Opal town attorney resigns amid recall controversy — Council members continue push to replace mayor

KEMMERER — The political landscape of Opal has been shaken following the resignation of city attorney Thayne Peterson on March 3. His departure comes after he provided incorrect information regarding a Wyoming statute, which led to efforts by council members to recall newly-appointed Mayor Mary Hall.

At the Jan. 14 city council meeting, Peterson addressed council members’ dissatisfaction with Hall’s appointment and cited Wyoming Statute 15-4-110, which he believed allowed for a recall.

He later admitted to misinterpreting the statute.

“I verbally outlined the steps for initiating such a recall election,” he said. “As a result, some Opal citizens initiated the recall process.”

Councilmember Dan Whiteford questioned the legitimacy of Hall’s appointment, which occurred in December after former Mayor Tony Ritzdorf resigned unexpectedly.

Hall defended her appointment, stating, “The mayor resigned. Someone moved to appoint me as mayor. It was seconded and went through unanimously.”

However, not all council members agreed.

“The whole thing was manipulated,” Whiteford said, pointing out that Ritzdorf’s wife, Councilmember Maxine Ritzdorf, had nominated Hall on the spot. Whiteford argued that proper procedure was not followed.

“There is a procedure you are supposed to go through when a mayor quits,” he said. “I raised my hand at the meeting and said it didn’t seem right.”

Whiteford and fellow Councilmember Stephen Palano, both new to the council, said they felt the process was rushed.

Palano said Hall’s term for city council was up just as she got moved into the mayoral position.

Whiteford said that because Hall’s role as mayor is a paid position, she should not be able to vote on the matter.

“She does have a financial interest in this, and she should not be voting in something she has a financial interest in,” he said.

Determined to rectify the situation, Whiteford researched a statute which he believed allowed for recall with 25% of the electorate signing a petition.

“Then we will at least have it done properly,” he said.

He gathered 15 signatures, saying, “I went out and talked to the constituents,” and he noted that 20 of the town’s 35 voters wanted Hall removed.

Despite concerns about potential retribution, Whiteford said, “We are trying to fix things going on in town.”

Peterson later acknowledged that the statute he had referenced did not apply to Opal’s form of government.

“The statute is applicable only to a commission form of municipal government, which Opal is not,” he said, rendering the recall effort invalid. He expressed regret for his mistake, stating, “I

deeply regret my error.”

Believing his credibility had been compromised, he resigned.

“I value the experiences I had from that relationship,” he told the Gazette.

Whiteford also raised concerns about his and Palano’s delayed swearing-in. According to Whiteford, Hall, as acting mayor, insisted that new council members should handle only new business.

Whiteford disagreed.

“That is not what the statute says,” he said.

Hall stood by her appointment, asserting her legitimacy.

“The statute they are trying to hang their hat on is not valid,” she said.

She also declared that the recall supporters were spreading misinformation.

“It’s easy to sit behind a computer drafting petitions based on misleading claims and incomplete information and then go door-to-selective-door presenting a one-sided narrative to push an agenda,” Hall told the Gazette.

But even after Peterson’s resignation, council members sought counsel from Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray.

After a special meeting held on March 4, councilmember Palano said, “I hope the petition stands. We are going to push it.”

After hearing from Gray’s office, Whiteford confirmed the statute is not applicable to Opal.

“Evidently the statute does not apply to any town in Wyoming,” he said.

He said he does still want to speak with the new town attorney to see if the procedure used to place Hall in the mayor’s position can be “unwound.”

Beyond the recall controversy, Whiteford emphasized urgent flooding issues in Opal. His own home and business have already suffered from flooding.

“We have lakes all over town,” he said. “We lost a lot because of the flooding.”

He believes immediate maintenance should be prioritized over waiting for larger funding opportunities. Whiteford reached out to the Wyoming Department of Transportation and learned that the town is responsible for maintaining drainage ditches.

“We are a bad snowstorm and a melt away from flooding out again,” he warned.

Hall, however, questioned the feasibility of addressing the issue completely.

“How does anyone combat several thousands of gallons of water coming at the town all at once?” she asked.

She praised past flood management efforts, saying, “Mayor Ritzdorf did everything he could do, including getting emergency management involved.”

She said engineering firms, WYDOT and the Union Pacific Railroad have been working on solutions to divert water and added that the town of Opal has applied for funding from the State Land and Investment Board for consideration on June 20.

Despite opposition, Hall remains steadfast in her role.

“One thing you can count on is that I am going to continue as mayor with the belief that working toward the greater good of the community is paramount,” she said. “The rest is just unnecessary drama that has no place in municipal government. I believe I am equipped to handle this. I want to treat everybody the same in an unbiased way.”

Whiteford said he will continue to shine light on the situation and hopes people will do what is right.

“If everyone does what they are supposed to do, we can all live in harmony,” he said.

He said he hopes there will be an amendment to the statute so there is a legal course of action available for a recall in the future if necessary.

This story was published on March 11, 2025.