Thoman seeks election to county commissioners' board

A longtime member of the Sweetwater County Conservation District is seeking a chance to serve on the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners.

Mary Thoman, a Republican, recently announced her intent to seek election to the board, saying her experience will help lead the county through the economic uncertainty the county faces.

"We need leaders with experience and maturity to face the issues and make tough decisions to preserve our quality of life in Sweetwater County," she said in her campaign announcement. "I understand those issues and am prepared to deal with them."

During her 20 years as a member of the conservation district, she led a public process detailing all of the roads in the county, as well as its different mineral layers, land ownerships, wildlife corridors and habitats. She said this process guides the county commissioners and conservation district while cooperating with the Bureau of Land Management in developing a transportation or travel plan in Sweetwater County.

"We provide input to our legal and technical team who then prepare legally defensible and scientifically credible comments for the administrative record," she said about the conservation district. "Currently we are focusing on ensuring that facts are considered by the Public Service Commission while the future of our coal mines with the nation's most reliable power source is threatened by outside interests."

She also said she is experienced with budgeting, both from a county perspective and from managing her family's ranch and personal businesses. She believes the county will see drastic revenue cuts due to the pandemic.

She also believes tough decisions will need to be made in response to those shortfalls and said she has the experience to work with the other commissioners to meet those challenges.

"I am prepared and willing to face the challenges of this county. I can promise you that I will give it my all and devote the time it will take to do a great job," she said.

Thoman is a graduate of Green River High School and has a bachelor's degree in business education from the University of Wyoming, a master's degree in marketing education from Colorado State University and a PhD from CSU in vocational education administration.