The list of 19 candidates vying for the vacant seat on the Navajo County Board of Supervisors has been narrowed to seven.
The board had planned to select five candidates to interview, but due to the method of voting there were two ties. As a result, seven candidates were invited for interviews, including Jason E. Whiting, Bill Elkins, Hunter Lewis, Joel N. Lawson Jr., David Smith, Paul Hatch and Thomas Poscharsky.
Jason E. Whiting has served on the Snowflake Town Council for six years, and is an insurance agent and partner with the Mahoney Group. He is vice mayor of Snowflake, and was the sole candidate for mayor this election season. He is a past president of the Snowflake-Taylor Chamber of Commerce and is the Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG) representative for Snowflake.
Bill Elkins is owner of Rocking Chair Ranch and E7 Enterprises, a general construction contracting firm. He has served as president of the Navajo County Cattleman’s Association and is the junior livestock superintendent for the Navajo County Fair.
Hunter Lewis is a deputy county attorney in the Navajo County Attorney’s Office. He is a graduate of Snowflake High School and served as a legal intern in the county attorney’s office prior to serving as a deputy county attorney.
Joel N. Lawson Jr. is a member of the Navajo County Planning and Zoning Commission, and is also the owner of Integrity Realty and Associates. He has also served as the president of the White Mountain Association of Realtors.
David Smith is a member of the Taylor Town Council and operations manager for Banker White Mountain Insulation. He is chairman of the Taylor Airport committee and the council representative for the Taylor Beautification Committee.
Paul Hatch is a former president of the Joseph City Unified School District Governing Board, previously owned Hatch Traders and operated a cattle ranch. He also served as a board member and president of the Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT).
Thomas Poscharsky is a member of the Snowflake Town Council, Snowflake Economic Development Committee, Little Colorado RC&D, and has served as the town’s representative to the Real AZ Corridor group. He is also the director of the Silver Creek Senior Center.
Interviews were scheduled for the morning and early afternoon of Tuesday, Oct. 14. The board was expected to meet and select a candidate to appoint to the position immediately following the interviews, or determine what other course to follow.
The vacant seat on the board is a result of the resignation of Sylvia Allen, who is running for the state senate.
