Dossie Overfield

Dossie Overfield is finishing out her first term as Park County commissioner, and she is hoping to continue serving the residents of the county. She is among seven candidates, including fellow incumbent Lloyd Thiel, who are running for three open seats. 

“I believe I’m fair and balanced. I try to listen to everyone. The door is always open,” Overfield said. “I have experience in board work and budgeting, and three and half years as commissioner. I believe in property rights, and I’d like to keep Park County, Park County.” 

Though born in Maine and raised in Colorado, she has lived in Park County for 41 years.

Now retired, she worked as a vet tech at the Chadwick Veterinary Hospital, and then for six years as an office assistant in the Park County Commission office. 

She went on to work for the Northwest Rural Water District, where she developed her expertise in water resource management.  When she retired after 22 years in the district, she was in the manager position. 

Besides her service on the Park County Commission, which she chairs, Overfield also served three terms on the Park County School District 6 board. She’s served on the Shoshone Recreation District board and the CodyCAN youth anti-drug board. Over the years, there have been other positions on various committees and boards, including the Powell Library Board. She expressed her desire to help with the library’s expansion. 

“I’ve served on a lot of boards in Park County,” Overfield said. 

In her time as commissioner, she helped coordinate responses to the COVID pandemic, which she said presented some challenges since it was something entirely new. 

“COVID was a mess,” she said. 

Overfield has taken a role in the county’s land use development plan, and her knowledge of water resource management is helping with that. 

“My history with the rural water district put me all over the county, building water systems,” she said. 

She also cited as her accomplishments her assistance with the improvements at the landfill and the rebuilding of the Upper Southfork Road.

Annually, she’s assisted with the development of the county’s budget, something she also did for the water district. 

She takes pride in the fact that county commissioners have managed to budget the county’s spending without raising taxes. 

Property taxes have seen a significant increase this year, the result of increased valuations. Overfield said it’s a concern, and she is working with the assessor’s office and the Wyoming Legislature to see what is the best way to address the issue. 

She also said she wants to make sure the land use plan incorporates the public input county officials have received and that it’s in line with what the community wants. 

Overfield said she wants to follow up the plan development with more “clear and concise” regulations that are easier for decision makers, developers, and land users to follow. 

Overfield also wants to help see the county through challenges it will face in the coming term, including a $4 million replacement of the HVAC system on the old courthouse. 

“We’ve got leaks. We’ve got all kinds of problems,” she said. 

The primary election is Aug. 16 

In addition to Overfield and Thiel, the other candidates in the race are Scott Steward, Angie Johnson, H. Keith Dahlem, Matthew Scott, Ken Montgomery, and Tyson Williams.

Profiles for candidates can be read in the Powell Tribune’s 2022 Primary Election Guide online at tinyurl.com/2022PEGuide.