After a several hour delay on Monday, the newest Uintah County Commissioner, Duane Shepherd, was sworn in to fill the mid-term vacancy for Commission Seat A previously held by Mike McKee. During the regularly scheduled meeting, the Commissioners indicated that two new applications had come in for the vacant Commission seat and Commissioners ultimately decided to adjourn and allow for legal counsel to investigate if the applicants can legally be considered. When the Commission re-adjourned later that afternoon, Commissioner Bill Stringer stated that nothing in section 8 of state law prevents or prohibits independent candidates from applying for a vacant elected position. The issue with these two applicants is that neither filed a specific form that is a declaration of candidacy that would have been required as well as payment of a filing fee. “That being the case we have no choice but to reject the two applications that came in under Section 8 of the code,” stated Commissioner Stringer. The Commissioners then made the motion and approved the appointment of Duane W. Shepherd to fill the vacancy of Commission Seat A. Shepherd was then sworn in by Uintah County Clerk/Auditor Mike Wilkins.
