Weber County discusses assessor vacancy, designates temporary manager and tables several trustee appointments

Weber County staff explained the statutory process for filling a vacancy in the elected assessor's office and said the county has designated Dede Kimber as the temporary manager while the formal party appointment process proceeds.

Lauren Thomas, a county attorney, described the code timeline: following a vacancy the county must notify the outgoing official's political party within 10 days; the party then has 30 days to submit a name for commission appointment, and the commission may appoint an interim replacement until the office returns to the ballot in 2026. Thomas said that in the interim the commission can ask someone to serve as a temporary manager; in this case "Dede has been asked to be the temporary manager."

Commissioners voiced support. One commissioner said they had "full confidence" in Kimber's selection and that the assessor's office can notify the clerk by letter with the party's chosen interim appointee. Thomas and commissioners clarified that the assessor's own processes and party notification rules govern the formal interim appointment and that the commission did not need to take separate formal action to accept the temporary manager.

On trustee appointments: Stacy Skeen presented applications for several local improvement and service district boards. The commission tabled the Ogden Valley Park Service Area and Powder Mountain Water and Sewer Improvement District appointments to permit additional vetting; Greenhills Water and Sewer Improvement District appointment of William Lydell to fill a midterm vacancy (to Dec. 31, 2025) was approved by roll call; the Weber Mosquito Abatement District recommended reappointment of Commissioner James H. Harvey and the commission approved that reappointment by roll call.

Ending: Commissioners asked for additional time to review submitted applications and noted the tabled items will return to a future agenda.