The Wrightwood Community Service District (WCSD) has appointed a new director to the board during a special meeting on Wednesday, May 9th, held at the Wrightwood Community Building. This appointment fills the vacancy left by President Kristy Gerard, who recently resigned on April 1st, 2025.
During the meeting, the WCSD board conducted open interviews with five candidates aiming to serve for the remainder of Gerard’s term, which is ending in 2026.
The candidates included Federal Immigration Judge Bryan DePowell, David Vorobyov an IT Systems Administrator at Huntington Gardens, former WCSD Recreation Coordinator Erin DeGroot, Wrightwood local and current Timberline Lions Club Treasurer Jill Carlton-Payne, and former WCSD General Manager Tamara Keen. Each candidate brought unique experiences and qualifications to the table.
After the first round of interviews, the current board members in attendence were Vice President Alexis Claiborn, Director Kurt Watson, and Director Martha McFauls who were tasked with making a unanimous decision, as the new appointment required a 3-vote majority to pass, with Director Rick Christensen absent from the meeting.
The board then decided to narrow the candidates down to a shortlist which included Bryan DePowell, Erin DeGroot, and Jill Carlton-Payne. The finalists were then asked to identify the three most pressing challenges facing Wrightwood today, with answers ranging from public safety issues, wastewater treatment, lack of activities for youth and young adults, as well as concern for proper procedures and workflow within the WCSD.
Ultimately, the board further narrowed the selection to two candidates: Erin DeGroot and Bryan DePowell. In the final deliberation, Erin received accolades for her outstanding work as the previous WCSD Park and Rec Coordinator, notably for implementing successful programs, including the highly attended Earth Day Celebration that united local organizations and businesses.
Bryan DePowell was equally recognized for his notable leadership experience as an accomplished Judge and former law enforcement officer. He had also been a finalist during the last board appointment back in October 2024, where he was narrowly edged out by the now-appointed Director Kurt Watson.
The board then announced their unanimous decision to appoint Erin DeGroot as the new WCSD board member. They praised all candidates for their participation and strongly encouraged them to consider running for a seat in next years WCSD election.
“I want to thank everybody, all the candidates, you interviewed very well,” said Director Martha McFauls “I was very impressed and please do run.”
At the conclusion of the meeting, Erin DeGroot was officially sworn in as a WCSD board member, taking her seat at the table stating “I just want to thank the board for trusting me […] and to my fellow candidates, you guys are all really awesome for all your own reasons. And I agree with everyone else that you should run and try to unseat me” she stated jokingly.
The next regular WCSD board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the Wrightwood Community Building.
