Alex Berger

NEWCASTLE (WNE) — The Board of Weston County Commissioners officially accepted the resignation of Weston County Attorney Alex Berger on July 31.

“It has been the honor of my life serving the people of Weston County in this capacity. I sincerely hope and believe that I have left this office better than when I assumed it,” Berger said in a July 20 resignation letter. “The current attorneys and staff of the office will keep on making sure the people of Weston County are safe and your board [of commissioners] is well represented.” 

Berger is a Gillette attorney who went to court to secure a spot on Weston County’s primary ballot for the office in 2018. Last September, Berger announced that he would be joining the Powell firm of Copenhaver, Kitchen & Kolpitcke as an associate as he continued to serve as the Weston County attorney. However, due to some family issues, Berger never ended up joining the Powell firm, partner Tracy Copenhaver said.

Filling the vacant Weston County attorney position is done through several steps, according to Wyoming statute. First the commissioners must inform the chair of the Weston County Republican Party of the vacancy. Chairman Kari Drost then has 15 days to call a meeting of the county partys’ central committee, which will select three candidates and forward their names to the Weston County commissioners. Commissioners will then have five days to choose one of the three candidates to serve as county attorney.

(CJ Baker contributed reporting.)