ELECTION: Meeteetse town clerk puts hat in ring for commission

Now she will take that community experience to a county-wide setting in her campaign to be elected commissioner.

Earlier this month Johnson, Meeteetse town clerk and treasurer, announced she plans to run for the Park County Commission. Johnson, who is running as a Republican, said she had been approached a number of times throughout the years by people encouraging her to run. With her youngest child graduating from high school this spring she decided to make the move.

“It just felt like the right time right now,” she said.

Johnson has served as town clerk since 2003, serves on the Meeteetse Facilities Joint Powers Board, helps the Meeteetse Recreation District as the Meeteetse Pool Supervisor, has been the Secretary of the Meeteetse Fire District for decades and treasurer for the Meeteetse Youth Work Program Board since 2008.

Johnson is involved on the state level as well, as president of the Wyoming Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers and is a member of a number of other state-level boards.

She is also coach of the Park County U19 and Team Wyoming U19 girls hockey teams and is the director of girls hockey for the Wyoming Amateur Hockey Association. Johnson describes herself as a goal-oriented person.

“I’m really good at time management,” she said. “I know what needs to be done and what’s needed.”

If elected as commissioner, Johnson said she will put a particular focus on developing the new county land use plan and expanding her attention to a county level.

“Park County is home,” Johnson said of her decision to run. “I was raised in Meeteetse and Park County. I know the area. I want to see our county thriving and make sure the changes that have to occur benefit the citizens of Park County, while still providing the opportunity for all of us to enjoy and appreciate everything the county has to offer.”

Johnson is the second candidate to throw a hat in the ring for the county commissioner race after sheriff Scott Steward was the first to make the announcement. Although there are three seats up for renewal, chairman Dossie Overfield is the only incumbent to announce another run. So far commissioner Joe Tilden has said he will not run for reelection, and commissioner Lloyd Thiel has not announced his intentions.

Johnson said the last Meeteetse resident to be a county commissioner was Tim Morrison about 16 years ago.

“Angela Johnson is a longtime Park County resident, independent thinker of local and state government and has years of experience with government budgets,” Tilden said in the press release announcing her candidacy. “She understands the challenges in Park County.”