Dossie Overfield

Park County Commissioner Dossie Overfield will be shifting focus away from broader county politics as she runs unopposed to serve on Northwest College’s Board of Trustees, representing the Cody subdistrict for the school following the retirement of John Housel after 20 years on the board. Overfield is not running for re-election for Park County commissioner after serving two terms.

Overfield, who was born in Maine and raised in Colorado, has lived in Park County since 1981, where she and her husband raised two sons. She worked as a vet tech for Chadwick Veterinary Hospital and as an office assistant in the Park County Commission office before spending 23 years working for and eventually managing the Northwest Rural Water District. During her time with the company, the district expanded water infrastructure considerably across Park and Big Horn counties.

Overfield has extensive public service experience in the area. She served on the Park County School District 6 school board as well as serving as the board’s chairman and spent 15 years on the Shohone Recreation District board. Alongside these postings, she has been on several boards throughout the Powell community, including on the Powell Library board. Most recently, she is wrapping up her second four-year term as a county commissioner before deciding to concentrate on the Big Horn Basin’s only higher education institution.

“After spending 12 years on the board at Park 6, and watching the kids there, I still have a passion for education, the youth and how they can move forward,” Overfield said. “I think this is a great step in trying to help out.”

One of Overfield’s concerns for the college’s future stems from the uncertainty of Proposition 1’s impact if passed in November, which would create a homeowner’s property tax exemption that would exempt 50% of a primary residence's assessed value from taxation. While K-12 and the University of Wyoming would be largely shielded from the effects of the proposal thanks to legislative guarantees on funding, the state’s community colleges do not enjoy the same level of protection.

“The budget is always a priority but it depends on what [Prop 1] does because that could certainly shift everything if funds get cut,” Overfield said. “Whether the effects are intentional or unintentional, it’s going to have an impact and we need to see what we can do to alleviate some of it if it comes down to it.”

Northwest has done a strong job as a school of its and as a community institution in Overfield’s eyes and she wants to see that work continue. She highlighted the college’s enrollment situation and praised the work that the college has done in recent years to diversify the programs that they offer while expanding opportunities for dually enrolled and concurrent high school students.

She is optimistic about joining the board and being a part in serving the students and staff of the college and working through whatever challenges will arise in the future.

“I think everybody should understand what this college offers for everybody, whether it’s traditional students, older students or high schoolers under dual enrollment. There is always something for everyone,” Overfield said. “I think the college has made great strides in the last few years and I want to keep them working.”