Eight to be interviewed for Johnson County supervisor opening

Eight people will be interviewed for an open seat on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, an appointment committee decided Tuesday.

Sixteen people had applied for the position, which became vacant when Larry Meyers died last month. The new supervisor will sit on the board until the November 2010 election.

In accordance with state law, county Auditor Tom Slockett, Recorder Kim Painter and Treasurer Tom Kriz will make the selection. A special election will be held if a petition with at least 7,299 signatures is submitted within 14 days of the appointment.

The committee said Tuesday that 16 was too many people to interview and settled on the following eight:

• Kenya Badgett

• Maison Bleam

• Mike O'Donnell

• Gregory Pickett

• Cami Jo Rasmussen

• Janelle Rettig

• Edgar Thornton

• Mike Lehman

The list has “extraordinarily well-qualified candidates. It has a good cross-section of the population,” Slockett said.

Interviews will be Thursday and Friday. A decision is expected Oct. 28.