2026 Park County Candidate Forums

This is the full Platte Canyon Candidate Forum organized by the bipartisan group Like Minded Unite on May 26, 2026. Candidates for Assessor, Clerk & Recorder, County Commissioner, County Coroner, County Sheriff, and County Treasurer introduced themselves and answered 2-3 questions each from the organizers. Timeline:
@ 0:00 Tim Peterson, Moderator, Introduction

Introductions by each candidate:
@ 5:33 Monica Jones, Assessor candidate
@ 8:54 Tyrene Cook, Commissioner candidate
@ 11:45 Truman Esmond, Commission candidate
@ 14:20 David Kintz, Coroner candidate
@ 17:37 Rob Schearer, Coroner candidate
@ 19:30 Mark Noel, Sheriff candidate
@ 22:45 Steve Spodyak, Sheriff candidate
@ 25:55 Amy Flint, Treasurer candidate
@29:30 Amy Flint reading a statement on behalf of Mel Kassel, Clerk & Recorder candidate who was unable to attend at the last minute

Questions for each candidate:
@ 32:30 Tim Peterson -

@ 33:47 Monica Jones, Assessor candidate questions
1. The Park County Central Republican Committee has censured you. What do you have to say about that?
2. What legislative changes will affect the appraisal process?
3. If someone wishes to appeal their home appraisal, what information should they collect?

@ 39:28 County Clerk question that would have been posed to Mel Kassel had she been able to attend. Tim Peterson answered instead - There are many registered Unaffiliated voters that would like to help with the election. How can they become election judges or watchers?

@ 42:07 Tyrene Cook, Commissioner candidate questions
1. A large group of citizens in the Platte Canyon area would like to form a health services district. Would you support this effort?
2. The Land and Water Trust Fund sales tax brings in about $2.1M per year and is collected by zip code. The Platte Canyon area accounts for 40% of the total collected. Would you support spending 40% of the total gathered in the Platte Canyon area? Should the money be used for fire mitigation/beetle kill? What other types of projects would you support to spend those funds?

@ 50:10 Truman Esmond, Commissioner candidate. Same questions.

@ 54:42 David Kintz, Coroner candidate questions
1. What are your top 3 goals & how can you rearrange your department to accomplish those goals within budget?
2. Please tell us about the C.A.R.E. program?

@ 1:01:45 Rob Schearer, Coroner candidate. Same questions

@ 1:03:57 Mark Noel, Sheriff candidate questions
1. Can you tell us about your community engagement and any groups you've been part of?
2. If elected, have you given any thought to who would be your undersheriff and what qualifies them?
3. What are your top 3 goals and how can you accomplish those within budget?

@ 1:11:17 Steve Spodyak, Sheriff candidate. Same questions.

@ 1:22:03 Amy Flint, Treasurer candidate questions
1. What are the challenges your department faces?
2. What are your top 3 priorities for the department?

@ 1:26:56 Tim Peterson, conclusion of forum.

Video recorded by, and property of, My Mountain Town. All rights reserved.

Please check www.vote411.org/ for more on the candidates as well.