he’d served on that committee when COVID had precluded its members from meeting in person, so he requested the opportunity to rejoin that committee, to experience it in person this time.

Skelton also volunteered to take part in the Northwest Wyoming BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services), “if that is one that is difficult for some people to get to,” but Webber said she “wouldn’t mind doing the BOCES either.”

Axtell noted of BOCES that “they like to have members stay on their whole term,” while Skelton encouraged Webber by describing BOCES as “a great partner” that provides “tremendous services, so I think you’ll enjoy that.”

Van Antwerp was also coming off a year of serving on the Recreation District, alongside Farrell, but both expressed interest in remaining onboard, even as Van Antwerp noted his willingness to step aside, “if there’s somebody else that would like to” serve, since “I’ve been on it for a long time.” However, no one else expressed interest.

Skelton warned that the Building Committee would likely meet “a lot more often,” but Weyer nonetheless volunteered to stay onboard, and Van Antwerp likewise volunteered to join her.

Martinez agreed to remain on CWC-BOCHES (Central Wyoming College Board of Cooperative Higher Educational Services) to ensure its “continuity” of membership, just as Axtell asked to stay on Early Childhood BOCES.

Webber and Van Antwerp demurred when offered spots on the District Guiding Coalition, due to their scheduling conflicts, so Skelton proposed that he, Axtell and Weyer step up instead.

Van Antwerp stepped down from the Legislative Committee, while Martinez asked to be retained, and Weyer agreed to stay onboard, which allowed Skelton to join that committee too.